Honest Conversations

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Amplify Community Voices

NRC-RIM worked with IDEO.org and Canal Alliance to design a communications campaign that amplifies candid health-related stories and concerns from refugee, immigrant, and migrant (RIM) communities. The stories are seasonal (focused on a timely health topic for three to four months) to help address community concerns and confusion. This campaign supports you in connecting your communities to health guidelines and resources in a timely, relevant, and compelling way, focusing on re-engaging people and rebuilding trust.

Health concerns change often and they’re usually colored by the reality of the moment—what's in the news, popular culture, and even in people's hearts. RIM communities have a lot of wisdom and experiences to share, and rebuilding trust with the system means creating a space for listening and meeting people where they are, both physically and emotionally.

Narrative-based conversations and personal experiences are effective in creating change. This modular campaign kit is built to address those changes – those seasons – and amplify the unique qualities of RIM communities.

By using this kit, you will be able to:
  • Create a space to listen by inviting people to submit and share their stories in the form of Honest Conversations throughout a communications campaign that lasts three to four months.
  • Encourage vulnerable conversations and highlight a diversity of experiences.
  • Build and share short, engaging messaging such as audio, video, and posters to meet people where they are in their busy schedules and in moments of waiting, like the bus stop or laundromat.
Honest Conversations Playbook 1: Set the Foundation

Set the Foundation
Get ready to gather community stories by identifying your campaign Season Topic and Call to Action. At the end of this step, you'll have a focus for your campaign.

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Honest Conversations Playbook 2: Gather Stories

Gather Stories
This section will guide you as you collect honest stories from your community. At the end of this step, you'll have a collection of stories submitted in different formats from your community.

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Honest Conversations Playbook 3: Make and Share

Make & Share
Learn how to review submissions, create story assets, and distribute them to your community. At the end of this step, you will have a live campaign.

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Honest Conversations Playbook 4: Reflect and Evaluate

Reflect and Evaluate
These tools will help you reflect on the impact of your campaign. At the end of this step, you’ll know what went well and how to improve your next health campaign.

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Make It Easy to Contribute

Ensure that gathering stories from the community is fast, intuitive, and clear. Meet people where they are, use mediums that they’re comfortable with, and provide them with help via trusted influencers. For example, consider collecting stories in moments when the community is already gathering.

Make Space for Everyone

Embrace different opinions and beliefs as long as they’re not spreading misinformation. A diversity of stories builds belonging and trust throughout the community. Don’t edit out people’s hesitations or doubts; instead, focus on sharing how others navigated doubt to make positive healthcare decisions.

Aim to Inspire Hope

Feature stories that are hopeful and positive to invite anyone in the community to participate. Steer away from instilling fear, and ensure that your Call to Action includes steps the community can take to be healthier and better prepared.

Keep It Simple and Human

Make your stories short, human, and easy to consume regardless of where one sees them. Attention spans are short and people are busy. Edit audio and video clips to 90 seconds or less, while honoring the details about each journey that make it unique and human.

Honest Conversations Pregnancy
Honest Conversations Monkeypox
Honest Conversations COVID Boosters
Honest Conversations Sports Physicals

The stories gathered for Honest Conversations are seasonal. A “season” is a period of three to four months during which Honest Conversations are focused on one health topic of concern. With this playbook, you will decide what health topic your campaign will cover, how long the season will be, and create a Call to Action to mobilize your audience.

In this playbook, you will find:
 - Guidelines: Pick a Season Topic
 - Checklist: Create a Call to Action
 - Worksheet: Capture Your Work 

Additional Resources:
 - Video: How to track QR codes using Linktree
 - Data Collection Tool
 - Video: How to use the Data Collection Tool

One of the most effective ways to convince individuals to take action is to share vulnerable stories from other members of the community who are navigating the same health issues. This playbook has guidelines, worksheets, and templates to help you gather stories from the community.

In this playbook, you will find:
 - Tips: Gathering Stories
 - Checklist: Gathering Stories
 - Sample Script
 - Consent Form
 - Activity: Fill in the Blank
 - Tips: Working with Media
 - Worksheet: Capture Your Work

Additional Resources:
 - Data Collection Tool
 - Video: How to use the Data Collection Tool

Now that you’ve gathered stories from the community, it’s time to decide which stories you want to turn into assets to share in your Honest Conversations Campaign. This playbook will guide you through how to choose stories; how to make and share social media posts, posters, and other materials; and how to hold a launch event for your campaign.

In this playbook, you will find:
 - Tips: Review Gathered Stories
 - Tips: Convert File Formats
 - Worksheet: Choose Your Channels
 - Tips: Sharing Your Campaign
 - Guide: Hosting a Launch Event
  - Worksheet: Capture Your Work

Additional Resources:
  - Template: Story Flyers
 -  Video: How to Make a Story Flyer
 - Template: Story Posters
 - Video: How to Make a Story Poster
 - Template: Video Bookends
 - Video: How to Use Video Bookends
 - Template: Social Media Posts
 - Video: How to Make Social Media Posts
 - Video: How to Change Symbols on Assets
 - Template: Promotion Flyers
 - Video: How to Make a Promotion Flyer
 - Template: Promotion Posters
 - Video: How to Make a Promotion Poster
 - Template: Promotional Social Media Posts
 - Video: How to Make Promo Social Media Posts
 - Template: Event Posters
 - Video: How to Make Event Posters

With this playbook, you'll be able to reflect on and measure your impact, create visuals showcasing your work, and announce the end of the season on social media. With these tools, you'll be prepared to make your next campaign even better than the last.

In this playbook, you will find
 - Tips: Measuring Impact
 - Guide: Reflect on Your Campaign
 - Worksheet: Capture Your Work

Additional Resources:
 - Data Collection Tool
 - Video: How to Use the Data Collection Tool
 - Template: Impact Visuals
 - Template: Season Close Social Media Post
 - Video: How to Create a Season Close Social Media Post