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Question: I have recently started a support group for parents of children with disabilities who receive respite and ABA services from a single agency. Thus far I have emailed and text-messaged 50+ families to request them to fill out a needs assessment survey (which prompted the development of the support group) and to advertise the support group purpose and meeting times. The support group allows for flexibility as it is offered 2x a week with the options of attending virtually or in-person. So far, 4 people have been able to attend. I have been emailing/texting reminders to parents, but I don't want to be too annoying by continually sending them information. Do you have recommendations for increasing participation?
Answer:

Thank you for your question about encouraging participation. This can be challenge since those we hope will benefit often have competing demands that make difficult their participation. Strategies for increasing participation—like other forms of “social marketing”—often come down to making participation easier and more rewarding.  The Community Tool Box (CTB) offers some guidance for increasing participation—and social marketing—that you could apply to your efforts. Several CTB resources maybe particularly helpful:

  1. Troubeshooting Guide #5 There is not enough community participation. /en/not-enough-community-participation This offers guiding questions to consider (e.g., Have we made participation easier or of lower cost?) and links to supports for taking action (e.g., Involving People Most Affected by the Problem).
  2. Toolkit #8 Increasing Participation and Membership /en/increasing-participation-and-membership This offers an overview of the tasks involved in encouraging participation and links to learning modules in the CTB.
  3. Toolkit #13 Implementing Social Marketing /en/implement-social-marketing-effort This offers an overview of the tasks involved in encouraging use of programs and links to learning modules in the CTB.
  4. CTB Chapter 7, Section 7: Engaging People Most Affected by the Problem /en/table-of-contents/participation/encouraging-involvement/engage-those-affected/main
  5. CTB Chapter 21, Section 2: Creating and Facilitating Peer Support Groups /en/table-of-contents/implement/enhancing-support/peer-support-groups/main

These resources are free, and we encourage you to make good use of them in your efforts to encourage people to participate in your program.

Question Date: Mon, 02/26/2024