Outreach Working Group

 

Interim Report – July, 2004

 

 

Chair: Holly Gayley

 

 

Ground

Best practices. What's already working at centers around the mandala.

 

Path

Tapping the resources that already exist. Networking, strategizing and gathering information to synthesize into an "outreach toolkit" to offer to interested centers.

 

Fruition

Toolkit of ready-to-go advertising templates, gateway program formats, and database models to present at the Shambhala Congress.

Membership

 

Brian Spielmann, Deborah Garrett, Ravenna Michalsen, Adam Lobel, David Quinn, Sophie Maclaren, Magali Meneses, Peter Bancel, Kerry Conant, Valerie Morvan, Betsy Pond, and Holly Gayley

 

Consulting Members: Jane Arthur, Ann Cason, Seth Bregman and Bill Karelis

 

 

Objectives and Status

 

The objective of the Working Group on Outreach is to provide a set of resources for individual centers around the mandala. These resources fall into three main areas: (1) a publicity toolkit, (2) adaptable gateway formats, and (3) a set of tracking devices. The idea is to address how we magnetize new people to a program (publicity), what we do in an entry-level program (gateway formats), and how we follow up so that new people stay involved (tracking). All three areas form an integrated package around our existing gateway programs, and we plan to present and make available our "toolkit" at the next Shambhala Congress.

 

We have a wonderful momentum going into the summer! This is being carried forward by three taskforces around our main areas: publicity toolkit, gateway formats, and tracking devices.

 

PUBLICITY TASKFORCE

This group is set to begin work on the publicity toolkit. The kit could include templates, poster designs, and other features to make available in samples and also burned onto CDs for centers to adapt as need be.

 

GATEWAY TASKFORCE

This group is discussing a variety formats for entry-level programs, particularly Turning the Mind into an Ally (TMA). Working in conjunction with the official TMA curriculum design process, this group is a forum to brainstorm about formats to host TMA at centers or bring out into the community (libraries, hospitals, college campuses, etc.).

 

TRACKING TASKFORCE

This group is considering a range of possible tracking devices. The idea is to locate and/or adapt a database program capable of (1) capturing contact information at registration, (2) generating targeted mailing (and emailing) lists, (3) tracking program price and participation, and (4) tabulating net income per program.