To build awareness about this inventory, WLKC wants to create a knowledge exchange plan, offering information about the inventory to “interested parties.” Knowledge exchange activities describe two or more parties exchanging information. An exchange by definition ensures that both parties receive something from each other. In effect it is a partnership and one of the critical steps to implementing and sustaining partnerships is that both parties experience reciprocal benefits while making reciprocal contributions. An exchange means that these parties would in turn offer information to WLKC. If the contributors fail to see the value or benefit of sharing their information, contributions will wane. If WLKC can offer something in return for the shared information such as entrance to the inventory, then exchange is encouraged; if there is no perceived benefit of providing information, then perhaps the stakeholders will only be interested in taking information and not reciprocating. It will be up to WLKC to decide whether they are in a position to provide something of value for the information that could be provided by interested stakeholders.
The CCDF consultants are in a position to provide WLKC with knowledge-sharing activities designed to reach educators, policy-makers and career development community members associated with school-to-work transitions. Interested parties would include principals, teachers, guidance counsellors, parents, community organizations, alternative schools, university and college employment and career counsellors and job placement services, sector councils, ministries of advanced education and employment and federal human resources, education and employment departments.
Proven methods of reaching such parties include making presentations at their conferences, submitting articles to journals, newsletters and the internet, sending brochures to key personnel in institutions, associations and organizations. One of the most effective means of reaching the educator and community audiences is to identify champions at the grass roots level and support them with materials for networking, talking with their peers at meetings and working lunches, giving presentations at conferences and forums. Champions may emerge from the working group, from those listed in the inventory and/or from those who receive initial communiqués. Once champions have been identified they will need background information and presentation materials to use. CCDF will be developing a mini-power point presentation that could be used for this purpose. Communiqués should speak to the desire for “champion” volunteers to mobilize the need for effective measures and to be part of an implementation strategy.
The table below identifies dissemination venues and knowledge-sharing approaches for reaching the optimum number of stakeholders who could be interested in knowing about and contribution to the growth of the inventory.