Communications Strategy
June 2009 – June 2012
This strategy is to be used in conjunction with the
PRCG Branding and Acknowledgment Policy.
All PRCG-affiliated project communications,
publications and promotional media must
acknowledge the PRCG through appropriate branding
and acknowledgment statements, in accordance with
the PRCG Branding and Acknowledgment Policy.
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Contents
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................ 3
Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 4
Communications Strategy Overview ................................................................................. 4
Communication Objectives ................................................................................................ 5
Target Audiences ................................................................................................................ 5
Communication Protocols .................................................................................................. 6
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Evaluation Mechanisms...................................................................................................... 8
Communications Summary Table ...................................................................................... 8
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Executive Summary
This Communications Strategy has been developed to guide the Parramatta River
Catchment Group’s (PRCG) communication activities and initiatives over the next three
years to June 2012.
The overall aims of this Strategy are to:
1. Ensure the efficient and effective functioning of the Group, and;
2. Raise awareness of the PRCG’s role, activities and achievements
Achieving these aims will encourage participation and support for ongoing funding for PRCG
activities and programs and ultimately improve the health of the Parramatta River catchment.
The specific objectives of this Strategy have been developed to inform, engage and attract
the support of members, stakeholders, funding bodies, sponsors and decision makers in the
catchment.
This Strategy identifies and acknowledges the different methods and approaches required for
achieving effective communication, both internally and externally. Differentiation has been
made between the two accordingly, with the Strategy recognising that:
•
All members of the PRCG, including Councillors, are its communicators, and that all
have a role in delivering key messages to critical target markets; and,
•
Prioritising communication with external stakeholders through a set of specific, key
messages is critical to success, rather than using a general awareness raising
approach.
The Strategy has identified a number of communication protocols that aim to enhance the
effectiveness of the PRCG in delivering its key activities. By providing guidance to PRCG
members in the day-to-day operational requirements of the organisation, these protocols
cover the use of email, the PRCG website, sub-committees, media and regional project
communications.
Specific, key actions are set out in the Communications Summary Table and identify the
communication responsibilities of each PRCG member. The aim is to ensure that the level of
communication that occurs within and by the PRCG is the most effective and consistent
possible.
An important principal of this Strategy is that the communication initiatives identified here will
only be truly effective if they are adequately supported, funded and carried out in a prioritised
manner.
The Strategy is flexible with built-in evaluation and is able to respond to changing
circumstances, ensuring that it will remain relevant to the emerging needs of the PRCG.
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Introduction
This Communications Strategy has been developed to guide the Parramatta River
Catchment Group’s (PRCG) communication activities and initiatives over the next three
years to June 2012.
It has been developed in consultation with the PRCG Communications Sub-committee and
was endorsed by the PRCG full group meeting on 12th November 2009.
The overall aims of this Strategy are to:
1. Ensure the efficient and effective functioning of the Group, and;
2. Raise awareness of the PRCG’s role, activities and achievements
Achieving these aims will encourage participation and support for ongoing funding for PRCG
activities and programs and ultimately improve the health of the Parramatta River catchment.
This Strategy recognises that all members of the PRCG, including Councillors, are its
communicators, and that all have a role in delivering key messages to critical target
audiences. It sets out a strategic approach to communication, encompassing both internal
and external activities aimed at positioning the PRCG as a professional, helpful,
knowledgeable and successful organisation.
An important principal of this Strategy is that the communication initiatives identified here will
only be truly effective if they are adequately supported, funded and carried out in a prioritised
manner.
Communications Strategy Overview
This Strategy is a framework document that contains specific objectives that will assist the
PRCG in implementing policies and on-ground actions to improve the health of the
Parramatta River catchment. The Strategy is flexible with built-in evaluation, and is able to
respond to changing circumstances. The following components will work together to assist
the PRCG in achieving its organisational and communication objectives:
General
Utilising a set of targeted key messages, the Strategy will position the PRCG as a
professional, helpful, knowledgeable and successful organisation that is working
collaboratively to undertake important environmental works in areas of critical need. It will
encourage participation at many levels and ensure that the PRCG’s successes are well
understood by decision makers and opinion leaders.
Internal Communication
The Strategy first deals with communication between each individual member of the PRCG,
with many of the actions focussed at the technical officer level, however, senior
management, including Councillors, are also recognised for their essential role in
communicating positive, strategic messages to external stakeholders. By recognising that all
members are the PRCG’s frontline communicators, the aim is to ensure that decision making
processes are clear and transparent and that all individuals can put forward their ideas on
the future of the organisation, its plans and activities.
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External Communication
A major focus of this Strategy is to prioritise communication with external stakeholders
through a set of specific, key messages rather than utilising a general awareness raising
approach. Stakeholders have also been targeted to include key personnel who have
potential influence on the future of the organisation or are in a position to deliver messages
to a wide network of audiences. The aim is to ensure that the level of communication that
occurs within and by the PRCG is the most effective and efficient possible.
Communication Objectives
The specific objectives of this Strategy have been developed to inform, engage and attract
the support of members, stakeholders, funding bodies, sponsors and decision makers in the
catchment:
1. Improve internal communication between all members of the Parramatta River
Catchment Group (PRCG)
2. Improve awareness of the PRCG within all member organisations
3. Increase the knowledge of key external stakeholders (investors, decision makers,
influencers etc) of PRCG achievements.
4. Establish stronger and more diverse partnerships between the PRCG and relevant
stakeholders
5. Deliver consistent communication messages through all PRCG-affiliated projects
6. Increase community awareness of and engagement with catchment management
within the PRCG area (to be progressed through PRCG-affiliated projects).
Target Audiences
The principal target audiences for PRCG communications include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Member organisations: officers, senior staff and councillors, community volunteers
State and Federal Government local members of parliament
Land managers not currently involved in the PRCG
Existing and potential funding bodies
Strategic environmental groups
Consultants, students, researchers, media, corporate sector
Existing and potential project partners
Regional NRM groups including other related catchment and waterway committees in the
Sydney region
Community leaders/influencers
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Communication Protocols
A number of communication processes relating directly to the PRCG’s operations and project
delivery have been identified and formalised in this Strategy and are discussed in detail
below:
Email and web protocols
To ensure internal and external communication remains relevant and concise, the PRCG
Coordinator (the Coordinator) will manage all direct PRCG email and web-based requests.
The Coordinator is responsible for coordinating all information, requests and notices to be
sent via email to PRCG members. The Coordinator’s aim is to minimise the number of emails
being sent to members and the size of the emails (including attachments). Members wishing
to email the whole PRCG will submit the email to the Coordinator who will determine its
suitability for forwarding to the whole Group. It is the responsibility of all members to provide
the Coordinator with relevant information upon request and changes of staff and/or email
addresses.
The overall coordination of the PRCG website is the responsibility of the Coordinator. The
PRCG website will be updated monthly. Most of the PRCG’s documents will be available on
the PRCG website, either for members only or for public accessibility. It is the responsibility
of all members to advise the Coordinator of updates and to provide relevant information upon
request, and to ensure their organisation’s website provides a link to the PRCG website.
Sub-committee protocols
Each sub-committee is responsible for calling sub-committee meetings, progressing actions
and pursuing funding opportunities as relevant. Sub-committees shall report back to the full
Group on progress of actions, to seek endorsement of medium to long term direction of the
sub-committee and provide minutes to the Coordinator and all Sub-committee Chairs. Any
grant proposals developed by a sub-committee need to be reviewed by the Coordinator
before being submitted to the funding body. This will ensure the sub-committee outcomes
align with and remain relevant to the overarching goals of the PRCG.
The Chair of each sub-committee is responsible for reviewing the minutes of all other subcommittees and highlighting relevant actions and points of interest to their sub-committee
members. A specific agenda item is to be included in all sub-committee agendas relating to
other sub-committee updates. This is to ensure that all sub-committee members are aware of
the activities of the PRCG as a whole, and can have input if desired, and duplication of
activities or projects is minimised.
A separate document on the roles and responsibilities of the sub-committee Chairs has been
developed to provide guidance to individuals and to develop a level of consistency in chairing
meetings across all the sub-committees.
Media protocols
Regular contact with the media is important in promoting a positive profile of the PRCG as an
effective, pro-active organisation that is improving the environmental health of the Parramatta
River catchment. The media can be a powerful tool for maintaining and improving
stakeholder relations.
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The PRCG’s dealings with the media must be consistent and coordinated to ensure the
media communicates information correctly. To build on this, tools such as Local Council
weekly columns, community newsletters and press notices should be used on a regular basis
to publicise the achievements of the PRCG.
The management of the media is the responsibility of the Coordinator, as defined in the
PRCG Terms of Reference. The Coordinator is responsible for drafting and reviewing media
releases referring to the PRCG and coordinating their distribution after approval by the
Communications sub-committee and/or the Coordinator’s direct line manager. The
Coordinator is also the designated spokesperson for the PRCG and will respond to all media
inquiries.
Regional Project Communications
Each regional project or strategy is to have a project manager responsible for calling
meetings and organising communications associated with that project, including media and
promotion.
The project manager is to keep PRCG members and stakeholders informed of their project’s
activities and progress by delivering presentations at PRCG meetings, reporting on any
significant developments at meetings and submitting written regular project updates to the
PRCG Coordinator.
The project updates will primarily be used by the Coordinator to include in PRCG newsletters
and full group meetings as well as update project information on the PRCG website.
The project team will be responsible for promoting their project and its outcomes, at
commencement (particularly if grant funds have been received), significant milestones (as
appropriate) and completion. The team is to work with the managing council or agency’s
media / communications officer to plan and implement this promotion.
All PRCG-affiliated project communications, publications and promotional media must
acknowledge the PRCG through appropriate branding and acknowledgment statements, in
accordance with the PRCG Branding and Acknowledgment Policy. This policy may be
obtained from the PRCG Coordinator or from the managing organisation’s representative on
the PRCG.
The Coordinator will assist in the dissemination of project information to relevant
stakeholders through the Annual Progress Report, the PRCG website, the PRCG Newsletter
and other media avenues on completion.
The Coordinator will also liaise and/or meet periodically with regional project managers or
project steering committees to facilitate and monitor outcomes.
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Evaluation Mechanisms
An evaluation of this strategy should take place in June of each year, with any necessary
adjustments made to ensure it continues to meet the PRCG’s strategic goals and targets. It
is anticipated that it will take a period of three years of sustained, consistent communication
to realistically achieve the objectives outlined in this Strategy. In the meantime, the success
of this communications strategy can be evaluated on an annual basis using the following
measures:
•
Anecdotal and structured feedback from PRCG members
•
Number of partnerships in PRCG-affiliated projects
•
Levels of positive media coverage
•
Number of successful grants obtained
•
Number of ‘hits’ registered on the PRCG website
•
Responses and feedback on website
Communications Summary Table
On the following pages is a table outlining the specific actions to be undertaken by the PRCG
over the next three years.
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