Developing a Communications Plan for Sustainability Advanced

1
Developing a Communications Planfor
Sustainability - Advanced

• Kim Netter
• NCMHPYVP Communications Team
• Kelly Stuart Williams
• SS/HS Communications Team

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Developing a Communications Planfor
Sustainability - Advanced

• Introduction
• Objectives
• Communications Planning Process
• Case Studies
• Typical Communications Challenges

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Introductions

• Name
• Grant name and category
• Client base
• Legacy headline

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Objectives

• Explore common communications challenges
• Delve into three specific case studies from the
  group
• Work as a group to problem solve

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Communications Planning Process
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Case Studies

• Situation Analysis
• Describe current environment (internal and
  external)
• Identify goals
• Communication objectives
• Presenting problem
• Sticky wicket

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Case Studies

• Conduct analysis
• Symptoms vs. problem
• Strategy formulation
• Alternatives
• Action plan
• Alternative selection
• No neat, single, easy answer

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Case Study Activity

• Volunteers (3)
• Complete first three steps of case study outline
• Situation analysis
• Goal identification
• Problem presentation
• Present your case to colleagues
• Colleagues will explore last three steps of case
  study outline
• Analysis
• Strategy formulation
• Action plan

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Communications Challenges

• Insufficient (no?) funds for communications
• No resources (staff/time) for communications
• Reticent media difficulty getting stories
  placed
• Targeting difficult to reach populations
• Fighting uphill battle w/accepted norms (teen
  drinking, bullying)

SS/HS Communications Team
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Communications Challenges

• Maintaining communications plan as living,
  breathing (evolving) document
• Difficulty communicating tangible impact of
  prevention (cost/benefit, impact on grades/test
  scores)
• Difficulty involving partners in communications
  support
• No focus on communicating to potential
  funders/marketing evaluation data

SS/HS Communications Team
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Communications ChallengesSS/HS specific

• Difficulty simplifying complex SS/HS
  (multi-elements) message
• SS/HS initiative covers wide geographic area and
  (multiple districts/multiple areas of emphasis)
• SS/HS programs are not implemented at all schools
  
• Teachers/Faculty and Administrators not on board

SS/HS Communications Team
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Communications ChallengesSS/HS specific

• Concern about spreading SS/HS good news in
  context of severe school budget cuts
• School Board not on board

SS/HS Communications Team