By working with the media in your community, you help educate everyone—children, youth, and adults. You also build support for youth crime prevention. Using your connections in the media will allow you to get your message out in a very powerful way. Broadcasting a message on a local radio station, for example, may be much more effective than simply posting fliers in your neighborhood. While hundreds of people listening to radios at home, at work, in their cars—or even while jogging down the street—will hear the radio message, only those who happen to walk or drive through the particular streets in your neighborhood where fliers are posted—and who actually read the fliers—will receive the message.

You can use the media to inform the public about your efforts and your successes. The media can help you attract new volunteers and supporters and allow you to build partnerships with other community groups that can help. You never know where these relationships may lead. You may even receive some free publicity or sponsorship!

Youth in Action Bulletin

March 2000     Number 14