Outreach

Outreach is the activity of providing services to any population that might not otherwise have access to those services.[1][2] A key component of outreach is that the group providing it is not stationary, but mobile; in other words, it involves meeting someone in need of an outreach service at the location where they are.[1][2][3] In addition to delivering services, outreach has an educational role, raising the awareness of existing services.[3] It includes identification of under-served populations and service referral.

For the Christian magazine, see Outreach (magazine). For the counter-missionary organization, see Outreach Judaism. For the Kiruv, see Jewish outreach. For the scientific activities, see Science outreach.
Outreach Program for Women

Outreach is often meant to fill in the gap in the services provided by mainstream (often governmental) services, and is often carried out by non-profit, nongovernmental organizations.[1] This is a major element differentiating outreach from public relations.[4] Compared with staff providing traditional services, outreach staff may be less qualified but more highly motivated.[3]

Three different types of outreach have been identified: domiciliary (undertaken at individual homes), detached (undertaken in public environments and targeting individuals), and peripatetic (undertaken at public or private environments and targeting organizations rather than individuals).[5] Satellite outreach is where services are provided at a dedicated site.[3]

Outreach tools include leaflets, newsletters, advertising stalls and displays, and dedicated events. Outreach commonly takes place physically at local community institutions such as libraries, community centres and markets.[3] Compared with traditional service providers, outreach services are provided closer to where people live, are voluntary, and have fewer, if any, enforceable obligations.[3]

Outreach can target various populations, from sex workers[1] and drug users[5] to museum goers.[6]

See also

References
  1. Kate Hardy; Sarah Kingston; Teela Sanders (16 December 2010). New Sociologies of Sex Work. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 77. ISBN 978-0-7546-7986-8. Retrieved 16 September 2012.
  2. Legal Services Research Centre (30 March 2009). Reaching Further: Innovation, Access and Quality in Legal Services. The Stationery Office. pp. 73–74. ISBN 978-0-11-706724-0. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  3. "Maximising the Role of Outreach in Client Engagement", Dewson S, Davis S, Casebourne J. Research Report DWPRR 326, Department for Work and Pensions, 2006.
  4. Baldur Eliasson; Pierce Riemer; Alexander Wokaun (1999). Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies, 30 August-2 September 1998, Interlaken, Switzerland. Elsevier. p. 244. ISBN 978-0-08-043018-8. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  5. Tim Rhodes (1996). Outreach Work with Drug Users: Principles and Practice. Council of Europe. pp. 25–26. ISBN 978-92-871-3110-2. Retrieved 17 September 2012.
  6. Bonnie Sachatello-Sawyer (1 October 2002). Adult Museum Programs: Designing Meaningful Experiences. Rowman Altamira. p. 53. ISBN 978-0-7591-0097-8. Retrieved 17 September 2012.

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