Case Studies

Client: The Skillman Foundation

The Skillman Foundation crosses language barriers to build communities

Situation
The Skillman Foundation is perpetually seeking ways to improve the lives of Detroit youth. In 2005, they launched the Good Neighborhoods Initiative (GNI) to partner with families and community leaders to create positive change for children and families. The major challenge of the initiative was to fully engage all ethnic communities in he effort, especially Latino, Arab American and Hmong residents who did not speak or read English.

Strategy
Berg Muirhead sent information to residents, elected officials, community leaders and community activists in three languages. We sent regular e-blasts regarding upcoming meetings and placed ads in mainstream and ethnic publications.  At the meetings, we arranged for assistive listening transmitters and receivers to be available for simultaneous interpretation for the participants and made sure the meeting signage was printed in all three languages.

Results
The meetings consistently averaged 300 participants. The Skillman Foundation indicated the turnouts were the largest of any community meetings it had ever had and the first ones conducted in multiple languages. Community leaders and participants wrote letters to the Skillman Foundation commending the organization on the success of its meetings and its sensitivity to the cultural nuances of the community.