Communicating with aDiverse ConstituencyForest Preserve District of Will County

Presenter: Morgan DrdakDigital Communications Manager

For Gonzaga UniversityORGL 507 Leadership and Diversity

Photograph for background image courtesy of Laura Kiran.

Communicating with aDiverse Constituency

• Our Mission• Our Challenges• Our Constituency• Our Opportunities– Race– Age– Ability– Income Level

• Our Successes• Our Future• References

Photograph courtesy of Laura Kiran.

Our MissionThe Forest Preserve District of Will County is dedicated to protecting, conserving, enhancing, and promoting

Will County’s natural heritage for the educational, recreational, and environmental benefit of

present and future generations.

Photograph courtesy of Marsha Corley.

(Forest Preserve District of Will County, 2010)

Our Challenges• Communicating our Mission• Garnering Support• Encouraging Usership• Meeting Public Needs• Realizing our Vision:

The people of Will County will view the Forest Preserve Photograph courtesy of Glenn P. Knoblock.

District as vital to enriching their quality of life.

(Forest Preserve District of Will County, 2010)

Our ConstituencyWho are “the people of Will County”?A diverse group of 681,545 individuals

Race 66.8% Caucasian

15.9% Latino

11.5% Black

Age 61.9% 18-65 Years

28.4% Under 18 Years

9.7% Over 65 Years

Income 47.5% $35,000-

100,000/Year

33.4% Over $100,000/Year

19.1% Under $35,000/Year

Ability 87% No Disability

38.4% Age 65 or Over with Disability

10.3% Under Age 65 with Disability

(U.S. Census Bureau, 2012)

Our OpportunitiesThis diverse group encourages us to communicate with

them through diverse channels…

Web Site

Newsletter

PostcardsFacebook

Banners

Events

TwitterPrograms

AdvertisementsStaff

Foursquare

Signage

FacilitiesPosters

Media Releases

Flickr

YouTube

Partnerships

…and with sufficient resources, we can improve and expand upon thesechannels to meet the needs of specific demographics of our constituency.

Email

Our Opportunities: Race

• One-third of our constituency is not Caucasian. Nearly 16% is Latino, and more than 11% is Black.

• Race can contribute to language barriers. Nearly 20% of our constituency speaks a language other than English in the home; half of this population speaks Spanish.

Why should we consider race in our communication?

• Non-Caucasian individuals are less likely to use the Internet in general, but are equally likely to interact with government via the Internet, and more likely to use social network sites than Caucasians.

Photograph courtesy of Laura Kiran.

(Allen, 2011; Smith, 2010; U.S. Census Bureau, 2012; Zickuhr & Smith, 2012)

Our Opportunities: RaceHow can we improve communication across races?• Offer and promote programming and

amenities that appeal to a diverse audience.

• Offer key communication pieces, such as informational publications, in Spanish translations. Employ bilingual individuals in highly communicative positions.

• Provide information through channels that do not require Internet usage (i.e., print publications, direct mail).

• Utilize social networks as an additional but not exclusive communication channel.

Photograph courtesy of Glenn P. Knoblock.

Our Opportunities: AgeWhy should we consider age in our communication?• Nearly 30% of our constituency is

under the age of 18; nearly 10% is over the age of 65. Both of these population segments are growing.

• Individuals of different ages have different interests, abilities,knowledge, needs, and expectations.

• Individuals over the age of 65 are less likely to use the Internet for any purpose, especially to interact with government, than any other age group.

Photograph courtesy of Glenn P. Knoblock.

(Allen, 2011; Smith, 2010; U.S. Census Bureau, 2012; Zickuhr & Smith, 2012)

Our Opportunities: AgeHow can we improve communication across age groups?• Offer and promote programming and

amenities that appeal to different age groups.

• Offer key communication pieces, such as informational publications, in large print.

• Provide information through channels that do not require Internet usage (i.e., print publications, direct mail).

• Engage schools, youth groups, and community groups for older citizens.

Photograph courtesy of Laura Kiran.

Our Opportunities: Income LevelWhy should we consider income level in our communication?

• Nearly 20% of our constituent households earn less than $35,000/year; more than 6% of our constituents are below the poverty level.

• Individuals of different income levels have different interests, needs, and expectations.

• Individuals with lower income levels are less likely to use the Internet in general and for interaction with government, but are more likely to use social network sites than individuals with higher income levels.

Photograph courtesy of Laura Kiran.

(Allen, 2011; Smith, 2010; U.S. Census Bureau, 2012; Zickuhr & Smith, 2012)

Our Opportunities: Income LevelHow can we improve communication across income levels?

• Offer and promote programming and amenities that are free of charge.

• Ensure that fee-based programming and amenities are reasonable in cost.

• Provide programming and amenities in low-income geographic areas.

• Provide information through channels that do not require Internet usage (i.e., print publications, direct mail).

• Utilize social networks as an additional but not exclusive communication channel.

Photograph courtesy of Glenn P. Knoblock.

Our Opportunities: AbilityWhy should we consider ability in our communication?• One-tenth of our constituency under

the age of 65 has a disability; this number jumps to nearly 40% for ages 65 or over.

• Individuals of different abilities have different interests, needs, and expectations.

• As a government agency, we are required by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act to not discriminate on the basis of disability.

• Individuals with disabilities are far less likely to use the Internet for any purpose than individuals without disabilities.

Photograph courtesy of A.J. Bonny.

(Allen, 2011; Fox, 2011; U.S. Census Bureau, 2012; U.S. Department of Justice, 2011)

Our Opportunities: AbilityHow can we improve communication across ability levels?• Offer and promote programming and

amenities that are inclusive and accessible to individuals with disabilities.

• Offer reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities (i.e., publications in Braille, videos with captions, programs with sign language interpreters).

• Ensure that our Web site is accessible to individuals with disabilities.

• Provide information through channels that do not require Internet usage (i.e., print publications, direct mail).

Photograph courtesy of Laura Kiran.

Our Successes“But, aren’t we doing a lot of that already?” Yes!

Photograph courtesy of Laura Kiran.

• Our programs and events provide a plethora of activities, are mostly free, and attract thousands of visitors each year.

• Our amenities are becoming more accessible to all constituents as we continue acquiring land, developing new facilities, and improving existing facilities across Will County.

• Our communication takes place through a variety of channels, and we work to meet the communication needs of all constituents.

Our FutureBut we can do more.

Photograph courtesy of Laura Kiran.

• Work to further our engagement with all constituents will require an organization-wide commitment of resources.

• Our programming development should specifically address different demographics’ interests.

• Our land use planning should integrate the needs of all constituents.

• Our communication should not be exclusive to constituents based on language, ability, or technology usage.

ConclusionRemember, communicating with our diverse constituency is important because:

Photograph courtesy of Laura Kiran.

• As taxpayers, our constituents fund our organization’s very existence.

• As voters, our constituents decide whether to provide us additional funding to further our work.

• As a government agency, we are required by law to be non-discriminatory.

• As members of the community, we should value the needs of our peers, even those who are different from us.

ReferencesAllen, B. J. (2011). Difference matters: Communicating social identity. Long Grove, IL:

Westland Press.Forest Preserve District of Will County. (2010). Progress report. Retrieved from

http://www.ReconnectWithNature.org/FileManager/ProgressReport2010.pdfFox, S. (2011, January 21). Americans living with disability and their technology profile.

Pew Internet & American Life Project. Retrieved from http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Disability.aspx

Smith, A. (2010, April 27). Government online. Pew Internet & American Life Project. Retrieved from http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Government-Online.aspx

U.S. Census Bureau. (2012). Will County, Illinois quickfacts. Retrieved from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/17/17197.html

U.S. Department of Justice. (2011). Revised final ADA regulation for Title II. Retrieved from http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/titleII_2010/titleII_2010_regulations.htm

Zickuhr, K. & Smith, A. (2012, April 13). Digital differences. Pew Internet & American Life Project. Retrieved from http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2012/Digital-differences.aspx