Do you have a team of Extension educators who want to work together and individually to learn about and carry out communications strategy? North Dakota State University Agriculture Communication received an eXtension innovation grant to develop Virtual Communications Camp.
Virtual Communications Camp is based on the successful in-person camp NDSU has hosted for four years where teams have started with planning their communication strategy (goals, target audiences, key messages and user scenarios) and applying that strategy to develop communication tools (web pages, social media posts, news releases, videos, etc.).
Teams may be from a state or a county – or spread across the country. The camp is designed for teams in need of a communication strategy to develop and carry out an educational program. The most successful teams have started with programs that are relatively new, so teams aren’t already committed to a communication plan. Also, the camp is not designed to develop marketing for an educational program but rather develop the program itself. Even though the team will work on one project, each team member will develop various communication tools for that program.
Team members will learn by watching some narrated PowerPoints using Office Mix but mostly by experience under the guidance of a coach.
Check out the Virtual Communication Camp website or contact Bob Bertsch or Becky Koch to learn more. Applications for teams are due April 15 since the eight-week program begins May 6. Please spread the word to help more Extension educators learn about communication strategy and tools.