Once you've decided what road safety event to organize, it's time to make it happen. Here are our top 10 tips for success*:
You can't make roads safer all by yourself. Having a team of people with clearly defined roles and responsibilities is a great way to share the workload and add to the fun.
Choose a topic that relates to your local area or is a growing concern. If students have been injured because of speeding, then an event targeting that issue will really hit home. Do your homework and be creative. Talk to people constantly and research what has been done before and what hasn't.
To determine your target audience, analyze who this event will most likely attract and who will benefit. By identifying needs, you can locate your target audience. If you want to focus on speeding and are planning a Show 'n' Shine, for example, your target audience is probably male student drivers who have cars.
Working with established groups or organizations in your community will help you choose the best type of event meet the needs of your target audience and effectively deliver your road safety messages.
All special events cost money, so create a detailed budget that lists every item you'll need and how much it costs.
Choose a day that works best for your organizing team and then run it by the school's administration. Try to pick a time that is least disruptive to your audience. Lunchtime works great if the event is for students, however an evening is more suitable for a community-based event. Keep the weather in mind because it can make or break an excellent activity.
Even if you don't plan to organize a large-scale event, you'll need money, even if it's just for basic supplies or prizes for participants.
Getting the message out is critical to an event's success. Whether you use email, a school newsletter or website, television, radio or newspaper, there are some tricks to effectively marketing your road safety event.
Any event requires time, coordination and effective planning. Create a detailed list of the tasks that need to be completed in advance of your event and assign people to do them. Map out an agenda for the event day itself so everyone knows what is happening when.
After your event, solicit feedback from participants and your team members in order to find out what worked and what didn't. Learn from your mistakes and do an even better job next time around!
*These resources were compiled from materials developed by youth for youth thanks to the dedicated former volunteers and staff at CARS (CounterAttack RoadSense Society) BC, which closed its doors in June 2007.
