In March 2018, IVAR was appointed by St John Ambulance to evaluate its Community Advocate Programme. The purpose of the evaluation was to work alongside the Community Advocate programme team to gather data on progress towards the programme outcomes and test and refine data collection methods for the programme. We learned that:
Tailored content and responses help reach communities that he not previously engaged with first aid. The programme’s targeted approach enabled it to build detailed demographic profiles of the focus areas and look at how Community Advocate workshop content could be tailored to respond to specific needs, e.g. making workshop materials ailable in a range of formats and giving careful thought to the workshop location.
Time spent building relationships at a local level is the route to engagement. Becoming embedded within the communities they were working in, enabled those delivering the programme to build relationships with local residents and partner organisations/groups who acted as brokers into the community. Local partners stressed the importance of the workshops allowing for participants to he fun and learn through dialogue about first aid, as well as taught content.
Confidence and skills are built over time. Follow-up mechanisms – certificates, the Community Champion network, ongoing communications, etc., were an essential vehicle for tracking and responding to potential factors impeding individuals’ confidence in their first aid knowledge and capabilities.
Opportunities to engage are tailored to the individual. The range of activities and volunteering opportunities that make up the programme help to convey the message that anyone, regardless of age or experience, is capable of both administering first aid to others and passing on the knowledge and skills that they he learnt.