Five Myths About Community Outreach Educational Institutions Need To Know

 By:

Dr. Mike Robinson

Many

organizations, to include public K-12 schools and institutions of higher

education believe a connection with their local communities is imperative to

their ability to respond to their mission while offering solutions to many of

the systemic needs facing those within their communities. However, there is a

belief among organizational leaders that community outreach is simply a matter

of knocking on doors or passing out flyers at local community events.  Albeit those are several of the methods one

can use to reach their constituents, the fact is community outreach is much

more than that!

Community

outreach requires a strategic approach, a methodology that ensures your efforts

garner the optimal results and that those reached are best able at the time of

your outreach to benefit from your services, desire your services and

understand your services. 

Here

are five myths regarding community outreach every organizational leader needs

to know, as they will assist in creating a more effective community outreach

program with a solid community outreach strategy.

Myth # 1 It Is Community Outreach, It

Cannot Be That Hard: 

Community

outreach can be done over the phone or simply from behind a desk. This is

perhaps the most damaging of all the myths, as it the one typically accepted by

those leaders with the least understanding of the mission of the organization

and what is community outreach.

Truth

is effective community outreach has a strong base of research that does have a

need for a level of office work. But the more effective outreach research is

conducted on the ground within the communities one seeks to serve.

Myth # 2 They Have To Want Our Help:

Communities

are always amenable to organizations entering their neighborhoods promoting

programs, services and opportunities. Organizations that assume, because we are

a high profile institution or because we are addressing a need that impacts the

majority of the residents of this community, therefore they will accept us with

open arms is to discount the unique, distinct and diversity of each

neighborhood that makes up a community.

Myth # 3 Community Outreach Cannot

Contribute To The Bottom Line: 

Community

outreach is not a major avenue to create a revenue stream or provide fiscal

opportunities for an organization.  While

many organizations, especially community colleges have come to understand that

an effective community outreach program, grounded in research and an

understanding of community norms can create increased enrollment, expand the communities’

educated workforce and serve as the economic engine of the community have come

to understand the revenue generating potential of the an effective community

outreach program.

Myth # 4 Strategy Not Needed:

Community

outreach does not require a strategic assessment and implementation and can be

effectively conducted via a willy nilly approach. In these times of fiscal

challenges, tight budgets and competing initiatives, failure to take a

strategic perspective on how best to reach those who can and will access your

programs or services can result in a waste of revenue, manpower, and other

organizational resources.

Myth # 5 Staff Departure:

Community

outreach staff are not really performing outreach, but they are out looking for

a job. This is one of the most ridiculous myths in the industry of community

outreach.  Effective community outreach

staff will meet and network with countless community and business leaders and

on a few occasions they will be offered opportunities to work with other

organizations.  While staff turnover is

not good for any organization or a department it does negatively impact a

community outreach division. However, the possibility of staff finding

employment elsewhere does not justify unprofessional scrutiny and mistrust by

leadership. When this occurs the effectiveness of an organization’s community

outreach is doomed for failure.

Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">Dr. Mike Robinson is the

creator of the National Men Make A Difference Day for Student Success and the

host of Parent Talk Live. Dr. Robinson is a leading voice/expert on parental

engagement and community outreach in education. He is also the CO- CEO of Forest Of The Rain Productions, an Internet

communication company, whose mission is to expand the voices in and about

education.

Georgia; font-size: 10pt;">To contact Dr. Mike

Robinson, visit www.forestoftherain.net

or email at forestoftherain@gmail.com