Thoughts Over Lunch: Social Media

Social Media Thoughts for the Day:

Most nonprofits have some form of presence in social media these days. How to do it, why it’s important, or what’s most affective when using social media can be allusive though. Here’s some of what I’ve been reading to keep on track here at TALS. Some of this is written from the perspective of for-profit businesses, but I always manage to find a takeaway.

Social Media Strategy Based on Analysis and Evaluation

• Most powerful takeaway for me here…”In this world of ever-changing social media, it is important to remember that a company’s success comes from recognizing what makes your clients different from one another.  Truly understanding your target market, through analysis and evaluation, can help you to build the most effective Internet Marketing Strategy possible.”

5 Social Media Metrics You Should Be Measuring

• In bullet points, “Referring Sites (or where your clicks come from), Comments, Klout, Sentiment, and Mentions by Source.”

Social Media Is a Journey, Not a Marathon or Sprint

• This piece has some great points that are worth considering when writing your organization’s social media plan, including, “Social media has no destination.” And “There is no playbook.” Read this whole article if you’d like the explanation of how this author thinks these facts can be integrated into social media work and planning.

Happy Learning!

- Linnet

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Thoughts Over Lunch: Finding Balance

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

 – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Author:  Linnet Overton, TALS Outreach and Development Director

I love to highlight the successes of legal services in Tennessee. On our Facebook page, Twitter, and here in our blog, we often get the opportunity to applaud our legal aid programs’ hard work. Tennessee’s legal service providers have scaled mountains for their clients. There are two sides to this journey though, and reading articles such as this one in the New York Times and hearing about the impending unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial has me thinking about the hills still left to climb.

We try to strike a balance, particularly on our blog, between being aware of the struggles civil legal services face and viewing these hard times as an opportunity for innovation and collaboration. In pieces such as this one, “Doing More with Less,” or, “It was the Best of Times, it was the Worst of Times” by our Executive Director Erik Cole, or this one about our project OnlineTNJustice.org , we focus on being proactive and positive. Conversely, there are times we also need to be reminded of the gravity of our situation, such as in this piece about Federal funding cuts. This more serious perspective helps us remain realistic and maintain a sense of urgency when developing our plans for addressing shrinking budgets, growing populations of need, and the potential for overextending service providers.

So, as this week closes and I approach my weekend, I’m taking a moment to reflect on this balance between achievements and what’s left to be achieved. I’m reminding myself to be grateful for all I have that provides me the opportunity to serve others and I’m reconnecting to why I work to improve conditions for poor and vulnerable populations. For me, it is a commitment to the well-being of the collective that gets me up in the morning. As Dr. King said more eloquently than I ever could, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

What brings you in to your office every day? What are you grateful for? Tell us on Facebook today – we’d love to hear from you!

Peace

Linnet

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Thoughts Over Lunch: Inside EJU Part 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inside EJU Part 4: EJU Freshman Class 2011

Author: Sarah Cooper, TALS MSW Intern

As the newest intern for TALS, I have been given the unique opportunity to be a part of the planning and development of the Equal Justice University (EJU), as well as being invited to attend!  As the time draws near, I have been asked to share my thoughts so far…

Where do I begin?

I remember the first time I heard the letter’s “EJU”.  It was in my initial interview for the internship placement here.  Lisa welcomed me in, asked a few questions, and explained the organization (you know the regular interview stuff).  I remember being a bit confused with all the roles TALS plays in the Legal Aid community; workshops, trainings, task forces, disaster hotline answerer…the list seemed endless.  Then the conversation turned to EJU. The mood in the room changed suddenly from routine to excitement, I knew instantly that this was something BIG!

Over that past couple months, as my knowledge of the organization has grown, so has my interest and enthusiasm in EJU.  I have heard countless stories of conferences gone by, from Stewart, Lisa, Linnet, and Eric (always followed by a good hard laugh).  I have visited the picturesque Paris Landing, previewed table center pieces and planned meals. All these were done in the same manor of joy and anticipation.

So why all the hoopla? 

This is what I have surmised thus far, EJU is a unique opportunity for all people interested in social and legal justice to come together, to learn from each other and professionals in a variety of fields, to network, and to strengthen the bond that connects all of us committed to protecting our Constitutional right to Equal Protection under the Law.  I truly believe that everyone here at TALS is committed to this cause and believes in this mission, going above and beyond to make every year even better than the last!

If you are interested in being part of this amazing freshman class, with me, register today!  You won’t regret it.

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Thoughts Over Lunch: Inside EJU Part 3

Thoughts….from the minutia

Author, Samantha Sanchez, Contracts and Services Coordinator

This year will be my first time participating in Equal Justice University (EJU). While I’ve been putting it together, this week is the first time EJU has felt real to me. On Tuesday, Linnet Overton, Lisa Primm, our Social Work Master’s program intern Sarah Cooper, and myself traveled to Paris Landing State Park to make preparations for the conference. Seeing the park’s accommodations, smelling the trees and lake, and listening to the birds surrounding it made Paris Landing and EJU more real to me than any amount of event planning ever could.

 While I’ve been down in the minutia (a place I enjoy, actually), creating budgets and coordinating logistics, EJU has been building up around me and after seeing Paris Landing – I can see the whole process coming together. With that vision comes the desire to make EJU run as smoothly as possible, so the event can be as valuable as possible to those attending.

 That led me to think of the legal aid advocates with whom TALS works. I imagine the idea of serving others often seems more important before the workload sets in. Some civil legal service advocates might even think, “Am I making any difference at all?”

The answer is yes. Yes, advocates are making a difference to each client they serve. For example, as I see every day working on our DCS contracts, when an attorney or paralegal fights for a child in state’s custody, a child gets medical services they need. While an advocate’s work is arduous, they are saving legal lives – one client at a time. That inspires me to keep enjoying the minutia, because, by managing the details, I am contributing to an event that has the opportunity to trickle down to helping our Legal Aid advocates serve their clients even better. 

If October comes and at least one person tells me that they think their EJU experience will make them a better advocate, then I’ll know every effort was worth it – the same way I hope our advocates feel at the end of every day.  

- Samantha Sanchez

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Thoughts Over Lunch: EJU 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EJU 2011: The inside scoop, Part 2

Author, Linnet Overton, Outreach and Development Director

A 30+ year tradition

As the Outreach and Development Director here at TALS, I have the pleasure of being able to coordinate with our Equal Justice University sponsors. I particularly love sharing in the excitement with our returning sponsors as EJU draws nearer. Many of these organizations, companies, and individuals work with TALS on projects throughout the year and this conference is just one of the many ways they give back to our access to justice community. The Tennessee Bar Association (TBA), for example, partners with TALS on several projects including OnlineTNJustice.org as well as co-sponsoring EJU. Looking back over years of EJU collaborations reminds me that this year’s event is part of a more than 30 year tradition. It feels great to be working to maintain this history of service and fellowship.

It is an equal pleasure for me to introduce new energy into the EJU family. The National Association of Social Workers Tennessee Chapter (NASWTN), for example, is a longtime partner of TALS, but this year is expanding into a new role in EJU as a sponsor. NASWTN is making it possible for licensed social workers to receive credit for a full day of CEUs at EJU. TALS is excited to further integrate social workers into our community through our conference, because they already play important roles in individual legal aid programs.

I’d like to thank our sponsors

EJU is a complex event that grows and evolves every year. The TALS staff is integral to this event’s success, as you’ll learn more throughout the next couple of ‘Thoughts Over Lunch’ posts, but equally important are our EJU event sponsors. These aren’t just people who donate money to support a great cause; they are true partners in this event. In addition to sponsorship support, many organizations volunteer at EJU, conduct a training session, and donate materials as well. TALS is eternally grateful for all our sponsors do to make EJU an event we can all benefit from and be proud of.

  

   

 

 

 

 

How can YOU get involved?

Support from our sponsors and donors makes this event possible and enriches the professional lives of legal service providers across the state of Tennessee. So, we welcome you to find out how you, or an organization, company, or coalition important to you, can contribute to the EJU class of 2011. Here are some of the ways you can get involved:

EJU Law Student Program

This is the inaugural year of the EJU Law Student Program. In collaboration with the TBA’s Access to Justice Committee’s Law School Sub-Committee, we are encouraging law student attendance, including networking opportunities for law students at EJU, and ensuring conference training topics meet students’ interests. To support student attendance at EJU you can donate to our EJU Law Student Scholarship Fund.

EJU Advocates Scholarship

In these tough economic times, legal aid programs cannot afford to send all their advocates to this amazing training opportunity, so in 2010 TALS created the EJU Advocate Scholarship Fund. Now, for a $250 donation to the EJU Scholarship Fund, a deserving advocate is offered the chance to attend EJU at no cost. This small donation has a broad reach, because it touches not only the individual advocate, but it enhances the quality of the civil legal services for the poor, elderly, and victims of domestic violence across Tennessee. Learn how you can donate now!

EJU Sponsorships

By sponsoring EJU, organizations, corporations, and community members receive individual benefits as well as the opportunity to support the providers of civil legal services for the poor, elderly, and victims of domestic violence across Tennessee. Conference sponsorships are available at every giving level. There’s still time to find the sponsorship opportunity that best suits you!

EJU Attendance

If you are interested in attending EJU, you’re in luck! Registration is open and information detailing the sessions, special events, and speakers is right around the corner. So sign up now!

Looking forward to seeing you in beautiful Paris Tennessee this fall!

-          Linnet

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Thoughts Over Lunch: EJU 2011

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EJU 2011: The inside scoop, Part 1

Author: Lisa Primm, Policy and Training Director

Less than 100 days…

A few days ago I noted that we had less than 100 days until our big conference, “Equal Justice University—Class of 2011”.  This realization gave me goose bumps, both because I am excited for the event and nervous about making it perfect. 

Part of my role in coordinating EJU is the planning and scheduling of all of the presentations.  This means at least 40 different sessions!  Some people tell me they feel sorry for me, because they think that this is a daunting task.  The truth is that I LOVE IT, because I am so inspired by the work done by legal aid programs, pro bono attorneys, and other advocates. 

It is never far from my mind that I am creating training opportunities for a group of people with huge hearts, amazing brains, and exhausting schedules.  I feel so lucky to be able to put together a few days of learning and hopefully some laughter for them.  I truly see my role at TALS as serving those who do the “real” work, and planning EJU is one of the best ways I can think of to serve this incredible community.

The 2011 EJU Session Schedule

In terms of what goes in to planning the EJU schedule—it is much like completing a giant jigsaw puzzle.  I strive to balance substantive law training with sessions for social workers, advocates, and other professionals.  It is important that there are diverse topics, which address the unique needs of each of our Task Forces; therefore I must cover Health and Benefits, Consumer and Housing, Immigration, Employment, Special Education, DCS and Juvenile Justice, and Family law. 

Next there is the juggling act of dealing with all the presenter’s schedules.  I start with a template, and sort of like a Sudoku game, I move things around until they make sense.  I always want four great choices during each of the breakout sessions, so that everyone will see at least one thing that they really want to attend, but hopefully they won’t see two things at the same time related to the same area of law.

This year, I especially enjoyed creating two tracks, one with the traditional substantive law sessions, and another called “Not Just for Attorneys”.  I based this on feedback from last year’s evaluations and I think this will be a very helpful change.  Additionally, with the support of the National Association of Social Workers Tennessee Chapter, we will provide social work CEU’s for 8 sessions this year.  This is a totally new concept and we hope it will be very beneficial to those legal aid programs that employ social workers (a profession dear to my heart, as many of you know).

I must note that I also get really jazzed about the generosity of the presenters! This year over half of our presenters are brand new—covering topics we have never offered at EJU before.  Most of them do not work for legal aid, and all of them are willing to volunteer their time and energy to this event because they too are inspired by the work of the legal aid community. 

So, as you look at our schedule for EJU this year (which will be available to the public very soon), I hope you will share in my excitement and enjoy knowing a little bit about how the schedule was created.  I look forward to seeing all of you in less than 100 days!

-Lisa Primm

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Thoughts Over Lunch: LSC Funding

LSC Funding: Abstract Concept, Concrete Effects

Blog Author: Erik Cole, TALS Executive Director 

Changing Tennessee one Life at a Time

Last year, the Cleveland office of Legal Aid of East Tennessee served 342 low-income, elderly, and abused Tennesseans with critical legal assistance.  As Executive Director Dave Yoder recently told the Cleveland Daily Banner “Many of the people we serve have no other place to turn.” Tragically, later this year, the LAET Cleveland office may be forced to close due to dramatic impending budget cuts.  These cuts, described Yoder, will mean less access to potentially life-saving legal help for many East Tennesseans. 

Many Tennesseans have stories to share about the powerful changes LAET helped make in their lives. For instance, one mother, ‘Anne,’ came to LAET after years of abuse from her husband when he suddenly turned his aggression on their 12 year-old daughter. Finally Anne had had enough. Thanks to their experience in dealing with legal issues related to domestic violence, LAET was able to help Anne get a divorce and a settlement, freeing her from a terrible situation. “She came back in to visit us later,” Yoder shared, “and told us she never realized what it would be like to not wake up hearing the screams of her daughters terrified their dad had come home.”

Nowhere else to turn

Without local legal aid programs in small and rural communities, like Cleveland, vulnerable Tennesseans may never learn about legal aid services.  Or, people at risk may wait longer to seek help when faced with a long drive to Chattanooga, Nashville, or Memphis.  Budget cuts hit rural areas (with few private attorneys to provide supplementary pro bono support) particularly hard.

Budget cuts to LAET have already forced the program to lay off valuable long-time staff, which means less assistance to go around.  So now, if a client does make it into the office, they may have to wait longer to be served, or may have to be placed with a pro bono lawyer instead of with legal aid.  For victims of domestic violence, any delay can be dangerous.  For those with consumer or health insurance issues, any delay can be costly.

Community Support, Community Values

While Congress debates the debt ceiling and next year’s federal budget, it is important to keep in mind LAET clients like Anne.  Federal funding cuts to the Legal Services Corporation seem like abstract concepts, but the realities of their influence are magnified in local communities when offices close and staff are laid off. 

Yoder explained that budget cuts don’t just impact individuals, but whole communities and businesses. “(Legal aid) is a resource that really helps everyone. If you are a business owner with an employee stuck in an abusive relationship, and that abusive spouse comes into your business, it’s going to have an impact on your business,” Yoder said. Legal aid provides many civil legal interventions, but domestic violence cases are priority issues due to their urgency and impact on victims, families, emergency workers, and entire communities.

Additionally, with sixteen legal aid offices across the state, federal budget cuts could cause significant loss of service to rural areas beyond East Tennessee.  In many towns, the legal aid office is a major part of the town square or courthouse area.  They’re community fixtures, service providers, employment opportunities for legal professionals and support staff, and engines that drive local pro bono participation.

What can I do?

It’s important to communicate with Congress the effects further cuts to LSC funding will have on low-income, elderly, and rural individuals in your community. You can also share this information with friends and colleagues.  Find your Representative here.

- Erik Cole, TALS Executive Director 

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Thoughts Over Lunch: An Independence Day Reflection

An Independence Day Reflection

Guest Blogger: Sarah B. Cooper, TALS Intern

One family’s story

Rod has spent his entire adult life as a factory worker.  Back in 2005, with changing technology and company outsourcing, the work force was downsized and Rod and his wife were faced with a decision to collect unemployment and hope to find a new job soon, or relocate to a sister factory.  After a thorough review of all pros and cons, Rod and his wife decided to move.  Within a few months they had sold their home and purchased one closer to the new job.  Things seemed good for the first couple years, and then lay-offs began.  Work came and went, with periods of unemployment and disillusionment.  Finally, it was announced that the plant was closing for good.

With both Rod and his wife finding work here and there, they made ends meet until another round of downsizing plagued them again and Rod was once more without a job.  With the reality of unemployment running out soon, meeting their basic financial requirements was becoming more difficult.  Rod reached out to his mortgage company for a possible refinance option that would allow them to stay in the house that they loved, using his wife’s retail salary.   Over the next 6 months, the mortgage company agreed to a reduced payment which Rod and his wife were able to make.  As they waited to hear about a closing date to finalize the resettlement, they received a  letter stating that their mortgage had been sold to another company who would not honor the new payment plan.   Not only were they supposed to return to paying the old amount, they also were expected to pay the unpaid balance from the past months.   If this was not done immediately, they would be considered in default and foreclosure papers would be filed.

Many people’s struggle

Although, I have followed this story closely, because it is happening to a family member, their story is not unique.  With unemployment as it stands, and the economy stagnant, the foreclosure crisis is expected to continue.   According to the  Nashville Business Journal, “in Davidson County, one in every 867 housing units is in some stage of foreclosure. In Williamson County the rate is one in every 1,242.” Although these numbers are slowly declining, I would argue that the need is great for adequate counsel to help those low income families who are in jeopardy of losing their homes, keep their homes.

As we spend our Independence Day with family and friends, I urge us to reflect on those that had the fortitude to convene and draft the Declaration of Independence, those national leaders who stood up against the ruling body that imposed unjustified pain on the colonials, those that believe in the strength of the American people.  In doing this, I ask for us also to consider those that struggle today to keep the basic rights our founding fathers fought for, shelter being one.

Last year in Tennessee, 24.4% of Legal Aid cases involved housing, more than any other category reported.   If Rod is lucky, he too may be one other those 6000+ cases.  I say lucky because the number of cases that the current Legal Aid offices can handle, far under weighs the amount of need.  Legal  Aid attorneys can make a huge difference in a case like Rod’s, but only when there are enough attorneys to meet the demand. 

So this July 4^th, we celebrate the country that stood up for our liberties and we renew our commitment to the battle for rights for all.

- Sarah B. Cooper, TALS Intern

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Thoughts Over Lunch: OnlineTNJustice.org

OnlineTNJustice.org: Utilizing Technology to Expand Pro Bono Opportunities

Reprinted Article by Danny Van Horn, President, Tennessee Bar Association and Erik Cole, Executive Director, TALS

A Growing Need

The plight of low-income Tennesseans with unmet legal needs is well-documented.  Any lawyer who has worked with vulnerable communities knows that minor legal issues can turn major without legal advice or information.   

The statistics show that nearly 70% of Tennesseans living in poverty had a civil legal need in the past year. Legal Aid and pro bono attorneys can help, but they are not able to reach everyone in need, particularly those living in rural areas. The economic crisis makes matters worse as the number of people who need legal services continues to grow.   Tennessee lawyers and legal aid programs are turning to technological innovation to help meet this need.

Unique Responses

This spring the Tennessee Bar Association and the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services launched OnlineTNJustice.org to help meet low-income Tennesseans’ civil legal needs.  Former TBA President Buck Lewis is credited with the vision for the project as he was very involved in his local pro bono clinic, but realized the limitations of this traditional model.

Lewis convinced the IT department at his firm Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz to develop the website in consultation with leaders from the legal community. The firm worked with its Microsoft representative to secure a grant to cover the cost of software and licensing for the website; in May 2010, the firm received a perpetual annual grant from Microsoft (valued at $67,299). Also, thanks to Lewis’ leadership, the state Supreme Court and its Access to Justice Commission lent their support to the program by including it in the commission’s first strategic plan released in July 2010.

OnlineTNJustice.org

The concept of OnlineTNJustice.org is a web-based pro bono clinic for low-income Tennesseans who might otherwise fall through the cracks of receiving legal assistance. Using a web-based email platform, qualifying users can post questions about their civil legal needs and receive basic legal information and advice from attorneys. The website is easy-to-use, requires minimal commitment, and is convenient for both volunteer attorneys and low-income client/users.  The goal of this project is twofold: to increase access to justice for low-income Tennesseans, particularly in rural areas and to remove barriers to attorneys providing pro bono services.

Currently there are more than 250 attorneys registered as volunteers and more than 100 registered client/users. Most posted questions pertain to family law issues, but volunteer attorneys are available to answer questions related to all civil legal problems including disaster-related, fraud, and health care issues. Over the past two months, more than 75 questions have been posted and answered. Most questions are answered within a day or just a couple hours.

Volunteer Attorneys and Client Users Response

Volunteer attorneys are integral to the success of the project. They have shown enthusiastic support for the website as an additional pro bono tool. They appreciate that the program is flexible with their work schedules and meets their practice interests. More than 90% of participating attorneys report that they will use OnlineTNJustice.org to provide pro bono services in the future and will recommend this program to colleagues. One volunteer attorney praised the website’s special features, such as the ability to subscribe to substantive law areas, but emphasized, “I like knowing that there is a place folks can ask a legal question.”

Though it is still in its infancy, OnlineTNJustice.org is already making an impact on peoples’ lives. The satisfaction surveys show that more than 87% of client/users found the website easy to understand and will share this resources with others. “God bless you!” one website user raved, “Thank you so much for the advice! This service is a vital asset to our community!”

By Danny Van Horn, President, Tennessee Bar Association and Erik Cole, Executive Director, TALS

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Thoughts Over Lunch: Creative Outreach Part 1

Author: Linnet Overton, LMSW, TALS Outreach and Development Director

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     As As you can imagine, as the TALS Outreach and Development Director, I’m always thinking about…wait for it…outreach and development opportunities. (I know you’re shocked .) This means that during lunch, as I calmly savored my sandwich (read as *wolfed down while checking the news*), I couldn’t help, but see this article about an information blanket and think, ‘Wow, this is amazing! So, what is the TALS/civil legal services ‘information blanket?’ By that I mean, what is the outreach tool that can communicate about our services at a glance to both civil legal services users and funders? Well isn’t that the million dollar question?!

Keeping up with the Jones’?

In today’s fast paced, media filled world, the competition for people’s attention is fierce. There are millions of new ideas shared every day. People are bombarded with information from their phones, computers, televisions, radios, billboards, friends, and even bathroom stalls. The question we must all ask ourselves is this. How can nonprofits and civil legal services stand out from the pack?

There are many aspects to ensuring you are noticed and continue to have an impact on your community long-term. Some of the most important features of a nonprofit’s ability to do this include:

• Having meaningful services,
• Tracking measurable results, and
• Sharing your services availability and results with your community.

Here at TALS we use or bi-weekly staff meetings as time to evaluate our success at achieving these three points. We do this by:

• Analyzing feedback and results for ongoing projects,
• Brainstorming new projects and development opportunities that build on feedback, and
• Identifying new ways to integrate outreach, promotions, marketing and development into all projects.

Just like everyone though, TALS is always trying to grow and improve. Though we try to integrate outreach (ie. sharing our services availability and results with our community) into all our work, it’s sometimes all too easy to get bogged down running a program and overlook the big picture. We all know the value of civil legal services and report the our number of clients served etc. to all our funding sources, but do we always stay on top of our outreach in the best, most innovative, and effective way possible? The short answer is no. But to give a long answer we need to ask, why not?

Why Not?

Message Stagnation

Examining past analysis of legal needs in Tennessee, one could extrapolate that there is room to grown in messaging. Studies show, as many as 68% of Tennesseans living in poverty has a civil legal need each year. However, when surveyed, only 21% of people in need knew of a free civil legal service they could turn to. This means that the messages about civil legal services’ availability aren’t reaching communities in need.

Additionally, more than 75% of people who do have access to civil legal services, continue to have unmet legal needs. Legal aid programs are able to serve as few as 25% of the people who come through their doors and qualify for their services. Nevertheless, civil legal services took a huge funding hit on the Federal level this year and competition for state and local grants is more aggressive than ever. This means that we’re not effectively communicating with all our funding sources.

It’s not my job

OK, at this point you may be thinking, “Look, I do my job. If my organization is struggling with sharing about our services and results it’s not my fault. It’s the fault of our outreach and development staff!” This is an understandable perspective, but one that misses the symbiotic relationship necessary between services providers, management, and support staff in an organization.

To provide legal interventions for low-income vulnerable Tennesseans, we need attorneys, paralegals and educational staff. To pay those individuals, we must have funding. To have funding, communication, outreach, and development staff must share successes and results. To have success stories, we must have clients. To have clients, we must have people aware of our services. And to serve clients….you know where I’m going with this…we need each other! ‘It’s not my job’ is just not applicable. We all have a vested interest and a role to play in sharing our organization’s message.  

What should I do?

Many people in an organization don’t even know how they can contribute to their organization’s outreach activities. They are too busy just doing their day to day work to identify what, let’s just be honest here, may simply feel like another thing placed on an already FULL plate. Here are three simple ideas for supporting your organization’s efforts to share successes and results:

1)      Share your clients’ stories:

If you have a great experience with a client be sure you have a waver signed to share their story (even if it’s anonymously) and take ten minutes to write out the highlights or send documentation of the positive experience to your outreach and or development staff. This can in turn be used to share in annual reports, grants, and through social media.

2)      Share your organizations’ results:

Share cumulative results and stories with statewide organizations. Organizations such as TALS that support the work of multiple organizations have several unique opportunities to use cumulative information to bring cumulative results. For example, statewide organizations can apply for larger out-of-state funding that can benefit multiple programs or can use funding to provide promotions that are statewide.

3)      Share your experience:

Do you tell your friends, family, community groups, churches…everyone about the work you do? You should! The more you talk about what you do, the more people will ask how they can be a part of it too. Don’t know what they can do? Get them in touch with your outreach and development director!

Creative Outreach

So what can outreach and development directors do with this information? This is where developing our individual ‘information blanket’ must come into play. What singular tool communicates our services’ availability and results to our community at a glance?

At this moment, I’m not sure we have one. TALS and our programs (check out or blogroll for links) all have great websites that are continually being updated and revamped, but these are individual messages. We all have annual reports and social media sites that keep advocates up to date and also tell clients’ powerful stories, but these are all in different locations. What I would like is a more universal messaging for our whole state that tells a singular ‘TN civil legal services’ message’ in a brief and compelling way.  

What are some ideas? That’s what Part 2 is for. See you there!

-          Linnet Overton

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