Criminal Justice Focus Group meeting

Criminal Justice Focus Group meeting

Focus Groups & Media Communications -

Housing, Mental Health, Criminal Justice, Healthcare, and Jobs

Context:

In order to obtain equitable community engagement into the work of the RASE Commission, I served as the lead on directing and coordinating the Focus Groups / Town Halls for the commission. Due to COVID-19, people could not meet, interact, or engage as we normally do in person, so we had to design an outreach strategy that would connect the RASE Commission with community organizations, schools, social service providers, health care workers, and a plethora of other groups throughout Monroe County. By utilizing media communications, creative & technical direction, and strategic planning, we were able to spearhead a focus group campaign dedicated to hearing the voices of the community on the issues that matter most to them, so as to inform the recommendations and findings of the RASE Commission.

How?

Role: Creative & Technical Director, Communications Lead

I created a Community Town Hall: Planning Strategy document that each RASE Commission working group had to fill out as part of the planning process for community engagement. This strategy sheet was used to help plan town hall forums for the community, centering on issues of equity, giving community members the space to speak and voice their concerns about the issues most important to them. 

Execution:

  • We used this sheet as a vehicle in not just the planning of the event itself, but also strategizing on getting community turnout / increasing awareness about the event.  

    • Communications & media team: social media outreach & promotion, media advisory / press release to the media, community engagement planning and outreach to various organizations & groups.

    • Working group members: sharing event details in their own network / organizations, community engagement and outreach with organizations in Monroe County at-large.

      • We asked groups to analyze and map out: “What organizations / agencies / groups etc. are your working group members a part of? (This is a huge aspect in terms of outreach / uplifting the event in Working Groups’ networks.”) 

    • City / County government staff: sharing the event details in their own network / organizations, and with organizations in Monroe County at-large 

    • RASE Commissioners: sharing the event details in their own network / organizations, and with organizations in Monroe County at-large

    • For people disconnected from technology mediums (social media, press releases, radio, etc.) working group members, staff, and the commissioners dropped off event flyers at local food pantries, social service centers, jails, and other places to reach those that may be disconnected due to technology / Wi-Fi access. There is always a dial-in option for these town hall meetings to bridge that digital divide. 

Social Media / CommunicationsFlyers / infographics were created for each town hall using a similar template to build familiarity and continuity with the RASE brand.

Social Media / Communications

  • Flyers / infographics were created for each town hall using a similar template to build familiarity and continuity with the RASE brand.

We then promoted each event via social media. Registration details and graphics for each event would be shared via the RASE Commission Facebook Page, City of Rochester socials (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) and Monroe County socials (Twitter, Facebook), at least a week prior to the event to give people time to register.

We then promoted each event via social media. Registration details and graphics for each event would be shared via the RASE Commission Facebook Page, City of Rochester socials (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) and Monroe County socials (Twitter, Facebook), at least a week prior to the event to give people time to register.

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Traditional Media / Communications 

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