students consulting for non-profit organizations: family & children's service of ithaca
TRANSCRIPT
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Table of Contents
Section Pages
Executive Summary 3
Social Media 4-21 Facebook 101 4-6 Facebook Tips/Suggestions 7-9 Facebook Case Study 10-15 Twitter 101 16-18 Twitter Tips/Suggestions 19 Social Media Workout 20-21
Press Kit Material 22-27 Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca 22-25 Fact Sheet Sample 26 Children’s Fact Sheet Sample 27
Media List & Recommendations 28-31 Local Newspapers 28 Student Newspapers 29 Radio Stations 29-30 Television Stations 30 Other 30-31
Youth Survey 32-37 Demographic Breakdown 32-33 Experience Breakdown 34-35 “Seeking Help” Breakdown 35-36 Media Use Breakdown 36-37
Promotional Material 38-42 Children’s Flyer 38-39 Stress Flyer 40 College Flyer 41 Laptop Stickers 42
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Executive Summary
The Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca approached the Ithaca College chapter of
Student’s Consulting for Non-profit Organizations (SCNO) in the Spring of 2014 for help
in better understanding and executing communication with the younger demographic of
high school and college-aged individuals.
Through a semester-long engagement cycle lasting from February 2014 to April 2014, a
team of SCNO members focused exclusively on developing target market insights,
social media information, media contacts, press kit informational materials and
promotional items for Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca. This consisted of intensive
research on social media and its many components and benefits, a survey taken by our
target market which helped us gain understanding of what they are looking for and how
we can reach them, and the creation of creative and thorough promotional and public
relations materials.
The first section focuses on social media and explains the basics of Facebook and
Twitter while researching the intricacies and benefits of social media that Family &
Children’s Service of Ithaca can utilize. As social media is still the number one way the
younger generations communicate with each other and organizations, we believe our
insights will aid Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca to effectively reach and interact
with its target audiences.
The second section highlights a few press kit materials that Family & Children’s Service
of Ithaca can utilize to attract a younger audience and enhance its overall press
coverage. The SCNO team has prepared an updated list of press contacts,
backgrounder materials on Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca and conducted a
survey to better understand its younger audience’s wants and needs.
Lastly, SCNO has created a few promotional materials that Family & Children’s Service
of Ithaca can use when promoting its services to individuals between the ages of 15 and
25. These materials were created to be timeless and allow Family & Children’s Service
of Ithaca to use them for any occasion.
This plans book is a compilation of social media explanations, press kit items and promotional materials that will guide Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca in its future endeavors. It will act as a benchmark point from which FCS can improve its strategies and execution in terms of reaching and communicating effectively with its younger demographic.
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Facebook 101
Vocabulary of Facebook
1) Friend: Your Facebook Friends are the people you connect with and share content and updates with on Facebook. You can send Friend requests to other Facebook members. You also can receive Friend requests from other members which you can accept, decline, or ignore. 2) Like: You can click the Like link on any Facebook update to show that you like the content. When you Like something, the action appears as an update on your Facebook Wall (see “Wall” below). You can also Like any piece of content that you find across the Internet whenever it’s accompanied by the Facebook Like button (see “social plugins”). 3) Messages: Your Facebook Messages are similar to private email messages. They appear in your Facebook Inbox and can include text messages, chats, emails, and mobile messages from your Facebook Friends. 4) News Feed: Your Facebook News Feed is the continually appended feed of status updates that appears on your Facebook Profile home page. It shows the most recent activities from your Facebook Friends and Facebook Pages that you follow. 5) Notes: Using the Notes feature, you can publish messages in rich-text format giving you greater flexibility than simple updates allow. 6) Notifications: You can set up your Facebook Profile so you receive email, mobile, or onsite updates when certain activities happen on Facebook. For example, you can be notified when an update is made to a Group you belong to or when someone accepts your Friend request. 7) Poke: If you want to get one of your Facebook Friend’s attention, you can “poke” him or her on Facebook. The Friend will receive a notification from Facebook letting him or her know that they’ve been poked (and by whom). 8) Profile: Facebook refers to your Profile as your complete picture and story on Facebook. It includes your Profile picture, biography, personal information, and more. Your Profile can be public or private. It’s your personal piece of “real estate” on Facebook. 9) Ticker: Your Ticker appears on the right side of your Facebook home page and is updated with your friends’ activities in real-time. 10) Timeline: Your Facebook Timeline shows all of your Facebook updates and activities in reverse chronological order.
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11) Top Story: Facebook chooses the top stories that appear at the top of your Facebook News Feed. These are stories that have been published since the last time you checked your News Feed and are visibly identified with a blue corner. 12) Wall: Your Facebook Wall is where you can publish updates and where your Friends can post updates directly to you.
Terms for Facebook Features and Extensions
It’s time to go beyond the standard Facebook Profile and take a look at what all of those features and extensions mean. The following definitions introduce some of the most commonly used Facebook features and extensions.
13) App: Facebook apps are created by third-parties and add more features and functionality to your Facebook experience. 14) Badge: Facebook Badges are personalized images or boxes that you can display on your website, blog, and so on, to show off parts of your Facebook Profile or Page. 15) Block: If you don’t want someone to view your Facebook Profile, add you as a Friend, or send you messages through Facebook, you can block them. 16) Chat: You can send and receive instant messages with your Facebook Friends without leaving Facebook using the Chat feature. 17) Credits: Facebook Credits are considered to be Facebook’s virtual currency, which you can use to buy virtual goods in some Facebook games and apps. 18) Event: Use the Events feature to organize events, gather RSVPs, and even respond to events that you’re invited to. 19) Games: Like Facebook apps, games are developed by third-parties and enable you to play with other Facebook members without leaving Facebook. 20) Group: Facebook Groups can be created by any Facebook member and provide a space where smaller groups of people can come together to discuss specific topics. Groups can be public or private. 21) Page: A Facebook Page is a space on Facebook for brands, businesses, organizations, and entertainers.
22) Social Plugins: Facebook social plugins allow website owners to provide visitors with a social Facebook experience without visitors having to leave the websites themselves. For example, the Facebook Like button allows people to Like content through their Facebook Profiles without leaving the website pages they’re on.
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23) Subscribe: Using the Subscribe feature, you can keep track of posts and updates from other Facebook members, even if you’re not Friends with them. 24) Tags: You can tag another Facebook member in photos and posts that you publish on Facebook. 25) Video Calling: The Video Calling feature enables you to connect with your Facebook Friends through online video without leaving Facebook.
Other Things to Know
Facebook URL: The web address for your Facebook page. This should be the same as your twitter handle. Ex. https://www.facebook.com/holly.garbacz - This is my personal Facebook URL. How to update status: At the top of your News Feed there is a text box in which you can type. Above it is a tab that says “Update Status.” Type whatever you would like; when you are finished simply hit enter on your keyboard! How to upload pictures: There is another tab next to the “Update Status” tab called “Add Photos/Video.” By clicking on that tab you can post pictures or videos at your leisure. How to change profile picture: Navigate to your Facebook page. Hover over your profile picture. There is a button that comes up called “Edit Profile Picture” at the bottom of your picture. Upon clicking on the edit button, a list of options will come up. Click one and upload a picture! How to change cover photo: Navigate to your facebook page. Hover over your cover photo. There is a button that comes up called “Edit Cover Photo” at the right of your picture. Upon clicking on the edit button, a list of options will come up. Click one and upload a picture! How to sign out: At the top right of your Facebook, to the right of your name there is a small lock. Click on the lock and a list of options will appear. Click the “Log Out” option and you will be logged out of Facebook.
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Facebook Tips/Suggestions
Advantages of Using Facebook
- There are over 1.15 billion total Facebook users and about 700 million daily users - People spend a lot of time on Facebook every day. Specifically, Facebook users
spend an average time of 20 minutes per Facebook visit and 25% of Facebook users check their accounts five times or more a day. That equates to a total of an average of 8.3 hours on Facebook per user each month
- And here is more proof that Facebook is well suited for businesses:
o 70% of monthly active Facebook users in the US are engaged and connected to at least one local business
o In an average week, there are more than 645 million views on local business Facebook pages and over 13 million comments on them
o 50% of all social media users under the age of 35 follow their online friends’ product and service recommendations
o 47% of Americans say that Facebook has a greater impact on their purchasing behavior than any other social network
o 82% of buyers say they trust a company more when its CEO and senior leadership team are active in social media
o 93% of small businesses say that social media is an effective marketing technology tool
- Various types of target audiences use Facebook on a consistent basis. Since Family
& Children’s Service of Ithaca looks to help all individuals, Facebook is an ideal place to find all of these people. And unlike Twitter, individuals of many different age groups are on Facebook (ages 15-45 most heavily).
- Businesses utilize Facebook pages so that individuals on Facebook can learn
information about their company and the products and services they offer. - Furthermore, Facebook pages are advantageous because they…
o Are an easy way to communicate with potential and current consumers o Provide followers with an easy way to communicate their thoughts, feelings
and attitudes about companies quickly and for free o Allow conversation between companies and individuals interested in their
products and services to flow well o Are an effective way to respond quickly and effectively to followers’ questions
and comments, if used regularly o Can effectively display contact information if an interested viewer would like to
contact the company
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- Facebook is an excellent location where companies can control the conversations that occur about their product and services. Having business Facebook pages allows companies to see what conversations about their organization are occurring in a timely manner. This helps companies to address issues quickly, which helps followers feel that the business cares about their opinions.
Facebook Suggestions
1) Place a Call to Action on your Facebook’s landing page. - Call to Action: Specific message that urges the reader, listener or viewer of a promotional message to take an immediate action.
- Call to Action Suggestions o Like our Facebook Page… o Visit our website o Follow us on twitter
- Where to put the call to action: o On the cover photo graphic o Tag call to actions on the end of posts you make on your page o On your about page, directly after listing your social media contact
information 2) When making Facebook posts, use engaging text, images and videos. - Photos and videos get more attention from viewers and help your messages stand out in News Feeds 3) Try to keep your posts between 100 and 250 characters to get maximum engagement from viewers. Shorter, succinct posts are better received. 4) Create a two-way conversation. - Ask your audience to share their thoughts and feedback on your services. This is another way to listen to your customers and improve your business
- Posting content that shows you took their feedback into consideration can build customer loyalty and show you value their ideas
5) Provide access to exclusive information. - Reward people who are connected to your Page and drive loyalty by providing them with exclusive information. Make them feel special by sharing exclusive news, contests and events
- Examples o “We are giving away 15 $25 gift cards to Wegman’s for individuals who
interact with us on Facebook and suggest ___. Like our post and be entered to win!”
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6) Be timely with your posts. - Your audience will be more likely to engage with posts when they’re related to subjects that are top of mind, like current events or the holidays 7) Follow organizations that are similar to yours.
- In order to see a companies' posts, like the organization’s page so that their posts appear on your News Feed
- Suggestions of Organizations to follow: o Businesses you are partnered with o Local Health-Focused Organizations o Global Health Organizations
8) Interact with “liked” Health Organizations
- Like posts that are relevant to what you do at Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca
- Share information if you feel it is important/educational for your followers to see
- By observing what other organizations do on Facebook, you can gain information on how to best utilize this social media site
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Facebook Case Study
What is a Case Study?
A Case Study is specific research study where something is analyzed in order to
illuminate a thesis or principal. In order to best help Family & Children’s Service of
Ithaca, this Case Study will look into how a similar organization utilizes Facebook to
successfully interact and interest its members.
Using Social Media to Your Advantage
How can Family & Children’s Service use social media more to their advantage?
Interaction is key with social media. Any social media account proves to be pointless if
the company does not engage their audience in some way. You want to give people a
reason to follow you on Twitter or like you on Facebook.
How can Family & Children’s Service improve interaction with their audiences?
- Look professional by having a good profile picture. If you wish to use your logo as
your profile picture, make sure that the picture is formatted correctly so that it fits
your entire logo
- Use your cover photo
wisely as well. Have a
picture of your staff rather
than just of your building. It
makes your company
seem more personable. In
Figure 1, Families, Inc.
Counseling Services used
the outside of their building
as their cover photo.
Although Families, Inc. does a wonderful job utilizing social media, they could have
improved their Facebook page by using smiling faces in their photo instead of just a
building.
Figure 1
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- Promote your upcoming events
on social media. You can do
this by writing simple posts
including a description of this
event plus its time and location.
Or go a step further and upload
a picture/file that you used for
other promotional materials
such as flyers and posters (see
Figure 2 as an example).
- As seen in Figure 2, set this
image as your cover photo and
it will be a great way to publicize
your event. Again, make sure
the cover photo is formatted
correctly so that the most
relevant part of the image is in
frame.
- Post pictures of events to show
people how successful your
events are. It will draw more
attendees to later events.
- Post updates for the community
about any awards or recognition that your company receives. If you are in a local
newspaper or on a local news channel, post or tweet a link to where the audiences
can view it firsthand. Posts such as this will make your business appear more
credible and reputable.
- Engage your audience through humor. Not all posts have to be formal!
- Ask questions so that the dialogue with your audience is a two-way street. They can
be simple, thought-provoking questions or opinion-based ones; anything that draws
a response. An example could be: “How would you define success?” These
questions will help you receive feedback as well as gauge how many active
followers you have according to the number of responses you receive.
Figure 2
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- Contests will also improve interaction. Perhaps you could post a survey and those
who complete the survey will be put in a drawing for a gift card to a local restaurant
(or to your center for a free service). Other contests could include photo contests or
trivia questions
Looking at Families, Inc. Counseling Services
Who are Families, Inc.?
Families, Inc. Counseling Services is a counseling center located in Jonesboro,
Arkansas.
Why choose them as an example?
- We chose Families, Inc.’s Facebook page as an example because, like Family &
Children’s Service, they are a small, local counseling center.
- They have used their social media very well in order to communicate with both their
current and potential clients.
- They post regularly, and they have some posts that Family & Children’s Service
could learn from and use as examples.
Examples of Posts from Families, Inc. Counseling Services - Posting things such as Figure 3 is a
great way for potential customers to put a face to a name. When dealing with counseling, people who need assistance may actually be afraid of going to a counseling center, but seeing smiling faces of the people who will help them may make them more confident.
- Figure 3 is just a silly picture of the
daily activities of the office but it still familiarizes audiences with who is working at the center.
- Note also that Families, Inc.
mentioned a local medical center in their post. By supporting that medical clinic, Families, Inc. gained an ally in the local community.
Figure 3
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- As you can see, “Sandra Worlow Brown and 2 others” are tagged in the post. When someone is “tagged”, that means that they will receive a notification telling them a “friend” has made a post directly involving them. In order to tag someone, type @ and then the person/organization’s name. You must be friends with a person in order to tag them.
- Tagging people is a great way to advertise as well. When you tag someone in a post, the post will appear on their own Facebook timeline. Therefore, is this example, the picture of the employees with the picture of the employees with the cookies will appear both on Families, Inc.’s timeline as well as Brad Hyde and Delta Medical Center’s timeline. This is great because it will reach a wider audience.
- The more formal picture of a counselor in Figure 4 is another smart way to introduce your faculty to your target audiences. A friendly face will draw more people in rather than just an address or phone number to the clinic.
- Post relevant articles that relate to family and children mental health.
- If you copy and paste the URL of the article, a preview of the article will automatically appear, like the one shown in Figure 5.
- These articles can apply to the various audiences that you are targeting: adults and children. Post articles that have a good variety of topics so that you can please all age groups.
- Usually it is good to add your own bit of text to say why you are
Figure 4
Figure 5
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posting the article. For example, in the article on the left (Figure 5), the organization could have written “Families, Inc. Counseling Services wishes all families a warm and happy Valentine’s Day”.
- Again, remember that it is important to support other local businesses so that in turn,
they can support you on their own social media. - Support things that relate to your own business but are not direct forms of
competition (see Figure 6). An example for Family & Children’s Service could be a post about an event that Ithaca College’s chapter of Active Mind’s is hosting.
- Quote of the day is a great way to engage your audience and to communicate what
your organization values (see Figure 7). - Using motivational quotes can be relevant to your counseling business. - Posting a quote every day is quite ambitious, so if it feels like too much of a
commitment, begin with posting a quote once a week.
How Can This Apply to Twitter?
- When regarding Twitter, think of it as Facebook but in a shortened form.
Figure 6 Figure 7
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- Tweets are basically Facebook statuses. The only difference is that tweets are limited to 160 characters.
What Can you Tweet?
- Information on upcoming events - Daily/Weekly quotes - Links and quick descriptions of relevant articles - Thought provoking questions Twitter vs. Facebook
Communicating through Facebook Communicating through Twitter
“ President Joy Davis was honored at
the ASU Women’s Basketball game on Saturday as a fellow breast cancer survivor. So proud of her! #pinkout”
- 156 Characters
Sample of American Counseling Association’s Twitter Feed
Notice the Following: They still post links
to related articles They still provide
thought provoking questions
They retweet other organizations that are related to their field of work in order to network
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Twitter 101
Starting a Twitter Account
Twitter can be used on the Internet or through an app on (Smartphones, iPods, iPads, etc.). In order to create a twitter page you need an e-mail address and a password. When creating your twitter, there will be suggestions of who to follow. You can skip these, by clicking “skip” right under their suggestions. You can then upload a photo (follow the instructions below under “Making Changes to your Profile”).
Vocabulary of Twitter
Home Page: Similar to the Facebook timeline. Displays the tweets of the people you follow, including tweets from others that they have retweeted. Profile Page: Displays your tweets including tweets from others that you have retweeted. Tweet: A status update done in fewer than 140 characters, this will be displayed on your page and on the timeline of the people who follow you. (Can include photos or videos) (Symbol is a box with a writing utensil in between it)
Retweet: Something someone else tweets in which you want displayed on your page. Anything you Retweet will be visible to those who follow you. (A good way to spread the word about something.) (Symbol is the arrows pointing to one another) If you cannot retweet someone else their profile is private or their tweet has been deleted.
Reply: Your tweet in reply to someone who has just tweeted something. (Symbol is a single arrow)
Quote Retweet: A way to show what someone has said, where you can add your own input along with it. (This is only available on the mobile app)
Favorite: A way of agreeing with someone or interacting without tweeting them or retweeting them. Similar to a “like” on Facebook. (Symbol is a star under the tweet)
Header: A picture displayed on your profile behind your photo
Trending Topic: A topic that twitter users can all talk about and interact with. A # symbol is usually attached to a word or phrase to indicate the topic.
Twitter Handle: The name associated with your profile, an @ symbol is used before someone’s name to so anyone can click on this and view your profile or it can be used
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to notify you when someone is tweeting to you. This name should be the same or at least similar to your Facebook URL to make it easy to follow you.
Direct Message: A way to contact someone 1 on 1 instead of tweeting them so others can see. To do this go to that persons profile, select the symbol that looks like a gear or asterisk (*) and select “send direct message”.
@Connect: Notifies you when someone has interacted with you (Favorites, Retweets…)
#Discover: Displays trending topics and top stories.
Activity: Displays what your followers have favorite and who they have followed.
Search: A way to find a trending topic or someone’s profile page. (Symbol is a magnifying glass).
Directions on How to Edit your Twitter Profile
Using Twitter.com Using Twitter App Profile Photo
1.) Click on the “Me” tab
2.) Click on “Edit Profile” (Under your current picture) 3.) Click where your current photo is now (If you do not have a picture it will be an egg)
4.) Click “take photo” to use your device to take a photo “upload photo” to choose from photos you have saved to your device
5.) Save your changes
Profile Photo
1.) Click on the “Me” tab
2.) Click where your current photo is now (If you do not have a picture it will be an egg)
3.) Click “edit profile” 4.) Click “Photo” 5.) Choose to take a photo with your device or you can choose one you already have saved on your device. 6.) Save your changes
Header Photo
1.) Follow steps 1 & 2 from box 1 above
2.) Click where your current header is now
3.) Click “upload photo” to choose from photos you have saved to your device
4.) Save your changes
Header Photo
1.) Follow steps 1-3 from box 1 above
2.) Click “Header”
3.) Same as steps 5 & 6 above
Bio
1.) Follow steps 1 & 2 from box 1 above
2.) Click the text box to write anything you want. (A famous quote, what your business does…) 3.) Save your changes
Bio
1.) Follow steps 1-3 from box 1 above
2.) Click the text box to write anything you want. (A famous quote, what your business does…) 3.) Save your changes
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Location
1.) Follow steps 1 & 2 from box 1 above
2.) Click “location” and write where you’re located. 3.) Save your changes
Location
1.) Follow steps 1-3 from box 1 above
2.) Click “location” and write where you’re located. 3.) Save your changes
Link to a Website
1.) Follow steps 1 & 2 from box 1 above
2.) Click “website” and add a link for a website. 3.) Save your changes
Link to a Website
1.) Follow steps 1-3 from box 1 above
2.) Click “website” and add a link for a website. 3.) Save your changes
How to Log out 1.) Select the symbol that looks like a gear or asterisk (*) in the upper right hand corner. 2.) Select “sign out” from the drop down menu.
How to Log out 1.) Select the “Me” tab. 2.) Select the symbol that looks like a gear or asterisk (*)
3.) Select “sign out” from the menu.
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Twitter Suggestions
Frequency of Tweets
- There should be at least one tweet per week. It is important to only post a few times a week in order to build a Twitter following.
Specifications of Tweets
- Tweets should be relevant. Consistency is key when it comes to tweeting. For example, if an event is taking place, all tweets the week leading up to and the day of the event should all be related to that particular event. Otherwise, followers may get confused.
- Depending on the subject matter of the tweet and whom it is meant for in terms of an audience, the verbiage may need to be altered to fit that specific group. For example, if a tweet is meant for young adults 18-25, you may want to keep the tweet short and sweet by using abbreviations as opposed to older audiences who may understand a message better if it is spelled out very simply for them.
Twitter Account Basics
- The username should be easy to link with the organization because it reinforces brand identity.
- Interact with followers by engaging them in conversation and responding to their questions and/or comments. By engaging with followers, it shows that you care about your social media presence and that you want to know who your followers are.
- Follow similar organizations on Twitter. Following similar family and health organizations is a great way to see what similar organizations are doing and tweeting about.
What Should be Included in tweets?
- Include photos and video links in tweets from events or even days around the office. Audiences like to see what goes on behind the scenes of organizations and sharing photos and videos allows for them to see what it is like to be on theins
-In this example, Child & Family Services of Hawaii has posted a photo of the office staff during a recognition. By posting the photo of the staff during the workday, allows for followers to connect to the organization on an intimate level.
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Social Media Workout Tips on Posting/Tweeting
- A repost can count as a time you posted during the week, but please do not rely to heavily on only retweeting other company’s posts
- When tweeting, post relevant
information to both the industry as a whole and to Family & Children’s services specifically
- Twitter research shows that
the best time to tweet if you want the maximum number of people to see it is on Friday afternoons at 4pm
- You can also tweet about any accomplishments/awards the organization has recently
achieved/won. - Example of a good twitter to follow: https://twitter.com/MentalHealthAm
Suggestions for a Social Media Workout for F&CS
Family & Children’s services has six major services: Adult mental health, children’s mental health, psychiatry services, employee assistance program, senior services, and DAP Youth services. The organization can focus on highlighting an important piece of information about these services two to three times a week. They can be facts to raise awareness, information about the services being offered, relevant news in general about the type of service, etc. Here is an example of a weekly tweeting schedule:
Week One: Monday- Adult Mental Health
Focus on services offered- therapy, crisis management, health screenings medication services, etc.
Wednesday- Children’s Mental Health
Family conflict, school or work problems, stress, depression, and anxiety, childhood trauma, life transitions, health screenings, etc.
Friday- Psychiatry Services
Medication evaluations, medication management
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Week Two: Monday- Employee Assistance Program
Services offered, help topics, workshops and training offered Wednesday- Senior Services
Medication reminders, caregiver counseling, meal preparation and feeding assistance, light housekeeping, etc.
Friday- DAP Youth Services
Individual and family goal planning, crisis management, case management, mentoring and parent guidance, youth development, etc
Extra: - Exciting fact of the week about the health industry or a general fun fact
Breakthroughs in the industry
New techniques
Fun facts or shocking statistics to raise awareness - Links to further Twitter suggestions
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kenkrogue/2013/08/30/31-twitter-tips-how-to-use-twitter-tools-and-twitter-best-practices-for-business/
http://www.inc.com/jon-gelberg/10-things-you-should-tweet.html
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Press Kit Material
Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca MISSION Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca is dedicated to providing affordable, professional services that support children, families, and organizations in finding solutions to the challenges of life today. HISTORY Family & Children’s Service is the oldest existing human service agency in Tompkins County. The origins of the agency date back to 1885, with the establishment of the Ithaca Children’s Home, an orphanage located on West State Street. At the time, the Children’s Home offered two programs: a residual home for orphaned and destitute children, and a day nursery. During the 1930’s, the Children’s Home worked with the Family Society of Ithaca, a welfare relief agency that specialized in distributing food, clothing, and financial assistance to families in Ithaca. The Family Society was also the primary agency for family and marriage counseling at the time. The Ithaca Children’s Home and The Family Society merged in 1957 to better serve the needs of the Ithaca community. The service was renamed the Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca. From there on, F&CS became the primary human service agency for mental health counseling, adoption, and foster care. The agency expanded services in the 1980’s to include a Respite Program for Seniors, a Youth Services program for at risk youth, and an Employee Assistance program for local employers. Today, Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca serves over two thousand individuals annually through the Mental Health and Children’s Mental Health Program, Psychiatry, Employee Assistance Program, Youth Services, and Senior Services. F&CS is currently located at 127 West State Street. PROGRAM SERVICES 1. Adult Mental Health The Adult Mental Health Program specializes in providing high quality, confidential, affordable counseling services to adults, couples, and families in a welcoming atmosphere. Confidential counseling services include assessing treatment planning; health screenings and referrals; individual, couples, and family therapy; medication services; case management; crisis management, and parent and children consultations. Some of the most common issues addressed include stress disorders resulting from abuse, neglect, and other traumatic life-experiences; grief and loss; conflict with a spouse or partner; stress, depression, and anxiety; work and family related issues, and separation and divorce. 2. Children’s Mental Health The Children’s Mental Health Program offers counseling services to children, preschool age through adolescence, and their families. F&CS is the only agency in the Ithaca area
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that provides mental health services to children under the age of five years old, as well as the largest provider to children over the age of 18. The agency serves over 500 children and families every year. Issues addressed in this section of the agency include stress, depression, and anxiety; parent and child relationships; separation and divorce, including step-parenting and blended families; abuse, neglect, and other traumatic life-experiences; school or work related problems; attachment, separation, grief and loss; family conflict; behavioral challenges; social and emotional development in children; coping with a disability in a parent and/or a child; childhood trauma; foster care and adoption, and life transitions. Confidential counseling services include assessment and treatment planning; health screenings and referrals; individual and family therapy; play, creative arts and dyadic therapy; medication services; case management; crisis management, and parent and child consultations. 3. Psychiatry Services F&CS offers psychiatric services to clients receiving therapy in the agencies clinical program. Psychiatry referrals are made to F&CS by therapists in the local area when they believe that the services offered at F&CS can further benefit the client’s current mental health treatment. In conjunction with ongoing therapy, psychiatrists at F&CS also offer medical evaluations and medication management. The psychiatrists at F&CS work closely with both the therapists and clients to conduct thorough evaluations, which are used to create treatment plans tailored for the client. If medication is prescribed, it will be monitored as part of the treatment. 4. Employee Assistance Program The Employee Assistance Program is a cost effective program contracted by participating area employers. The EAP provides various services for both the employer and the employee and is designed to strengthen and preserve quality, safety, and productivity in the workplace. For The Employee The EAP assists employees and their family members by providing priority access to clinical professionals at Family & Children’s Service for a variety of services including a confidential assessment, short term counseling, and/or referrals to address issues and challenges that affect performance in the workplace. The EAP can help employees with depression, anxiety, life transitions, family issues, separation and divorce, grief and loss, job stress, substance abuse concerns, eldercare issues, and parenting and children’s concerns. For Employers The staff at F&CS offers support and solutions for numerous issues and concerns that are a part of today’s workplace. The EAP provides numerous services to its employers, including: education and training, consultation services, critical incident stress management, and D.O.T. substance abuse professional’s services. Education and training services include quarterly newspapers, website articles, and skill-based training on workplace related topics. Consultation services are available to assist an
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organization’s management or HR department with any concerns affecting the workplace. Common topics include addressing issues with drugs and alcohol, dealing with difficult employees, or referring an employee for assistance. Critical Incident Stress Management services provide assistance in regards to any traumatic events that have affected the workplace. Through this service, employers are able to receive assistance when unexpected deaths, serious accidents, or other situations occur that create a difficult or uncomfortable work environment for employees. Consultations at F&CS and on-site consultations are available for counseling and support.
The Employee Assistance Program also provides various workshops and trainings, including topics covering supervisory skills development, professional skills development, workplace awareness and prevention, and wellness and personal growth. F&CS also offers EAP help topics on their website including links for supervisors and human resources, for employees, and for mental health and wellness. These links range from anxiety fact sheets to time management solutions to procrastination, email etiquette, and transitioning from peer to supervisor. 5. Senior Services The Senior Services Program provides support for individuals and families caring for an Elder or an individual living with a disability. The Senior Services Program offers Respite Services, Caregiver Counseling, and Geriatric Care Management to help aid in the common challengers caregivers are faced with. Respite services offer relief for caregivers who provide care for individuals that require in-home supervision. The service allows primary caregivers to have personal time to run errands, engage in community activities, etc. for a few hours on a regular basis. The aids at F&CS provide: relief for the primary caregiver, meal preparation and feeding assistance, light housekeeping, medication reminders, etc. Caregiver counseling services are offered to family members who are feeling stressed, isolated, overwhelmed, fatigued, guilty, angry, or abandoned by family and friends. These services are provided by a MSW-level counselor with specialized training in Gerontology. Geriatric Care Management offers customized services to assist Elders and their families in meeting long-term care needs. Geriatric Care Management includes, but is not limited to the following services:
Comprehensive Assessment in the client’s place of residence
Ongoing Assessment and follow-up visits Consultation, referral, and access to community resources Organization of healthcare appointments Arrangement of home maintenance, errand services and meal delivery Review of organizational needs concerning finances and medical services Support with discharge planning from hospital or skilled nursing facility
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All service delivery options listed above are designed by the Geriatric Care Manager, a skilled professional dedicated to helping individuals and families access various resources and services. These services are available on a short-term, on-going, or long-term basis.
6. DAP Youth Services Dispositional Alternative is a legal term that refers to a judge’s decision to give a youthful offender an alternative to either incarceration or out-of-home placement. The Dispositional Alternatives Program (DAP) is a family-centered program that provides services to 7-18 year olds in Tompkins County. At risk youths who are eligible for the program include those displaying at risk behaviors, including: disruptive school behaviors, running away, aggressive outbursts, domestic violence, substance abuse, and criminal offenses. DAP is used to foster positive changes in youth through counseling, case management, enrichment activities, family meetings, referrals and follow-up services. DAP caseworkers provide consistent support for youths during a 6-9 month period. This length of time is chosen so that a creation of trust can be formed between the caseworker and youth. Fees for Service Fees for service are reimbursed through Medicaid, Medicare and private health insurance. Personal fees for F&CS services are on a flexible scale according to household income.
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Fact Sheet Sample
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Children’s Services Fact Sheet Sample
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Media List & Recommendations Students Consulting for Non-profit Organizations recommend both traditional and non-traditional media outlets for your use in dispersing information about Family and Children’s Service of Ithaca and increasing your outreach in the community. These outlets we have provided for you especially target the younger demographic, specifically between the ages of 15 and 25. Outlets from Cornell University, Ithaca College, Cayuga Medical Center, and the Ithaca City High School have been provided for you to access this aforementioned demographic successfully.
Newspapers We recommend the use of Newspapers in the Finger Lakes regions as well as student newspapers because of their large number of subscribers. For optimal use of these outlets, FCS should send out frequent press releases that are engaging, paying particular attention to those student newspapers. Announcing upcoming fundraisers and other events here is also a great way to increase your voice in the community!
Local Newspapers:
Finger Lakes Community Newspaper Name Title Email Phone
Glynis Hart Managing Editor [email protected] (607) 277-7000
Louis DiPeitro North Reporter [email protected] (607) 277-7000
Jesse Disbrow South Reporter [email protected] (607) 277-7000
The Ithaca Times Name Title Email Phone
Gail Boysick General Manager [email protected] (607) 277-7000
Rob Montana Managing Editor [email protected] (607) 277-7000
The Ithaca Journal Name Title Email Phone
Nabia Das Assistant Local Editor
[email protected] (607) 274-9219
Sustainable Tompkins Name Title Email Phone
Karen Jewett Sustainability Writer
[email protected] (607) 216-1552
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Student Newspapers:
The Ithacan Name Title Email Phone
Megan Devlin Editor in Chief [email protected] (607) 274-3208
Allie Healy Managing Editor [email protected] (607) 274-3208
Kristina King Sales Manager [email protected] (607) 274-3208
Max Gillilan Classified Manager
[email protected] (607) 274-3208
The Cornell Daily Sun Name Title Email
Haley Velasco Editor in Chief [email protected]
Tyler Alicea Managing Editor [email protected]
Advertising Manager [email protected]
The Tattler Name Title Email
Deborah Lynn Faculty Advisor [email protected]
Editor [email protected]
Television/Radio Utilizing local television and radio stations can also be extremely useful for CFS. Most community members and college students are tuning into radio stations or turning on the news as they travel to hear the current buzz happening in Ithaca. Providing these outlets with upcoming fundraisers, events, an exciting story from CFS, or even a quick advertisement will increase community support for your organization. Using this contact information to build a relationship with reporters could also be very beneficial. Air time, either television or radio, during events you host will get the community excited and interested in CFS!
Radio Stations:
Cayuga Radio Group Name Title Email Phone
Connie Fairfax Marketing/Promotions Director
[email protected] (607) 257-6400
Chet Odaschey
President/General Manager
[email protected] (607) 257-6400
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VIC Radio Name Title Email Phone
Jeremy Gosek Station Manager [email protected] (607) 274-1059
Kirsten Wise Promotions Director
[email protected] (607) 274-1059
Shannon Anthony
Community Involvement
[email protected] (607) 274-1059
WICB Radio Name Title Email Phone
Ryan McGee Station Manager [email protected] (607) 274-3217
Hannah Ulman Promotions Director
[email protected] (607) 274-3217
Michael Poleman Program Manager [email protected] (607) 274-3217
Chris Wheatley General Manager [email protected] (607) 274-3217
Television Stations:
ICTV Name Title Email Phone
Dylan Van Arsdale Station Manager (607) 274-3226
Bree Espina Director of Programming
(607) 274-3226
Chris Wheatley Manager, Television Operations
[email protected] (607) 274-3142
Other Media Contacts Related to the Field Communicating with other organizations who share similar goals as CFS can also be beneficial. Having contact with the health centers at the local high schools and colleges can increase involvement in CFS from the younger demographic. Even just placing flyers or business cards in the waiting rooms of these places will increase awareness and support of your organization, while targeting people between the ages of 15 and 25!
CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) at Ithaca College Name Title Phone
Deborah Harper, PhD Director (607) 274-3136
Estela Santos-Pape, MA Administrative Assistant
Suzette Moschetti, BA Administrative Assistant
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Hammond Health Center at Ithaca College Name Title Phone
Justine Shaff, MD Director
C. Vivian Lorenzo, MD Assistant Director
Laura Keefe, M.H.S.A., BA Manager of Health Center Operations
(607) 274-3205
Lynn Porter Outreach and Communications Assistant
(607) 274-3177
Amy Benes Outreach and Communications Assistant
(607) 274-3177
Gannett Health Services at Cornell University Name Title Email Phone
General Gannett Health Services
[email protected] (607) 255-5155
For “health promotions”
(607) 255-5208
Cornell Mental Health Center Name Title Phone
CAPS Counseling & Psychological Services
(607) 255-5155
Greg Eells, PhD Director (607) 255-5208
Cayuga Medical Center Title Email Phone
For General Information
[email protected] (607) 274-4011
Public Relations (607) 274-4498
Disclaimer: This media list is full of suggestions that Student Consulting for Non-profit Organizations recommends Children and Family Service of Ithaca utilize to increase community involvement. This does not include all of the media contacts that you already have, as we did not feel the need to give you contact information that you already had.
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Youth Survey The SCNO team conducted a survey in which to better understand the youth demographic of Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca. The survey was taken by 55 individuals within the age demographic of 10 to 30. SCNO believe’s the responses and information that we can conclude from the aforementioned answers will help Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca better communicate and understand the wants and needs of the younger generations. Below we have separated the questions and responses to our survey into sections so that the information can be more digestible. The pink background highlights the answers that were the most popular among survey takers.
Demographics
Ages
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Race
Gender
Home Location
Based on these demographic insights the average responder to this survey is a female, Caucasian New Yorker between the ages of 20 and 21.
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Responders’ Experiences
All of the issues and experiences respondents have personally experienced (Respondents were allowed to check all that applied).
The SCNO team took Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca’s list of some of the issues it can help individuals address and questioned respondents on what applies to them. Of the 52 survey respondents to this section, 51 said they have experienced stress, 40 experienced anxiety, 35 have experienced depression and 27 have experienced school or work related problems. A lot of these mental issues are individual stresses that one single person either puts on themselves and/or keeps to themselves. Open Ended Response: If you have checked any boxes in the previous question, or have experienced any other mental disorder, please elaborate on how this has effected you below. Does it affect your daily life? How have you changed? Has it affected you family/friends around you?
“I was in 8th grade when my parents split. After the divorce was a long legal battle over material possessions. My dad kept everything including the house, so I left with my mom. I experienced the stress and anxiety of every teenage girl, plus the added stress of my mother's emotional battles, and then the emotional and verbal abuse that followed. Those years, until I could flee for college, undoubtedly left a lasting impact. I deeply resent my parents (particularly my mother), I have a hard time
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maintaining relationships in a healthy manner, and feel entirely different in terms of belonging and safety. As a kid/teenager parents are pivotal in helping the child through the tumultuous journey of growing up, but with no parental foundation to fall back on I felt very isolated. Despite this I performed well in school, athletics, and extracurriculars - perhaps too well, essentially overcompensating. Today even at 22 I still feel as though I have no safety net in terms of family as relations are strained, and I'm what I like to call a "closet loner": Extraverted and social enough to dispel any attention that I truthfully live alone, keep friends and family at arm's distance.” The above is one example of the many responses we received by responders. We believe this response effectively communicated the majority of what respondents stated. However, the SCNO team will happily provide you with the rest of the responses in a separate document if needed.
Seeking Help
Have you or would you be open to seeking professional help or guidance for a mental illness or issue you have experienced?
Do you have or have you ever experienced any type of mental illness?
The SCNO team finds it extremely interesting and insightful to note that almost 17% of responders do not know if they have or have had a mental illness and 46% state they are confident they do not have a mental illness. In previous questions, when asked what types of mental stress and experiences individuals have had, over 50% of individuals stated they have experienced certain mental issues. Therefore, we believe there is a large audience of younger people that can benefit from further education and knowledge of what constitutes as mental issues. The SCNO team concludes that the younger audience believes what they have or are experiencing is not a mental illness and is just an everyday stress or anxiety. If Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca can
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educate individuals that what they are experiencing can be handled and talked about and potentially lessened in terms of pain and stress, then more young people would be willing to see Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca as a result. If you have or believe you have a mental illness, what factors in a mental health service organization would you look for when seeking help or guidance? “Easy of use and convenience. often times people with mental illness have difficulty dealing with ordinary everyday life, seeking help (finding a dr, dealing with insurance ect) can be confusing, stressful, time consuming, and draining, this makes for massive delay or in some cases prevention, of actually getting help and then recovery and or treatment.” “How relatable and relevant the mental health professionals are - there are few things worse than seeing a therapist/counselor that has no shared connection to or perspective with the client. -Affordability or ability for insurance -Accessibility: it shouldn't be a big ordeal to commute to the organization -General connotation/stigma with the organization. As in I'd much prefer a smaller organization than a mental hospital/large institution” “I would want someone that had the time to really talk about what was happening. I don't want someone that will just prescribe medications so that they wouldn't have to deal with figuring out what the underlying triggers are. I think the place should use drugs as a last resort.”
Media Use
Rank the following 8 media channels in order of where you get your news the most. 1= where you get your most news. 8= where you get your least news.
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The above graph illustrates how many individuals ranked each option (all 8 of which are listed on the left) in order from 1 to 8. On the very left “Total” indicates the total number of individuals who responded to this question. However the most insightful column is the “Average Ranking” column on the far right. This indicates the average rank each option has received when taking in each of the 54 respondents’ answers. With this in mind, here are the rankings for the 8 media channels:
1) Facebook 2) Other Websites 3) Television 4) Newspapers 5) Twitter 6) Email 7) Radio 8) Blogs
As a side note, SCNO would like Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca to understand that Facebook, which still is the number one media influencer of young adults, times are changing and Facebook is slowly loosing teens interest. The SCNO team has found that in the past three years, teens ages 13-17 on Facebook have declined by roughly -25.3% in the past three years. Furthermore, individuals ages 18-24 on Facebook have declined by -7.5% in three years as well. Therefore, while Facebook is still an extremely influential media source, and will remain that way for a while, the SCNO team would like Family & Children’s Service of Ithaca to realize that other means of communication to teens and young adults are crucial in order to educate its entire demographic of young people.
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Promotional Materials
Children’s Flyer (Front)
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Children’s Flyer (Back)
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Stress Flyer
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College Flyer
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Laptop Stickers