Public Relations Campaign

Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children

Principles of Public Relations Kalista Holloway, Bailey Moses, Kelsey Reis,

Makaleigh Riddle, Paxton Washington

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Table of Contents

Research………..………………………………………..............3-10Action & Planning……………………………………………...11-12Communication…………………………………….................13-14Budgeted and Projected Cost…..……………………………….15Timeline Implementation……………………………………..16-17Communication Examples……………………..…………….18-21Evaluation....………………………………………………………..22CASA Release Form………………………………………………23

Table of Contents

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Client/Organization Contact:Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children Executive Director: Delyce Palik (501)-681-9110Volunteer Coordinator: Shannon Weems

Mission: The mission of CASA of Lonoke County, Arkansas, Inc. is to provide and promote quality court appointed volunteer advocacy to every abused, neglected and dependent child in the foster care system, so the child can be safe, establish permanence, and have the opportunity to thrive.

Personnel Financial Status: CASA has a small budget for advertising each month that is funded in part by an Arkansas State CASA grant, fundraising, and through corporate and independent tax-deductible donations.

Reputation (past and present practices) CASA of Lonoke County has a very good reputation in the community and with the court.

Research

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Opportunity/Problem Short Range: To inform individuals of the need of monetary donations and the need for CASA volunteers for the children in Arkansas.

Long Range: Build lifetime sponsors and create a better understanding in the community for the need of volunteers and support for our foster children.

Proactive Public Relations Program: Actively go into the community to increase involvement within the organization

Goals:Help improve interaction on Facebook and introduce CASA to new social media sites such as Instagram and Twitter.

Weaknesses: Need more advocates as the numbers of children in foster

care rises in Lonoke County Need several new advocates in Woodruff and Monroe

Counties

Strengths: CASA serves 100% of the kids in Lonoke County Foster Care.

Research

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Research Procedures 1.Secondary Research Results: CASA Website CASA of Lonoke County opened its doors in October of 2000. It is a 501 (c) 3, non-profit organization governed by a board of directors. CASA of Lonoke County is a member of the National CASA Association and an active member of the Arkansas State CASA Association

A child with a CASA volunteer is more likely to find a safe,

permanent home: More likely to be adopted Half as likely to re-enter foster care Substantially less likely to spend time in long term

foster care More likely to have a plan for permanency

Children with CASA volunteers get more help while in the system:

Volunteers spend significantly more time with the child than those in paid positions

More services are ordered for the children More likely to have a consistent, responsible

adult presence

Children with CASA volunteers spend less time in foster care

Improve representation of children Reduce the time needed by lawyers

…do better in school More likely to pass all courses Less likely to have poor conduct in school Less likely to be expelled

..and score better on nine protective factors Neighborhood resources, interested

adults, sense of acceptance, controls against deviant behavior,

Models of conventional behavior, positive attitude towards future, valuing achievement

Ability to work with others and work out conflicts

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Research Procedures2. Primary Research Conducted a survey of the general public in order to assess their knowledge and awareness of CASA. We chose primary research to gain knowledge of who is already aware of CASA. This information helped us to figure out whom we need to target and which forms of marketing would be best for the age group.

Questions: (Surveyed 100 random people that passed by the A-State Student Union)

1. Have you ever heard of CASA before?

2. Do you know what Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children does?

3. Have you ever participated in a CASA community service project? (i.e. donating items or volunteering time)

4. What form of social media do you use the most?

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Summary of Research ResultsOur results depicted that a large portion of the population did not know about CASA. We learned that we should be focusing more on social media sites and introducing and teaching CASA how to interact properly online to make sure they are reaching their target audience.

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Summary of Research Results

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Summary of Research Results

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Summary of Research Results

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Determining/Defining Audiences

The intended audience is males and females 21 years of age or older. These individuals can become CASA volunteers and/or advocates in the court. They must be able to commit 10+ hours a week to check in with the foster child he/she is assigned to or to make court appearances with their designated child.

Another target audience is students still attending high school, as well as college students that are between the ages of 15-20. We want to teach them about CASA at a young age in hopes that they will one day become an advocate. They can also volunteer at functions or donate items to the “CASA Care Closet.”

Action & Planning

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Objectives 1. Informational Objectives:

To increase community awareness of the organization’s need for foster homes and parents and CASA advocates by 50 percent by April 30, 2016 by arranging a CASA 5k Run, Brunch & Cake Auction, and a “Spring on the Donations” event.

2. Motivational Objectives:

To produce one Facebook newsletter post a month to showcase a foster child and family. This post will include media graphics in an attempt to create a favorable attitude of sincerity and willingness to help among more than 50 percent of potential households within the target area that could become an advocate or volunteer by April 30, 2016.

3. Behavioral Objectives:

To influence 50 percent of men and women in the 21-45 year old age group in the Lonoke County area to commit to being a foster parent or CASA volunteer by April 30, 2016 by writing personalized letters to each person, sending Facebook requests to events, and to share children’s stories with them.

Action & Communication

Action & Planning

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Objective #1Increase followers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram by 50 percent by April 30, 2016.

Strategies - Follow and comment on friends’ posts throughout each week

to increase involvement - Implement rewards (giveaways, prizes, etc.) for community

members who follow and get involved with CASA on social media

Tactics:Twitter

- Contest: Must retweet to enter a drawing for a prize of the week Facebook

- Like CASA’s page and tag a friend in the post to be entered in special drawing at the CASA Brunch & Cake Auction event

Instagram - Follow CASA and tag 3 Friends on a CASA Foster Child Feature video to be entered into a drawing to receive a donated gift basket from The Purple Onion

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Objective #2Increase CASA volunteers and foster parents/homes by 30 percent by April 30, 2016.

Strategies - Create a Facebook event for CASA 5k Run, “Spring on the

Donations,” and Brunch & Cake Auction. - Use event opportunities to share testimonies - Partner with “The Call” and churches to organize “Orphan

Sunday.”

Tactics:Twitter

- Contest: Must retweet to enter a drawing for a prize of the week Facebook

-Create a CASA event page and share the event on public page and individual volunteers’ personal pages.

Instagram - Have followers post their stories of helping a child in foster care or

being a part of the foster care system while using the hashtag

#CASAforkids Churches

- Send out personal letters to churches asking for their involvement

Action & Communication

Time: Create and Schedule weekly: 2 HoursComment/Reply to posts daily: 1 HourSet up Hootsuite Account: 1 Hour

Budget & Projected Costs

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Implementation Timeline:This is a timeline implementation plan for CASA to follow in order to increase

knowledge and involvement on social media and in community events

Timeline for Implementation

Monetary:Hootsuite Certification: $9.99 Hootsuite Services: $21.00 Total Monthly Cost: $30.99

Time: Create and Schedule weekly: 2 HoursComment/Reply to posts daily: 1 HourSet up Hootsuite Account: 1 Hour

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MONTH

PLAN OF ACTION

January Implement bi-weekly social media campaigns to influence

community to follow CASA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Promote the hashtag #CASAforkids to broaden knowledge and increase involvement

Once a week, post all events and testimonies on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram involving CASA

Post testimonies of a CASA volunteer and their experience advocating for the children

Inform community twice weekly of upcoming dates for events, volunteer training, and opportunities.

February Implement bi-weekly social media campaigns to influence

community to follow CASA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Post testimonies of service workers and how they help/helped foster children

Follow a minimum of five influential students, groups, and/or employees in the community each week

Promote the hashtag #CASAforkids to broaden community knowledge and increase involvement

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March

Implement bi-weekly social media campaigns to influence community members to follow CASA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Post weekly information about training dates and how many volunteers are needed

Post testimonies of parents who fostered/adopted children in the foster care system

In order to increase followers and “likes”, post weekly pictures of “Servant Spotlight” to showcase incredible volunteers making a difference in a child’s life

Promote the hashtag #CASAforKids to broaden knowledge and increase involvement

April Implement bi-weekly social media campaigns to influence community

members to follow CASA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Post testimonies of a child currently in the foster care system in need of a home

Post weekly photos highlighting special events coming up/already happened

Promote the hashtag #CASAforKids to broaden student knowledge and increase involvement

May Implement bi-weekly social media campaigns to influence students to

follow CASA on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Promote the hashtag #CASAforKids to broaden student knowledge and increase involvement

Post testimonies of adults who aged out of the foster care system

Follow a minimum of five influential students/groups/employees on campus each week

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Post information about campus visits/events for new or incoming students to see and follow

Theme/Key Message:#CASAfortheChildren CASA understands our local critical issues, cares about improving the lives of our community members, and is aiming to improve the situation of many children who are without love. CASA needs your help in the form of the generous donation of your time. You can be an active member in advocating for a foster child in need. This will make our community a better place now and in the future.

Uncontrolled Media :News Release: Opening of new CASA office in Monroe and

Woodruff areaSpecial Events: CASA 5k Run; Light of Hope Brunch & Cake

Auction; “Spring on the Donations” Newspaper - Spotlight of a child and information on CASA

and its volunteers

Controlled Media :Video Interview of a foster child who has aged out of the

system or has been adoptedRadio Ad using a child’s voice and testimony. Radio ad with

testimony of foster parents or an adult who was a part of the foster care system.

Communication Examples

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CASACourt Appointed Special Advocates

PSA: In need of volunteers and involvement(30 Second PSA)

CASA is a non-profit organization that advocates for foster children in the courtroom and throughout

their journey in the foster care system.  They are in need of volunteers and advocates to represent children and

to provide them with support. Every day thousands of children are left without basic, everyday items and

necessities. To get involved with this organization please contact Delyce Palik at (501)-681-9110.

Communication Examples

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Communication Examples

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Evaluation

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Evaluation #1To keep track of the increase of volunteers, we will monitor how many people view our social media and website page. We will follow up with them about becoming a volunteer advocate while continuing to look at our numbers of how many people signed up to become certified.

Evaluation #2Monitor our social media usage through Hootsuite and Facebook Insights. We will overlook the amount of followers and ‘likes’ on all social media sites. We will track the views of each page for the most popularity evaluation.

**When starting this campaign, CASA of Lonoke County was going to use this campaign for their local office. After further review of our campaign, CASA decided to use this implementation and marketing plan for the start of two brand new CASA offices opening in Woodruff and Monroe county.

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