Greetings from Worldwide Classroom! We hope this message finds you well. As our staff return from their travels to university campuses and corporate events, we have compiled our observations, ideas and suggestions as to how to improve outreach activities. We invite you to send us your success stories as well! In this month's WWC Member newsletter we address: 1. Observations from the road 2. Creative ways organizations do more with less 3. Cooperative programs to help Worldwide Classroom members As always, if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us at info@worldwide.edu ************************************************************************* Worldwide Classroom (WWC) Perspectives Member Newsletter - November 2009 *********************** 1. What we are hearing As Worldwide Classroom staff visited university campuses around the United States and Canada during the month of October, we listened closely to what students, faculty and staff told us. Many of the requests and concerns are the same as they have always been, but some new trends have emerged. * Adding a volunteer or work component to travel abroad is even more popular than last year. * Options to continue studies in English are also more common. * Application of financial aid for international study has become more prevalent and we expect this to grow in the next 12 months. * Many students are looking at travel after graduation as they feel that the time is right to do so given the market for employment. Travel and study abroad add to value of their experiences and potential employers are looking for something that sets one applicant apart from the rest. * Concerns over credibility, cancellation and refund policies were mentioned more often than in the first half of this year. * Of course discounts, special offers and good communication with potential participants are key factors in the decision making process. * As students read and hear about the H1N1 virus, they wonder about what they would do if they got sick abroad. Many request information on insurance, access to medical care and emergency procedures, as well as what would happen if they miss classes for an extended period while participating in an international program. * Faculty and staff continue to search for opportunities for group travel with restricted budgets and for teaching opportunities abroad. With this often comes the search for k-12 schools for their children. ********************************** 2. How do they do more with less? Given the current economic situation that has affected us all, organizations are becoming even more creative than ever as they try to do more with less. From revamped alumni relationship strategies to utilizing social media networks to get the word out about their programs, organizations are being forced to look at ways to reach a more targeted audience with a limited budget. For example, we all know that past participants are often our best salespeople, but how many of us have concise and effective plans to communicate with them? Some organizations have partnered with others in their field to combine costs. Some have searched for as many ways to advertise for free or by exchanging links/services as possible and report varying degrees of success. Still others have decided to follow the old adage that you need to invest in order to expect a good return. One organization that has had particularly good results has decided to see how many ways they can tell the world about their programs. They formed a committee that brainstormed all the possible ways to communicate with others. After they had their master list, each person on the committee had to select one idea and then formed a task force to carry out that idea. Within 2 weeks of implementing the communications plan, they had 4 people sign up for their program! This positive result encouraged the other teams to work harder on their plans and a snowball effect occurred. Establishing a relationship with local business owners is fundamental. Another organization set the goal of becoming the most referred to in their town. They went everywhere that tourists went and left brochures, business cards and posters. This resulted in immediate enrollments, as well as planted the seed for future participants. Setting up agreements with local hotels, restaurants, tour operators etc is a great way to put into practice the old saying " you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours." A university-based program also did this, but on a much broader scale, and has reported increased enrollments in a challenging economy. *********************************************** 3. Assistance for international organizations Worldwide Classroom is fully aware that it is a difficult time for many of our members. Some have even closed their doors after many years of providing wonderful programs and we wish them well in their future endeavors. We want to help as many organizations as possible weather these turbulent times and we have a number of ways in which we accomplish this. WWC Memberships are open to every program provider that welcomes international participants. There are a variety of memberships that allow for participation for every organization that wishes to become a Worldwide Classroom member. We have arranged payment plans that range from monthly to annually. There are often grants available to help with the cost of membership. Some alumni have collaborated to help out as a way to give their thanks for a great experience abroad. Trial membership are also offered as a way for organizations to dip their toes in the water before jumping in for a swim. If you would like to learn more about the different membership opportunities, as well as payment options, please contact one of the Outreach staff at info@worldwide.edu *************************** About Worldwide Classroom: Worldwide Classroom (WWC) is an international organization that encourages cultural awareness and understanding through immersion and exchange. WWC highlights organizations around the globe that are active in international education. 18,000+ program providers in 159 countries make up the Worldwide Classroom Directory. Since our launch on the Internet in 1994, more than 10 million people have relied on the Worldwide Classroom website to research programs and opportunities around the world. All organizations that welcome international participants are invited to join the WWC Consortium. Contact us at info@worldwide.edu or check out the website at www.worldwide.edu for more information. Best wishes, WWC Staff Worldwide Classroom (WWC) PO Box 1166 Milwaukee, WI 53201 USA Tel: (414) 224 3476 Fax: (414) 224 3466 URL: www.worldwide.edu Email: info@worldwide.edu Follow us on Twitter! http://twitter.com/WORLDWIDEedu
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