For more information, please contact Jonny Andia at efn4@cdc.gov

1

Course Purpose

To provide participants with information and strategies to effectively recruit and retain appropriate individuals into Safety Counts

22

Recruitment

What Constitutes an Effective Recruitment Strategy for Safety Counts?

Brings appropriate people into Safety Counts:Active drug usersNot in treatmentAdults Can be HIV positive, HIV negative or status

unknown

Brings adequate numbers of clientsHow many clients are required for the interventionRequirements of the funding source

4

Effective RecruitmentFirst Step

DEFINE A RECRUITMENT GOAL

How many participants do you need to recruit to effectively run the intervention?

How many participants did you say you were going to recruit to your funding sources?

5

TARGETED RECRUITMENT: Method of engaging potential, appropriate

individuals of a targeted group (i.e. drug users, males, adolescent) for a specific purpose or program. It is generally conducted by experienced outreach workers.

PEER DRIVEN RECRUITMENTStructured method of recruitment which utilizes

participant’s social network. Participants recruit their peers from their social network to become involved in an agency service or program. It has a “snowball” aspect to it. (i.e. I recruit my friend, my friend recruits his/her friends and so on).

6

Recruitment Strategy should be guided by….

The structure of the intervention: 4 months

Characteristics of the population: Active drug users

The most appropriate approach for your specific target population

The needs, abilities and resources of the organization

The recruitment goal 7

A General Six Step Approach to Developing a Recruitment Strategy

1. Who is being targeted through the recruitment?2. Where is the appropriate place to recruit

clients? 3. When should recruitment be done?4. What messages should be delivered during

recruitment?5. How should the messages be delivered?6. Who is the most appropriate person to do

recruitment? 8

1. Know the Target Population

What are the characteristics of your target population?

Demographic profile

Social profile

9

2. Know Where They Are

Identify venues where drug users are.

Identify venues where drug users

are most accessible.

10

3. Know When

When do drug users frequent identified locations?

When are drug users most receptive to what you have to say?

11

4 & 5. Know What to Say and How

Recruitment messages need to be effective.

Tailored to media used

Include accurate information

Easily understood12

6. Know Who Should Deliver the MessageMessengers come in various forms (gatekeepers,

stakeholders, members of the population)

Messengers should have…Credibility with drug usersCulturally competenceTraining to follow protocolsKnowledge about the interventionAbility to use language familiar to and used by

target group

13

Gathering InformationCollect information as to location,

messages, timing

Information sources include:Substance usersStaffKey informantsStakeholdersGatekeepersAffected populations

14

Gathering Information

Information sources include:Program recordsResearchersArrest records

LocationDrug Possession/Sales ArrestsDemographicsCommercial sex workers

15

Methods for collecting information

Focus groupsOne-on-one interviewsGroup interviewsQuestionnairesInternetField observationsProgram record review and analysisReview of existing research and data

16

Methods for collecting information

Use multiple sources and methods to collect information

TriangulationIf information consistent, move forward

and monitor resultsIf information not consistent, attempt to

reconcile

17

Peer Driven Recruitment

18

PEER DRIVEN RECRUITMENT

Structured method of recruitment which utilizes participant’s social network. Participants recruit their peers in their social network to become involved Safety Counts

It has a “snowball” aspect to it. (i.e., I recruit my friend, my friend recruits his/her friends and so on).

19

Why does it work?

People in the same social network tend to share similar interest and activities.

People are more likely to trust and listen to their social network peers.

Peer Driven Recruitment ProcessSelect/Recruit Seeds

Prepare Seeds

Seeds recruit peers

Seeds receive incentive for each peer recruited

Agency staff conduct Program Enrollment Session with recruits.

Appropriate recruits enter Safety Counts program

Select/Recruit new Seeds from Safety Counts grads

21

22

Seed 2Seed 1 Seed 3

R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 R8 R9

Referrals 10,11,12,…27

Example of a coupon

Safety Counts

A Health Promoting Program Communities That Care, Inc.1313 Short Road, Your Town

Open 9 – 5, Ph. 999-0000

90398

23

Selecting and Recruiting Seeds

24

Preparing Seeds

25

Include in Seed Workshop Information about PDR process

Communication skills (how to talk to their peers)

Talking points to share with their peers

Ways to remember the talking points

Activities to facilitate learning26

Peer Driven Retention Strategy

Seeds get an additional incentive for those recruits that remain in Safety Counts for the full duration of the program (4 months).

27

Peer Driven Recruitment ProcessSelect/Recruit SeedsPrepare the SeedsSeeds recruit peersSeeds receive incentive for each peer recruitedConduct Program Enrollment Session with new recruits.Appropriate recruits enter Safety Counts programSelect/Recruit new Seeds from Safety Counts gradsSeed becomes “big sister or brother” to peer in

program.Peer finishes Safety Counts programSeed receives additional incentive.

28

Last Words on Recruitment

Select the most appropriate recruitment method or combination of methods based on the data

Train staffImplement and monitor recruitment

strategyModify as neededRecruitment requires creativity, experience,

adaptability, and making sound, evidence-based decisions

29

Retention

30

RetentionMaintaining participation in services or

interventions for the dosage needed (for Safety Counts, four months and all core elements)

Specific strategies to retain participants depend on:Structure of intervention or serviceCharacteristics of target populationOrganizational needs, resources and capacity

31

Guiding Principles of RetentionProvide high quality customer serviceConsider the characteristics of your target

populationImplement and deliver services (Safety

Counts) that are appropriate and meaningful for the target population and setting

Communicate with clientsBuild rapport

32

Retention Activity

3333

Develop A Retention PlanPlan retention during recruitment

Utilize the recruitment development information to help develop a retention plan

Characteristics of the drug using population informs retention strategy

Use process monitoring to see if retention strategies are effective

34

Retention Strategies

Utilize the Program Enrollment Session

Be honest about requirements and expectations

Explain purpose of interventionDon’t coerce and secure client buy-inBuild client confidence for completion of

interventionSecure client contact information including

contact info for people who do not reside with the client

35

Retention Strategies (cont.)Build sense of ownership/community

Tailor services to population

Level of support

Tracking/Communication

Build rapport

Consider characteristics of the target population 36

Thank You!

Final Questions or Comments

Please complete the Evaluation Form

Travel Safely

37