More Awareness Campaign
Case Study: Opioids Don’t Discriminate
How we helped Turning Point Society to reduce stigma and discrimination around opioid in the Red Deer Community
Opioid use has reached a crisis state in Canada. Thousands of lives have been altered, including mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, friends, neighbors, co-workers and family members. Nobody is immune, no matter our age, race, gender, education or income.
Turning Point in Red Deer received a grant to create an awareness campaign and contracted Non-Profit Today to develop an awareness campaign. The goals of the campaign was to reduce stigma and discrimination, addressing common myths and providing educational opportunities.
From May 27 to May 30, 2019, we hosted “Opioids don’t discriminate: An interactive experience,” at RDC in Red Deer. This concept was originally created by the Community Drug Strategy Committee in Strathcona County.
The Challenge
The crisis is real but how do you get people to listen and learn about the danger of opiods when they think that they are not affected?
Our decisions are 95% made by emotions. The main idea for our awareness campaign was to connect with the audience on an emotional level. Rather than sharing stats and numbers about the opioids crisis, this event connects through story telling. The event immersed participants in the journeys of fictional characters, Natasha, David and Max, based on the real-life experiences of people affected by opioid use. Each journey is unique and addressed pervasive stigmas and judgments about people who use opioids while strengthening empathy and understanding about substance use. Through interactive elements, participants learned about the science of addiction, the impact of opioids and how the crisis is affecting us.
How We Helped
While the exhibit was already created by Strathcona County the majority of the work for us was to create a marketing campaign to engage the community, stakeholders and schools.
Develop marketing concept for the awareness campaign
Facilitate stakeholder meetings with all participating partners
Overall project management, connecting with schools, coordinating media and all involved partners
Plan opening event with key speakers
Create event website to announce event, booking availability for schools and
Design of marketing collateral
Photography and reporting
Coordinating of volunteers
Pre- and post surveys
Set up/ taking down of exhibit
Media Highlights
The event was covered by Red Deer Advocate, RD NewsNew, Big 105.5 and 106.7 The Drive. Included in the media coverage were live interviews with local radio stations and radio advertising a week prior to the event.
Exhibit Highlights
School Tours
Results
Survey highlights:
62.18% said that they want others to experience this exhibit.
59.87% said that they feel more compassionate towards people struggling with opioid misuse.
46.43% said that they know more than they did prior to the event.
9,100 people were reached through the FB Event invite, Social media reach
An average of 1,081people were reached daily on facebook with a peek of 4,200 during the opening day.
Total reach approxiamately 30,268.
200 posters were distributed in the Red Deer Community and central Alberta
46 Middle and Highschools (Public Schools Red Deer, Catholic Scholols Red Deer, Chinooks Edge School Division, Wolf Creek School Division) from received educational material and invitation to the event
Video
Thank you to all participating partners and sponsors
11 partners supported the event in advance, promoting the event through newsletter and social media:
