Burnt Islands Final Report

A. Community economic development questions.

1. Did you use community media to facilitate discussion on a local issue or development?

Ans: Yes.

2. If yes, why? Did you see an increased awareness? (Some examples would be good to document).

Ans. To a degree. It was used to inform the residents of Burnt Islands about the Dog Act, the water supply and about Renaming Route 470. The information was posted on the Community Channel, in Newsletters and Posters placed in businesses in the community. Residents were informed and sometimes they showed interest, but most of the time they did not.

3. What is your definition or understanding of community economic development?

Ans. Community Economic Development can be put into a home made definition. It is an attempt by a person, group or organization to introduce a new enterprise, remodel an existing enterprise or retain a current enterprise in an attempt to maintain or increase the number of employees and economic viability of a community.

4. Do you see a relationship between participatory communications (the stuff you were doing) and economic development in the community?

Ans. Yes. We used the media to liaison with organizations. This way we can make announcements and use the community channel to advertise for local and regional businesses.

5. Did you gain an appreciation for this type of activity and role its plays in community
development?

Ans. Yes

B. Participatory evaluation questions.

Part 1:

1. Describe what you have done (in point form not in detail).

Ans.
Work extensively with Sharing Our Future youth.
Hosting a Sharing Our Future meeting, the first Monday of every month.
Performed five workshops and made three video's of Burnt Islands Beat.
Filmed and edited local events within the community and surrounding communities.
Hosted a radio broadcast workshop.
Wrote a skit "Yarns From Stage Head.”
Members of the Family Resource Centre Committee.
Just recruited two members to join the Sharing Our Future team.
Traveled to Stephenville with the Sharing Our Future Youth. Visited the College of The North Atlantic and was given a tour of the college.
Take pictures of local scenery
Maintain the Burnt Islands web site.

2. Describe what has worked best in the SOF experiment.

Ans.

The radio broadcast workshop proved to be a real success. The workshop began the first weekend in June. We are still getting request to do the radio broadcast again.
The video's shown within the community has also proved to be a success. We have sold eight video's to residents and organizations.
The workshops conducted by Mr. Fred Campbell. They were a great opportunity to learn how to use the equipment.

3. Describe barriers that you have come up against.

Ans. There are few barriers, but here are a couple:

It is sometimes difficult to get residents to complete interviews.
It is sometimes financially difficult to do things. There is a strict budget which prevents facilitators from doing things with the youth that they would like. I.e., Visiting CBC or NTV news studios.

4. Describe what you would do differently.

Ans.
When hosting the radio broadcast in Burnt Islands, the facilitators should have advertised for more greetings and businesses before the workshop. This would have provided a more structured format, instead of continuously taking greetings while on the air. However, the radio broadcast was a success.

Part Two:

Detailed questions.

1. Describe what you see as your role in the community?

We are media facilitators. We inform residents of events happening within the community and provide entertainment. For example: Newsletters, Burnt Islands Beat
Filming social events and airing them on the community channel. We work with a team of youth, implementing workshops for all youth to perform in. For example: Seniors Day, Graduation Ceremonies.

2. Why do you think SOF is important?

It is important because it bridges the gap between technology and culture. Facilitators can achieve this goal by getting the youth involved within community.
Also, it is an excellent learning experience. Sharing Our Future youth know how to operate and work the equipment and by interacting with others within the community they learn about their culture.

3. What benefits do you see in having the community more involved in participatory communications?

It is an information tool which spreads knowledge. It reaches people who are not able to attend certain events. I.e., Voisey's Bay Information Presentation.
Being a resident of Burnt Islands, the facilitators get request and invitations to do things. People very seldom shy away from the camera, but hesitate to give interviews.

4. How do you think you are helping the community?

Facilitators can bring information to all residents
Monthly newsletters provide facilitators with the chance to inform residents of what is happening in the town of Burnt Islands.
Filming current events. (Ex. Easter Fun Day, Seniors Day, Canada Day etc.) enables people to later catch this event on the community Channel.

5. What are some of the projects you are working on and how do they fit with the basic principles of SOF?

Yarns From Stage Head Skit
Burnt Islands Beat Videos
Newsletters
Preparing for the conference in August.
Canada Day Celebrations

They fit the basic principles of Sharing Our Future because the facilitators work with the youth. The youth act and perform in the workshops.

6. How do you know that what your doing is working?

The facilitators have received tremendous positive feedback from residents in the community.
Enthusiasm from the youth.
Knowing that surrounding communities now want a Sharing Our Future Program like Burnt Islands.
The Marine and Mountain Zone is willing and want to sponsor the Town of Burnt Islands Recreation Committee's attempt to create its own Radio Station.

7. Why do you think it's working?

Ans. One way to determine it is working is due to the positive feedback and support expressed from the community.

8. Have you come across any barriers?

Ans. There are a few barriers.

Financial restraints
Residents are hesitating to get filmed due to a previous video, “Passage to Burnt Islands.

9. What unique qualities about your community make a process like this work?

Ans. The Town of Burnt Islands Recreation Committee and the Town of Burnt Islands have supported the Sharing our Future Program tremendously. They have provided the building and some equipment needed to make Sharing Our Future a success in Burnt Islands. Also, with the introduction of the community channel two years earlier, the community has openly embraced the work of the Sharing Our Future group because it adds an additional element of entertainment to the community.

10. What unique qualities in people make a process like this work?

Ans. The qualitites in people that make Sharing Our Future work in Burnt Islands are:

Trust - They don't mind supporting Sharing Our Future and some do not mind being interviewed by the youth because they know the quality of work completed by Sharing Our Future.

Compassion - They know the youth enjoy working with Sharing Our Future, thus, the community does not mind lending a helping hand.

Curiosity - The people are eager to learn about the new and existing issues within the town. Sharing Our Future provides a way to inform residents about these issues.

11. What is one thing you have learnt since you became an SOF community communications facilitator?

Ans. One thing the facilitators of Burnt Islands have learned since they started is that at first, community support is low, but, when the community sees results, they become eager to help out.

C. Personal assessment (please add comments to each question).

Community Media Facilitator YES/NO
Please note: Community communication facilitators should be familiar
with the community media job description. See below.

WITHIN THE JOB

1. Participate in training necessary for implementation of the community
media process.

Ans. Yes
Since January the facilitators have completed five workshops with Mr. Fred Campbell. He has shown the facilitators how to conduct live video shows, radio broadcast, newsletters, brochures and web pages.

2. Write monthly reports and post to the discussion board.

Ans. Yes
At the end of every month, the facilitators write a report containing the things they have done for that month. This report then gets posted to the Ryakuga discussion web board.

4. Be willing to learn practical technical skills in order to implement the community media
process.

Ans. Yes
The facilitators have learned the practical technical skills needed to conduct workshops from Mr. Fred Campbell.

5. Post weekly messages to the discussion board.

Ans. No

6. Communicate by e-mail with the district coordinator and the other communication facilitators.

Ans. Yes
The facilitators write and e-mail weekly reports to Ms. Beverly Kirby and Ms. Marg Bachman. They also invite them to special events. The facilitators also keep in contact with Ms. Karen Russell, who is planning the Sharing Our Future conference in Stephenville.

7. Participate in weekly, web board discussions with other community communication facilitatorsAns. No

8. Willing to work with, and take advice from the local committee.

Ans. Yes
The Sharing our Future Program is in partnership with the Town of Burnt Islands Recreation Committee and they work together and support each other. For example, the facilitators make posters for special events and advertise them in the town’s newsletters. Also, the Recreation Committee has supplied Sharing Our Future with desks and space to display Sharing our Future equipment.

9. Follow procedures in the community media job description.

Ans. Yes
The facilitators have followed the procedures in the community media job description.

10. Implement the participatory evaluation by suggesting people to interview and setting up
interviews.

Ans. Yes
While conducting the “Burnt Islands Beat videos, the facilitators have conducted many interviews. While requesting interviews they tell the person what the video is about and explain the Sharing our Future Program. They also try to accommodate the person being interviewed. If it is more convenient for the facilitators to visit the interviewee, they make the following arrangements and do so.

11. Maintain a local facilitators' web page.

Ans. Yes
The web page was the last workshop completed by Mr. Fred Campbell. The facilitators have maintained the Burnt Islands web page since the middle of July.

YES/NO
WITHIN THE COMMUNITY

1. Develop community awareness for community media.
Ans. Yes

2. Facilitate an interactive public discussion about community issues and/or a cultural celebration each month.
Ans. Yes

3. Facilitate a monthly community television or community radio forum.
Ans. Yes

4. Speak at meetings of service clubs and community groups about community media.
Ans. Yes

5. Learn skills to make presentations on local community television.
Ans. Yes

6. Be prepared to be interviewed by radio and newspaper reporters.
Ans. Yes

7. Learn skills to write press releases.
Ans. Yes

8. Learn skills to make posters for community media events.
Ans. Yes

9. Learn skills to produce a web page.
Ans. Yes

10. Implement local fundraising and/or entrepreneurial activity to raise money for equipment or the salary of a local facilitator.
Ans. No

11. Find and work with local volunteers.
Ans. Yes

12. Invite the public (individuals and groups) to participate.
Ans. Yes

13. Keep the public informed about community media activities.
Ans. Yes

14. Each month revise the community communication needs, skills and resources assessment maps and post them online.
Ans. No

15. Provide support for the local CAP site.
Ans. Yes

D. Community assessment (please add comments to each question).

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT YES/NO

There are identifiable characteristics of a community within which community
media will flourish. However, each community media process uniquely meets the needs of its community. So it's not necessary to check every "yes.

1. An active and supportive local committee.

Ans. Yes
The Town of Burnt Islands Recreation Committee has supported the Sharing our Future group in Burnt Islands. For example, when the Burgeo youth came to Burnt Islands, the Recreation Committee helped to pay for the meal and organizing the gathering.

2. Active community groups which recognize the importance of community media.

Ans. Yes
The Family Resource Center, Women's Gateway Centre and the Laubach Literacy Program appreciate and recognize the importance of community media. The facilitators have filmed and produced videos for these groups, which is used for documentation, presentations and training.

3. Direct contact with established funders who are willing to support community media.

Ans. Yes
The Recreation Committee has been a direct funder to community media.

4. An established, representative local sponsor for community media.

Ans. Yes
The Recreation Committee is a local sponsor for community media. However, the Marine and Mountain Zone is now willing to join and support Sharing Our Future and the Recreation
Committee.

5. History of partnership and collaboration between institutions and organizations within the
community.

Ans. Yes
Grandy's River Collegiate have welcomed and invited the facilitators into the school. In addition, the Town Council of Burnt Islands has accepted them as a part of the media.

6. A school willing to participate in the community media process.

Ans. Yes
Grandy's River recognizes Sharing Our Future as a group, dedicated to helping students.

7. A community which recognizes the needs of young people.

Ans. Yes, Sharing Our Future youth often receive support from the community.

8. Local businesses willing to donate to community media.
Ans.

9. Community groups and service clubs willing to participate in community media.

Ans. Yes, members of the Fire Brigade, Economic Development, Waste Development and Recreation Committee and Town Council often provides members to interview.

10. Institutions of higher education willing to support the programs with training and human resources.

Ans. No. Sharing Our Future in Burnt Islands has not directly received any benefits from institutions of higher education.

11. Institutions willing to support the programs by providing in-kind contributions of space and use of equipment.

Ans. Yes, the Town of Burnt Islands provides Sharing Our Future with a place to conduct business in Burnt Islands and the use of equipment. The Town of Burnt Islands Recreation Committee also, provides the use of equipment.

12. Local people willing to contribute time to the community media process.

Ans. Yes, members of the Recreation Committee often supply time and labour to help Sharing Our Future youth.

13. Local media willing to help the facilitators with developing community awareness.

Ans. Yes, The Gulf News allows Sharing Our Future to print press releases and periodically writes articles about them.

14. Support from established community development and community economic
development facilitators.

Ans. No

E. What are the issues of your community?

Economic development
Preserving culture
Youth

F. What have been the cultural components of SOF in your community?

Ans:

It provides entertainment and information to people of all ages.
It bridges the gap between the culture of seniors and youth.

G. What have you done to promote and spread information about SOF (in point form)?

Advertised in Local businesses within the community.
Published notices in the Town's monthly newsletters.
Advertise on the Community Channel
Word of mouth.

H. What can be sustained of SOF activities in your community?

Ans: It is the hopes of the current facilitators to pass their knowledge to the youth. In turn, these youth can teach and train new recruits. Hopefully, it will become an ongoing process.

I. Please comment on this job description.

COMMUNITY MEDIA FACILITATOR JOB DESCRIPTION

1. PURPOSE:

The job description of community communications facilitator focuses on the importance in our communities of dialogue on local issues and cultural celebration. It reaffirms the intergeneration relationships which are an essential component of our way of life. It recognizes that there must be communication between rural communities, locally and throughout the Atlantic region, so we can share strategies of survival and development in the new global economy.

2. DEFINITION:

Community communications is defined as dialogue on local issues and cultural celebration. The two are intertwined. It is important to have our way of life positively mirrored so we can affirm our self identity and feel empowered to speak out on local issues and plan together for the future.

3. GOALS:

The goal of the facilitator is first to develop an interest and awareness of community communications in the local area. The second step is to work with community members, principally youth, to produce communication on community television and/or radio. The third step is to use internet technologies to communicate with groups and communities locally and throughout the Atlantic region. The fourth step is to be a contact for expatriate Newfoundlanders wanting to reestablish contact with their home communities.

4. FOCUS:

The community communications facilitator is a people job; its primary focus is to motivate and liaison. It will be necessary for the facilitator to learn basic technical skills and to conduct training
workshops but it is more important to be able to identify support agencies rather than take full responsibility for the technical aspects.5. LOCAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

(A) Conduct and update monthly a community communications needs, skills and resources assessment (see attached assessment form).

(B) Help establish, maintain and coordinate regular meetings of a local community communications committee.

(D) Coordinate community communications training workshops.

(E) Organize regular community television public consultations and events (see attached community television "recipe").

(F) Develop public awareness of community communications and publicize events.

(G) Coordinate and help produce local programming (community based videos) for community television and/or radio.

(H) If there isn't a local Community Access program Centre, support local agencies in their efforts to establish a CAP Centre.

(I) If there is a local Community Access Program Centre:

(I) Help publicize the CAP Centre.

(II) Help organize general public and targeted interest group training on basic computer and internet use.

(III) Promote and help organize training for the production of local web pages.

(IV) Utilize the CAP Centre for community media networking purposes including video conferencing, e-mail and web board participation.

6. RESPONSIBILITIES OUTSIDE THE LOCAL AREA:

(A) Network with the sponsors and district coordinator.
(B) Share ideas and experiences with other community communications facilitators in the region by e-mail and weekly participation in the web board discussions.

(D) Use the internet - e-mail, web boards and video conferencing - for communication.
(E) Participate in networking with other Newfoundland communities on the internet.

(F) Help coordinate local internet television and/or radio special event broadcasts (one per year).

7. REPORTING:

(A) Verbal progress reports to meetings of the local community communications committee.

(B) Monthly written reports to the district coordinator.

E. Please complete the community communications maps so they will be of use to professionals in the fields of economic development, health and education - that is, people who want to access the community communication capacity of the participating communities.

COMMUNITY COMMUNICATION MAPS
DO-IT-OURSELVES COMMUNICATION

(Note: This is a community needs, skills and resources mapping assessment for Sharing Our Future facilitators ('WE'). Naming of equipment doesn't mean you must have it in order to communicate.) The idea is for this to be a useful document for communication - who also means a phone number and other relevant contact information.

Since most of the equipment is located in the same area or is donated by one or two organizations within the community, the following abbreviations will be used.

Town of Burnt Islands Recreation Committee -- RC
Town of Burnt Islands -- BI
Town Hall Board Room -- BR
Sharing Our Future -- SOF

1. To produce community television, we have access to:

modulator hooked to the cable system
who: RC / where: BR
video camcorders
who: SOF / where: BR
___ microphones
who: SOF / where: BR
___ video lights
who: SOF / where: BR
___ television monitors
who: SOF / where: BR
___ audio mixerwho: SOF / where: BR
___ video mixer
who: SOF / where: BR
___ speaker phone
NO
___ tripods
who: SOF / where: BR
___ player VCR
who: SOF / where: BR
___ recorder VCR
who: SOF / where: BR
___ videotapes
who: SOF / where: BR

2. To video conference, we have access to:

___ AV. computer with software, modem and camera
who: SOF / where: BR
___ access to a local internet service provider
who: RC / where: BR

3. To produce a video for community television, we have access to:

___ video camcorder
who: SOF / where: BR
___ tripod
who: SOF / where: BR
___ microphone
who: SOF / where: BR
___ television monitor
who: SOF / where: BR
___ videotapes
who: SOF / where: BR

4. To E-Mail, interact on the Sharing Our Future discussion board and visit
the SOF web site, we have access to:

___ computer with software and modem
who: SOF/RC / where: BR
___ access to a local internet service provider
who: RC / where: BR
___ local dial-up numbers
what are the numbers: 695 2560
___ addresses for board and sitewhat are they:
http://www.glinx.com/~ryakuga/sharing/sharing.html
http://members.tripod.com/burntislands/

5. To produce a web site, we have access to:
___ computer with software and modem
who: SOF / where: BR
___ access to local internet service provider
who: RC / where: BR
___ file transfer protocol software
NO
___ free web site space
who: BI / where: BR

7. Does your community have a public access internet site?
NO

8. Does your community have high-speed internet access?
NO

COMMUNICATION NEEDS MAPPING
SECTION TWO
MAINSTREAM MEDIA

The basis of external communication from the group to the community is getting to know your local media conduits. In other words, get to know on a first name basis the people who can help, whether that person be the program manager at the local radio station or the grocery manager who controls the community bulletin board.

1. Does your community have community cable television? Yes
Are volunteers (groups) allowed to produce programming? (See a recipe for
community television.) No
who: RC / where: BR

2. Does your community have a local newspaper? NO
Will they use press releases and photos from your group?

3. Who is your local representative for the regional (national) newspaper?
Ans: Ms. Natalie Musseau
Do you know reporters who normally report on events and issues relevant to
your group?
who: Ms Natalie Musseau / where: The Gulf News, Port aux Basques, 709 695 3671
4. Does your community have a local radio station? NO
What is their policy on public service announcements?
Do they have any time slots available for programming from your group?

5. Do you have a community or college radio station? NO
Is it possible for your group to produce a program or special?

6. Which of these tools of community communications would work for you and
be useful in your community?

press release
who: The Gulf News / where: Port aux Basques
posters
who: SOF / where: BR
public forums (meetings)
who: BI / where: BR
public service announcements
who: BI, RC / where: BR, community channel
radio programs
no
radio phone-ins
no
interviews with reporters
who: The Gulf News / where: Port aux Basques
letters to the editor
who: SOF, RC / where: Port aux Basques
newspaper column
who: Ms. Natalie Musseau / where: The Gulf News
newsletter
who: SOF / where: BI
other groups' newsletters
no
community television
who: RC / where: BR
video productions
who: SOF / where: BR
newspaper wall
no
bulletin boards
who: SOF, RC / where: local businesses
church bulletins
who: SOF, RC / where: Burnt Islands Anglican Church
popular theatre
no
popular song writing
no

SECTION THREE
FACILITATING COMMUNITY COMMUNICATIONS

1. Does your community have a community communications facilitator?
who: Vicki Harris and Steffan Croucher / where:BI

2. Does your community have a community communications committee?
No
3. Does your community have community communications volunteers?
who: RC / where: Burnt Islands

4. Does your community have regular community communications programming?
No

5. Does your community have any cultural celebrations?
who: RC, LOBA / when: Canada Day, Easter Day, Seniors Day/ where: Burnt
Islands

6. Does your community have any web sites (privately or publicly produced)?
who: BI / where: http://www.glinx.com/~ryakuga/sharing/sharing.html

7. Does your community have any church, school, public, service or youth groups that meet
regularly?
who: ACW, RC, Town council, PTA, SOF, Sunday school, CYN / where: Burnt Islands/ when:
Weekly/monthly

8. Does anybody in your community have stories to tell?
who: Seniors / where: Burnt Islands