2. Program Tailoring

You must know your audience when developing a tobacco use prevention program to ensure that participants see it as relevant. With children, knowing your audience means knowing the community that is shaping their social attitudes as well. How does culture influence beliefs? How do youth view a person who uses tobacco in their community? How easy is it for a child to obtain tobacco? What social activities are most popular among both the community at large and among the youth? Incorporate the answers to these questions into your prevention plan. Other factors to consider include issues like, “When and where will you hold the intervention so that all youth can access it?” Youth, remember, do not have the variety of transportation options available toadults. Also, you must consider what channels of communication young people are susceptible to (email, telephone, mail, group activities, etc.), and use them all. The more channels you use, the more an individual will have a chance of seeing your message, and the more s/he will pay attention. If using a channel that includes text, know what reading levels your audience has, and try to include material that will engage both the remedial and the advanced reader. On a similar note, make sure to incorporate enough flexibility into your program so it will encompass differences within the community. Use whatever baseline value and knowledge information about norms, values, attitudes, etc. that is available for your program participants in order to increaseyour accessibility and success rate. Finally, and this cannot be emphasized enough, involve the local community as much as possible. Local leaders, such as teachers, doctors, religious leaders, etc. can provide much needed funds, support, resources, and awareness. Other local individuals can provide knowledge, funding opportunities, and experience that may help your intervention's success. As with any program, the more external support provided by a community, the more participation and success yourprevention will have.

Skill Areas:
A Ability to work with target group members in using baseline survey findings to design locally relevant programs

B Ability to secure significant participation by local leaders in program activities

C Abilitytodesign or tailor programs that pose few barriers to participation by target group members (including barriers related to culture, language, place, transportation, and timing)

D Ability to reflect prevailing cultural norms, values and preferences inprogram activities

E Ability to reflect the diversity of the community’s population (and the fact that different population groups have different needs) in the program design

F Ability to identify local resources (e.g., people, knowledge, experienceand funds) that can support program goals