Participants
The Alianza group was an existing organization that EduCo had worked with previously. The Alianza group was composed of community leaders from across Puerto Rico, particularly from the municipalities of Ponce, Guaynabo, and the southwestern parts of Puerto Rico.
Pre-Engagement Planning Discussion
It is important to consider that different groups and communities may have different preferences and styles. At the Alianza group's request, Puerto Rico's recruitment of these stakeholders differed somewhat from recruitment of the San Lorenzo group. Whereas the San Lorenzo group responded positively to a letter invitation, the Alianza group requested a meeting to foster collective decision-making with their members prior to agreeing to participate.
Therefore, Puerto Rico used this process with the Alianza group:
- They made their first contact by a phone call and then followed up with an email to summarize the phone call discussion.
- They were responsive to the Alianza group’s request to hold a preliminary planning meeting with the entire group to discuss and plan the activity collaboratively.
This approach allowed the Puerto Rico team to build personal relationships through real-time interaction, develop rapport and trust, and be responsive to the needs and interests of these community partners.
