Building Well-Being: Creating a New Narrative for Human Services

We in the sector do this work because we believe that everyone should have the opportunity to reach their full potential. Yet the health and human services sector is experiencing deep funding cuts and flat charitable giving that leave organizations ill-equipped to address the complex issues facing their communities. The important work of human services is simply not resonating with the public.

The National Human Services Assembly’s Reframing Initiative seeks to change that by building public understanding of the sector to encourage more vibrant civic participation and deepen support for effective programs. As part of this multi-year research project, the Assembly engaged the Frameworks Institute, a renowned nonprofit communications firm, to develop an evidence-based strategy for reframing the work of the sector.

In this session, you will hear the findings from this groundbreaking research and learn how to help lead efforts to create a cohesive voice for human services. We will also do hands-on activities so you become familiar with using a new and robust set of online tools. You will leave the session better equipped to integrate a new narrative into your communications strategies.

Attendees will:

• Understand the National Human Services Assembly's toolkit, Building Well-Being; Creating a New Narrative for Human Services.
  
• Be able to explain how providing human services promotes well-being;
  
• See how the general public thinks about human services;
  
• Brainstorm ways to rewrite agency marketing language, using the 'Construction' and 'Human Potential' metaphors for human services;
  
• Show the public how human services efforts can make a huge difference when conditions--such as a struggling economy or an illness--block well-being; and
  
• Become part of the national effort to put human services at the forefront of public awareness.
  

Who should attend? 

• Anyone interested in promoting the positive aspects of our work in human services.
  
• Marketing/Communications and Fundraising/ Development staff will be interested in the reframing language--can you forward this message to them?
  
• Staff, volunteers or participants that manage your agency's website, social media, publications, or give presentations such as legislative testimony, advocacy, or at events will benefit from some of the suggested language tweaks and the research behind this initiative;
  
• If you'd like to learn to speak effectively about the work you do, this workshop can give you a head start in the right direction.