Sandwatch Database Launch Plan

Created for The Sandwatch Foundation

By Michelle Jillian Verkooy

May 2011
 Table of Contents

I. Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................ 3

I. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 4

II. Conduct a gap analysis with the Sandwatch Foundation ................................................................... 5

III. Solicit preliminary feedback from Sandwatch participants ................................................................. 7

1. Establishment and operation of the sandwatch program ............................................................. 8

2. Sandwatch database ................................................................................................................ 11
3. Sandwatch Manual useage ....................................................................................................... 13
4. Limitations of questionnaire ...................................................................................................... 14

IV. Create a user-friendly Terms of Use and Privacy Statement .......................................................... 15

V. Create a communication plan for the launch of the database .......................................................... 17

1. Identify goals and objectives ..................................................................................................... 17

2. Identify audiences ..................................................................................................................... 19

3. Assessment of potential partners .............................................................................................. 19

4. Establish messages .................................................................................................................. 20

5. Develop strategies and tactics .................................................................................................. 20

6. Create evaluation tactics for plan .............................................................................................. 22

VI. References.........................................................................................................................................24

VII. Appendix A Sandwatch Terms of Use and Privacy Statement ....................................................... 23

2
I. Executive Summary

This plan designs and develops the process for launching the Sandwatch database. Sandwatch is a
voluntary program involving mainly educators, students and communities in the scientific monitoring
and wise management of their beach environments. The program is supported by UNESCO and
implemented by the non-profit Sandwatch Foundation in more than 30 countries. The Sandwatch
database, projected to launch in 2012, will provide participating Sandwatch groups the opportunity to
archive, analyze and share their findings among Sandwatch participants and with the wider community.

The proper introduction and launch of the database is critical to its success. This plan discusses the three
steps taken to inform the creation of a communication plan for the launch of the Sandwatch database.
First, a gap analysis was conducted with members of the Sandwatch Foundation. Second, feedback was
sought via emailed questionnaires from existing and new Sandwatch participants about the operation of
the Sandwatch program, the Sandwatch manual and the Sandwatch database. Third, a user-friendly
terms of use and privacy statement for the Sandwatch website and database was created based on an
analysis of the feedback from the participants. After completion of these three steps a communication
plan was created for the pre-launch, launch and post launch phases of the Sandwatch database.

This communication plan will assist the Sandwatch Foundation in raising awareness about the benefits
of the database, particularly its analysis, archiving and sharing facilities; as well as informing
participants about the progress of the database, its launch and implementation.

3
I. Introduction

The Sandwatch program is at a very exciting time in its history. Since being introduced in 2001, the
program has grown to include more than 30 member countries with over 300 schools and community
groups actively monitoring changes in their beach environments. Sandwatch is supported by UNESCO,
and other organizations are also involved. One of the driving forces behind the growth of Sandwatch is
the open access nature of the Sandwatch program. The program was created with the intent that anyone,
regardless of their educational background, could understand and implement the Sandwatch
methodologies in their community. In addition to the successful growth of country involvement,
Sandwatch has been integrated into the school curriculum in the Cook Islands. Now, all junior
secondary school students in the Cook Islands are involved in Sandwatch activities and two other island
nations, Kiribati and Grenada, are following a similar path.

As the program has grown, new Sandwatch tools have been developed including a website, regular
Sandwatch newsletters and e-news updates. While Sandwatch was started with just a manual written in
English, it now has Spanish, French and Portuguese versions. In 2010 the manual was revised for a
second time to include climate change adaptation. In 2011 the Sandwatch website was redesigned to
present a more professional and user friendly appearance.

Perhaps one of the newest and most exciting tools is the Sandwatch database, projected to launch in
2012. The database will provide participating Sandwatch groups the opportunity to upload their
monitoring data to a secure site. Not only will this allow for proper archiving of environmental data, but
it will also allow users to analyze their results and create their own charts and graphs and communicate
their findings visually with the wider community.

The database will also help the Sandwatch Foundation continue its work to integrate the Sandwatch
methodology and concepts into the school curricula. This is one of the objectives of the Sandwatch
program and a means of achieving sustainability.

The importance of the proper introduction and launch of the database is critical to its success. Since the
database is still under preparation, forward planning of the launch is timely. The following sections of
this report will review each of the steps taken to plan for the launch of the Sandwatch database. The
steps taken were:

1. Conduct a gap analysis with the Sandwatch Foundation.

2. Solicit preliminary feedback from Sandwatch participants.
3. Create a user-friendly terms of use and privacy statement.
4. Create a communication plan for the launch of the Sandwatch database.
4
While this plan is current as of May 2011, it is understood that between now and the actual launch of the
database some things might change. Nevertheless, the steps taken to create this plan will provide a
framework within which future changes can be accommodated.

5
II. Conduct a gap analysis with the Sandwatch Foundation

The first step in this process started in June 2010 when a gap analysis was conducted with Dr. Gillian
Cambers, co-director of the Sandwatch Foundation. Using question criteria from Rouda and Kusy
(1995) the following situations were identified:

Current situation - where is Sandwatch right now?

Sandwatch is a proven program, ongoing for the last 10 years.
It is supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) and recognized as an example of Education for
Sustainable Development; and noted as such by the Director General of UNESCO
(July 2009).
Several specific tools have been developed: Sandwatch Manual, training
workshops, Sandwatch network and the Sandwatch website, Sandwatch database
(in development), and the Sandwatcher newsletter.
Sandwatch is managed voluntarily and participation is voluntary.
While the primary focus of Sandwatch is children, youth and adults in Small
Island Developing States (SIDS), other developing and developed countries with
coastal areas have implemented the program.
More than 30 countries (mainly SIDS) have active Sandwatch programs. These
may range from one group/school per country to 20 + groups per country, as for
example, in the Dominican Republic.
Desired situation where should Sandwatch be in the future?
The ultimate goal is for Sandwatch to be a sustainable, long-term, continually
expanding and evolving program that is adequately funded.

After examining the current and desired situation of the Sandwatch program Dr. Cambers and I analyzed
factors that would be required to achieve the desired situation. The following were determined:

An external evaluation of the Sandwatch program is needed to fully assess its strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats, and thereby inform the preparation of a strategic plan.
Adequate funding is required for Sandwatch Foundation staff to coordinate and manage the
program including the Sandwatch network.
A database should be available for Sandwatch groups to store and use their collected data.
A database is needed where Sandwatch groups can store and use their collected data such that it
becomes recognized as a credible source of information about beach changes and as a baseline
against which to measure the impact of climate change.

6
 The Sandwatch website needs to be redesigned to adequately respond to the growing needs of
the Sandwatch program and its participants.
Integration of Sandwatch into the school curricula is the way to make the Sandwatch program
sustainable.

These factors were then grouped in terms of the gaps that exist and need to be filled. The following four
gaps were recognized:

1. Funds need to be acquired for a consultancy to conduct an external evaluation and create a
strategic plan for Sandwatch.
2. A fundraising strategy needs to be created and implemented that focuses on the long-term growth
of the Sandwatch program and network.
3. A guiding document should be created to perform two main functions:
a. Transition from the current informal system of membership within Sandwatch to a
formalized system.
b. Introduce and guide the implementation of the Sandwatch database.
4. A proactive approach needs to be developed to integrate Sandwatch into the school curricula of
participating countries.

The information gathered from this gap analysis was submitted to Mr. Paul Diamond, co-director of
Sandwatch Foundation and Mr. Hans Thulstrup, Programme Specialist, UNESCO for their review and
comments. The four gaps identified were agreed upon by Mr. Diamond and Mr. Thulstrup.

After talking with Dr. Cambers it was decided to focus my efforts on the third gap, the creation of a
guiding document to introduce and implement the Sandwatch database and transition Sandwatch to a
formal membership system. However, as discussions progressed it was recognized and agreed that
attempting to transition Sandwatch from an open-access informal system to a formalized system, would
defeat one of the fundamental principles that made Sandwatch what it is today namely its easy access
to all interested parties. Therefore, it was decided to focus on introducing and implementing the
Sandwatch database. Now that the purpose of the project has been established, the next step was to
gather feedback from Sandwatch participants.

7
III. Solicit preliminary feedback from Sandwatch participants

The Sandwatch Foundation has sought specific feedback from participants before. For example, in 2010,
one year after a Sandwatch training workshop in the Bahamas, surveys were sent to participants seeking
information about their follow-up activities. However, the Sandwatch Foundation has never distributed a
questionnaire aimed at gathering feedback about the program in general. This type of feedback was
deemed necessary for planning the launch of the database and a descriptive questionnaire was created
and distributed.

The objective of the questionnaire was to gather information about the operation of the Sandwatch
program, the Sandwatch Manual and the Sandwatch database from two different audience groups:
existing participants and newcomers to the Sandwatch program. Since this type of questionnaire is the
first of its kind for Sandwatch, the results are very important and represent a baseline against which to
compare future questionnaires.

Dr. Cambers provided a list of active Sandwatch participants who were deemed likely to respond to a
questionnaire based on her ongoing communication with them. The list indicated who was an existing
participant, and who had just joined Sandwatch. An existing participant of Sandwatch was defined as a
group that had already implemented Sandwatch activities in their school and/or was collecting data. A
newcomer to the Sandwatch program was defined as a group that had either inquired about Sandwatch,
attended a workshop, implemented some start-up Sandwatch activities, but was not collecting data yet.
The questionnaire was distributed via email to 26 existing Sandwatch participants and 18 Sandwatch
newcomers.

For existing Sandwatch participants, the questionnaire was divided into three sections: general
Sandwatch questions, Sandwatch database questions, and Sandwatch Manual questions. The Sandwatch
newcomer questionnaire was shorter and included seven general Sandwatch questions and one three-part
Sandwatch database question.

Of the 44 emailed questionnaires 14 were returned completed (a response rate of 32%), from eight
existing Sandwatch participants and six Sandwatch newcomers. The results of the questionnaire were
informative and helped to paint a picture of the commonalities and differences that lie among different
Sandwatch groups. One of the running themes from both groups is their belief in the Sandwatch
program and that the flexibility of the program allows each group to operate Sandwatch in a manner that
works for them. For example, one respondent explained how the Sandwatch website provided
information about Sandwatch activities in a school in Bequia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The
respondent then used the Bequian schools activities to implement Sandwatch in her school and since
then the program has evolved to include the community.

8
A summary of the results is provided in the following sections. Each area of feedback has its own
summary table of results from both the existing and newcomer Sandwatch participants, where
applicable. The following areas are covered:

1. Establishment and operation of the Sandwatch program

2. Sandwatch database
3. Sandwatch Manual

1. Establishment and operation of the Sandwatch program

The objective for the questions in this section was to gather information about the Sandwatch program in
general. The goal was to find out how long their program had been established and running and how
Sandwatch started in their school or country. It was also important to seek feedback about what, if any,
challenges had been encountered while establishing Sandwatch. A summary of responses is provided in
Table 1.

9
Table 1. Establishment and operation of the Sandwatch program

Question 1: Is Sandwatch active in your school/country?

Yes No Other
Existing participants 7 0 1
Newcomers 4 0 2
Question 2: How long has Sandwatch been running in your school/country?
0-3 years 3-5 years 6-10 years
Existing participants 2 3 3
0-6 months 6 months-1 year 1 year+
Newcomers 3 2 1
Question 3: How did Sandwatch get started in your school/country?
Training workshop Contact with Sandwatch Internet search/email
Foundation inquiry
Existing participants 4 2 2
Training workshop Contact with Sandwatch Through other
Foundation organizations
Newcomers 1 2 3
Question 4: Have you experienced any challenges in establishing/maintaining Sandwatch?
Yes No Not sure
Existing participants 7 1 0
Newcomers 5 0 0
If you answered yes to Question 4, please name the top 2 challenges
Existing participants 4 = Funding for activities
3 = Lack/movement of trained teachers
1 = Language
4 = Other
Newcomers 4 = Active and effective student engagement
3 = Funding for activities
2 = Continuation of program
Question 5*: Have you and your students benefitted from Sandwatch?
Yes No Not sure
Newcomers 4 0 1
If yes please list 2 ways in which you have benefitted
Newcomers 3 = Increase of environmental awareness among youth
4 = Other
* Question only put to newcomers
Respondents did not always reply to all questions

10
The majority of existing and newcomer participants responded that they had an active Sandwatch
program in their school/country. For existing participants the average length of time their program had
been running was between three and 10 years. For newcomers the range was six months to one year.
Most of the existing participants started their Sandwatch program as a result of attendance at a
workshop; on the other hand, the greater part of newcomers had started their program through contact
with the Sandwatch Foundation or another organization.

All respondents but one indicated they had experienced challenges in establishing or maintaining their
Sandwatch program. Both groups indicated that funding was one of the main challenges. Existing
participants indicated that their other challenge was the lack and/or movement of Sandwatch trained
teachers from the school. Among Sandwatch newcomers, the other main challenge was reported as
difficulty in actively engaging students. This difficulty was expressed in terms of student attitude,
monitoring of students and transportation difficulties. Nevertheless, difficulties experienced by
newcomers did not negate the benefits they experienced as a result of their Sandwatch program.

11
2. Sandwatch database

The purpose of these questions was to gauge response and reaction to the planned Sandwatch database.
Would respondents want to use the database? Would they be comfortable with having their data viewed
by other people outside their group? Lastly, would they mind having their data used for different
analyses? A summary of responses is provided in Table 2.

Table 2. The Sandwatch database

Question 1: Would your Sandwatch group be willing to place their information in this database?
Yes No Not sure
7 0 1
Existing participants
Newcomers 6 0 0
Question 2*: Are there any types of information you would prefer not to include in the database?
Yes No Not sure
Existing participants 1 6 1
If you answered yes what types of information would you prefer not to include?
Existing participants No responses
Question 3: Would you be willing to have your data viewed by persons outside your Sandwatch group?
Yes No Not sure
Existing participants 7 0 0
Newcomers 4 1 1
Question 4: Would you be willing to have your data included in regional and global scientific analyses?
Yes No Not sure
Existing participants 7 0 1
Newcomers 6 0 0
Question 5*: Do you have any further comments or questions about this new Sandwatch database?
Existing participants 4 = No
3 = Need more information before would use
the database
1 = Other
* Questions only put to existing participants
Respondents did not always reply to all questions

12
The majority of respondents indicated they would be willing to place their information into the
Sandwatch database, and have it viewed by persons outside their Sandwatch group and used in regional
and global scientific analyses.

13
3. Sandwatch Manual usage

The purpose of this section was to gauge the usefulness, comprehensibility and ease of use of the
Sandwatch Manual by existing Sandwatch participants. These questions were not asked to Sandwatch
newcomers. A summary of responses is provided in Table 3.

Table 3. Sandwatch Manual usage

Question 1: Please indicate whether you are using the Sandwatch Manual published in 2005 or 2010?
2005 version 2010 version
Existing participants 5 2
Question 2: Please rate the following statements about the Sandwatch Manual on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 means
strongly disagree and 5 means strongly agree (question put to existing participants)
Statement Average response
Overall I find the manual to be useful 4.6
I can easily locate information in the manual 4.7
The methods described in the manual e.g. measuring 3.9
beach width are simple and easy to use and I do not need
to look elsewhere for information
The manual provides sufficient background information 4.0
on subjects like water quality
The manual is easily understood by the other teachers in 3.9
my group
Question 3: Please select which option best describes how often you use the manual

I used the manual only to I use the manual only I use the manual on a
start up my Sandwatch once in a while regular basis even after
program the initial set up of my
Sandwatch program

Existing participants 2 4 2
Question 4: Have you used the Sandwatch Manual in its online form (accessed via the Sandwatch or UNESCO
website)?
Yes No
Existing participants 3 5
If you answered yes to Question 4, please comment if you would prefer to use the manual online, or would you
prefer to have a printed version?
Existing participants 3 = Want to use both formats
Question 5: Please describe ways in which the Sandwatch Manual can be improved and made easier to use and
relevant to your group
Existing participants 3 = Provide more activities
Respondents did not always reply to all questions
14
Most of the existing Sandwatch participants used the 2005 version of the Sandwatch Manual. While
overall use of the manual was favorably rated, there was some indication that the methods used in the
manual needed further explanation. Most of the respondents only used the manual in its printed form.

Limitations of questionnaire

As the first general questionnaire sent to Sandwatch participants, the results can be used as a baseline
against which to compare future feedback endeavors. However, there were some limitations to the
distributed questionnaires and recommendations for future questionnaires are identified here.

In the questionnaire distributed to existing Sandwatch participants, one respondent did not answer this
section by rating each statement with a number. Instead the respondent placed an x by one of the five
statements. One reason why the respondent answered in this manner might be misinterpretation of the
instructions, or not reading them completely. Another factor might be the organization of the
questionnaire and that all other questions preceding this section were yes/no or open-ended. For future
questionnaires it is recommended that sections that require different types of response (e.g. rating
statements with numbers, yes/no, etc.) be placed at the beginning or end of the questionnaire, not
interspersed throughout.

Regarding the questionnaire for newcomer Sandwatch participants, perhaps an opportunity was missed
to gather more open-ended feedback. The questionnaire was deliberately crafted to be shorter and easier
to respond to than the questionnaire for existing Sandwatch participants. This was done to avoid creating
confusion among the newcomer participants, mainly because the newcomer participants were all at
different levels of implementation of the Sandwatch program, and some had only attended a training
workshop. Nevertheless, their open-ended feedback about the database and the Sandwatch Manual
might have provided a valuable fresh perspective that existing participants could not have provided. For
future questionnaires, if a question might not apply to a newcomer participant then it is suggested to
include an instruction that it is acceptable to skip the question if it does not pertain to the respondent.

15
IV. Create a user-friendly Terms of Use and Privacy Statement

The questionnaire and its results give an important overview of some of the challenges and opportunities
that Sandwatch participants have faced. This type of feedback is valuable to the Sandwatch Foundation
because it provides a glimpse into the individual programs each participant group has created. Also,
comments from the questionnaire identified areas of concern participants had about the database. It will
be essential to the launch of the database that these concerns are addressed by the Sandwatch
Foundation.

After consulting with Dr. David Grey, Sandwatch database software designer, and reviewing agreements
that other organizations use, it was decided to create a terms of use and privacy statement that could be
utilized for both the Sandwatch website and database. While many organizations that do create terms of
use have lawyers who draft and create the statements, the Sandwatch Foundation has insufficient funds
for such a consultancy. Therefore the objective for the Sandwatch Terms of Use and Privacy Statement
will be to create user friendly agreements that cover the essential statements from the Sandwatch
Foundation to the users of its website and database.

The terms of use will address one of the concerns Sandwatch participants had with the database which
pertained to copyright issues regarding uploaded photos. Data ownership was important to the
Sandwatch Foundation. The terms of use would communicate that participating Sandwatch groups own
their data, not the Sandwatch Foundation.

Terms of use are different from other agreements because they do not require acceptance by the user in
order to proceed with use of the website and/or database. Unfortunately, these agreements are often
densely written with a lot of legal terms and run many pages long. For example, for the Surfrider
Foundation, their terms of use run about seven pages long and covers everything from membership in
the Surfrider Foundation, to general rules of user conduct and copyright violations.

In order to create an appropriate terms of use for Sandwatch, agreements from Surfrider Foundation,
Reef Check, Facebook and Yahoo! Canada were used to create an outline for Sandwatchs terms of use.
A similar process was followed to create an outline of the privacy statement for Sandwatch.

After drafts of these statements were created, they were sent to Dr. Cambers for review. The next step
was then to solicit feedback from Sandwatch participants. The decision was made to ask participants
who had responded to the preliminary questionnaire to review the terms of use and privacy statement for
the Sandwatch website and database.

16
The documents were emailed to 14 Sandwatch participants, eight existing Sandwatch participants, and
six Sandwatch newcomers. In the body of the email, participants were asked to review the documents
and then rate five statements and answer three open-ended questions. Six responses were received (a
response rate of 43%).

Overall, both the terms of use and privacy statement were well received, the final versions can be found
in Appendix A. Table 4 provides a summary of the responses received.

Table 4. Feedback on terms of use and privacy statement

Question 1: Please rate the Terms of Use & Privacy Statement on a scale of 1 to 5, where 1
means strongly disagree and 5 means strongly agree:
Statement Average response
The Terms of Use were easy to understand 4.8
The Privacy Statement was easy to understand 4.8
I feel the Terms of Use will address any 4.8
concerns about the Sandwatch database
I feel the Privacy Statement will address any 4.8
concerns about the Sandwatch database
Before I use the Sandwatch database I will read 4.4*
the Terms of Use and Privacy Statement
* One participant did not rate this statement

17
V. Create a communication plan for the launch of the database

In order to create a successful communication plan for the Sandwatch database the following steps were
taken:

1. Identify goals and objectives

2. Identify audiences
3. Assessment of potential partners
4. Establish messages
5. Develop strategies and tactics
6. Create evaluation tactics for plan

1. Identify goals and objectives

There is already an established vision statement and objectives for the Sandwatch program. The
Sandwatch vision statement reads (from manual p.10): Sandwatch seeks to change the lifestyle and
habits of children, youth and adults on a community-wide basis, and to develop awareness of the fragile
nature of the marine and coastal environment and the need to use it wisely.

There are five objectives of the Sandwatch program (from manual p.11):

Involve children, youth and adults in the scientific observation, measurement and analysis of
changes in the beach environment using an inter-disciplinary approach.
Assist Sandwatch groups, with the help of local communities, to apply their information and
knowledge to the wise management and enhancement of their beaches.
Integrate the Sandwatch approach into the formal and informal education system and contribute
to Education for Sustainable Development.
Contribute to the understanding of how climate change affects beach ecosystems.
Build ecosystem resilience and contribute to climate change adaptation.

It is important that future Sandwatch program activities adhere to the vision statement and objectives
already set forth. The introduction of the Sandwatch database represents an opportunity to further these
objectives.

18
Assessment of the issue:

The Sandwatch program is adding another tool to its kit, an international database that will ultimately
provide an archive for Sandwatch data. Participating Sandwatch groups will be invited to enter their
monitoring data, store photos and other information, and use the database to generate maps, analyze data
and create tables, and graphs as visual tools. The purpose of the database is three-fold. First, it is
important to the success of the Sandwatch program and all its participants to be able to store their
collected data in a safe and secure environment that is accessible to all. Second this data archive will
also provide for the tracking of changes in the monitored environment over time. In many SIDS, such
information about change in beach environments is only passed on anecdotally. The third purpose of the
database is to provide a credible data repository that will further validate the scientific integrity of the
Sandwatch program and strengthen the case for integrating the Sandwatch methodology into the school
curriculum.

The database is being created by a software designer, Dr. David Grey, who has volunteered his time and
service to creating the database for the Sandwatch Foundation. As such, the completion of this project is
dictated by Dr. Greys schedule and available time. The projected launch of the database has been
extended to 2012; this creates an opportunity to strategically manage the pre-launch, launch, and post-
launch of the Sandwatch database.

Define the goal and objectives for the database communication plan:

The goal is to provide the Sandwatch Foundation with a three phase communication plan for the launch
of the Sandwatch database.

The objective of the database communication plan is to ensure Sandwatch groups around the world are
aware of the database and how to make use of it.

The database communication plan is judged successful if at least 10 Sandwatch groups begin using the
database within a six month period after the formal launch of the database.

The strategies used will include:

Raise awareness of the database among Sandwatch participants.

Keep Sandwatch program participants informed and up-to-date on the progress of the database,
its launch and implementation.
Inform Sandwatch participants about the three benefits the database will provide to them:
analysis and visualization of data; data storage and back-up; and sharing of information between
Sandwatch groups.

19
2. Identify audiences

The primary audience for this communication plan is the leaders of each Sandwatch program in
countries around the world. In some cases, a country may have several groups each with its own leader,
e.g. Kiribati. The majority of Sandwatch program leaders are teachers at primary or secondary school
levels.

While this primary group is fairly large it has been broken out into existing and newcomer Sandwatch
participants. The first group is the existing Sandwatch participants; this audience has already had the
Sandwatch program in place and/or has been collecting data. The second group includes the newcomer
participants to the Sandwatch program. This group has only begun planning and implementing
Sandwatch within the last year and has not started collecting data.

The decision was made against further segmenting the primary audience. Criteria identified for further
segmentation were participants access to technology, participants native language and whether or not
the participants Sandwatch group was active or dormant. While these criteria will not be used to
segment the primary audience they still serve as important considerations in creating messages,
strategies, and tactics for the communication plan.

The considerations mentioned above influence the channels and mechanisms available to communicate
with the primary audience. Another factor is the limited resources of the Sandwatch Foundation to
conduct outreach and implement the communication plan. As such, the three readily available channels
to use are the Sandwatch website, email, and the newsletter. Direct mail and public service
announcements will not suffice due to limited funds and the geographic reach of the Sandwatch
program.

3. Assessment of potential partners

The entire Sandwatch community is run by volunteers. The directors of the Sandwatch Foundation give
their time to organize workshops, create the website, and put together the Sandwatcher newsletter. The
Sandwatch participants give their time to take an active role in protecting their beach environment.

The Sandwatch program has been supported by UNESCO since its inception in 2001. Funding and
support have been provided by UNESCO for a variety of activities including regional workshops and
training events; in-country activities; preparation, publication and translation of the Sandwatch Manual;
support and hosting of the Sandwatch database; and preparation of a Sandwatch training DVD. Other
organizations have also provided support including the Universidad de Puerto Rico Sea Grant College
Program (UPR-SGCP).

20
4. Establish messages

Creating a key message that is central to this plan is essential. It is important when creating this message
for the communication plan to be realistic about the resources needed to disseminate it. It is also
important to create a message in line with the actual vision statement of the Sandwatch program.

The primary message will communicate the three key benefits the database provides to both existing and
newcomer Sandwatch participants. It will also address concerns voiced by questionnaire respondents as
potential drawbacks to participation.

First, the database will help Sandwatch groups analyze their data, for example, determining whether the
measured changes are seasonal or long-term progressive changes. The opportunity to use the database to
make visual representations of the data will be helpful in demonstrating to students the importance of
monitoring, collecting and analyzing data.

Second, the database will serve as the main archival source for all participating Sandwatch groups.
Knowing the collected data is backed up is not only a benefit to participating Sandwatch groups, but also
to the Sandwatch Foundation. One of the long-standing goals of the Sandwatch Foundation is to have
the Sandwatch methodology integrated into school curricula, so hosting a database where all the data are
compiled is a valuable asset and tool.

Third, the database will allow Sandwatch groups to see what other groups in either their own country or
around the world are doing to protect their beach environment. The sharing of results, while one of the
key components of the Sandwatch Program, has only had limited implementation to date. It can be
inferred that increasing the ability to share results will have a direct impact on the ability for a
Sandwatch group to take action.

The three benefits Sandwatch participants will gain through use of the database tie back to the five
objectives of the Sandwatch Program. The benefits also specifically tie into the MAST (Monitoring,
Analyzing, Sharing information, Taking action) approach.

5. Develop strategies and tactics

The communication plan will be organized into three phases, pre-launch, launch, and post-launch. The
strategies and tactics for each phase are identified in this section.

21
Pre-launch

Strategy Raise awareness of the database among Sandwatch participants and keep Sandwatch
program participants informed and up-to-date on the progress of the database

Timeline present through 1 month before formal launch of database

Items to cover address concerns voiced about database, such as data sensitivity, copyright, ease
of use/access; promote awareness of the database; generate feelings of excitement; create How
to get started guide

Channels to use email, website, Sandwatcher newsletter and E-News Focus

Tactics:

E-News Focus
Sandwatcher Article
Email to participants of preliminary feedback questionnaire
Place a countdown device on the Sandwatch website
Email to all Sandwatch participants
Begin assembling a How to get started guide for use of the database to be posted on the
Sandwatch website

Launch

Strategy Promote launch of database and encourage Sandwatch users to log on and begin using
the database

Timeline Actual go live day and a minimum of two months after the launch date

Items to cover press release announcing launch, collection of frequently asked questions
(FAQ), user troubleshooting

Channels to use email, website, partner contacts (UNESCO, UPR-SGCP)

Tactics:

Announcement on website
Email to all Sandwatch participants
Press release
Begin assembly of Frequently asked Questions to be posted on the Sandwatch website

22
Post launch

Strategy Encourage Sandwatch participant feedback about database and maintain

communication with participants about issues that may arise

Timeline two to six months after formal launch

Items to cover address any recurring troubleshooting issues, user

feedback/questions/comments, use of database by Sandwatch groups

Channels to use website, email

Tactic:

Thank-you email for registering

6. Create evaluation tactics for plan

The objective of the communication plan is to have as many groups as possible successfully using the
database. Successful use of the database is defined by Sandwatch participants visiting the website,
registering to use the database, entering data, and uploading photos.

However, a realistic evaluation criterion has been selected, that is to have at least 10 groups using the
database within six months of its launch. It is hoped that the efforts that take place during the pre-launch
phase of the communication plan influence Sandwatch participants to take action (i.e. log-in, sign-up,
begin entering data) as soon as the database is launched.

Nevertheless, when the time comes to evaluate the success of the database communication plan it will be
important to consider that some participants may have wanted to begin using the database regardless of
any pre-launch communication activities.

23
VI. References

Cambers, G., Chapman, G., Diamond, P., Down, L., Griffith, A. D., & Wiltshire,

W. (2008). Teachers guide for education for sustainable development in the Caribbean.

UNESCO, Santiago, Chile.

Cambers, G. & Diamond, P. (2009). Sandwatch manual: Adapting to climate

changes and educating for sustainable development. UNESCO, Paris, France.

Kaufman, R. (1987). A needs assessment primer. Training and Development

Journal, 41(10), 78-83.

National Cancer Institute. (1998). Making health communication programs work.

Retrieved March 13, 2011, from htt://www.cancer.gov/pinkbook

Rouda, R. H., & Kusy, M. E., (1995). Needs assessment the first step. Retrieved

August 30, 2010 from http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~rouda/T2_NA.html

24
 Appendix A

Sandwatch Terms of Use and Privacy Statement

Sandwatch Foundation Terms of Use:

The Sandwatch Foundation is proud to provide this website, www.sandwatch.org, and the Sandwatch
database as services to its users. These Terms of Use were created to communicate certain rules and
procedures that The Sandwatch Foundation found important in use of the website and database. These
Terms of Use may be updated or changed at any time by The Sandwatch Foundation.

1. USERS

You may browse this site as a Visitor.

Or you may browse and use this site as a Sandwatch Member. In order to become a Sandwatch
Member you must agree to provide us with true, accurate information, such as name, address,
contact telephone and email. If we believe or suspect that your information is not true and
accurate we may deny or terminate your access to the site and its services.
After registration, a Sandwatch Member will be provided with a login and password to access
and use the Sandwatch database. It is the responsibility of the Sandwatch Member to maintain
the confidentiality of your login and password. As a registered Sandwatch Member you
understand that you are responsible for all activities that occur under your account.

2. OWNERSHIP

Both the Sandwatch website and database is operated by The Sandwatch Foundation.
Sandwatch Members who access the Sandwatch database and upload their data and/or photos
are the sole owners of those data and photos. Sandwatch Members understand that all materials
uploaded, posted or transmitted to the Sandwatch website and database are their responsibility.
The Sandwatch Foundation does not own data uploaded by Sandwatch Members.
Any use of third party software required in order to use the Sandwatch website and/or the
Sandwatch database is governed by such third parties licenses and not by these terms of use. An
example of third party software is the use of Adobe Acrobat to read PDF copies of the
Sandwatcher Newsletter.

3. RULES REGARDING INFORMATION AND OTHER CONTENT

When you upload information to the Sandwatch database, you understand that this information
may be disseminated, publicly displayed and used by The Sandwatch Foundation.
As a Member of Sandwatch you agree that the information you upload to the Sandwatch
website and database is accurate and true to the best of your knowledge.

25
4. MODIFICATIONS TO THE SITE OR SERVICES

The Sandwatch website and database may be modified in the future. New applications might be
added and as such we reserve the right to do so without notice to Sandwatch Members.
If for any reason the website or database needs to be taken offline, for example, for
maintenance, every effort will be made by The Sandwatch Foundation to communicate this to
Sandwatch Members via electronic communication.

5. PRIVACY

We know that your privacy is important. For this reason we have created a privacy statement that
addresses how The Sandwatch Foundation collects and uses your information. This statement
can be found here (provide link to statement).
The Sandwatch Foundation makes every attempt to keep this site, database and your personal
information safe from Internet security threats such as viruses. However, such attempts do not
guarantee that this site and database are invulnerable to threats.

6. COPYRIGHT VIOLATIONS

We respect the intellectual property of others, and we ask that you do the same, whether you are
a Visitor to the site or a Member of Sandwatch.
Approval for the use of any content, such as data or photos, posted to the website or database
must be obtained from the appropriate owner of that material. Depending on the content the
owner might be The Sandwatch Foundation or a Member of Sandwatch.

7. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES

The Sandwatch site and database are provided as a service to you, either a Visitor or Sandwatch
Member, on an as-is basis.
The Sandwatch Foundation does not guarantee the quality or accuracy of the data, or that use
of this site or database will meet your requirements or that your use will be uninterrupted by
errors or any kind.

8. FEEDBACK/CONTACT US

The Sandwatch Foundation is always receptive to suggestions or feedback from users of the
website and database. If you make suggestions for improvement of the website and database,
then you agree that no compensation will be provided for those suggestions.
Communications should be sent to the directors of The Sandwatch Foundation, Gillian Cambers
g_cambers@hotmail.com, and Paul Diamond pdiamond@surfbvi.com.

26
 Privacy Statement for Sandwatch website and database

The following discloses the information gathering and dissemination practices for the Sandwatch
website and mailing list. Except as set forth within this privacy statement, we do not release personally
identifiable information about our members or visitors to our web site without their permission. Please
note that The Sandwatch Foundation reviews its privacy statement from time to time and that such
statement, therefore, is subject to change. We ask that you bookmark and periodically review this page
to ensure continuing familiarity with the most current version of our privacy statement.

Information Gathered and Use of Such Information:

In certain areas of our website -- for example when registering to gain access and use the Sandwatch
database-- we request that you provide us with personally identifiable information (including name,
address, contact telephone and email). At this time, we only use your email address to provide you with
periodic mailings from the Sandwatch Foundation and we do not sell, rent or trade your email address to
any third party. The inclusion of your email address on our email list, however, is voluntary, and a
member can request removal from the email list at any time by following the procedures set forth below.

Other Websites:
Our website contains links to other websites. These links are provided solely as a service to Sandwatch
members. The Sandwatch Foundation is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such
websites, including such sites use of any information (such as IP number, browser type or operating
system) collected when visitors to our web site click through links to such other sites. Even though such
information may not identify you personally, we strongly encourage you to become familiar with the
privacy practices of such other websites.

Reservation of Rights:
We cooperate with law enforcement agencies, as permitted by law, in identifying those who may be
using our servers or services for illegal activities. We also reserve the right to report any suspected
illegal activity to law enforcement individuals or entities.

Choice/Opt-Out:
If you wish to be removed from our mailing list, please contact Gillian Cambers,
g_cambers@hotmail.com, with the subject Opt-Out in the email header. We will gladly remove you
and your information from the mailing list

Contacting The Sandwatch Foundation:

Please direct questions regarding this privacy statement, the practices of our website or your dealings
with the email list to Gillian Cambers g_cambers@hotmail.com and Paul Diamond
pdiamond@surfbvi.com.

27