Outlining the How-To Field Guide: What’s in it? Who’s it for?

Session Host: Elissa Adair
Reporter: Joy Mayer

Post-it Flip Chart Notes

Like idea of pin-pointing how-to’s

Like the idea of moving toward concrete community outreach goals/accomplishments — be it literacy or changed health behaviors, etc.

Need to translate big ideas into a simple, clear elevator speech

Stories:
Activist journalism, Occupy Eugene, media is a powerful tool
Women’s motorcyclists, building ongoing connection to a community
Al in LA, following the conversion of a non-voter to a voter
Earthquake safety work leading to a coloring book

Topic Categories for a Field Guide

Setting Goals: How to set goals collaboratively, and if they are not collaborative, why not?

Listening: How to be a good listener, make someone feel listened to, distilling process

Information-Gathering and Producing: What info from where, on or off the record, what to do with what information

Tips for self-care

Successes and failures what’s working and what is not

Interpersonal skills

Interviewing: sample questions, practice exercises

Incorporating processes that understand the baseline experience/skills people they already bring to this work they want to be trained in

Incorporating self-reflection

Safety and privacy issues – both for the participant and for the “journalist/activist/recorder”

Ethical considerations

Setting expectations— for those you interview, those you produce content for

Technical resources and tools – platforms

Community — becoming acquainted, acquiring deep community knowledge and etiquette, geography, media outlets, leaders, etc. (not dissimilar to tools for conducting a community needs assessment).

Tools for fostering participatory discussions and dialogues (like world cafe)

Lab/Experiential learning exercises that require real doing this work (trial and error process) and reflection on success and failure.

Key Questions:
How embedded vs. distant engagement role is — there is a range with different pros/cons

Success Measures:
Ever-expanding circles of influence and participation

Challenges: Getting people to show up (need practical process for recruitment and attendance success)

Note: Building skills and also sharing tools

Curated resources

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