Framing the Message: How we talk about adolescents

1. Framing the Message: How we talk about adolescents

2. Presented by… Nancy Cunningham Resource Development Director Sarah Ramowski, MSW Adolescent Health Policy and Assessment Specialist

3. A special thank you to Glynis SheaCommunications Director Konopka Institute for Best Practices in Adolescent HealthHealthy Youth Development Prevention Research Center

4. Communications research • Players • FrameWorks Institute (www.frameworksinstitute.org) • Cultural Logic • Public Knowledge • Berkely Media Studies Group • Real Reason • Apter International • Goals • ID dominant frames; Strategic Frame Analysis ® • ID Idealized Cognitive Models; Cognitive Strategic Initiative ® • Reversal Theory ®

5. Today we will… • Explore the intersection between public attitudes and effective advocacy • Learn strategies to create receptive listeners and persuasive messages • Create our own persuasive, audience-centric message using the Message Pyramid

7. Frames & Framing Frames, according to many psychologists, linguists and cognitive scientists, are mental that are used to facilitate the thinking process. We use frames to provide categories and a structure to our thoughts. --Wikipedia, 2007 Structuresshortcuts your brain does it frame What is in your head that drives how you think and react framing Structuring what you say and how you say it to best work with what is already in someone’s head

8. Framing the issue Pro life Pro choice Important life decision • Press briefing • “sound bite” • News story • themes or ideas that tell you how to think about it • Advertising • Positioning • Policy • Classic Lakoff example: Tax relief Drilling for oil Energy exploration Parental choice School choice

9. NO Teenager At-risk youth YES Young people All youth Perceptions of adolescents FrameWorks

10. NO Other Different values Teen world YES Adolescents are us Shared values Part of community Perceptions of adolescents FrameWorks

11. George LakoffRockridge Institute Cognitive Linguists Don’t think of an elephant! our elephants? www.rockridgeinstitute.org/projects/strategic/simple_framing

12. Perceptions of development • Explore identity = disrespect • Focus on physical = vain • Risk taking = delinquents YES Adolescent development Healthy/positive youth development Brain development

13. Bottom line Facts are not enough A single word or image can set the frame Audience is everything We must know and address audience beliefs in all communications The facts MUST fit the frame

14. message pyramid Shared belief Why should they care? Level 1 Values Community benefit Category What kind of issue are we talking about? Environment Category What kind of issue are we talking about? Rain forests Specifics The name and function or focus of your specific issue or program

15. message pyramid Shared belief Relationship Take out the garbage Sharing responsibility for its upkeep really is great I love our home life together Home maintenance Category Sharing responsibility for its upkeep really is great Do your **%A#!! job! Specifics Would you please take out the garbage before you go to work?

16. message pyramid ? Shared belief Improving student learning Build support for youth health programs Category Obesity prevention programs Specifics Parent-youth cooking classes

17. Framing in Your Community Brainstorm some topics for framing What are your biggest communication challenges?

18. What message are we sending?

19. message pyramid ? Shared belief Protecting young people (girls) Reproductive health: Standard Category Teen Pregnancy / STD Prevention Specifics Sex ed

20. Perceptions of sexuality • Productive frame • Is integral to basic identify and self awareness • Exists throughout life • Has internal complexity • Changes over time • Varies across people • Provides opportunities for growth and development • Is a source of powerful connections with others • Current frame • Exists externally, separate from us • Binary: good/bad; pure/impure • Can be present or absent (virginity) • Can appear suddenly at a discrete time (marriage) • Threat to self control • Our opponent in a struggle • Is cause for parent’s grief Real Reason

21. NO Abstinence (≠ not having sex) Discipline and vice (vs. health and development) YES Not having sex in the first place Abstinence programs perceptions of sexuality Real Reason

22. NO Her decision, individual Doomed life; one way causality Health issue, exclusively YES Environment Supports needed (systems) Why we all benefit Teen parents FrameWorks

23. message pyramid Shared belief Protecting young people (girls) Reproductive health: Standard Category Teen Pregnancy / STD Prevention Specifics Sex ed

24. healthy youth development message pyramid Shared belief Communitybenefit/exchange (adolescents as us) Category Share an adolescentdevelopment fact(sexuality, relationships, identity) Specifics ID your program based on the developmental need it meets

25. Change the frame • Is sex ed in school going to stop kids from having sex, getting pregnant or contracting an STD? • Yes, the current state of scientific evidence shows that accurate, developmentally appropriate sex education paired with abstinence messages can help delay a young person’s first sexual experience and help prevent unintended pregnancies and STDs by improving condom and contraceptive use

26. Change the frame • Is sex ed in school going to stop kids from having sex, getting pregnant or contracting an STD? • Answer this question • Do NOT feed the elephant by referencing the negatives • DO discuss the developmental needs of young people

27. What sex ed does Sexuality is developmental! Change the frame • Is sex ed in school going to stop kids from having sex, getting pregnant or contracting an STD? • The real value in providing sex education in school is in teaching young people about healthy behaviors and how to take good care of themselves. During adolescence they are developing decision making skills and figuring out how they – as sexually maturing individuals – connect with others. Sex ed supports these important developmental tasks. Where is the us-ness/benefit to all?

28. Change the frame • Is sex ed in school going to stop kids from having sex, getting pregnant or contracting an STD? • Improve this answer • Explain why EVERYONE benefits

29. Change the frame • Is sex ed in school going to stop kids from having sex, getting pregnant or contracting an STD? • Every investment we make in our young people is an investment in our community … • Everyone’s future depends on the health and success of our young people … • When we support young people with … we make it possible for them to give back to us as healthy, engaged members of our community …

30. healthy youth development message pyramid Shared belief Communitybenefit/exchange (adolescents as us) Category Share an adolescentdevelopment fact(sexuality, relationships, identity) Specifics ID your program based on the developmental need it meets

31. Call to action • Think like an advertiser • Audience is everything • Lead with shared belief

32. Call to action • Hijack the agenda • Media & conversational opportunities • Educate re: development • Shift the focus from individual to systems / environment

33. Thank you • Questions/Comments • Evaluate this workshop! • Did we meet your expectations? • Ideas for next year’s conference? Nancy Cunningham nancy@osbhcn.org Sarah Ramowski sarah.ramowski@state.or.us