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    Chapter 7: Messaging Outreach and Recruitment of Learners

      Getting Students Chapter 7

       

      How can I effectively reach potential students?

      ► Recruiting learners is critical for any class or program, regardless of whether you are just at the launch stage or run a program that has been around for years. 

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

       

      Community Toolbox’s “Guidelines for Effective Outreach”

      • Meet people where they are
      • Listen to your community
      • Build trust and relationships
      • Get the word out in a non-stigmatizing manner
      • Offer service and information in a variety of locations and at non-traditional times, especially after work hours
      • Make written information friendly and easy to understand
      • Provide information in the primary language of those who will use the service
      • Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up!
       

      Source: The Community Toolbox

      https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/implement/access-barriers-opportunities/outreach-to-increase-access/main

       

      Messaging, Outreach, and Recruitment of Learners 

      This chapter covers some important steps in reaching out to those potential learners. Time spent devising an outreach plan is usually well worth it, as having a good plan can have a significant impact on your ability to attract enough learners to your class/program.

      ► Step 1: Be sure you have a clear, concise message

      • Start with thinking about how to describe your program.
      • Consider the goals of the program and who it is for.
      • What are your key selling points, your program’s strengths and what makes your program unique? It could be the location, style of instruction, child care, other services, access to computers, free books, or even food and coffee!
      • If your program is currently running, survey the students to find out what they like best about your program and highlight those areas in your advertising.
      • Highlight what you do differently from your “competition” to meet an underserved need.
      • Questions to answer:

      What other organizations are offering ESL in your area?

      What programs do they offer, and on what days and times? 

      What can you do that they may not be able to do?

      Are they over capacity? 

      Are there other times or services you provide?

      Are there unmet needs for certain demographics in the community that you can address? 

       

      ► Step 2: Know your audience and how best to communicate with them

      Who are you marketing the class to? It could be certain ages or other groups in the community. Consider translating your materials into the primary languages of your targeted audience. Google Translate might be an option for this if the language you are using is simple enough. Flyer translation is also a great task for volunteers.

      How does your targeted audience receive and transmit information? Do they respond to flyers, in-person meetings, phone calls, text messages? Are they online? Are they using email, Facebook, phone apps like WhatsApp?

       

      ► Step 3: Develop an outreach plan

      Outreach defined for ESOL class recruitment is how you promote your program to your targeted audience. Whether you are recruiting learners, instructors or volunteers—it is important to understand how these audiences communicate, how they receive and transmit information. Having an outreach plan is the best way to effectively reach your intended audiences.

       
       

      OUTREACH PLAN ACTIVITIES

      1. Create and distribute flyers that are simple but visually appealing. (See “Tips for Effective Flyers” on page 23.)

      2. Set up a list of contacts connected to serving the immigrant population. Email those groups your flyers when you begin your program registration.

      3. Create information sessions to let students know about your program. You can talk about what makes your program great, answer any questions and maybe even do a quick demo class!

      4. Use data to see if you can make improvements and enhance what is working in terms of outreach. Ask new students how they found out about the program and why they decided to come. Document how many students come—evaluate whether there is a good time or day, for example, to hold registration or orientations.

      5. Get feedback about all of this from other stakeholders including community partners, students, instructors, and your staff. Revise periodically to continually improve your materials.

      6. Respond quickly to email and phone calls. Don’t lose that potential student.

      7. Post flyers in local supermarkets, libraries, laundromats, hospitals, community centers, places of worship, schools, daycare centers, etc.

      8. Start a door-knocking campaign (see the case study on page 22).

      9. Don’t forget your best “customers” are students who have already been in your program. Getting them to continue or return is the best way to keep your numbers up. Send postcards, texts or emails—or make calls—to students who leave. There are automated calling and texting programs that will help facilitate contacting former or prospective students. Design lessons to encourage them to friend your site on Facebook or follow you on Twitter and Private Message (Direct Message) them to remind them to come back.

      10. Advertise in native language newspapers, TV, and/or radio.

      11. Finally, “word of mouth” remains the most effective form of outreach. Be sure your students know when you have registration and ask them if they are able to promote your program! You can give them flyers for the next session before the current session ends and/or send them text messages a few days before your next registration. 
       

      Online Outreach

      Make sure your program information is listed in adult ESOL directories:

      • Be sure you are in the MCAEL directory (if in Montgomery County, Maryland) and keep the information up to date.
      • Look for other directories, such as ones that government agencies may have set up as resources for immigrants.
       

      Create a webpage connected to your organization

      • Include dates for registration and brief information about the strengths of what your program offers. Make sure the webpage works with cell phones! That is often the primary source for the internet for many students in community-based programs.
      • Make sure you update your dates as soon as the last ones have passed.  
      • Create a FAQ list as you get questions about your program. This can be a text version or a video.
      • Be sure to use clear, simplified English that English language learners can understand.
       

      Use YouTube

      • Create a YouTube page with videos about your program. Consider a video that includes a mix of testimonial, students in the class, teacher-student interaction, student to student interaction, and a tour of relevant facilities. Limit the amount of talk and include lots of smiles! Be sure it states/shows where to get more information. Have a presence on social media
      • Use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to post registration information, important dates, pictures of events and classes, quizzes, and links to relevant news to get students to have a reason to return to your page. Make sure the sites are linked to each other. Find out from students what social media they use. https://www.facebook.com/MC.AELG/
      • Use testimonials from students. Have students talk about what they like, how they learn, and why they would recommend the program to others. With their permission, you can post it together with a picture, and it can go a long way toward giving your program credibility.
      • You might also do video interviews with students, or they can interview each other as a class project and post those.

      Messaging Outreach and Recruitment of Learners

      ♦ Practice Example 

      IMPACT Silver Spring
      Sara Mussie, Senior Network Builder

      English Language Classes 

      FIRST OFFERED ESOL INSTRUCTION: 2011

      IMPACT Silver Spring offers English classes within its framework of building networks and relationships within the community.

      2017–18 DATA
      CLASS SITES: 3 CLASS LEVELS: 3 TOTAL ENROLLMENT: 108 unique/156 duplicated 

      “During our door-knocking campaigns, we used to knock on each door and our approach was to first identify ourselves as neighbors, introduce ourselves and the organization and why we are doing the door knocking.  As you can imagine, this takes a lot of time and manpower, so we began to do what we call ‘Soft Door-knocking.’  

      For the English Language Classes outreach, we started walking in the neighborhood and sharing information with residents and people in the area.  We start by going into apartment complexes, talking to people outside the building who are coming in and out of their apartment.  We also ask permission to post the flyers at each building.  We go to laundromats, small neighborhood cafes, and markets. We talk to people, inform them about the English classes and other upcoming community events by way of conversation. The key is to make sure to connect with the people on a human level, not just sharing information.  We always ask the question ‘How are you doing today?’ and try to connect and have a conversation. We also conduct ‘Coffee Chats’ at the TESS center in Long Branch—a satellite for the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). We bring coffee and snacks and start conversations with people while they are waiting to be seen by HHS staff.  We try to do a Coffee Chat at least once a month.  After the conversation, based on what we hear from the people, we invite them to either the English Class or other IMPACT community events.”

      We go to apartment complexes, laundromats, small neighborhood cafes, and markets 
       

       

      ♦ Tips for Effective Flyers

      While other newer methods for outreach, such as texting and social media, are certainly effective ways to reach people who may want to join your classes, a flyer remains a powerful way to find students for your program. On a single document, you can let potential students know who you are, get them excited about the opportunities you offer and provide the details for what they need to do to register for your ESOL classes. However, it is critical that you have a flyer that clearly tells students what they need to know and gets them engaged.
      Anna DeNicolo has these tips for what to include on flyers:

      Design and content

      • Clear, simplified English with as few words as possible
      • Name of organization
      • Name of class and levels offered
      • Day and time of class 
      • Registration date and time 
      • Cost of class (cash, checks, money orders, credit cards accepted?)
      • Start and end date of class
      • Phone number for more information
      • Website, Facebook, Twitter, or other social media link for more information
      • Date flyer was created and/or updated
      • Avoid including large blocks of text
      • Proofread carefully
      • Make sure it prints clearly in black and white

       

      Anna DeNicolo is Program Manager at the Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center 

      Gilchrist Immigrant Resource Center is a Montgomery County agency that provides information and educational opportunities to immigrants in the county.