The clearest way to improve your resource is to make sure you target your audience. The best way to get to know your audience is to have a focussed discussion with the group you are trying to reach. When you do that, here are some hints for collaborating with groups of children and young people at different ages:
0-7 years (early childhood)
- Use pictures to help support your discussion
- Have people in the room that support the children regularly
- Work with day care centres and schools to organise a short meeting with children, supported by teachers.
8-12 years (primary school)
- Work with schools or community groups to organise a meeting with young people
- Use language that is easy to understand, and include age-specific content (e.g. references to sports, music or television).
13-18 years (high school)
- You can use the same strategies as you might use for 8-12 year olds, but mature your content by including references to social media, memes, or other relatable content
- Provide incentives for attending, such as vouchers or food.
18-25 years (transition to adulthood)
- Work with community organisations that are already supporting young people and provide them with the option to attend a collaboration session
- Provide incentives for attending, such as vouchers or food.
Parents
- Collaborate with community support service organisations that regularly work with parents
- Schedule meetings at times that are likely to be convenient for busy parents
- Provide incentives for attending, such as vouchers or food.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples
- Work with community leaders or recognised entities to organise your audience to attend, and appropriately frame the discussion
- Be flexible about the location and time for the meeting to occur
- Work with community leaders and organisations to support a culturally safe approach to the meeting.
Culturally and linguistically diverse groups
- Work with community leaders, or organisations such as Multicultural Development Australia and Access Community Services, to connect you with people in diverse communities
- Collaborate with known cultural groups in the community
- Your audience may include people with limited ability in English, so simple language and powerful visuals may be critical to get your message across.
Persons with a disability
- Use a support service to help connect you with your audience
- Focus on accessibility options for contact with services
- Work with a support service to ensure content is accessible and relatable.
Persons experiencing mental health issues
- Collaborate with organisations already working with the audience
- Make sure your collaboration meeting is supported by an individual the audience trusts, and provide a space that supports the needs of the audience.