Promoting Babysitter's Training to Your Community

Babysitter's Training is a 6-1/4 hour course (can be expanded to about 10 hours) that gives youth the skills and confidence they need to be great babysitters. Organized in 35- to 50-minute segments, the course provides participants with a range of injury prevention, first aid and basic care skills and helps develop professionalism and skills in decision making and leadership.

The target market for American Red Cross Babysitter's Training is youth ages 11-15, who are in middle school, junior high school or early high school. They may babysit for pay, babysit for siblings, relatives and neighbors as a household responsibility, or volunteer in places such as nurseries, daycare centers and hospitals. Your facility can promote Babysitter's Training by building student enthusiasm and involving course takers in promoting the course to other youth. Word-of-mouth is critical to gaining new students.

Youth participate in Babysitter's Training for the following reasons:

• Skills - learn basic care skills to care for siblings or others
• Convenience - easy access and fit to schedule, at a fair price
• Income - earn money - as this is one of few sources of income available to youth under age 15
• Peace of mind - through building confidence, competence, trustworthiness and reliability when caring for young children
• Prevention - prevent injuries to themselves and children in their care

Marketing Strategies

• Work with your local Red Cross chapter to place articles in publications such as youth organization newsletters, community association newsletters and parenting magazines.
• Ask instructors to encourage babysitters to report when they use their skills to save a life. Follow up with public recognition, pursuing Certificate of Merit awards when appropriate. For information on the Certificate of Merit, see http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/newspro/heroarchive.html.
• Target neighborhood and tenant associations, pediatric or family practice offices, PTAs/PTOs.
• Ask a local video or music store or a movie theater to donate free or discount coupons or passes as an incentive to participants completing the course.
• Work with local malls to have a presentation and skills demonstration at a central location on a Saturday or school holiday/planning day. Involve participants who have successfully completed the course. Promote the event at the food court or arcade. Also, have merchants such as toy stores or clothing stores targeting that age group produce and use bag stuffers. If possible, offer the course at the mall in a vacant storefront.
• Offer the course to religious groups. Many have a family night or a youth night. Youth trained could serve as babysitters during church services or during family night.
• Work with local Scout troops to establish how Babysitter's Training relates to badge and patch requirements, then incorporate the course into their training system.

Promotional Materials

Promotional materials for Babysitter's Training are available at no cost from your local Red Cross chapter.

Babysitter's Training Brochure (Stock No. 655626 (folded) and 655628 (flat), available packs of 25)
Distribute this brochure at schools, PTAs/PTOs, and youth organizations such as YMCAs and the Boy and Girl Scouts. White space is allotted on the brochure to include your organization's local contact information.

Babysitter's Training Poster (Stock No. 655627 - available in packs of 25)
This 11"x17" poster has white space at the bottom to write in contact information or details of a scheduled class. Side one of this two-sided poster targets the potential babysitters. Side two is a message to parents seeking babysitters. It can be used to:

• Post at your facility to promote an upcoming class.
• Post on school/community bulletin boards to promote a class
• Post in doctors' offices (especially pediatricians and OB/GYNs)
• Hand out at health fairs, PTA/PTO meetings, etc.

Proud Provider Plaque

Let your customers know that they are receiving the very best in health and safety training. This 8" x 10" wooden plaque can be prominently displayed to promote that your organization is a proud provider of American Red Cross health and safety programs. The plaque is available for order from your chapter, Stock No. 657110, for $13.55.

Course Description

The following course description can be used in your course catalog:

American Red Cross Babysitter's Training
American Red Cross Babysitter's Training gives 11-15 year olds the skills and confidence they need to become great babysitters. This 6¼ hour class covers training in care giving, decision making, safety and first aid skills, and preventing and responding to emergencies. Course participants receive The Babysitter's Training Handbook, which provides course review and 30 easy-to-follow first aid action plans for handling emergencies.