Changing how the United States thinks about International Development PARTNERS BELIEVES that public education and outreach are necessary in order to establish a network of organizations and individuals dedicated and engaged in the social and economic development of the Americas.

Partners' Public Education and Outreach program have included a variety of projects, including: NEXOS: Expanding the Latino Voice in U.S. Foreign Aid to the Americas; International Family Planning Advocacy; and GROW: Global Outreach for Women.

Each project is engaging U.S. citizens on international development issues and training community leaders in media outreach and community organizing. Due to a misperception within the U.S. about how much of the federal dollar is really spent on international affairs (currently less than 1 penny for every dollar spent), Partners decided it was time to share its story.

Since 1984, Partners has promoted citizen participation and trained community leaders in public outreach skills in order to generate a sense of citizen responsibility throughout the United States. The hands-on training sessions have given workshop participants - such as educators, students, business people, health practitioners, civil servants, artists and even musicians - the opportunity to practice outreach techniques and cultivate leadership skills.

In Oklahoma, Partners has teamed up with a coalition of community groups, government agencies, colleges and universities to educate Oklahoma citizens on the local-global linkages of population issues. This project has effectively provided the Oklahoma Partners with the opportunity to expand its community network and capitalize on generated publicity.

In year 2000, the program trained 75 community activists. Equally important, the program is building community linkages and expanding the Partners network through every training workshop, issue forum, and focus group.

By building a grassroots constituency within the U.S. to support development programs in Latin America and the Caribbean, the long-term effects will leverage greater financial support from both the public and private sectors. Due to the latent support that exists in the U.S. for active engagement in foreign affairs, the program has sought to cultivate this support through local media outreach and public education campaigns.

Back to Top