This case study examines the Standing Capacity model operated as part of the Oklahoma Marriage Initiative (OMI) since 2004. The term Standing Capacity refers to a marriage and relationship education service which operates at the same time and place in a community on an on-going basis. Most community-based healthy marriage initiatives offer workshops on an […]
A press release is a common way to promote an upcoming event or share important news. These are especially important tools for publicly funded healthy relationship and marriage programs that may not have a large marketing budget but want to raise community awareness of the services they offer. This Tip Sheet provides a formatting guide […]
On-air radio spots can be an effective way to get the word out regarding upcoming healthy marriage events. This Tip Sheet will help you create your own public service announcement for radio and get the results you desire. Keep in mind that radio stations rarely run any spots longer than :30 second spots as you […]
Public Service Announcements (PSAs) or on-air TV spots are a great way to get the word out regarding your healthy marriage initiative. You can visually show people examples of a workshop and what marriage education “”looks like.”” However, television advertising is expensive. There are costs to produce an advertising campaign and to purchase air time. […]
There is not consensus among practitioners or researchers as to who is/is not appropriate for MRE. However, most MRE programs are not generally designed to work with highly distressed couples (Retrouvaille is one such program) or those requiring intensive intervention (for issues related to substance abuse, mental health problems, infidelity, etc.). In fact, MRE is […]
Many social service programs share common goals although they may vary widely by funding stream, service delivery strategy and/or target population. The marriage and relationship education (MRE) field and the child welfare system both strive to strengthen families and improve child outcomes. MRE practitioners may want to consider building partnerships with child protective services (CPS) […]
For those who are new to workshop delivery, the logistics can demand equal time and preparation. A potential participant’s first impression of your program can be the deciding factor in their involvement. Regardless of how helpful your program may be; neglecting factors like comfort, convenience and environment can negatively impact perceptions of and participation in […]
This tip sheet will provide guidance on 1) what a partner referral organization is, 2) why partner referral organizations are important, and 3) what you should look for in selecting partner referral organizations. (Author abstract)
Marriage educators are the face of your marriage and relationship education program. Proper training is critical to your program’s success. These individuals must have the knowledge and skills to appropriately respond to questions about the curriculum, identify unhealthy (and potentially violent) relationships, set boundaries, and effectively facilitate and/or present information. This is no small task, […]
An incentive, for purposes of this Tip Sheet, means a reward available for participating in a marriage education program. An incentive may have direct value, like a restaurant gift card, or may have an indirect value, like a certificate of completion for a free/reduced marriage license. Incentives can be for each couple, participant or just […]