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Establishing Partnerships We all want to live in safe and healthy environments. Reducing the level of exposure to retail tobacco is one way we can protect the health of our children and community. By working together, through partnerships with businesses, public health officials, civic and religious organizations, schools, and other groups, we can successfully achieve this goal. By completing the Store Alert training on this site, you have already taken an important first step in reducing your community's exposure to retail tobacco. In order to recruit and train volunteers to conduct the Store Alert Survey and communicate your results, you can work with community partners. We have provided training materials and planning guides in the Store Alert Survey section of this site. Groups that are active in Tobacco Control issues  You need not work alone! Chances are there are groups dedicated to tobacco control issues in your community. The staff and volunteers at the agencies listed below may be able to help you with many tasks, such as planning your strategy, recruiting volunteers, assisting with training, conducting store surveys, and publicizing the results! To locate fellow tobacco control advocates in your community, contact the local chapter of the:
^ back to top More partnerships to consider Groups such as the ones listed below can often help by finding volunteers to write letters, assist with mass mailings or conduct the store surveys. Involve youth as much as possible. You will open their eyes to the tobacco industry's marketing ploys and they can be powerful advocates for tobacco control. Working with minors may require a little extra coordination but it can be very rewarding for all involved.
Using survey results Conducting store surveys allows you to observe and document the tobacco marketing practices in your community. Armed with that information, you can take action and begin to effect change. Choose an issue (level of outdoor advertising, self-service tobacco displays, cigarette placement near candy or toys) and work toward protecting your community from Big Tobacco. Share your Store Alert survey results with those who can impact change. Give policymakers and opinion leaders clear examples of the problems, and offer realistic solutions. Write letters directly to local officials (city council, county commission, mayor) or the editor of your newspaper (we've compiled a Fact Sheet to help you. You can also see this info online in the Big Picture section of this site.). Call or write to local TV and radio stations. Contact store owners, corporate representatives and business groups to ask for change. We've assembled tools on this site to help you share your Store Alert results. Below are additional links that may help get you started in your effort to advocate for reforms in your community. These sites provide more detailed information about advocacy, policy change, and how to communicate your message. We hope that these resources will be helpful as you work to involve your community in the movement to take back your stores. ^ back to top Links Health Policy Coach Discover ideas and strategies for creating policy change in your community http://www.healthpolicycoach.org/ Social Marketing.com Learn how to get your message out to your community, including how to work with your local media http://www.social-marketing.com/ Developing Coalitions for Tobacco Free Youth Learn how to develop long term strategies to prevent and reduce tobacco use among youth http://www.nnh.org/tobacco/toc2.htm Healthy People 2010 Toolbox Learn health program planning tools and strategies to assist states, tribes and territories achieve Healthy People 2010 goals. Includes tools for building leadership and structure, securing funding and resources, building and sustaining community partnerships, identifying and measuring goals and objectives, evaluating programs and communicating results. http://www.healthypeople.gov/state/toolkit/ ^ back to top |
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