Picture this: You’ve established a great SADD group, and everyone knows their roles, working on engaging tasks. Perhaps you’ve run a couple of activities, and they’ve been relatively successful. Some of your group members went to the SADD conference and returned with heaps of enthusiasm for spreading the word. Now, as the end of term two approaches, things are starting to feel challenging. People can’t make meetings, someone is always off sick, and you’re struggling to find the capacity, time, and willpower to organise another event. You’re a passionate group, but running a big activity feels like climbing a mountain right now…what do you do!?

It’s Mark here, and today on the blog, I want to challenge you to think differently about the problem many groups encounter. I know passionate young people want to spread the word in the biggest possible way, so I’ve got some tips and tricks to help you raise awareness without a massive undertaking.

The Power of “Word of Mouth”

Often, we’re driven to do things because friends or trusted individuals recommended them. People might not know about your SADD activities or what SADD is all about. In between your activities, try having conversations with friends about SADD or road safety in general. If you can create some buzz around the subject, people might be more inclined to attend your next activity. When you talk to a friend and they talk to someone else, it creates a ripple effect in your community. Positive change often requires a culture shift. Currently, it might feel like the culture in your community is to engage in unsafe behaviours. If you can discuss why people do what they do, it might challenge them to think differently and help others stand up for themselves instead of feeling pressured into regrettable actions.

Conversation and word of mouth are powerful! You don’t have to be judgmental; simply ask for people’s opinions or share yours. Create a positive road safety culture one conversation at a time and spread awareness organically. The goal is for the conversation to continue after you’ve started it, allowing the ripples to spread far and wide.

Activities That Will Help:

I advocate for activities that have a significant impact on communities but a low impact on those running them. Big events and campaigns are awesome if you have the time to run them, but often we find ourselves short on time. Think about how you can reach many people without doing much work yourself. Try leveraging big events that already exist, like sports days or assemblies. These events are already set up; you just need to show up and raise awareness.

Advisory Notices:

This is a great activity to raise awareness, and it only requires a bit of printing. Jump on the SADD website here to download the resource. In this activity, students place advisory notices under people’s windscreen wipers. At first glance, it looks like a parking ticket, but it’s actually helpful road safety information. This activity spreads awareness and starts conversations. People often feel relieved that they don’t actually have a parking ticket, making them more receptive to the message. Check out the video run-through to see how your group can utilise this resource.

The After Party:

Many groups have found success using this activity in small groups, often during whanau time or form time. This activity is an easy win for SADD groups—just provide a link to the video, and it does the rest! It’s a great way to educate people on how different choices can lead to different outcomes. Check it out here. To continue the conversation, conduct a quick survey at the end of the video to gather feedback. Encourage people to show the video to others in their community, such as friends and family. You could turn this into a competition, with a prize for the person who shares the video with the most people! The more you encourage people to spread the word, the more powerful your message becomes, and you’ll have less work to do yourself. It’s a win-win.

Road Safety Facts:

School notices are a great way to enhance your reach, leveraging existing channels. If your school has a newsletter, ask to be featured in it and on the school website. The more visible you are, the more people will recognise and respond to your message. If they’ve had a positive experience with your group, they’re more likely to keep coming back. Create a community of positive change by empowering others to have positive road safety conversations, fostering a positive road safety culture.

Kahoot! Quiz:

Did you know SADD has two premade Kahoot quizzes ready for you to use? You can find them here. Turn it into a competition to engage people, and consider offering a prize as an incentive. Community partners and the SADD team can help you with a few giveaways if needed.

The SADD Team:

Remember, it’s our job to help you with this stuff. We love jumping on a call or visiting your school to assist with planning, so please reach out to us. Let’s bring change to our communities one conversation at a time.