My classmates and I are at the end of our academic year, and are soon to begin the final field placements of our public relations course. It's an exciting time, but the mood is bittersweet. We'll be going our separate ways, and although we will remain in touch via email and Facebook, and even in person for some of us, we'll miss our daily discussions about the news of the day and working together on projects.
We excelled at teamwork, led ably by our instructor, and did professional-quality work for our real-world clients. We worked hard, we challenged ourselves, we pitched in to do what needed to be done, all the while keeping a sense of humour. I would work with any of these people again in a heartbeat.
On a personal level, this was a year of reinventing myself after years in the newspaper industry, and I am excited to put my new skills to the test in the workforce.
Liz
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Almost at the end of another year
I am feeling a little nostalgic today. As an instructor of the CompuCollege/Eastern College's advanced diploma PR program, I am feeling the tug of the end of our school year (Aug. 7) with a mixture of sadness as well as delight.
Sadness that we are coming to the end of something; delight with the accomplishments of this year's class.
Today and Friday, the students are giving their persuasive and informational speeches/presentations as part of their presentations course. On Monday, we begin our last course -- proposal development -- and it's a tough one.
At 8 a.m., I will give the class an actual RFP and they will have two weeks (We are in class mornings only to allow them to have jobs in the afternoon.) to create their team roles, research, prepare their response, create a communication/marketing plan and present to me and an external PR practitioner who will come in to help evaluate.
It is, of course, this final element that causes the anxiety.
All year long, they have faced my critiques of their work. This time, they will be judged by someone unknown -- and isn't that just the way real life works?
It is the feature of this program I like the most: the blend of academic and hands-on experience that provides so many great opportunities to put learning into practice.
To my students: good luck with your final project. I am absolutely confident in you, your skills and your ability to work together.
Colleen
Sadness that we are coming to the end of something; delight with the accomplishments of this year's class.
Today and Friday, the students are giving their persuasive and informational speeches/presentations as part of their presentations course. On Monday, we begin our last course -- proposal development -- and it's a tough one.
At 8 a.m., I will give the class an actual RFP and they will have two weeks (We are in class mornings only to allow them to have jobs in the afternoon.) to create their team roles, research, prepare their response, create a communication/marketing plan and present to me and an external PR practitioner who will come in to help evaluate.
It is, of course, this final element that causes the anxiety.
All year long, they have faced my critiques of their work. This time, they will be judged by someone unknown -- and isn't that just the way real life works?
It is the feature of this program I like the most: the blend of academic and hands-on experience that provides so many great opportunities to put learning into practice.
To my students: good luck with your final project. I am absolutely confident in you, your skills and your ability to work together.
Colleen
Friday, July 3, 2009
Plans, plans, plans
I don't know what it has taken me so long to figure this out, but I have finally come to accept that much of the business of public relations is about plans. Business plans. Communication plans. Communication audits. Marketing plans. Request for Proposal plans. Evaluation plans. Operational plans. Strategic plans. I know I'm leaving some out.
I am used to writing - I love most writing - but I didn't love this kind of writing, at least not right away. I am hoping that the adage is true that practice makes perfect. If so, by the time the term ends after the first week in August, I should be perfect. If only that were so.
I can pound out a news release or write a blog entry in no time flat. But I didn't always have those skills. PR plans are like that: the more of them you do, the better you get at them.
That gives me hope for when I am knee deep in plans that I am being paid to write.
Liz
I am used to writing - I love most writing - but I didn't love this kind of writing, at least not right away. I am hoping that the adage is true that practice makes perfect. If so, by the time the term ends after the first week in August, I should be perfect. If only that were so.
I can pound out a news release or write a blog entry in no time flat. But I didn't always have those skills. PR plans are like that: the more of them you do, the better you get at them.
That gives me hope for when I am knee deep in plans that I am being paid to write.
Liz
Monday, June 29, 2009
Business Plans And Blogging
Today we had a meeting chaired by Janet where she discussed the advantages of blogging and the common mistakes made when blogging on behalf of a company. She elaborated on the fact that your blog should represent your company honestly and realistically. Many times blogs get too personal, employees may get too relaxed with their readers and express too much personal information about themselves or the company. When blogging on an more personal and indivual level, its important to 'sell yourself'. There were many points made about blogging and how to do it right, such as:
Posting regularly
Proper writing
Not to give up
Now onto business plans. Its finally begining to take shape. It took me a while to wrap my head around my 'fake' business but I am learning a lot about the actual steps in consultancy. This morning we breifly discussed the financial element of the business plan.
Tiffani
Posting regularly
Proper writing
Not to give up
Now onto business plans. Its finally begining to take shape. It took me a while to wrap my head around my 'fake' business but I am learning a lot about the actual steps in consultancy. This morning we breifly discussed the financial element of the business plan.
Tiffani
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Back to the Books
After all the events we have worked on, reading a book seems so barbaric now. I feel like I have really gotten into the hands-on aspect of the course and I am finding it hard to grasp the work part of it again. Right now we are working on marketing communication and business plans. What I find so interesting about marketing communication is the fact that communication in all areas is pathetic for the most part. I first noticed this when we were learning about communication from managers to PR people, was not strong. When it comes to marketing communication the communication is just as bad. I can't quite get my mind around the fact that people dont understand that communication within an organziation is directly linked to the success of a company.
We are doing a bit of imaginary work with our business plans. We are creating business plans as if we are entrepeneurs branching out into the PR consultaing world. This exercise is fun and challenging.
Tiffani
We are doing a bit of imaginary work with our business plans. We are creating business plans as if we are entrepeneurs branching out into the PR consultaing world. This exercise is fun and challenging.
Tiffani
Monday, June 22, 2009
Gearing up again
After the highs of our work on the Kermesse and Speak Out events, not to mention our premature graduation ceremony, I have found it hard to build up my momentum in class.
Luckily, all that is changing now as we head into the final weeks of the classroom portion of our program. We have a lot to cover, but I'm confident we are all up to the challenge (gulp!):
Luckily, all that is changing now as we head into the final weeks of the classroom portion of our program. We have a lot to cover, but I'm confident we are all up to the challenge (gulp!):
- Each of us will be hosting a seminar with a visiting speaker (for at least one of the presentations, we will get to visit the speaker at her workplace)
- We will each be creating a business plan, and then a marketing communication plan for that business (I am creating a plan for my own PR business)
- Team meetings (with each of getting a chance to chair and be secretary)
- Presentation skills, which will include three assignments
- Proposal development, a team activity that seems a little daunting
- Last, but not least: CP Style quizzes
Monday, June 15, 2009
Teddy Bears' Picnic
As part of our curriculum we have to volunteer at a not-for-profit organization once a week. I volunteer at the Canadian Liver Foundation. The Atlantic region of the organization is run almost entirely by volunteers, with the one paid employee being Shayla Steeves, the regional director. It is a big region and there is a lot of educating and fundraising to do.
I have really enjoyed my time at CLF and working with Shayla. Shayla is a very sweet woman with a real passion for livers. One would have to love the job to take on such a daunting task. That being said, she was really appreciative when I expressed interest in doing my volunteer placement with the CLF.
I have worked on several projects with the Canadian Liver Foundation over the past few months, the largest one being the Teddy Bears’ Picnic in memory of Olivia Weir.
Olivia Weir was born April 18, 2001. At six weeks old she was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a disease affecting the bile ducts in infants. The cause is unknown. It is neither hereditary nor contagious and cannot be attributed to any aspect of prenatal care. During her 22-months of life she underwent many operations, including a liver transplant from her mother Melanie. Olivia passed away on March 14, 2003.
For the past several years Olivia’s family have been holding a memorial walk in her memory. This year, in coordination with the Canadian Liver Foundation, they decided to try something different. Yesterday, Sunday, June 14 the first Teddy Bears’ Picnic in memory of Olivia Weir was held.
In February, the first meeting of the TBP committee took place at the Killiam Library on the Dalhousie University Campus. The committee was made up of Melanie, Olivia’s mother; Susan, the Chair and a board member of the CLF; Dae, a graphic designer; Sherri, a reporter with the Chronicle Herald and the mother of a child with biliary atresia; Shayla and me. My role was to do the public relations and promotional materials for the event.
The committee met once every two weeks at the beginning. We had to come up with ideas for a location, activities, create a sponsorship package and secure sponsors, design work, etc. It was a slow process at first because we all have prior commitments like work and school. We tried not to expect too much, because this was the first year it was being held. We decided an attendance of 50 people raising $1000 would make the event a success.
I was windy and cold when I arrived at 11:30 yesterday morning to set up. The picnic would begin at 1:30, so I hoped that Mother Nature would pull through for us. My responsibility for the day was to organize the Teddy Bear Hospital. This was where children could bring their bears (or elephants or monkeys) to cure their ailments.
People began to arrive at approximately 1:15. Before I knew it there was a line up of patients! We fixed broken limbs, tummy aches, sore throats and more. There was a bad case of Teddy Bear Bronchitis going around! Acting as a doctor, I was reminded how imaginative small children can be. We had two emergencies, where teddy bears were sent to the ICU and we had to break out the thread. With the help of our volunteer teddy bear surgeon, they were patched up in no time.
Because I was so busy with my station, it was a while before I was able to take in the event. At one point we had approximately 100 people in attendance. Around 2:30 a cameraman showed up from CTV and interviewed David, Olivia’s father. Snap Halifax took pictures of the event to be published. I saw a few other photographers, but was unable to talk to them to see where they were from.
At 4 p.m., as the day drew to a close, Shayla announced the grand total of our fundraising efforts. Since this was not the primary goal of the Teddy Bears’ Picnic, the $4300 seemed to be a grand accomplishment.
The weeks of work put into this really paid off. The children had a great time, money was raised, awareness of liver disease was spread and, most importantly, it was all done in memory of Olivia.
Abbie
I have really enjoyed my time at CLF and working with Shayla. Shayla is a very sweet woman with a real passion for livers. One would have to love the job to take on such a daunting task. That being said, she was really appreciative when I expressed interest in doing my volunteer placement with the CLF.
I have worked on several projects with the Canadian Liver Foundation over the past few months, the largest one being the Teddy Bears’ Picnic in memory of Olivia Weir.
Olivia Weir was born April 18, 2001. At six weeks old she was diagnosed with biliary atresia, a disease affecting the bile ducts in infants. The cause is unknown. It is neither hereditary nor contagious and cannot be attributed to any aspect of prenatal care. During her 22-months of life she underwent many operations, including a liver transplant from her mother Melanie. Olivia passed away on March 14, 2003.
For the past several years Olivia’s family have been holding a memorial walk in her memory. This year, in coordination with the Canadian Liver Foundation, they decided to try something different. Yesterday, Sunday, June 14 the first Teddy Bears’ Picnic in memory of Olivia Weir was held.
In February, the first meeting of the TBP committee took place at the Killiam Library on the Dalhousie University Campus. The committee was made up of Melanie, Olivia’s mother; Susan, the Chair and a board member of the CLF; Dae, a graphic designer; Sherri, a reporter with the Chronicle Herald and the mother of a child with biliary atresia; Shayla and me. My role was to do the public relations and promotional materials for the event.
The committee met once every two weeks at the beginning. We had to come up with ideas for a location, activities, create a sponsorship package and secure sponsors, design work, etc. It was a slow process at first because we all have prior commitments like work and school. We tried not to expect too much, because this was the first year it was being held. We decided an attendance of 50 people raising $1000 would make the event a success.
I was windy and cold when I arrived at 11:30 yesterday morning to set up. The picnic would begin at 1:30, so I hoped that Mother Nature would pull through for us. My responsibility for the day was to organize the Teddy Bear Hospital. This was where children could bring their bears (or elephants or monkeys) to cure their ailments.
People began to arrive at approximately 1:15. Before I knew it there was a line up of patients! We fixed broken limbs, tummy aches, sore throats and more. There was a bad case of Teddy Bear Bronchitis going around! Acting as a doctor, I was reminded how imaginative small children can be. We had two emergencies, where teddy bears were sent to the ICU and we had to break out the thread. With the help of our volunteer teddy bear surgeon, they were patched up in no time.
Because I was so busy with my station, it was a while before I was able to take in the event. At one point we had approximately 100 people in attendance. Around 2:30 a cameraman showed up from CTV and interviewed David, Olivia’s father. Snap Halifax took pictures of the event to be published. I saw a few other photographers, but was unable to talk to them to see where they were from.
At 4 p.m., as the day drew to a close, Shayla announced the grand total of our fundraising efforts. Since this was not the primary goal of the Teddy Bears’ Picnic, the $4300 seemed to be a grand accomplishment.
The weeks of work put into this really paid off. The children had a great time, money was raised, awareness of liver disease was spread and, most importantly, it was all done in memory of Olivia.
Abbie
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Now What?
Maybe it’s just me, but it feels a little anti-climatic in class these days. We just wrapped up another event on Thursday night, and had a graduation ceremony on Friday night, but now we’re back hitting the books.
Our event: Speak Out! A Discussion on Violence Against Indigenous Women was a huge success. We had a really good turnout. Two TV stations covered it, we had a newspaper story, PSAs ran, and there were some officials in attendance. In the audience was a Mi’kmaq chief from Acadia First Nation, a Mi’kmaq elder, a women’s group, a city councillor, Amnesty International members and other interested parties, many of whom were women from the Míkmaq community. It was a fascinating discussion, as well as inspirational, and personally I was able to understand much more about the issue. Our panel shared very personal stories and offered a way forward. We listened to three very brave women, and I was proud to play a part in the night. We had excellent feedback and thanks from the Amnesty International client.
For the next few weeks I suspect we’ll catch up on lectures and work on several classes as usual. However, today we had a debriefing meeting with the co-chair for Kermesse, our client Sue Bain. Always appreciative, she again thanked us for our work. We went over what worked and what needed attention for next year’s fun fair. Many ideas were bandied around but the bottom line is that they need more volunteers to make the Kermesse bigger and better next year. Our class may provide a bit more guidance, but it will be next year’s class that will take on the 100th anniversary.
After a few days I’ll be back to taking notes and reading textbooks, but for a while there our class was more like a small PR firm. Small but mighty.
Janet Patten
Our event: Speak Out! A Discussion on Violence Against Indigenous Women was a huge success. We had a really good turnout. Two TV stations covered it, we had a newspaper story, PSAs ran, and there were some officials in attendance. In the audience was a Mi’kmaq chief from Acadia First Nation, a Mi’kmaq elder, a women’s group, a city councillor, Amnesty International members and other interested parties, many of whom were women from the Míkmaq community. It was a fascinating discussion, as well as inspirational, and personally I was able to understand much more about the issue. Our panel shared very personal stories and offered a way forward. We listened to three very brave women, and I was proud to play a part in the night. We had excellent feedback and thanks from the Amnesty International client.
For the next few weeks I suspect we’ll catch up on lectures and work on several classes as usual. However, today we had a debriefing meeting with the co-chair for Kermesse, our client Sue Bain. Always appreciative, she again thanked us for our work. We went over what worked and what needed attention for next year’s fun fair. Many ideas were bandied around but the bottom line is that they need more volunteers to make the Kermesse bigger and better next year. Our class may provide a bit more guidance, but it will be next year’s class that will take on the 100th anniversary.
After a few days I’ll be back to taking notes and reading textbooks, but for a while there our class was more like a small PR firm. Small but mighty.
Janet Patten
Monday, June 8, 2009
Back to reality
Last Friday night, CompuCollege/The Eastern College held its graduation ceremony and the four members of our class were among the hundreds of students who walked across the stage at the World Trade and Convention Centre to accept our "diplomas." Actually, our real diplomas will come later because we haven't finished our course, and won't be done everything until the middle of October.
It felt a little strange to be celebrating, but that's how it has to be done at CompuCollege. At the school, students are starting and ending programs all the time, so the organizers have to pick a date to hold graduation.
I was surprised and proud to have been chosen to receive the PR award, although that, too, felt odd since I'm not done the course, I won't be taking it as a cue to slack off, however. I intend to work harder than ever to deserve the honour.
So, if Friday night was fantasy time, Monday morning it was back to reality. Luckily, our instructor, Colleen, took us out to breakfast to ease back into the real world. Thanks, Colleen!
We chatted over the meal about our plans for the rest of the term. We will be creating business plans, either for ourselves or a small business. My project will be me, or more accurately, I will be making plans for a PR business. Parts of the project will be used for two of our coming courses, marketing communication and entrepreneurship. It's comforting to know that if I don't get a job after graduation, I can use my plan to go into business for myself.
After our short field trip to Cora's, we marched across the street and up the stairs to our classroom, where we reviewed our media relations textbook. Since so much of our work this term has been based on projects, it was a shock to have a more conventional lecture. It feels more like a class again, and less like a small PR firm. It is nice to have a chance to take some time to evaluate the two back-to-back projects we wrapped up last week.
Liz
It felt a little strange to be celebrating, but that's how it has to be done at CompuCollege. At the school, students are starting and ending programs all the time, so the organizers have to pick a date to hold graduation.
I was surprised and proud to have been chosen to receive the PR award, although that, too, felt odd since I'm not done the course, I won't be taking it as a cue to slack off, however. I intend to work harder than ever to deserve the honour.
So, if Friday night was fantasy time, Monday morning it was back to reality. Luckily, our instructor, Colleen, took us out to breakfast to ease back into the real world. Thanks, Colleen!
We chatted over the meal about our plans for the rest of the term. We will be creating business plans, either for ourselves or a small business. My project will be me, or more accurately, I will be making plans for a PR business. Parts of the project will be used for two of our coming courses, marketing communication and entrepreneurship. It's comforting to know that if I don't get a job after graduation, I can use my plan to go into business for myself.
After our short field trip to Cora's, we marched across the street and up the stairs to our classroom, where we reviewed our media relations textbook. Since so much of our work this term has been based on projects, it was a shock to have a more conventional lecture. It feels more like a class again, and less like a small PR firm. It is nice to have a chance to take some time to evaluate the two back-to-back projects we wrapped up last week.
Liz
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Media Coverage!
Speak Out! is happening tonight, and already we have had a bit of media coverage by Metro. Journalist Jon Trattie interviewed Monica and Jennifer by phone and wrote a nice article about the issue of violence against Indigenous women. The article mentions Speak Out!, so lets hope all of the Metro readers feel like being activists today and attend the event. If you haven't yet read the article, you can click on the blog title and it will link you to the article. We actually had the pleasure of meeting Monica on Tuesday. It was nice to finally put a face to the person we have been creating this Speak Out! around. We also met Craig from Amnesty, the man who had asked us to do something for Monica. He was very thankful to us for putting together this event.
Today is full of the last minute details. The news release was sent out first thing this morning. We went over the layout of the room, as we only have a short amount of time to set up and tear down. We checked and rechecked our checklists to make sure all materials were printed and anything we need is in boxes ready to go. We have to confirm a crisis worker, as the topic of the event can be emotional for some. Later this morning we will be conducting media calls. The media calls are to make sure that the media outlets received the media advisory and to ask if they would like more information.
The agenda for tonight is as follows:
6:30- Introduction
6:35- Comments from Catherine, Monica and Jennifer
7:00- Catherine interviews guest speakers, Monica and Jennifer
7:35- Question and Answer session. Catherine, Monica and Jennifer will take questions from the audience. Hand in cards or ask questions from the floor.
8:00- Closing comments
At present, we do not have any more big events lined up but I am sure it won’t be long until we are at it again. In the meantime, tomorrow we have graduation! Technically, our class does not graduate because our program does not finish until October, it is just the ceremony, but it will be wonderful to get the recognition.
Hope to see you all at Speak Out!
Abbie
Today is full of the last minute details. The news release was sent out first thing this morning. We went over the layout of the room, as we only have a short amount of time to set up and tear down. We checked and rechecked our checklists to make sure all materials were printed and anything we need is in boxes ready to go. We have to confirm a crisis worker, as the topic of the event can be emotional for some. Later this morning we will be conducting media calls. The media calls are to make sure that the media outlets received the media advisory and to ask if they would like more information.
The agenda for tonight is as follows:
6:30- Introduction
6:35- Comments from Catherine, Monica and Jennifer
7:00- Catherine interviews guest speakers, Monica and Jennifer
7:35- Question and Answer session. Catherine, Monica and Jennifer will take questions from the audience. Hand in cards or ask questions from the floor.
8:00- Closing comments
At present, we do not have any more big events lined up but I am sure it won’t be long until we are at it again. In the meantime, tomorrow we have graduation! Technically, our class does not graduate because our program does not finish until October, it is just the ceremony, but it will be wonderful to get the recognition.
Hope to see you all at Speak Out!
Abbie
Until the Violence Stops
June 3, 2009
The more and more I am working on this event I can feel myself getting more and more entrenched in the women’s’ movement. I attended the Until the Violence Stops film last night and I found myself experiencing different emotions throughout the whole film, sadness, anger, anguish and most important, empowerment. Last night, we had a lovely, warm conversation with our guest speaker, Monica Alemán who will also be joining us in our event, Speak Out! on Thursday night. From the conversation we had with Monica at the event, what stood out to me the most was the fact that we have to “take ownership of the problem”. She elaborated on how we can’t dismiss a problem because it is not in our house, or affecting us personally, we must not ignore these issues. We have to realize that we as women are all connected and no matter where we are, we must support our women, no matter the race, country or religion. Monica was warm, comedic and powerful all at the same time.
After Monica spoke they played a film on the Vagina monologues, it explained how they came about and what they were about. To be honest I had always heard the name, but assumed something that was called the Vagina Monologues had to be a comedic skit, sad that even a female would say that, huh? I didn’t really realize that this was an actual movement in order for women to take charge of their sexuality, their bodies and their minds. Eve Ensler is the founder of V-day, the Until the Violence Stops movement. Eve Ensler is a powerful woman who is passionate about the issue of violence against women. Her writings are filled with the stories of triumphant warriors who are survivors, not victims. The film showed women all over the world and the violent experiences they have witnessed and the way these women expressed themselves were mainly through the arts; crafts, poetry, music, song and dance. The amount of abuse these women had endured made me cringe. The three stories that stood out the most to me were; the ‘comfort women’ in the Philippines, the Lakota women and the girls of Kenya.
During World War II, many women were kidnapped and imprisoned on the orders of the Japanese government and forced into sexual slavery as so-called ‘comfort women’. They were taken as young as eight to have sex with these soldiers on a daily basis. After these women had been sexually, mentally and psychically tortured, they then had to learn to grow up and have a regular life, have children, get married and such. But after going through such traumatic experiences, these women had suffered in silence until recently some women began to speak out. In many cases they were ignored by their community, their family and the Japanese government. One woman stated that her children disowned her for speaking out on these issues, for sharing her story, they were ashamed. I think just giving these women the opportunity to take part in this event gave them a sense of empowerment, to share their story with someone who actually wanted to listen. It was hilarious when Eve asked if any of these women had experienced an orgasm before, now, these were all elderly women, but with great delight some replied “Yes!”
The second story that had a huge impact on me was the story of the Lakota women in the United States. These people lived on reserves in which poverty was rampant. It really made me sad to think that these people were a rich nation, the founders of this country but yet they were forced into poverty. A Lakota woman said, “Sometimes I feel like we are forgotten”. When peoples’ culture is destroyed, their values and morals sometimes die with it. The family structure suffers and bad habits trickle down through generations. One Lakota man states his anger of the consequences of the structural breakdown, “This is not our culture, we are taught to love and cherish our Lakota women. They stole our land, our people, and it is weakening our spirit.” It is crucial for not only the community, but the world to realize that these are not only the founders of this land, but these women are the backbone of the country. One of my favorite poems from their piece was ‘Crooked braid’, were one of the Lakota women performed a poem about domestic violence within the community.
The third story that affected me was when they went to Kenya. There was a lady named Agnes who would walk from village to village, informing people on the brutality of female circumcision. She walked around with a display of vaginas to show people the actual process that girls have to go through to be circumcised. There were three different ways in which the girls were circumcised, depending on the tribe but all were just as gruesome. Having a graphic image of what the girls had to suffer through really shocked me. Girls normally took part in this ritual at this age of 12, which was a sign of womanhood. Many young girls die from this practice, and if their lives are not taken then, many in childbirth. Girls who refuse to take part in this ritual are shunned from their family and the village.
It was so interesting and it has definitely motivated me to try to hardest to act on these issues. It has encourages me to learn to appreciate myself and begin to see myself as a creator of life. To realize just how powerful and magnificent I am as a women. I know I cannot offer much in financial support, but I can strive the best way possible to show support through their site. It was a life changing experience.
Now back to work, today I finished up the fact sheets, we now have three; a generic fact sheet on the event, key findings fact sheet about violence on women and a Sisters in Spirit fact sheet. Tomorrow is the event and I am excited and strangely nervous all at the same time.
Tiffani
The more and more I am working on this event I can feel myself getting more and more entrenched in the women’s’ movement. I attended the Until the Violence Stops film last night and I found myself experiencing different emotions throughout the whole film, sadness, anger, anguish and most important, empowerment. Last night, we had a lovely, warm conversation with our guest speaker, Monica Alemán who will also be joining us in our event, Speak Out! on Thursday night. From the conversation we had with Monica at the event, what stood out to me the most was the fact that we have to “take ownership of the problem”. She elaborated on how we can’t dismiss a problem because it is not in our house, or affecting us personally, we must not ignore these issues. We have to realize that we as women are all connected and no matter where we are, we must support our women, no matter the race, country or religion. Monica was warm, comedic and powerful all at the same time.
After Monica spoke they played a film on the Vagina monologues, it explained how they came about and what they were about. To be honest I had always heard the name, but assumed something that was called the Vagina Monologues had to be a comedic skit, sad that even a female would say that, huh? I didn’t really realize that this was an actual movement in order for women to take charge of their sexuality, their bodies and their minds. Eve Ensler is the founder of V-day, the Until the Violence Stops movement. Eve Ensler is a powerful woman who is passionate about the issue of violence against women. Her writings are filled with the stories of triumphant warriors who are survivors, not victims. The film showed women all over the world and the violent experiences they have witnessed and the way these women expressed themselves were mainly through the arts; crafts, poetry, music, song and dance. The amount of abuse these women had endured made me cringe. The three stories that stood out the most to me were; the ‘comfort women’ in the Philippines, the Lakota women and the girls of Kenya.
During World War II, many women were kidnapped and imprisoned on the orders of the Japanese government and forced into sexual slavery as so-called ‘comfort women’. They were taken as young as eight to have sex with these soldiers on a daily basis. After these women had been sexually, mentally and psychically tortured, they then had to learn to grow up and have a regular life, have children, get married and such. But after going through such traumatic experiences, these women had suffered in silence until recently some women began to speak out. In many cases they were ignored by their community, their family and the Japanese government. One woman stated that her children disowned her for speaking out on these issues, for sharing her story, they were ashamed. I think just giving these women the opportunity to take part in this event gave them a sense of empowerment, to share their story with someone who actually wanted to listen. It was hilarious when Eve asked if any of these women had experienced an orgasm before, now, these were all elderly women, but with great delight some replied “Yes!”
The second story that had a huge impact on me was the story of the Lakota women in the United States. These people lived on reserves in which poverty was rampant. It really made me sad to think that these people were a rich nation, the founders of this country but yet they were forced into poverty. A Lakota woman said, “Sometimes I feel like we are forgotten”. When peoples’ culture is destroyed, their values and morals sometimes die with it. The family structure suffers and bad habits trickle down through generations. One Lakota man states his anger of the consequences of the structural breakdown, “This is not our culture, we are taught to love and cherish our Lakota women. They stole our land, our people, and it is weakening our spirit.” It is crucial for not only the community, but the world to realize that these are not only the founders of this land, but these women are the backbone of the country. One of my favorite poems from their piece was ‘Crooked braid’, were one of the Lakota women performed a poem about domestic violence within the community.
The third story that affected me was when they went to Kenya. There was a lady named Agnes who would walk from village to village, informing people on the brutality of female circumcision. She walked around with a display of vaginas to show people the actual process that girls have to go through to be circumcised. There were three different ways in which the girls were circumcised, depending on the tribe but all were just as gruesome. Having a graphic image of what the girls had to suffer through really shocked me. Girls normally took part in this ritual at this age of 12, which was a sign of womanhood. Many young girls die from this practice, and if their lives are not taken then, many in childbirth. Girls who refuse to take part in this ritual are shunned from their family and the village.
It was so interesting and it has definitely motivated me to try to hardest to act on these issues. It has encourages me to learn to appreciate myself and begin to see myself as a creator of life. To realize just how powerful and magnificent I am as a women. I know I cannot offer much in financial support, but I can strive the best way possible to show support through their site. It was a life changing experience.
Now back to work, today I finished up the fact sheets, we now have three; a generic fact sheet on the event, key findings fact sheet about violence on women and a Sisters in Spirit fact sheet. Tomorrow is the event and I am excited and strangely nervous all at the same time.
Tiffani
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Uncharted Territory
Working with the media is new, uncharted territory for me. I came into the PR program with a design and marketing background. I wasn’t involved with submitting story pitches, sending out media advisories or calling journalists. I had put together a couple of press releases in the past when required, but didn’t really understand how to use them effectively. My PR program at CompuCollege is great because we have not only learned how to do these tasks properly, but also have real events that need to have publicity generated.
I’m beginning to realize that writing the various media relations pieces are only half the battle. A PR person also has to be silver tongued and able to articulate key messages on the phone, in person and on camera. Tenacity is needed, as well as the ability to problem solve. I did manage to line up coverage through the local cable station with a simple phone call, so that has given me confidence. The show will air after the event but generate awareness in the community when it airs. I am also the liaison with the producer for this program, getting information for her and providing details about the venue, event and the speakers.
Recently I’ve been trying to contact a journalist directly to see if there is any interest in writing a feature story about Speak Out!, the discussion panel members or about the issues of violence against Aboriginal women. I researched a publication and identified the best person to approach. Making contact has been an exercise in persistence, and this will be a test of my powers of persuasion if I ever get through to the journalist.
Also, our whole class shot a PSA the other day which has already aired on CBC. As a result of that coverage, we have had inquiries from another media outlet that are very interested in working on this story. We hadn’t considered contacting this network because it appeared not to be based in this region. With publicity, serendipitous things seem to happen sometimes. In the communication plan the key media outlets that should be contacted are identified and then an opportunity surfaces that wasn’t planned.
As for the journalist, I did reach the person today and there may be some interest. I just have to send some background information about the event, our speakers, the issue of violence against indigenous women and the Amnesty International campaigns such as Stolen Sisters.
Janet Patten
I’m beginning to realize that writing the various media relations pieces are only half the battle. A PR person also has to be silver tongued and able to articulate key messages on the phone, in person and on camera. Tenacity is needed, as well as the ability to problem solve. I did manage to line up coverage through the local cable station with a simple phone call, so that has given me confidence. The show will air after the event but generate awareness in the community when it airs. I am also the liaison with the producer for this program, getting information for her and providing details about the venue, event and the speakers.
Recently I’ve been trying to contact a journalist directly to see if there is any interest in writing a feature story about Speak Out!, the discussion panel members or about the issues of violence against Aboriginal women. I researched a publication and identified the best person to approach. Making contact has been an exercise in persistence, and this will be a test of my powers of persuasion if I ever get through to the journalist.
Also, our whole class shot a PSA the other day which has already aired on CBC. As a result of that coverage, we have had inquiries from another media outlet that are very interested in working on this story. We hadn’t considered contacting this network because it appeared not to be based in this region. With publicity, serendipitous things seem to happen sometimes. In the communication plan the key media outlets that should be contacted are identified and then an opportunity surfaces that wasn’t planned.
As for the journalist, I did reach the person today and there may be some interest. I just have to send some background information about the event, our speakers, the issue of violence against indigenous women and the Amnesty International campaigns such as Stolen Sisters.
Janet Patten
Monday, June 1, 2009
Speak Out! just a few days away
After a weekend away from class, we're back at work planning for Thursday evening's Speak Out! event. Our timeline was short, but I must admit it was exhilarating to work under pressure.
Last week, I worked on short biographies for our three guest speakers, which were sent out to the speakers for approval. A grammatical error was found, which is a heartbreak to me, a former newspaper copy editor. I made that fix, and a few other tweaks, and sent the bio sheet around to my classmates and our instructor for one last look.
I will also be following up our Speak Out! emailed invitations with some personal calls to a number of people who might be especially interested in the event. I hope we get a good turnout because I'm sure everyone who attends will be impressed with the breadth of knowledge of our speakers.
I've really enjoyed working on both our Amnesty International events, the Write for Rights campaign in December and this week's Speak Out!
It's been fulfilling helping to assemble an awesome team of speakers: Monica Alemán who will give the international perspective, Jennifer Lord (the national) and Catherine Martin (the local). It will be interesting to see the similarities in their messages, and also to get their advice on how to take action on the issue of violence against Indigenous women.
Liz
Last week, I worked on short biographies for our three guest speakers, which were sent out to the speakers for approval. A grammatical error was found, which is a heartbreak to me, a former newspaper copy editor. I made that fix, and a few other tweaks, and sent the bio sheet around to my classmates and our instructor for one last look.
I will also be following up our Speak Out! emailed invitations with some personal calls to a number of people who might be especially interested in the event. I hope we get a good turnout because I'm sure everyone who attends will be impressed with the breadth of knowledge of our speakers.
I've really enjoyed working on both our Amnesty International events, the Write for Rights campaign in December and this week's Speak Out!
It's been fulfilling helping to assemble an awesome team of speakers: Monica Alemán who will give the international perspective, Jennifer Lord (the national) and Catherine Martin (the local). It will be interesting to see the similarities in their messages, and also to get their advice on how to take action on the issue of violence against Indigenous women.
Liz
Friday, May 29, 2009
Speak Out! is right around the corner!
May 28, 2009
So where should I begin? Oh yes, Kermesse. Attended Kermesse on Saturday and it was wonderful, a beautiful spring day. There were plenty of fun activities for the children, games and snacks etc. it was really exciting to attend an event and see our posters up, our maps that we provided text for, our survey cards. As I walked around Kermesse, I gained a sense of self-worth in knowing that I helped make this happen. Overall it was a great experience and it really taught me how to deal with clients and sponsors.
Now on to Speak Out! I took a stab at writing the story pitch for the event and struggled a lot. Primarily I conducted some research on the Amnesty International website and looked into the case of Tanya Jean Brooks (an Aboriginal woman who was found murdered in Halifax on May 11th). With the information that I found I started off by writing two different pitches, trying to decide which angle will work best. What I found most difficult about my task was the subject, the fact that aboriginal issues are issues that are new to me, and I felt as if I didn’t understand it enough in order to educate other people about it. No matter how much research I did I was unable to wrap my head around the nugget, what was going make people care about the issue and take action. My instructor helped me to structure my pitch and came up with some angles that might help attract people to the story.
After we worked on the pitch for a while we shared it with our classmates and stumbled upon another dilemma. We grappled with the idea that including Tanya Jean Brooks in the story pitch might be an insensitive thing to do, even though our intentions were to bring attention to the issue of violence against indigenous women. We decided not to use her name out of respect for the Aboriginal community and Tanya’s family. As we all sat around the table discussing the pitch and what angle would be best, we continued to hit barriers. The final outcome was to scrap the story pitch and contact the media personally to see if they would be interested in writing a story pitch for the event. This decision was made in order for us to learn from journalist the correct ways in which to tackle a story like this. Contacting the media for the pitch will also help us improve our media relations skills. We will be providing the journalist with facts sheets on the event and biographies on our speakers.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to do a radio PSA which will hopefully be played on the CBC radio station, the TalkBack segment. It was a bit nerve-wrecking at first, as I am unable to hear the PSA before it goes out, I believe I did well. I am extremely excited to hear it though. At the moment I am finishing up the fact sheets so that they can be sent to potential story pitch journalists.
In a way I am a bit more enthusiastic about this event since we were crammed for time and we were all worried if we would be able to pull it off in time. We are now less than a week away from the event and we are well on our way to completion. Everyone has contributed their skills, ideas and expertise to help make this event work, and I am grateful for this.
Tiffani
So where should I begin? Oh yes, Kermesse. Attended Kermesse on Saturday and it was wonderful, a beautiful spring day. There were plenty of fun activities for the children, games and snacks etc. it was really exciting to attend an event and see our posters up, our maps that we provided text for, our survey cards. As I walked around Kermesse, I gained a sense of self-worth in knowing that I helped make this happen. Overall it was a great experience and it really taught me how to deal with clients and sponsors.
Now on to Speak Out! I took a stab at writing the story pitch for the event and struggled a lot. Primarily I conducted some research on the Amnesty International website and looked into the case of Tanya Jean Brooks (an Aboriginal woman who was found murdered in Halifax on May 11th). With the information that I found I started off by writing two different pitches, trying to decide which angle will work best. What I found most difficult about my task was the subject, the fact that aboriginal issues are issues that are new to me, and I felt as if I didn’t understand it enough in order to educate other people about it. No matter how much research I did I was unable to wrap my head around the nugget, what was going make people care about the issue and take action. My instructor helped me to structure my pitch and came up with some angles that might help attract people to the story.
After we worked on the pitch for a while we shared it with our classmates and stumbled upon another dilemma. We grappled with the idea that including Tanya Jean Brooks in the story pitch might be an insensitive thing to do, even though our intentions were to bring attention to the issue of violence against indigenous women. We decided not to use her name out of respect for the Aboriginal community and Tanya’s family. As we all sat around the table discussing the pitch and what angle would be best, we continued to hit barriers. The final outcome was to scrap the story pitch and contact the media personally to see if they would be interested in writing a story pitch for the event. This decision was made in order for us to learn from journalist the correct ways in which to tackle a story like this. Contacting the media for the pitch will also help us improve our media relations skills. We will be providing the journalist with facts sheets on the event and biographies on our speakers.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to do a radio PSA which will hopefully be played on the CBC radio station, the TalkBack segment. It was a bit nerve-wrecking at first, as I am unable to hear the PSA before it goes out, I believe I did well. I am extremely excited to hear it though. At the moment I am finishing up the fact sheets so that they can be sent to potential story pitch journalists.
In a way I am a bit more enthusiastic about this event since we were crammed for time and we were all worried if we would be able to pull it off in time. We are now less than a week away from the event and we are well on our way to completion. Everyone has contributed their skills, ideas and expertise to help make this event work, and I am grateful for this.
Tiffani
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
All last week the weather station had been calling for rain on Saturday. The weather is one of the few things a PR professional can definitely not control. We can confirm a location, a time and speakers. We can write the news releases and PSA’s and make sure they are sent out. We can create and put up posters. You can’t confirm sunshine. By a stroke of luck, Saturday was beautiful. We could have done everything PR related in the world (and it felt like we did) but if it had of been pouring rain Kermesse would not have been the success that it was.
Dragging a friend along, I arrived at Kermesse just before noon. Anticipating cold weather, I wore a sweater over my t-shirt but halfway to the IWK I had the sweater off and my jeans rolled up to my knees. We walked in through the play area, where lineups of kids were waiting to soak firemen in the Dunk Tank, squealing with delight when one of their five or ten pitches would connect with the target.
My first reaction, of course, was to check out all of the signage. The maps and thank you posters were up. I found a spelling mistake and felt a bit down, but then it took only about 30 seconds for me to get distracted by the candy table. It was only after I purchased a bag of creamy chocolate fudge did I realize I was here as an attendee, not as a coordinator or worker. I could relax and enjoy Kermesse.
We walked around for about an hour, watching the kids play games, checking out the crafts and enjoying Doc’s Dogs. I bought my friend his very first Sno Cone (he is 25...). Kids and adults all over the IWK grounds were enjoying themselves. Before I left for the day I saw a young boy watching as other kids played a game, so I gave him the rest of my tickets. He was so excited he ran to his mother and showed her what I had given him. I thought to myself, if one little boy is excited to have tickets to play a game I can only imagine how the kids that are going to benefit from the funds raised by Kermesse are going to feel.
In other news, Speak Out! is coming together well. It is to be held a week from tomorrow. I have been working on media materials for this, including a PSA, which is complete and sent out, a media advisory and a news release. We have a lot of work and phone calls to make over the next few days, but I am really looking forward to the event!
Dragging a friend along, I arrived at Kermesse just before noon. Anticipating cold weather, I wore a sweater over my t-shirt but halfway to the IWK I had the sweater off and my jeans rolled up to my knees. We walked in through the play area, where lineups of kids were waiting to soak firemen in the Dunk Tank, squealing with delight when one of their five or ten pitches would connect with the target.
My first reaction, of course, was to check out all of the signage. The maps and thank you posters were up. I found a spelling mistake and felt a bit down, but then it took only about 30 seconds for me to get distracted by the candy table. It was only after I purchased a bag of creamy chocolate fudge did I realize I was here as an attendee, not as a coordinator or worker. I could relax and enjoy Kermesse.
We walked around for about an hour, watching the kids play games, checking out the crafts and enjoying Doc’s Dogs. I bought my friend his very first Sno Cone (he is 25...). Kids and adults all over the IWK grounds were enjoying themselves. Before I left for the day I saw a young boy watching as other kids played a game, so I gave him the rest of my tickets. He was so excited he ran to his mother and showed her what I had given him. I thought to myself, if one little boy is excited to have tickets to play a game I can only imagine how the kids that are going to benefit from the funds raised by Kermesse are going to feel.
In other news, Speak Out! is coming together well. It is to be held a week from tomorrow. I have been working on media materials for this, including a PSA, which is complete and sent out, a media advisory and a news release. We have a lot of work and phone calls to make over the next few days, but I am really looking forward to the event!
Monday, May 25, 2009
The Sun and Lots of People Came Out for Kermesse!
Whew! What a relief. All of our hard work and preparation paid off and the event was also blessed with good weather and lots of people in attendance. The final numbers aren’t in yet but from what I saw the event was a success. Our class will evaluate the results of our efforts when we have some more information.
I arrived through the front garden of the IWK site. Several children were getting on board an HRM fire truck in the driveway and were very excited. Doc’s Dogs, a hot dog stand run by some of the doctors, was busy even at 10:30 am. A concert band was set up outside the main entrance – a nice addition to the atmosphere.
Inside the atrium area several volunteers from the Auxiliary and the community were selling crafts and baked goods. The tantalizing sweets, loaves and specialty items, such as samosas and baklava, were snapped up quickly.
The children’s area was teaming with happy faces and lots of activity. A small petting zoo, games, bouncy tent, face painting, snacks and other activities brought the fun fair to life.
Across the street at Gorse Brook School, the flea marketers were eagerly foraging for a good deal. The volunteer vendors were busy wrapping up purchases and giving their best sales pitch. I bought a couple of large prints that were kept in the “vault” for me (against the back wall) until I pulled the car around.
I was so glad to see some of the signage, maps and other projects created by our class and the graphic design class at CompuCollege being utilized. It’s nice to finally see the end result after several weeks of meetings, planning and execution.
Many patients at the hospital came down to partake in the events. I could tell that the chance to get out in the sunshine and have some fun meant a lot to these children. The funds raised this year will help to make additional improvements in the children’s experience at the hospital and afterward.
The final evaluation will let us know how effective our PR efforts were for this year’s Kermesse. This was a great event to be involved with and I know I have learned a lot.
Janet Patten
I arrived through the front garden of the IWK site. Several children were getting on board an HRM fire truck in the driveway and were very excited. Doc’s Dogs, a hot dog stand run by some of the doctors, was busy even at 10:30 am. A concert band was set up outside the main entrance – a nice addition to the atmosphere.
Inside the atrium area several volunteers from the Auxiliary and the community were selling crafts and baked goods. The tantalizing sweets, loaves and specialty items, such as samosas and baklava, were snapped up quickly.
The children’s area was teaming with happy faces and lots of activity. A small petting zoo, games, bouncy tent, face painting, snacks and other activities brought the fun fair to life.
Across the street at Gorse Brook School, the flea marketers were eagerly foraging for a good deal. The volunteer vendors were busy wrapping up purchases and giving their best sales pitch. I bought a couple of large prints that were kept in the “vault” for me (against the back wall) until I pulled the car around.
I was so glad to see some of the signage, maps and other projects created by our class and the graphic design class at CompuCollege being utilized. It’s nice to finally see the end result after several weeks of meetings, planning and execution.
Many patients at the hospital came down to partake in the events. I could tell that the chance to get out in the sunshine and have some fun meant a lot to these children. The funds raised this year will help to make additional improvements in the children’s experience at the hospital and afterward.
The final evaluation will let us know how effective our PR efforts were for this year’s Kermesse. This was a great event to be involved with and I know I have learned a lot.
Janet Patten
Friday, May 22, 2009
Kermesse is Tomorrow!!
May 22, 2009
I arrive in the classroom this morning and meet my fellow classmate Liz; who had been reading through the Metro and was not amused with her findings. On page 24 on the top left corner there lay an advertisement for the ‘Kermesse Flee Market’ (note the word flee, opposed to flea), riddled with grammatical errors and incorrect information. We are not sure of the source, but we were not impressed either. Shortly after Liz diverts our attention to the Chronicle Herald on the bottom left corner of page E4, where a beautiful, informative ad lay, advertising the ‘Kermesse Flea Market’, yup, it was ours. We couldn’t help but compare. As we looked at the two ads in the two papers it made us all realize the importance of proof-reading and approving information. Although intentions were good, it displayed how miscommunication can affect the final message that is communicated to an audience.
So just in case any of you have run into the wrong ad we will remind you of the events and their correct times:
Art Gallery
May 21: 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
May 22: 1:00 pm – 7:00 pm
May 23: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Parker Reception Room, IWK Health Centre, Main floor near the Women’s site entrance
Flea Market
May 23: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Gorsebrook Junior High School, 5966 South Street
Fun Fair and Food Court
May 23: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
IWK Health Centre
Remember, the Auxiliary raises money to help the IWK provide better quality of care to its patients; we encourage you to be a part of this cause. So come on out, have fun, grab a bite to eat, pick up some art, as you will also be supporting IWK patients at the same time.
See you all tomorrow!!
From the whole class of the Public Relations advanced diploma course we would like to thank you in advance for your support.
Check out our CBC public service announcement below.
Tiffani
I arrive in the classroom this morning and meet my fellow classmate Liz; who had been reading through the Metro and was not amused with her findings. On page 24 on the top left corner there lay an advertisement for the ‘Kermesse Flee Market’ (note the word flee, opposed to flea), riddled with grammatical errors and incorrect information. We are not sure of the source, but we were not impressed either. Shortly after Liz diverts our attention to the Chronicle Herald on the bottom left corner of page E4, where a beautiful, informative ad lay, advertising the ‘Kermesse Flea Market’, yup, it was ours. We couldn’t help but compare. As we looked at the two ads in the two papers it made us all realize the importance of proof-reading and approving information. Although intentions were good, it displayed how miscommunication can affect the final message that is communicated to an audience.
So just in case any of you have run into the wrong ad we will remind you of the events and their correct times:
Art Gallery
May 21: 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
May 22: 1:00 pm – 7:00 pm
May 23: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Parker Reception Room, IWK Health Centre, Main floor near the Women’s site entrance
Flea Market
May 23: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Gorsebrook Junior High School, 5966 South Street
Fun Fair and Food Court
May 23: 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
IWK Health Centre
Remember, the Auxiliary raises money to help the IWK provide better quality of care to its patients; we encourage you to be a part of this cause. So come on out, have fun, grab a bite to eat, pick up some art, as you will also be supporting IWK patients at the same time.
See you all tomorrow!!
From the whole class of the Public Relations advanced diploma course we would like to thank you in advance for your support.
Check out our CBC public service announcement below.
Tiffani
Thursday, May 21, 2009
It’s hard to believe that our work with Kermesse is winding down. It’s been such a learning experience about the challenges of working with a client (in this case the IWK Auxiliary) as well as being a client (for the graphic design class).
Sue Bain, co-chairwoman of the fun fair fundraiser, has a lot of balls in the air, but she always found time for us. She is so appreciative of our work. I hope all my future clients are like that.
On a personal note, I got to do lots of writing, which is a love of mine. And it’s been great reading everyone else’s work, especially on the blog.
I ended up doing two versions of the Kermesse news release. I completed the first version before I had a chance to hear from families of the children who are helped by Kermesse funds. Once I got those quotes, the final version of the news release came together easily. It was inspiring to write about children being able to go on a family bike ride for the first time, thanks to specialized equipment on loan from the IWK.
Kermesse has been around forever — well, 99 years. It was gratifying during this project to be able to put a spotlight on the activities of the IWK Auxiliary past, present and future.
At 3:01 p.m. on Saturday, the leftover flea-market items will be packed away, the IWK Health Centre site will be cleaned up and all the gallery artwork off to their new homes, but our class will not be finished with Kermesse. Evaluation is an important, but too often neglected, part of any communication plan. I will also be working on a checklist for the auxiliary to use next year, its 100th anniversary.
I am still plugging away at setting up meetings for our next project, the visit to Halifax of Nicaraguan human-rights leader Monica Aleman.
More on that in my next post.
See you at Kermesse: Saturday, May 23, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the IWK Health Centre and nearby Gorsebrook Junior High School.
Liz
Sue Bain, co-chairwoman of the fun fair fundraiser, has a lot of balls in the air, but she always found time for us. She is so appreciative of our work. I hope all my future clients are like that.
On a personal note, I got to do lots of writing, which is a love of mine. And it’s been great reading everyone else’s work, especially on the blog.
I ended up doing two versions of the Kermesse news release. I completed the first version before I had a chance to hear from families of the children who are helped by Kermesse funds. Once I got those quotes, the final version of the news release came together easily. It was inspiring to write about children being able to go on a family bike ride for the first time, thanks to specialized equipment on loan from the IWK.
Kermesse has been around forever — well, 99 years. It was gratifying during this project to be able to put a spotlight on the activities of the IWK Auxiliary past, present and future.
At 3:01 p.m. on Saturday, the leftover flea-market items will be packed away, the IWK Health Centre site will be cleaned up and all the gallery artwork off to their new homes, but our class will not be finished with Kermesse. Evaluation is an important, but too often neglected, part of any communication plan. I will also be working on a checklist for the auxiliary to use next year, its 100th anniversary.
I am still plugging away at setting up meetings for our next project, the visit to Halifax of Nicaraguan human-rights leader Monica Aleman.
More on that in my next post.
See you at Kermesse: Saturday, May 23, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the IWK Health Centre and nearby Gorsebrook Junior High School.
Liz
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
One Job Almost Over, Another Just Beginning
Kermesse is feels like it is almost over, yet it really hasn’t even began. Almost a month ago we began our work on this event. The Art Gallery begins tomorrow night and then the Fun Fair takes place on Saturday. Other than evaluating the event and making recommendations, our role has come to an end.
Just as Kermesse is dying down, we are caught up once again in a new event. Monica Aleman, a young woman from Nicaragua, will be arriving in Halifax in a couple of weeks to speak at the Amnesty International Annual General Meeting. Our class is organizing a public forum called Speak Out, which Monica will participate in, for the week before the AGM. While a location and all of the speakers have not yet been confirmed, it seems as though it will be an interesting event. It happens to fall during the Until the Violence Stops Festival. This is a festival that celebrates V-Day – a global movement to stop violence against women and girls.
We haven’t received our timeline yet for Speak Out, but things are moving along quickly. We have several possibilities for a location and have confirmed an emcee. It is a bit more difficult that Kermesse because our class is in charge of everything and it is a very short time frame.
I have been in correspondence with Kim from UTVS trying to organize a speaking engagement for Monica at a film screening and today I wrote the PSA’s, but am unable to send them out as all the details are not finessed. I am also working on a letter to send to female politicians, past and present, in the area that may be interested in the event.
Abbie
Just as Kermesse is dying down, we are caught up once again in a new event. Monica Aleman, a young woman from Nicaragua, will be arriving in Halifax in a couple of weeks to speak at the Amnesty International Annual General Meeting. Our class is organizing a public forum called Speak Out, which Monica will participate in, for the week before the AGM. While a location and all of the speakers have not yet been confirmed, it seems as though it will be an interesting event. It happens to fall during the Until the Violence Stops Festival. This is a festival that celebrates V-Day – a global movement to stop violence against women and girls.
We haven’t received our timeline yet for Speak Out, but things are moving along quickly. We have several possibilities for a location and have confirmed an emcee. It is a bit more difficult that Kermesse because our class is in charge of everything and it is a very short time frame.
I have been in correspondence with Kim from UTVS trying to organize a speaking engagement for Monica at a film screening and today I wrote the PSA’s, but am unable to send them out as all the details are not finessed. I am also working on a letter to send to female politicians, past and present, in the area that may be interested in the event.
Abbie
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Countdown to Kermesse
Just imagine that you are eight years old again. Only this time around you are disabled. You struggle with getting your wheelchair across the boardwalk, up a sandy path or over the rocks and wet seaweed to the shore. You cannot enjoy simple summer fun, like a day at the beach with your family, like other children.
Do you know why the Auxiliary of the IWK Health Centre is so special? One reason is because they have been able to help disabled children discover that life CAN be a beach. How you ask? They’ve done it by allocating $50,000 this year to the IWK Pediatric Provincial Rehabilitation Program. This program purchases adapted recreation equipment that children with disabilities and their families can borrow. With summer activities just around the corner, some children will definitely be able to participate this year.
This initiative alone will improve the quality of life for some children. Others have been aided by the purchase of a DynaVox device for enhanced communication and backpacks adapted for infants that need ambulatory feeding pumps.
For more about the Auxiliary and the other programs and projects that are supported, please go to:
http://www.iwk.nshealth.ca and click on Auxiliary of the IWK.
The IWK Kermesse Fun Fair on May 23 is the main fundraising activity of the Auxiliary. Show your support by attending this event and having some summer fun of your own.
Our class is now shifting to focusing on work for a new event with Amnesty International. I’ve been researching venues and have settled on the Halifax North Branch Library. We had to make a quick decision as the event is looming and the long weekend has cut into our timeframe.
Janet
Do you know why the Auxiliary of the IWK Health Centre is so special? One reason is because they have been able to help disabled children discover that life CAN be a beach. How you ask? They’ve done it by allocating $50,000 this year to the IWK Pediatric Provincial Rehabilitation Program. This program purchases adapted recreation equipment that children with disabilities and their families can borrow. With summer activities just around the corner, some children will definitely be able to participate this year.
This initiative alone will improve the quality of life for some children. Others have been aided by the purchase of a DynaVox device for enhanced communication and backpacks adapted for infants that need ambulatory feeding pumps.
For more about the Auxiliary and the other programs and projects that are supported, please go to:
http://www.iwk.nshealth.ca and click on Auxiliary of the IWK.
The IWK Kermesse Fun Fair on May 23 is the main fundraising activity of the Auxiliary. Show your support by attending this event and having some summer fun of your own.
Our class is now shifting to focusing on work for a new event with Amnesty International. I’ve been researching venues and have settled on the Halifax North Branch Library. We had to make a quick decision as the event is looming and the long weekend has cut into our timeframe.
Janet
Friday, May 15, 2009
Things are moving into high gear in class. The Kermesse work is starting to wind down and the class has taken on the task of planning an Amnesty International event for a visiting human-rights leader, Monica Aleman.
We are all looking forward to meeting Monica, who hails from Nicaragua and is a world leader in standing up for human rights for indigenous women.
Here’s short bio from the website http://www.everyhumanhasrights.org/ :
“As co-ordinator of the International Indigenous Women’s Forum and Program Director of MADRE, an international women's human rights organization, Monica Aleman dedicates herself to advance the rights of women worldwide and to promote Indigenous Peoples’ collective human rights, including the rights of Indigenous women.
“As an Indigenous woman from Nicaragua, Monica decided as a young activist that a key component of social justice was to work on building leadership and enhance spaces for intergenerational dialogue and human rights learning. Key issues that are addressed in her work included: violence against women; violence in the name of tradition; struggle for self determination and collective rights and building an indigenous women's movement. Having coming of age during the war in Nicaragua, Monica resolved to devote herself to creating peace, security, and human rights for all peoples throughout the world.”
Working with Amnesty International is not new for our class. Last December, we organized a Write for Rights campaign at the Halifax and Dartmouth campuses of CompuCollege, which saw hundreds of letters and postcards written to governments around the world, focusing on specific human-rights cases.
For this new event, I am getting together a distribution list of interested parties and media. I will be pulling in lists from other events we have worked on, plus adding new contacts. There are a lot of organizations in the area whose members would be interested in hearing Monica speak.
I am also co-ordinating a number of meetings — hopefully six or seven— so Monica can meet with members of interested groups. She is coming a long way, so we hope to make her visit worth her time and commitment.
On the Kermesse front, I finished the first and second drafts of a news release. I also created two media advisories, one for the fun fair itself and one specifically for the art gallery and sale. They are such two different events that I feel it is easy for the gallery event to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the other Kermesse activities. It was a challenge creating an effective communication plan that included such disparate events, but I think we succeeded in not having the gallery lost in the shuffle.
Liz
We are all looking forward to meeting Monica, who hails from Nicaragua and is a world leader in standing up for human rights for indigenous women.
Here’s short bio from the website http://www.everyhumanhasrights.org/ :
“As co-ordinator of the International Indigenous Women’s Forum and Program Director of MADRE, an international women's human rights organization, Monica Aleman dedicates herself to advance the rights of women worldwide and to promote Indigenous Peoples’ collective human rights, including the rights of Indigenous women.
“As an Indigenous woman from Nicaragua, Monica decided as a young activist that a key component of social justice was to work on building leadership and enhance spaces for intergenerational dialogue and human rights learning. Key issues that are addressed in her work included: violence against women; violence in the name of tradition; struggle for self determination and collective rights and building an indigenous women's movement. Having coming of age during the war in Nicaragua, Monica resolved to devote herself to creating peace, security, and human rights for all peoples throughout the world.”
Working with Amnesty International is not new for our class. Last December, we organized a Write for Rights campaign at the Halifax and Dartmouth campuses of CompuCollege, which saw hundreds of letters and postcards written to governments around the world, focusing on specific human-rights cases.
For this new event, I am getting together a distribution list of interested parties and media. I will be pulling in lists from other events we have worked on, plus adding new contacts. There are a lot of organizations in the area whose members would be interested in hearing Monica speak.
I am also co-ordinating a number of meetings — hopefully six or seven— so Monica can meet with members of interested groups. She is coming a long way, so we hope to make her visit worth her time and commitment.
On the Kermesse front, I finished the first and second drafts of a news release. I also created two media advisories, one for the fun fair itself and one specifically for the art gallery and sale. They are such two different events that I feel it is easy for the gallery event to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the other Kermesse activities. It was a challenge creating an effective communication plan that included such disparate events, but I think we succeeded in not having the gallery lost in the shuffle.
Liz
Thursday, May 14, 2009
9 days until Kermesse
Yesterday I completed the volunteer and sponsor thank you letters, and it really made me realize just how important they both are. At the heart of the Auxiliary is a group of dedicated volunteers who give their energy and expertise in a wide variety of roles: volunteering in patient care areas, serving on committees, working on Auxiliary projects and committees, or driving fundraising activities. Since 1946, the IWK Auxiliary has given over $6.2 million to the IWK Health Centre. Members of the Auxiliary consist of people who care about the IWK Health Centre. The Auxiliary raises money to help the IWK provide better quality of care to its patients and provide items that are not funded by the government or other fundraising activities. The successes of the IWK Auxiliary highlight just how much volunteering your time can have a positive affect on someone’s life.
Sponsors have also joined the IWK Auxiliary in promoting the 2009 Kermesse by donating their services to the cause. The Halifax Herald has donated advertising space for the event. Premier Van Line has donated their vans for transporting the donated goods to be sold at the flea market. CompuCollege has donated the students from the PR and graphic design class, who have taken part in much of the media and design process. Clearwater has also been a long-standing sponsor for the IWK Auxiliary.
Again we thank the volunteers and sponsors for helping the IWK provide better quality of care to its patients.
Tiffani
Sponsors have also joined the IWK Auxiliary in promoting the 2009 Kermesse by donating their services to the cause. The Halifax Herald has donated advertising space for the event. Premier Van Line has donated their vans for transporting the donated goods to be sold at the flea market. CompuCollege has donated the students from the PR and graphic design class, who have taken part in much of the media and design process. Clearwater has also been a long-standing sponsor for the IWK Auxiliary.
Again we thank the volunteers and sponsors for helping the IWK provide better quality of care to its patients.
Tiffani
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
The Design Game
Sometimes when going to school you can’t always grasp how what you are doing will fit into ‘real life’. One of the best parts about the public relations course at CompuCollege is that the work that we do is actually for a real situation. We have deadlines that we need to meet and clients that we need to please.
Our class has been working with the graphic design students to complete the promotional materials for the Kermesse Fun Fair. It makes it interesting because it is a real life situation. The challenges that we are encountering are the same challenges we will encounter with graphic designers once we have graduated and are out in the work force.
When our class received the first drafts of the promotional materials we went through each design and made a list of the pros and cons of each. While we liked the clarity of one design, we liked the font of another and the artwork of yet another one. It wasn’t that we wanted to tear them apart, although I am sure that is what the designers felt, but we really needed to come up with a concept that was consistent throughout all of the promotional materials and would appeal to our client. Our class tried to catch all of the errors before we sent the drafts off to the IWK Auxiliary, but even we missed things. All of the edits meant that occasionally the layout had to be changed. It is hard because what looks the best is not always the best for our client.
Today we sent off what we are hoping to be the final edits. We will still have to proof read each item, but there is no longer time to make changes to the design and layout. The final concept is a clear, bright design that shows that Kermesse is going to be a fun-filled day for people of all ages. The posters, banner, ballots, ads and flyers all have the same feel and when you look at them you wonder how someone could pass up the chance to attend Kermesse.
Abbie
Monday, May 11, 2009
A Real World Situation
Having worked within the consulting engineering realm for about 17 years, it’s been a breath of fresh air to work with a fundraising organization such as the IWK Auxiliary. For the past several years I was a creative type trying to function in a logical world and often felt as if I had landed on another planet. On the positive side, I learned to think analytically and creatively at once, and to juggle many projects and requests. Now, I am back in class as a mature student, I'm eager to work in other situations and on projects that are miles removed from the consulting universe.
Our work with the Kermesse has been challenging but rewarding. All of us in the class have had a chance to meet with our client, contribute to the communication planning process, apply key messages and public relations tactics to the publicity needs of the Auxiliary for the Kermesse. We are also working with another class who are producing the graphic design elements. This experience is teaching us as much about collaboration, with all the various stakeholders, as the technical side of writing a PSA or backgrounder.
Our work with the Kermesse has been challenging but rewarding. All of us in the class have had a chance to meet with our client, contribute to the communication planning process, apply key messages and public relations tactics to the publicity needs of the Auxiliary for the Kermesse. We are also working with another class who are producing the graphic design elements. This experience is teaching us as much about collaboration, with all the various stakeholders, as the technical side of writing a PSA or backgrounder.
Every day I look forward to coming to class and our Kermesse project meeting first thing in the morning. We go over the schedule and the deliverables, and discuss any issues or problems. We identify what information is missing and other ways to get the word out.
Lately this has been more of a real-world situation than strictly class work. We are each tasked with various pieces and have to work together to achieve consistency and one voice. Personally, I’ve worked on text for a newspaper display ad, developed story pitches, created a Twitter account and figured out how to use it, worked on the blog and pulled together text for our online advertising. All of these aspects have to work together in a seamless way.
The benefit of helping an organization such as the IWK Auxiliary is in knowing that your efforts are greatly appreciated and that the money raised will have lasting benefit. Already I’ve seen the children enjoying the playgarden at the IWK, another child trying out an adapted bike in the hallway, and have walked past the Family Resource Library. The work of the IWK Auxiliary surrounds every visitor that enters the hospital.
Janet
Friday, May 8, 2009
My name is Liz Joyce and I am on a new career journey after spending more than 20 years in the news business, primarily as an editor. After the closing of The Daily News in February 2008, I took the opportunity to plan my future and eventually decided to return to school.
I chose the Public Relations Advanced Diploma program at CompuCollege/The Eastern College in downtown Halifax. I have degrees in English and journalism, but it was an adjustment to return to school after so many years. It was the right decision for me, and my marks are even better than the first time around.
The beginning of the program focused on computer classes, and I’d have to say that learning and using PowerPoint was the most fun.
There are four students in the class, plus our instructor, and although we all come from varied backgrounds and span the generations, the five of us get along very well.
Last term, we learned a lot of theory, but this term, so far, everything has been hands-on. It’s been challenging and interesting working on communications for the annual Kermesse fun fair held by the IWK Auxiliary.
As my classmates and teacher know, I can get emotional, especially about anything to do with children. That is why the Kermesse project is so close to my heart. The auxiliary raises money for items that make a difference to patients, both in and out of hospital. For example, special wheelchairs are available for families to borrow so children can enjoy a holiday at the beach. And every child in hospital gets a gift on his or her birthday.
I also have a personal connection to the IWK Health Centre. My nephew, Luke Dunsworth, was cared for at the IWK in October 2000. Unfortunately, he passed away. His mother helped raise money toward a helideck project at the hospital and it was named Luke’s Landing in his honour. You can see his photo and a writeup about him and Luke’s Landing at the women’s site by the helideck elevator. If you visit the hospital, I urge you to check it out.
Also, my son has several medical issues and we visit the hospital often. He always says hello to the fish on our way to an appointment, and if the weather is good, we often visit the Playgarden, which was an auxiliary project. I also have great memories of the care I received when my son was born.
I will be attending Kermesse with him — and have a feeling we’ll be spending lots of time around the bouncy castles.
Liz
I chose the Public Relations Advanced Diploma program at CompuCollege/The Eastern College in downtown Halifax. I have degrees in English and journalism, but it was an adjustment to return to school after so many years. It was the right decision for me, and my marks are even better than the first time around.
The beginning of the program focused on computer classes, and I’d have to say that learning and using PowerPoint was the most fun.
There are four students in the class, plus our instructor, and although we all come from varied backgrounds and span the generations, the five of us get along very well.
Last term, we learned a lot of theory, but this term, so far, everything has been hands-on. It’s been challenging and interesting working on communications for the annual Kermesse fun fair held by the IWK Auxiliary.
As my classmates and teacher know, I can get emotional, especially about anything to do with children. That is why the Kermesse project is so close to my heart. The auxiliary raises money for items that make a difference to patients, both in and out of hospital. For example, special wheelchairs are available for families to borrow so children can enjoy a holiday at the beach. And every child in hospital gets a gift on his or her birthday.
I also have a personal connection to the IWK Health Centre. My nephew, Luke Dunsworth, was cared for at the IWK in October 2000. Unfortunately, he passed away. His mother helped raise money toward a helideck project at the hospital and it was named Luke’s Landing in his honour. You can see his photo and a writeup about him and Luke’s Landing at the women’s site by the helideck elevator. If you visit the hospital, I urge you to check it out.
Also, my son has several medical issues and we visit the hospital often. He always says hello to the fish on our way to an appointment, and if the weather is good, we often visit the Playgarden, which was an auxiliary project. I also have great memories of the care I received when my son was born.
I will be attending Kermesse with him — and have a feeling we’ll be spending lots of time around the bouncy castles.
Liz
Thursday, May 7, 2009
16 days until Kermesse
Yesterday I had the pleasure of seeing my hard work take shape and bloom like a beautiful flower. The instructor of the CompuCollege multimedia: graphic design & development class sculpted my text for Kermesse’ art gallery invitation into a graphic design masterpiece. We have also been working with the students of the graphic design class to design many of our other promotional items, such as: posters, flyers, tent cards and advertisements. So far this has been my first opportunity to see my work take shape. By seeing the end product, it definitely made me appreciate the importance of content.
My tasks so far have been to create text for the art gallery invitation, create distribution lists for posters to be emailed, create fact sheets for the Auxiliary, Kermesse and services the Auxiliary has funded. Every hurdle we have encountered so far has helped train me on how to handle clients. I am enjoying working with my class and instructor. Everyone in the class produces great work.
Tiffani
My tasks so far have been to create text for the art gallery invitation, create distribution lists for posters to be emailed, create fact sheets for the Auxiliary, Kermesse and services the Auxiliary has funded. Every hurdle we have encountered so far has helped train me on how to handle clients. I am enjoying working with my class and instructor. Everyone in the class produces great work.
Tiffani
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
17 days until Kermesse...
Kermesse is a Flemish word meaning fun fair. The first Kermesse in support of the Children’s Hospital in Halifax was held in 1911. It is a day for children, families and people in the community to enjoy wonderful activities while supporting the hospital.
The IWK Auxiliary is hosting Kermesse 2009 on May 23, 2009. That is only 17 days away!
The IWK Auxiliary is hosting Kermesse 2009 on May 23, 2009. That is only 17 days away!
Our class here at CompuCollege has been hard at work for the past couple of weeks working on the PR for the event. Being able to encompass course material by working on a real life event makes it seem a lot less like schoolwork, especially when we are working on something for such a good cause.
My job has been to work on the text for the posters and flyers, as well as PSA’s and a backgrounder for the media. The PSA is posted below.
Today my job is to figure out the in’s and out’s of Twitter. Twitter is having technical difficulties and our class account is not showing up in the regular search engine. If you would like to follow us, you can do a search for compucollegepr through http://search.twitter.com.
Have a safe and happy Wednesday!
Abbie
Public Service Announcement
THE IWK AUXILIARY PRESENTS: KERMESSE FUN FAIR 2009
Join the IWK Auxiliary at the Kermesse Fun Fair on May 23 from 10 to three. Start your day at the flea market at Gorsebrook School then stroll over to the IWK for kid's games, food, crafts, a silent auction and raffles. An Art Gallery opens Thursday night at 7:30 in the Parker Reception Room and continues through to Saturday. Money raised helps the IWK provide quality of care to patients and helps kids be kids. For information please contact the IWK Auxiliary at 470-8245.
THE IWK AUXILIARY PRESENTS: KERMESSE FUN FAIR 2009
Join the IWK Auxiliary at the Kermesse Fun Fair on May 23 from 10 to three. Start your day at the flea market at Gorsebrook School then stroll over to the IWK for kid's games, food, crafts, a silent auction and raffles. An Art Gallery opens Thursday night at 7:30 in the Parker Reception Room and continues through to Saturday. Money raised helps the IWK provide quality of care to patients and helps kids be kids. For information please contact the IWK Auxiliary at 470-8245.
-30-
For more information please contact:
IWK Public Relations
(902) 470-6740
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Welcome to PR and the 2009 IWK Auxiliary Kermesse Fun Fair
Beginning today and over the coming weeks, the PR students at CompuCollege/The Eastern College in Halifax, N.S. will be blogging about a project they are working on with the IWK Auxiliary. (I've included a bit of background about the IWK below.)
The PR students and graphic design students at the college were approached by the Auxiliary two weeks ago to handle design work, promotions and media relations for its key fundraiser -- the Kermesse Fun Fair that takes place on May 23, 2009.
The PR class met with its client twice before developing a communication strategy and all text for items identified in the plan as needing graphic design has been approved by our client. That text is now in the hands of the graphic design students and representatives from the IWK Auxiliary will be visiting the school this morning to have a look at the designs.
The PR students are off at their non-profit placements this morning and when they return to class tomorrow will be back at tasks of creating story pitches, backgrounders, and letters to community groups, among other activities.
I hope that you join us each day to hear directly from the students about their work.
Colleen
PR Program Instructor
A bit of background
The IWK is the local children's hospital and the Auxiliary raises money to purchase items of comfort and care that are not funded by either government or other IWK fundraising initiatives. The Auxiliary has raised more than $6.5 million for the hospital.
Examples of the sorts of items funded include:
o Mini backpacks for infants to carry their ambulatory feeding pumps
o A music cart for music therapy
o A playground
o The Read to Me! project
o A birthday present for every hospitalized child
o Cots for families to use when visiting their child overnight
o Distraction toys for children who receive radiation therapy
o Specialized wheelchair that allows children to access the beach or travel an outdoor trail
The PR students and graphic design students at the college were approached by the Auxiliary two weeks ago to handle design work, promotions and media relations for its key fundraiser -- the Kermesse Fun Fair that takes place on May 23, 2009.
The PR class met with its client twice before developing a communication strategy and all text for items identified in the plan as needing graphic design has been approved by our client. That text is now in the hands of the graphic design students and representatives from the IWK Auxiliary will be visiting the school this morning to have a look at the designs.
The PR students are off at their non-profit placements this morning and when they return to class tomorrow will be back at tasks of creating story pitches, backgrounders, and letters to community groups, among other activities.
I hope that you join us each day to hear directly from the students about their work.
Colleen
PR Program Instructor
A bit of background
The IWK is the local children's hospital and the Auxiliary raises money to purchase items of comfort and care that are not funded by either government or other IWK fundraising initiatives. The Auxiliary has raised more than $6.5 million for the hospital.
Examples of the sorts of items funded include:
o Mini backpacks for infants to carry their ambulatory feeding pumps
o A music cart for music therapy
o A playground
o The Read to Me! project
o A birthday present for every hospitalized child
o Cots for families to use when visiting their child overnight
o Distraction toys for children who receive radiation therapy
o Specialized wheelchair that allows children to access the beach or travel an outdoor trail
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Survey Results: Public Relations and the New Economy
Organizations and PR: getting ready for the downturn?
Is there a disconnect between business and communication goals at what most believe to be a critical time in our nation’s economy?
In a February 2009 survey, 100 per cent of public relations respondents in Nova Scotia and southern Ontario report their organizations’ number one priority as the economy, however, only 35 per cent identified this as the top PR issue.
Students in the PR class at CompuCollege/Eastern Trades College surveyed members of two PR associations – the Canadian Public Relations Society and the International Association of Business Communicators – in N.S. and southern Ontario to measure whether members of their profession are helping their organizations address the effects of the economic downturn.
The results of the study have shown a potential misalignment of organizational communication priorities.
Comments from some respondents, however, indicate that while communication concerns haven’t changed in the past year, the context in which they are carried out and the ways they are carried out have.
One respondent noted: “There are only so many resources available so we have to prioritize more than we would in a good economy. It’s always important to align communication priorities with the company’s strategic priorities and as those overall priorities change, so do ours.”
As well, 65 per cent of Ontario respondents and 60 per cent of N.S. organizations are implementing strategies for dealing with the current economic situation. Such activities include: modifying programs to save costs, encouraging employees to be fiscally responsible, working to develop more business and maintain client base, investing in the corporate brand, hiring freezes, offering early-leave incentives, focusing on initiatives that have immediate return-on-investment and increasing marketing activities.
In both provinces, organizations are expecting:
· Changes in market share
· Budget cuts
· Downsizing
· To do more with less
· Changing use of resources
They are not expecting:
· Changing client expectations
· Economic issues to override environmental concerns
In terms of how communication methods are projected to change in the foreseeable future, traditional media such as print ads, television and radio are expected to be used less while face-to-face activities, social media, organizational websites and media relations are expected to be used more. In Ontario and N.S. the largest decrease is anticipated in the use of print advertising. Slightly more than half of respondents expect to reduce their use of print advertising by at least 25 per cent.
When asked if they are providing advice to their organizations to help them deal with the economy, 77 per cent of Ontarian and 50 per cent of Nova Scotian respondents said “yes.” Nearly 12 per cent were unsure whether a colleague was providing this sort of advice.
The research thesis – public relations practitioners are preparing their organizations for the outcomes of the economic downturn – has not been definitively proven. Priorities may or may not be aligned, measurement is not consistently carried out and fewer than 60 per cent indicate they are providing advice regarding the economy.
The good news is that PR practitioners are using creative and cost-effective means to help their organizations get the message out and helping build strong relationships.
One respondent commented: “Our industry has seen major downturns before and has survived. This recession is more widespread and has taken a toll on more companies, but we will still see an active industry on the other side of this recession. It may look different, but it will still be here.”
To receive a copy of the research paper, please contact Colleen Gareau at colleen@compucollege.ca.
Is there a disconnect between business and communication goals at what most believe to be a critical time in our nation’s economy?
In a February 2009 survey, 100 per cent of public relations respondents in Nova Scotia and southern Ontario report their organizations’ number one priority as the economy, however, only 35 per cent identified this as the top PR issue.
Students in the PR class at CompuCollege/Eastern Trades College surveyed members of two PR associations – the Canadian Public Relations Society and the International Association of Business Communicators – in N.S. and southern Ontario to measure whether members of their profession are helping their organizations address the effects of the economic downturn.
The results of the study have shown a potential misalignment of organizational communication priorities.
Comments from some respondents, however, indicate that while communication concerns haven’t changed in the past year, the context in which they are carried out and the ways they are carried out have.
One respondent noted: “There are only so many resources available so we have to prioritize more than we would in a good economy. It’s always important to align communication priorities with the company’s strategic priorities and as those overall priorities change, so do ours.”
As well, 65 per cent of Ontario respondents and 60 per cent of N.S. organizations are implementing strategies for dealing with the current economic situation. Such activities include: modifying programs to save costs, encouraging employees to be fiscally responsible, working to develop more business and maintain client base, investing in the corporate brand, hiring freezes, offering early-leave incentives, focusing on initiatives that have immediate return-on-investment and increasing marketing activities.
In both provinces, organizations are expecting:
· Changes in market share
· Budget cuts
· Downsizing
· To do more with less
· Changing use of resources
They are not expecting:
· Changing client expectations
· Economic issues to override environmental concerns
In terms of how communication methods are projected to change in the foreseeable future, traditional media such as print ads, television and radio are expected to be used less while face-to-face activities, social media, organizational websites and media relations are expected to be used more. In Ontario and N.S. the largest decrease is anticipated in the use of print advertising. Slightly more than half of respondents expect to reduce their use of print advertising by at least 25 per cent.
When asked if they are providing advice to their organizations to help them deal with the economy, 77 per cent of Ontarian and 50 per cent of Nova Scotian respondents said “yes.” Nearly 12 per cent were unsure whether a colleague was providing this sort of advice.
The research thesis – public relations practitioners are preparing their organizations for the outcomes of the economic downturn – has not been definitively proven. Priorities may or may not be aligned, measurement is not consistently carried out and fewer than 60 per cent indicate they are providing advice regarding the economy.
The good news is that PR practitioners are using creative and cost-effective means to help their organizations get the message out and helping build strong relationships.
One respondent commented: “Our industry has seen major downturns before and has survived. This recession is more widespread and has taken a toll on more companies, but we will still see an active industry on the other side of this recession. It may look different, but it will still be here.”
To receive a copy of the research paper, please contact Colleen Gareau at colleen@compucollege.ca.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Public Relations and the Current Economy
Survey Web Link: Public Relations and the Current Economy
Please see link to survey on the right sidebar.
Please note: If you do not wish to receive further emails from us, please click the link below, and you will be automatically removed from our mailing list.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/optout.aspx?sm=GxsQ1iFdPItsGPH2bEV7SA_3d_3d
For More Details:
Welcome to the second annual survey from the students of the public relations advanced diploma program at CompuCollege/The Eastern College in Halifax, N.S.
This year, we seek to discover whether the public relations environment has changed since the economic downturn. Have organizations changed the way they operate? Are communication professionals responding to issues and requests in a different way? Have communication plans, methods and advice changed?
Please complete this survey of public relations professionals in Nova Scotia and Ontario. We hope to gather pertinent and timely information that will be useful to the PR community. There are 18 questions plus some personal data that should take approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete.
***Please note that your responses are confidential and are certified and encrypted through VeriSign to ensure privacy of information. ***
DEADLINE: Monday, March 2, 2009
If you are interested in receiving a copy of this year’s results (available in March 2009), please provide your e-mail address at the end of the survey and we will happily send you a copy.
If you are interested in last year’s survey, it was on the topic of the changing use of the Internet by PR professionals. It can be found here: http://www.cprsns.com/node/9. Scroll to the bottom of the page to the link: CompuCollege Research on Trends in Communication.
CompuCollege/The Eastern College is a nationally recognized educational institution celebrating over 20 years in Atlantic Canada with seven campuses: Halifax, Dartmouth, Charlottetown, St. John's, Moncton, Fredericton and Saint John. The public relations advanced diploma program provides hands-on experience giving students the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in this dynamic and expanding profession.
Please see link to survey on the right sidebar.
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Welcome to the second annual survey from the students of the public relations advanced diploma program at CompuCollege/The Eastern College in Halifax, N.S.
This year, we seek to discover whether the public relations environment has changed since the economic downturn. Have organizations changed the way they operate? Are communication professionals responding to issues and requests in a different way? Have communication plans, methods and advice changed?
Please complete this survey of public relations professionals in Nova Scotia and Ontario. We hope to gather pertinent and timely information that will be useful to the PR community. There are 18 questions plus some personal data that should take approximately 15 to 20 minutes to complete.
***Please note that your responses are confidential and are certified and encrypted through VeriSign to ensure privacy of information. ***
DEADLINE: Monday, March 2, 2009
If you are interested in receiving a copy of this year’s results (available in March 2009), please provide your e-mail address at the end of the survey and we will happily send you a copy.
If you are interested in last year’s survey, it was on the topic of the changing use of the Internet by PR professionals. It can be found here: http://www.cprsns.com/node/9. Scroll to the bottom of the page to the link: CompuCollege Research on Trends in Communication.
CompuCollege/The Eastern College is a nationally recognized educational institution celebrating over 20 years in Atlantic Canada with seven campuses: Halifax, Dartmouth, Charlottetown, St. John's, Moncton, Fredericton and Saint John. The public relations advanced diploma program provides hands-on experience giving students the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in this dynamic and expanding profession.
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