Communicating for Success: Neighborhood Partnerships’ Approach to Values-Based Messaging

September 18, 2015

3-4pm ET, 2-3pm CT, 1-2pm MT, 12-1pm PT

Welcome

Cameron Parsons

Senior Network Associate

CFED

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Housekeeping

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Today’s Speakers

Janet Byrd

Executive Director

NeighborhoodPartnerships.org

We need to change the terrain on which

discussions about our issues occur

In 2013, the

average

American

consumed more

than 230

newspapers

worth of

information

EVERY DAY.

WFAITH

Frames Create Reality

“The way in which the world is

imagined determines at any

particular time what men will do.”

-Walter Lippman, 1921

Alternative Frames

Youth at Home Disobeys Warnings:Knocked out in storm-related accident

Girl at Home Injured during Storm:Home had been cited for building code violations

Teen hurt in freak storm:“I was terrified.”

Level One: Big

Ideas

Level Two: Issues

Level Three:

Policies

Lead with values

What values do you call on in

your messaging?

Opportunity

Prosperity

Fate of future generations

Other?

Quick Poll:

“Narrative are stories that do not

end…Stories are about plots and action

while narratives are about people and

potential “

Whenever we engage in public debates we may think of ourselves as conduits of information. However, our audiences think about those same policies, issues, and programs in terms of the

background story— the master narrative —that lies beneath our bullet-points, facts, statistics, and legal citations.

• Each individual is responsible

for his or her own success or

failure;

• With hard work comes reward;

• The goal is equal opportunity,

not equal outcome; and

• Anyone can achieve the

“American Dream”.

Source: Meg Bostrom, For an Economy that Works for All

Core beliefs about poverty

The Benevolent Community

The Triumphant Individual

Independence Interdependence

Individual Problem

Personal Solutions

Collective Problem

Structural Solutions

“ . . . life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement . . . regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position . . .

- James Truslow Adams, 1931

The American Dream

The message box.Vision

Values

SolutionProblem

Vision

A clear statement

of the problem

you are trying to

address in a way

that everyone can

see their stake in

addressing the

issue.

The solution

you are

proposing and

the principles or

outcomes it is

designed to

achieve.

The Level One Values that underpin

the challenge and your proposed

solution. The answer to the “why

does it matter” question.

Values

SolutionProblem

Your vision for the community,

state, society. A sense of the

purpose and goal that drives you to

seek the change you are working

for. Your aspiration and inspiration.

Vision

Oregonians

experience financial

insecurity at alarming

rates. Increasing

educational attainment

is the best strategy to

address financial

insecurity and build for

a stronger Oregon.

( USE CFED numbers

from A&O Scorecard.

Cite disparity by race.)

Children’s Savings Accounts

(CSAs) are a proven way to

help kids succeed in college,

career and community.

Oregon can develop a

universal and inexpensive

mechanism for CSAs coupled

with a deliberate strategy for

targeting communities with low

rates of educational

attainment.

The 2017 Legislature should

create a platform for CSAs

and fund accounts for all kids

Opportunity, Choice, Prosperity,

Future Generations. Government as Effective

Steward.

Values

SolutionProblem

Oregon is stronger when kids can achieve their dreams.

Children should not face barriers to finding their place in

the world. All kids should be able to use their talents as

scientists, teachers, engineers, leaders in their towns and

providers for their families.

The message box.Vision

Values

SolutionProblem

Use this time to jot

down initial thoughts

about your Problem

and Solution

Chicken Little

Crisis or Solution?

What’s Wrong

Why it Matters

What Can be Done

What Can be Done

Why it Matters

What’s

Wrong

The message box.Vision

Values

SolutionProblem

Use this time to jot

down initial thoughts

about your Vision

and Values

If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.

— Antoine de Saint-Exupery

The Oregon Narrative

Oregon has a history of ingenuity, innovation, and independence. The beauty and resources of

our state have inspired and nurtured us for generations. We have worked hard to come together, and to build communities and the

public systems – roads, schools, cities, and towns – that sustain us. If we harness our spirit and our

energy, and invest in people, we can create a better future for the next generation. We can

ensure that every person, every family, and every community in Oregon can prosper.

Vision

Right now, families are

struggling to survive –

facing choices like paying

rent or buying food and

medicine. We need to

make sure that families

have what they need so

that every Oregonian has

the opportunity to

succeed.

We know that’s not the

case today ….

Our state has

tremendous resources

at our disposal – hard

working people,

ingenuity and financial

resources that can all

be brought to bear in

order to build a better

quality of life for our

state. The state

budget decisions we

make reflect our

commitment to making

that future a reality. We need XXX to do

YYY.

Values

SolutionProblem

At many pivotal moments in our state’s history we have

chosen to build a brighter future for ourselves and our

children. We did this not simply by asking what we can

afford to do today but also asking what we must do to

protect our future. Getting there may require more of our

collective resources, but our future is worth it.

Oregon exceptionalism, future

generations, protection, opportunity,

shared well being. In the coming legislative

session we must make decisions that

protect our future, build jobs and

opportunities and protect families. These

are the actions that will uphold Oregon

values.

The Circle of Concern

Expanding the Circle of Concern •Don’t “otherize”

• Use language that calls out commonality and humanity

•Make the case for “targeted universalism”

• A focus on universal benefit with targeted efforts that recognize and remedy inequities

• May require different strategies in different communities/audiences

“. . . A talent for speaking differently, rather than for arguing well, is the chief instrument of cultural change . . .”

- Richard Rorty

Q & A

What questions do you have for Janet?

Send them via chat!

Next Steps

• Complete the survey

• Let us know your suggestions for future learning

events

• If you are not already a member, join the Assets &

Opportunity Network to stay informed and engaged!

Thank You!