Step 4: Identify and Map Trusted Sources in the At-risk Communities

People are more likely to receive information and act on it when the message comes from a trusted source they view as credible. Some examples of trusted sources or non-traditional leaders in your community may be the PTA president, local pastor, and respected school teacher. Spokespersons in authority are not always perceived as the credible, trusted sources we hope they will be in delivering information to the general public and might even be less credible for the at-risk populations you are trying to reach.

This lack of credibility underscores why it is so important to build your network, or COIN, of trusted spokespersons with whom your at-risk populations will identify and trust. These individuals might not serve in an official capacity or be known to public health and emergency providers yet, but they can serve as a channel of information and become a cadre of leaders in emergencies. The same qualities that make them leaders in their communities often make them willing to serve as a liaison between health professionals and at-risk populations before and during an emergency.

A COIN might also include members of the media, especially those who have closer connections to at-risk populations, such as the local ethnic media outlets. These media outlets can be a very powerful voice and provide a close connection to the populations they serve. Another trusted source might be the director of a multicultural community center or a community health worker. In addition to having the confidence of the people the center serves, this person might also have a good network already in place to reach community members through an e-mail listserv, telephone tree, mailing list, or simple word-of-mouth.

Include trusted sources in meetings and planning sessions with other community organizations and service providers. Add them to your database, capturing their contact information and how they prefer to be reached. As you build your network of trusted sources, map their locations in your community so you can begin to get a visual representation of the network you are developing.

Eventually you will be able to integrate this information in such a way that you can develop digital maps showing the locations of trusted sources, spokespersons and community resources coordinated with the populations that they serve. Later on, this graphic representation of your network and the populations that they serve will help you identify gaps in coverage for at-risk populations in your community.

Engaging community members in activities to locate at-risk populations requires collaboration, contribution, and commitment. You will be asking very busy people to share their time, energy, and information to help you disseminate emergency and public health information. You will be developing long-term relationships built on respect, credibility, and a shared concern that people in at-risk population groups are included in health and emergency planning, response, and recovery.

The process of identifying trusted leaders in your community is an ongoing process. You will want to continuously identify who is missing from the COIN. Your current COIN members may be a good resource in directing you to such non-traditional leaders.