Accomplishments 2023: Strategic Communication and Outreach

• 2023 By the Numbers
• Research, Evaluation, and Analytic Services
• Training and Technical Assistance
• Product Development
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Strategic Communication and Outreach
• Accessibility Services
• Website and Software Development

Strategic Communication and Outreach

New Editions employs a team of communications specialists, research and evaluation staff, subject matter experts, and program managers who work collaboratively on every facet of its communication and outreach projects. This approach ensures that all stages of our projects – from strategic planning and implementation to monitoring, evaluation, and quality improvement – work in unison rather than in isolation. This year, we completed several successful communication campaigns using a range of methods targeted to different audiences, including state leaders, agency staff, service providers, grantees, researchers, and consumers (e.g., individuals with disabilities, family members).

• Supporting the development of a new Department of Labor (DOL) Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) website search feature. New Editions developed system requirements and wireframes to support the development of a new feature that will allow CEO users to search and filter all CEO’s web content. New Editions also has been working to revise and categorize all current web content and will add it into the new search feature in the coming year.
• Provided strategic communications, marketing, and content development support to the DOL CEO efforts to advance and promote DOL’s research, evaluation, and analysis activities. Managed website content development and supported a variety of communications and marketing tasks.
• Supported the Clearinghouse for Older Road User Safety (ChORUS) in providing user-friendly, relevant resources to promote traffic safety and safe mobility for older adults in communities across the country. Accomplishments this year include:
  • Participated in national conferences, including the Research on Older Adults Mobility meeting, American Society on Aging, the Georgia Driving Virtual Symposium, Lifesavers, National Council on Aging, USAging, American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, and the American Public Health Association. The team staffed exhibit booths and conducted presentations to increase awareness of safe mobility and the ChORUS resources.
  • Created two major education and awareness campaigns: one for Older Americans Month and one for Older Driver Safety Awareness Week at www.roadsafeseniors.org. These campaigns showcased the importance of older driver safety and transportation planning. New Editions developed resources for partners and others to use, including a Commit to Older Driver Safety Page, Sample Press Releases, Talking Points, Social Media Sample Messages, Posters for waiting areas, PowerPoint slides for lobbies, Radio Spot language, Older Driver Data Infographics, and Handouts. We also hosted two nationwide Twitter/X chats.
  • Developed and implemented monthly campaigns around themes that target ChORUS’s primary audiences: older adults, family members and caregivers, law enforcement personnel, state driver licensing agency staff, and medical professionals. Through social media, blogs, and partnership development, New Editions doubled the number of new website users in 2023.
• Developed a recruitment flyer for the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) management team. The flyer provides a snapshot of NIDILRR’s mission, culture, organizational environment, and research funding allocation. It has been used to support NIDILRR’s staff recruitment efforts, shared with universities and research institutions, and distributed at conferences.  
• Developed a toolkit to help NIDILRR tell its story, including NIDILRR’s history, role, framework, work, publications, and resources in a summary format. The toolkit is intended as educational resource primarily for stakeholders who may not know about NIDILRR but who may benefit from learning about NIDILRR and its resources, and as a communication tool for stakeholders who want to inform others about NIDILRR’s work and resources. The toolkit will be available on NIDILRR’s website in 2024.