Ambassador Program

January 26, 2011

Overview

Purpose:– To recruit lay leaders as

ambassadors to make community presentations.

Goals:– Generate greater awareness of

Better Choices, Better Health (BCBH).

– Recruit more participants for BCBH workshops.

Why Use Ambassadors?

Research shows that face-to-face contacts (e.g. presentations) are effective in recruiting people into workshops.

Benefits to AAAs

Ambassadors know their communities.

They can relate to people like themselves (i.e. other people with chronic conditions).

They bring a personal message to programs that makes a positive impression.

They can provide additional resources to help spread your message.

Benefits for Ambassadors:

Altruism – feel good by helping others.

Provides an opportunity to share their experiences.

Chance to make a positive contribution to their community.

Financial incentive – program offers a speaker fee.

How Do I Get Started?

1. Schedule your workshops.2. Assess your need.

– Where do you need to focus your efforts?– Which workshops aren't filling up?– Should use a team approach to assess.

3. Review your "graduates" to determine who would make a good ambassador.

4. Strategically select 3-5 people from your pool of graduates

Who Makes a Good Ambassador?

Qualities to look for:– Outgoing, enthusiastic, and

confident.– Able to speak loudly and clearly. – Patient and able to get along with

others.– Should be able to follow a script.– Lives in the area of the workshops.– Should be a cultural "fit" with the

community hosting the workshops.

Recruiting Ambassadors

Discuss the role. Review the Job

Description and speaker fee.

Determine their availability.

The Presentation

The Approach:– CONNECT – Testimonial– INFORM – Presentation– INTERACT – Discuss with participants

any questions they may have.– CALL TO ACTION – Sign-up sheet

Should be about 15 minutes.

Tools for the Presentations

Personal Testimonial Script CDSMP PowerPoint Kaiser Video Sign-Up Sheets Brochures Easel and flip chart (optional) Handouts (optional)

4-Step Approach

1. Welcome/Introduction2. Testimonial3. Presentation4. Call To Action - Sign Up

Option 1 - Using the BCBH PowerPoint

Messages on PowerPoint are consistent with the Stanford research about what older adults want to hear.

Can show the PowerPoint and talk from it, or print it out and use it as a hand-out or script.

Can take the messages from the PowerPoint and put it on a flip chart.

Option 2 - Using the Kaiser Video

The Kaiser video allows people to look inside a workshop and get a sense of what it is like. It shows “real people” helping one another make positive changes.

Sign Up, Sign In

Sign-In Sheet to gather participants’ contact information. – Helps build a

data-base of prospective participants.

Sign-Up Sheet for people who want to enroll in a specific workshop.

Training Ambassadors

Topics to Include:– Background info on EBPPs:

• Funded at national level• Partnership with LGOA, DHEC, and your site• Programs available statewide

– Overview of Your Organization– Conduct and dress – Brief overview of Adult Learning– Purpose and goals of the Ambassador

Program

Training Ambassadors

Topics to Include:– Discuss basics of BCBH– Provide/Review health promotion materials – View CDSMP PowerPoint and Kaiser video– Develop testimonials– Equipment and materials– Practice/Teach back– Review key points to remember

Considerations

You may want to have Ambassadors present in pairs for first few sessions.

Consider sending a staff person to go with the Ambassador for first session.

Do review the Ambassadors’ conduct and dress. – E.g. casual dress is ok, but no blue jeans.– Positive attitude …Patient with group…

Don’t answer medical questions or give personal advice, etc. – List of “Dos” and “Don’ts”

Timeline

February 18 – Deadline to

submit Your Plan to Crystal and Cora.

February 25– Deadline to

recruit at least 3-5 Ambassadors.

Timeline

March 11– Deadline to

complete Training for new Amabassadors.

March 31 – Deadline to begin

delivering community presentations.

Questions?

Ambassador Program January 26, 2011