A Media Relations Campaign to Raise Awareness of the Side-By-Side Coalition and Its Campaign to Generate Jobs for People with Developmental Disabilities

When PCI began working with the Side-by-Side Coalition, the Coalition had one thing in abundance: determination.

Ten Chicago-area agencies that serve more than 10,000 people with developmental disabilities formed a coalition to promote opportunities for people with and without disabilities to live, learn, work and play side by side. By uniting their voices, they hoped to multiply their chances of being heard.

And they had plenty to say. In 2002, Illinois ranked 48th among the states in funding directed to community services for people with developmental disabilities, while this underserved population grows 10 percent each year. The needs are great. People with autism, mental retardation and other developmental disabilities need housing, jobs, transportation and additional supports that empower them to live as independently as possible. But they often remain invisible to the public and decision makers.

Despite its good intentions, Side-by-Side wasn’t making much of an impact on Chicago-area audiences. The Coalition lacked money, visibility, media experience and a cohesive identity. They had no office, phone number or Web site.

The challenge given to PCI was to gather information, formulate messages and develop strategies for a public awareness campaign. Even fundamentals had to be established: research needed to define key terms and issues; concise and understandable language had to be crafted that would resonate with audiences. The objective of the Coalition was to motivate the public to help achieve increased opportunities, such as community jobs and housing, for people with disabilities.

The Coalition called on PCI to organize and execute a comprehensive public relations campaign. The campaign consisted of research, spokesperson training, Web site creation and media relations to publicize “Project Employ 100,” a Coalition initiative PCI recommended to promote job opportunities for people with developmental disabilities.

By all measurements – media placements, Web site traffic, job placements and Coalition growth – the program was a success.

Sixteen media placements were completed on behalf of the Side-by-Side Coalition, reaching an audience of 3.3 million. Feature stories, columns and editorial letters in media outlets including the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, Daily Southtown, local CBS television and radio, and local ABC television let potential employers know about the benefits of hiring workers with developmental disabilities.

Through Project Employ, 120 people with developmental disabilities started jobs and several new employers began hiring these workers. After a year, the Coalition had more than determination: it had success.