Starting Conversations That Could Save A Life

The Starting Conversations That Could Save A Life project was developed in partnership with the Organ and Tissue Authority in 2014. It was highly successful in supporting community broadcasters nationally to play an active role in promoting organ and tissue donation during DonateLife Week 2014. The project team successfully developed practical and industry-specific resources to assist local radio stations to broadcast content throughout the week, including pre-produced audio segments, content broadcast via satellite, key message scripts, interview suggestions, and promotional materials. This material was used to assist local radio stations in promoting the importance of donation and facilitating conversations about donation wishes.

The CBAA Community Education Programs team:

• Developed a key message sheet that provided community broadcasters with practical information on DonateLife Week and the importance of organ and tissue donation 
• Developed a fact sheet that provided community broadcasters with practical ideas for ways they could promote DonateLife Week and broadcast local content during the week (including ideas for local interviews) 
• Developed and recorded two 30-second and two 60-second community services announcements for stations that were broadcast during DonateLife Week
• Distributed a package of audio and printed materials to over 270 community radio stations nationally (including promotional material from the Organ and Tissue Authority)
• Contacted all community radio stations to encourage use of project materials and local broadcasting during DonateLife Week
• Broadcast two 30-second and two 60-second community services announcements nationally via satellite for two weeks before, and throughout, DonateLife Week

The project’s impacts and outcomes were evaluated through a survey (semi-structured interviews) with representatives of 100 community radio stations.This evaluation found that the project content was used by a large number of community radio stations nationally, with:

• 94% of stations broadcasting project audio at least four times during DonateLife Week
• 88% of stations using the key message sheet to promote organ and tissue donation (and discussion about donation wishes) to their local audience
• 56% of stations discussing organ and tissue donation on-air before or after playing project audio
• 34% of stations conducting local interviews and/or inviting audience discussion of organ and tissue donation

The evaluation showed that a large number of stations received positive feedback from their listeners during (or immediately following) DonateLife Week, with:

• 78% of stations reporting positive feedback from their listeners
• 56% of stations reporting contact from audience members seeking more information or clarification of content they had heard on-air
• 36% of stations reporting community members had expressed interest in finding out more about organ and tissue donation

The evaluation also showed the project has resulted in significant changes in the attitudes of broadcasters in terms of continuing to promote organ and tissue donation at a local level.

• 89% of station workers/volunteers said they were now more aware of issues surrounding organ and tissue donation
• 86% of station workers/volunteers said they were now better equipped to discuss organ and tissue donation and the importance of conversations about donation wishes with their local community
• 78% of station workers/volunteers said they were now more confident about discussing organ and tissue donation with their local community
• 67% of stations said they definitely will discuss organ and tissue donation with their local community in the future

Overall, the project was very successful in:

• Providing community broadcasters with the skills and information they need to promote awareness of organ and tissue donation to their local audiences on an ongoing basis 
• Using local broadcasting to encourage increased numbers of conversations about donation and the donation wishes of family members and friends
• Raising awareness among a large national audience of the facts about organ and tissue donation
• Raising awareness among a large national audience of the importance of discussing and knowing the donation wishes of family members
• Raising the profile of DonateLife and DonateLife Week nationally