Tools and guides

Written materials are the staple ingredient of most PLE projects, ranging from the simplest flier to the more detailed self help materials. PLE materials don't have to be in written form; increasingly PLE projects are using audio and video as a means to get their message across.

Good PLE puts a lot of effort into understanding its audience. Successful initiatives have a clearly defined audience and have specific goals in mind. The focus of work will generally be a particular life issue such as divorce or eviction and with a clear intention to achieve a change of behaviour or to get the readers to do something - often to get appropriate help in dealing with a problem.

Good materials explore issues in a user centred way, understanding the person in their situation and thinking through the barriers that they might face and offering ways to overcome them. For example, someone might be worried or anxious about their situation due to stigma or embarrassment. They might be confused about who to talk to and what their rights are. They may also need to understand the range of options available to them and the practical things they need to consider to make sure they can achieve the best outcomes.

PLE resources need to be attractive and engaging, particularly where they have to reach out to individuals and communities to raise awareness and prompt action. The best materials will use a range of techniques to achieve this borrowing from journalism to grab attention and hold it, and from education to use repetition and reinforcement to ensure that key points are understood.

January 2009