Recreation as prevention.

As park and recreation profession als know, there is an ongoing debate from the corridors of Congress to the halls of local city government about how to help at-risk youth. Policy makers and the public need to know that park and recreation departments in many cities across the country are effectively reaching at-risk youth through creative and cost-effective programs.

In previous Communication Ideas columns, we recommended that as park and recreation professionals, you provide information about your programs to local media as feature story ideas. At-risk youth issues are a hard news angle through which you can raise awareness of the vital contribution you make to your individual communities and to the nation as a whole.

NRPA recently released a report that can add national perspective to your local story; this type of qualitative research acts as a hook on which reporters can hang a story. Programs That Work profiles 21 park and recreation programs that successfully address at-risk youth issues and help young people who have been involved in criminal activities or have considered joining gangs.

The 21 programs in the report serve different youth with a variety of activities that address issues individual to their communities. However, there are common threads that weave the programs together: all are coordinated by local park and recreation departments, all are cost effective and all serve as models for other communities that are looking for solutions to the juvenile crime problem that currently plagues America.

NRPA is communicating its message about the benefits of prevention programs by working with national media to encourage them to tell the Programs That Work story.

Work Effectively With Media

In addition to this type of information, media want to hear about program experiences at the local level to which people can relate. Here are some tips to help you tie your local programs for at-risk youth to NRPA's national initiative by working effectively with media in your community:

* Read, watch and listen to local media. Look for specific reporters or writers who seem interested in youth, gang or crime issues.

* Know the writers and editors by their beats and types of coverage. Is anyone assigned to cover parks and recreation? If not, ask the metro or city editor which reporter is most appropriate for your information.

* Watch deadlines and preferences for receiving information. Note if the reporter prefers information mailed, faxed or e-mailed--although remember that local media relations are probably still safest done in the real world rather than cyberspace. Should you first call and discuss the idea with the reporter? When is the best time of day for phone calls? When is the reporter on deadline? Make note of all this information in your media file.

* Educate the reporter, if necessary, about local park programs for at-risk youth. Try to make an appointment to meet with the reporter and discuss your information. Offer interviews with participants and professionals who can provide insight into the day-to-day activities of the program. By using Programs That Work, you are providing the reporter national information with a local example. This will help bring attention to the juvenile crime problem while focusing on your program as a solution.

Now that you know where to go, treat your contacts with care. Don't waste a reporter's time with ideas and information that are not appropriate. Develop a reputation as a source that provides ideas, information and interviews that are timely, pertinent and original.

If you would like to obtain a copy of Programs That Work, contact the NRPA Publications Center, 703/820-4940. If you have questions about how to work with media in your community, please call Anne Vogel at L.C. Williams & Associates at 800/837-7123.