Notice: The First Impressions materials were edited and reformatted in 2007. A "new and improved" version of the print materials are now available for download (Just click on the link to the left titled, "Revised User Guides (2007)" and complete the registration form. There is a site coordinators guide, a team member guide booklet, and report template. These materials are available for download free of charge. If you would prefer to receive print copies, you can order a set of the print materials including (1) site coordinators guide and (6) Exchange Team Member's Guide Booklets for $100 (includes shipping and handling). To order these materials, please contact:
Andrea Rush
610 Langdon Street
Room 336
Madison, WI 53703
Phone: (608) 265-8136
FAX: (608) 263-4999
TTY: 1-800-947-3529
Email:
andrea.rush@uwex.edu
This
community improvement program, which emerged in 1991, represents a compilation of ideas, experiences and thoughts of
two people who focused on improving the communities of Grant
County Wisconsin.
Since that time, it has been used by hundreds of communities
as a tool for assessing the perceptions of visitors.
Volunteers
from two somewhat similar communities (size, location, county
seat, etc.) agree to do unannounced exchange visits and then
report on their findings. Participants became "secret
shoppers" for the day to discover what they can about their
sister city. They follow procedures and reporting guidelines
in a fully developed manual, which is copied for each
participant. The manual helps insure that the evaluations and
reports are thorough and somewhat uniform and minimize the
training of volunteers.
The user guides
were updated in 2007 and are available on this web site.
The final
reports serve as a basis for community action and provide a "snap-shot" of the community at a specific point in time.
These recorded assessments can be an outstanding way to
measure progress within a community.
For
options including assistance from the Center for Community
Economic Development, please review the revised
Site Coordinator's Guide .
For more information, contact Professor Andy Lewis
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