Extension & Delivery - Communication & Messaging

You have an opportunity to design and deliver your message. Consider best practices below to package and communicate so that you reach and engage others in your work. These include knowing your audience, making your content accessible, incorporating adult learning principles, using the ANR brand, following copyright guidelines, planning and strategizing your communication, including all Californians, and more. While planning, remember to make your communication accessible. Learn more about Accessibility (UC ANR Web).

Audience - Before you plan your communication plan, know your audience. Who are they? What are their needs?

Cultural Awareness & Competence (make it inclusive, UC ANR Web)
Adult Learning (Below)

Plan and strategize (your communication & best presentation practices) (Below)
Content development resources (Below)
Course design (Below)
Fact sheets & newsletters
Field days (Below)
Presentation skills (Below)
Telling the UC ANR Story (Below)
Written materials (Below)
Virtual delivery (Below)
Media (working with the media) (Below)

Develop your message considering your audience, their needs, what they already know, accessibility and ADA compliance, including ALL Californian communities.

Audience

Know them. Audience analysis involves identifying and adapting to the audience's interests, understanding, attitudes, and beliefs. An audience-centered approach enhances a speaker's effectiveness. Audience (UC ANR Web).

Adult Learning Principles

Keep adult learning principles in mind as you plan. How do adults learn best? How can you best serve them as an instructor? Adult Learning Principles (UC ANR Web).

Plan, strategize your communication & best presentation practices

Planning starts with developing a communication strategy, knowing your audience and their needs, and checking for impact of your communication so that you can share important information in a way that is meaningful to your audience. This includes communicating science, use of audio and images, branding, copyright materials, message delivery, engaging presentations, and writing skills.

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Creating Courses for Continuing Educational Units
There are many types of CEUs available for each different type of profession. This informational sheet focuses on the most common types that are applicable for agriculture and natural resources. Creating Courses for Continuing Educational Units (CEUs, PDF).

The Extender Models in CalFresh Healthy Living, University of California: A Best Practices Guide”
This guide explains the who, what, when, why and how of Cooperative Extension extender models as they are utilized to deliver the CalFresh Healthy Living, UC + UCCE program. Extenders are diverse groups of professionals and paraprofessionals delivering programming in the community. The Extender Models in CalFresh Healthy Living, University of California: A Best Practices Guide” (PDF).

Content development resources

Find tools for writing a meeting/event news release; writing a new hire press release, or an Op Ed. Content development resources (UC ANR Web).

Written Materials

Effective written communication requires clarity, conciseness, and audience awareness. Tailor your message logically with a clear purpose, using appropriate tone and style. Maintain professionalism, proper grammar, punctuation, and active voice. Use visual aids for accessibility, seek feedback, and revise for clarity. Be mindful of confidentiality and sensitivity. These practices ensure effective communication. Written materials (and readability) (Web page).

Fact Sheets & Newsletters

Creating an effective newsletter involves several best practices. First, ensure your content is relevant and valuable to your audience, focusing on topics that engage and inform them. Keep your design clean and visually appealing, with a consistent layout and branding. Use concise and compelling subject lines to increase open rates, and segment your audience to tailor content to specific groups. Include clear calls to action and provide easy ways for readers to share your content. Regularly analyze performance metrics to refine and improve your newsletter over time. Fact Sheets & Newsletters (Web page).

Open Source Image & Audio
Open source images and audio files are licensed under a group of open source licenses (ex., Creative Commons). In general, they allow you to use them in various activities without attributing the author or having to obtain a license. However, it is always important to check permission restrictions before you use a file in your teaching. Open Source Image & Audio (fill out this CalFresh survey to access (PDF).

Virtual Delivery
For social media, online training to podcasts and blogs and more consider practices that ensure quality audio and video equipment, structuring content clearly, and engaging participants with questions, polls, and interactive elements. Familiarize yourself with the virtual platform, conduct a test run, and be mindful of time zones and cultural differences. Virtual Delivery (Web page).

Telling the UC ANR Story
Review this webpage for information on UC ANR impact so that you can advocate for your program with your community, prospective partners, government officials, or the media. Telling the UC ANR Story (Building Support, UC ANR Web).

Presentation Skills
Remember - Who’s the audience and what type of language should I use? Give background, introduce the problem, then jump into what and why. Avoid jargon what’s the simple take home and why is it important. Use simple language that a non-expert would understand. Presentation Skills (Web page).

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Field days

Running Meetings

Meetings best practices
Before you schedule a meeting, identify it's purpose and determine if it is necessary or if other communication modes such as email can solve it. Planning meetings best practices (University of Minnesota Web).

Media

Working with the Media
Contact the UC ANRStrategic Communications team (UC ANR Web) when you'd like to reach the media. 

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