Develop Your Program
Because We Can!® is flexible and adaptable, you can develop a program and create activities that match your audience needs, available resources, and setting.
When you sign up to become a We Can! community site, one of the many helpful resources you receive is the Energize our Community: Toolkit for Action. This resource is intended to help you develop successful We Can! programs and activities that combine people, programs, public visibility, and partners.
People
It's important to get the right people involved in your efforts. Think about who will coordinate your program and who will facilitate the activities. Determine if you need to find additional human resources. Often there are people in your community who can provide you with important services.
Programs
We Can! provides a variety of programs for both parents and youth. After you sign up to become a community site, we encourage you to offer at least two activities in your first year of programming. You can choose from four science-based curricula:
- We Can! Energize Our Families: Parent Program
- Media-Smart Youth: Eat, Think, and Be Active!®: A Curriculum for Youth
- CATCH Kids Club: Curriculum for Youth
- Student Media Awareness to Reduce Television (S.M.A.R.T.): A Curriculum for Youth
- SPARK™
Public Visibility
Think about how you will draw attention to your effort. You can promote your activities in local schools, churches, YMCAs, or other places where families gather. You can contact your local media to get the word out to your community. We suggest that community sites coordinate events, such as a health fair, that raise awareness of and recruit for your programs.
Partners
Remember, you don't have to do everything yourself. There are probably groups and individuals in your community who may be able to help your efforts. Think about what resources and materials you may need to launch your program and identify others who can fill those gaps.
More Information
Read more about People, Programs, Public Visibility, and Partners in the Energize our Community: Toolkit for Action
(1.1 MB).
You can also read helpful tips about running We Can! in the following settings:
