Many community issues were discussed during live community broadcasts, closed circuit taping and community papers.
2. If yes, why? did you see an increased awareness? (some examples would
be good to document).-
The radio broadcast brought positive verbal responses about things and services which people were unaware of locally. During a community survey conducted locally we discovered that 49% of the people surveyed learned something new about their community during this year's radio broadcast.
3. What is your definition or understanding of community economic development?-
The use of people and physical resources. To assist people in to reflection of ways to better their personal and community improvements.
4. Do you see a relationship between participatory communications (the
stuff you were doing) and economic development in the community?-
The interaction provided an opportunity for people to seek advise and advertize their products and ideas.
5 Did you gain an appreciation for this type of activity and role it plays in community development?-
Since I was unaware of many of the services available locally as well as how to access the support mechanisms required in community growth I gained a great deal of appreciation for this type of activity. I also learned how the local governing bodies function.
B. Participatory evaluation questions.
Part 1:
1. Describe what you have done (in point form not in detail).-
Community radio-
Community forums (one videotaped)-
Seniors newsletter-
Expatriate email system-
Collection of community history and photos which have been transferred to CD.-
Local committee-
Worked with CIS worker/schools-
Assisted in set up of CAP site-
Worked with local people accessing information-
Applied to Government for permission to start a community radio station.-
Worked with residents interested in starting a playground.
2. Describe what has worked really best in the SOF experiment.-
The local radio broadcast involved large numbers of people.
3. Describe barriers that you have come up against.-
No local broadcasting-
Accessing volunteers for long term commitment
4. Describe what you would do differently.-
I would find my direction from local committee instead of relying so heavily on the project leaders.
Part Two:
Detailed questions.
1. Describe what you see as your role in the community?-
To facilitate the interaction of various community groups to find ways to improve life in the area and to find ways to show what is happening and who we are.
2. Why do you think SOF is important?-
It creates a venue for the sharing process.
3. What benefits do you see in having the community more involved in participatory communications?-
It allows people to collectively find solutions to community issues and help the growth process.
4. How do you think you are helping the community?-
Giving the people the opportunity for sharing
5. What are some of the projects you are working on and how do they fit with the basic principles of SOF?-
I am in the process of starting a community radio station which will give people a venue for their opinions. Once a month the " Bay St. George Elder Connection" is published for the seniors of this area. This newsletter gives a little bit of health, humor and entertainment to brighten their day. Each week an e-mail is sent to expatriates conveying news from home. The expatriates appreciate keeping in touch with the people at home. Working with local residents to form a playground committee. This area has seen a generation of children grow up without a playground.
6. How do you know that what you're doing is working?-
People respond to e-mails, ask for newsletters, ask about the radio station. Many people have volunteered pictures and history.
7. Why do you think it's working?-
It's working because it is about the people who read or listen to what is being conveyed. People enjoy hearing about their own people. It works because of the perseverance of facilitators.
8. Have you come across any barriers?-
Access to technology that would quicken the process. Also the lack of volunteers to get a playground in the area but it is still moving ahead.
9. What unique qualities about your community make a process like this work?-
Our community has many volunteer organizations which support community unity and work towards making our area a better place to live.
10. What unique qualities in people make a process like this work?-
They want their community to be visible and growing. They are prepared to make a commitment.
11. What is one thing you have learnt since you became an SOF community communications facilitator?-
The facilitator is just that and cannot work this process alone. The partners are important in making the process move forward.
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.-
Training is essential but one must also have the technology available on a continuous basis to truly use it effectively.
2. Write monthly reports and post to the discussion board.-
These are good because it allows us to see what others are doing.
4. Be willing to learn practical technical skills in order to implement the community media process.-
It is necessary to have the technical skills to carry on the process.
5. Post weekly messages to the discussion board.-
If there is something noteworthy to post.
6. Communicate by e-mail with the district coordinator and the other communication facilitators.-
Good idea but there should be more personal contact.
7. Participate in weekly, web board discussions with other community communication facilitators-
In addition to regular group meetings.
8. Willing to work with, and take advice from the local committee.-
This is essential to the process since they will give a broader vision of what the community wants and needs.
9. Follow procedures in the community media job description.-
As they pertain to the local setting.
10. Implement the participatory evaluation by suggesting people to interview and setting up interviews.-
Good idea when the program is working efficiently and people know what SOF is about.
11. Maintain a local facilitators' web page.-
Good idea but the training and time to do the page must be made available.
WITHIN THE COMMUNITY YES/NO
1. Develop community awareness for community media. Yes
2. Facilitate a interactive public discussion about community issues and/or a cultural celebration each month. No
3. Facilitate a monthly community television or community radio forum. No
4. Speak at meetings of service clubs and community groups about community media. No
5. Learn skills to make presentations on local community television. No
6. Be prepared to be interviewed by radio and newspaper reporters. No
7. Learn skills to write press releases. No
8. Learn skills to make posters for community media events. No
9. Learn skills to produce a web page. No
10. Implement local fund-raising and/or entrepreneurial activity to raise money for equipment or the salary of a local facilitator. No
11. Find and work with local volunteers. Yes
12. Invite the public (individuals and groups) to participate. Yes
13. Keep the public informed about community media activities. Yes
14. Each month revise the community communication needs, skills and resources assessment maps and post them online. No
15. Provide support for the local CAP site. Yes
All these are motherhood statements and are required to do an effective job but 20 hours/week is not long enough to the necessary preparation, paper work and do the actual forums. In order for the process to work effectively full time, personnel with adequate physical resources are essential.
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. Yes, a steering committee is in place.
2. Active community groups which recognize the importance of community media. Yes
3. Direct contact with established funders who are willing to support community media. No
4. An established, representative local sponsor for community media.-
Yes, The Bay St. George Area Development Assoc.
5. History of partnership and collaboration between institutions and organizations within the community.-
Yes, to some degree and depending on the circumstances.
6. A school willing to participate in the community media process. Yes
7. A community which recognizes the needs of young people.-
A community that recognizes the needs but does little to improve the situation
8. Local businesses willing to donate to community media. Yes
9. Community groups and service clubs willing to participate in community media.-
Yes, this was shown by number of organizations who agreed to be interviewed during the community radio broadcast.
10. Institutions of higher education willing to support the programs with training and human resources. Yes, The College of the North Atlantic
11. Institutions willing to support the programs by providing inkind
contributions of space and use of equipment. Yes
12. Local people willing to contribute time to the community media process. Yes
13. Local media willing to help the facilitators with developing community awareness. No
14. Support from established community development and community economic development facilitators. Yes
E. What are the issues of your community? -High unemployment rate, out-migration, and the lack of recreational activities for young people.
F. What have been the cultural components of SOF in your community?-
Collecting videos, stories and history told by residents. Also local music talent was used during forums and community broadcasts.
G. What have you done to promote and spread information about SOF (in point form)?-
Posters-
E-mails-
Press Releases-
Letters to Householders-
Forums-
Presentations to local groups-
Community Radio-
Community Survey-
Displays-
Seniors Newsletters
H. What can be sustained of SOF activities in your community?-
Seniors newsletters, expatriate e-mails, forums, and with the appropriate equipment the community radio broadcasts can all be sustained but a strong local committee will be essential if a full time facilitator is not in place.
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 inter-generational 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 re-establish 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.
(C) Motivate and involve the youth of the area in community
communications production.
(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) Co-ordinate 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, email 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 email and weekly participation in the web
board discussions.
(C) Share video and/or audio tapes with other community communications
facilitators.
(D) Use the internet - email, 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.
(C) Weekly reports on the web board.-
The job description is very good but with only 20 hours/week it is impossible to fulfill all those duties efficiently. Unless there is a full time facilitator in place , many of the good things that have been happening will fall by the wayside. We have burnt out most of our volunteers and it is becoming increasing difficult to get new ones.
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.
1. To produce community television, we have access to:
___ modulator hooked to the cable system
who/where?
X video camcorders
who/where? Cassidy Memorial Elementary
___ microphones
who/where?
___ video lights
who/where?
X television monitors
who/where? Office
___ audio mixer
who/where?
___ video mixer
who/where?
X speaker phone
who/where? Office
___ tripods
who/where?
X player VCR
who/where? Office
X recorder VCR
who/where? Office
X videotapes
who/where? Office
2. To video conference, we have access to:
___ AV computer with software, modem and camera
who/where?
X access to a local internet service provider
who/where? Stephenville
3. To produce a video for community television, we have access to:
X video camcorder
who/where? Cassidy Elementary
___ tripod
who/where?
___ microphone
who/where?
X television monitor
who/where? Office
X videotapes
who/where? Office
4. To E-Mail, interact on the Sharing Our Future discussion board and visit
the SOF web site, we have access to:
X computer with software and modem
who/where? Office
X access to a local internet service provider
who/where? Sympatico
X local dial-up numbers
what are they?
___ addresses for board and site
what are they?
5. To produce a web site, we have access to:
X computer with software and modem
who/where? Office
X access to local internet service provider
who/where? Stephenville
___ file transfer protocol software
who/where?
___ free web site space
who/where?
7. Does your community have a public access internet site? Yes
Who/where? The CAP site at Cassidy Elementary School
8. Does your community have high-speed internet access? No
Who/where?
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? Are volunteers No
(groups) allowed to produce programming? (See a recipe for community
television.)
who/where?
2. Does your community have a local newspaper? Will they use press releases
and photos from your group? Yes
who/where? The Georgian; Stephenville The Western Star; Corner Brook
3. Who is your local representative for the regional (national) newspaper?
Do you know reporters who normally report on events and issues relevant to
your group? John R. MacPherson
who/where?
4. Does your community have a local radio station? What is their policy on
public service announcements? Do they have any time slots available for
programming from your group? No
who/where?
5. Do you have a community or college radio station? Is it possible for your
group to produce a program or special? No
who/where?
6. Which of these tools of community communications would work for you and
be useful in your community?
X press release
who/where?
X posters
who/where?
X public forums (meetings)
who/where?
X public service announcements
who/where?
X radio programs
who/where?
___ radio phone-ins
who/where?
X interviews with reporters
who/where?
X letters to the editor
who/where?
X newspaper column
who/where?
X newsletter
who/where?
___ other groups' newsletters
who/where?
___ community television
who/where?
X video productions
who/where?
___ newspaper wall
who/where?
X bulletin boards
who/where?
___ church bulletins
who/where?
___ popular theatre
who/where?
___ popular songwriting
who/where?
SECTION THREE
FACILITATING COMMUNITY COMMUNICATIONS
1. Does your community have a community communications facilitator?
Yes who/where? Susan Hulan, McKay's
2. Does your community have a community communications committee?
Yes who/where? John Pumphrey, John MacPherson, Sharon Piccott, Trudi Farrell, Leah Madore, Simeon Priddle
3. Does your community have community communications volunteers?
No who/where?
4. Does your community have regular community communications programming?
No when/where?
5. Does your community have any cultural celebrations?
No who/when/where?
6. Does your community have any websites (privately or publicly produced)?
Yes who/where? E.A. Butler High School and Cassidy Memorial Elementary, several businesses and personal pages
7. Does your community have any church, school, public, service or youth
groups that meet regularly? Yes who/where/when? The list is extensive.
8. Does anybody in your community have stories to tell?
Yes who/where?
COMMENTS