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Communicating with the Media in a Crisis. BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP. 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION. A True Story…. Our experience on communicating with the media during a real crisis. BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP. As a girl (Rotary Youth Exchange) was missing for 5 days….
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Communicating with the Media in a Crisis BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION
A True Story… Our experience on communicating with the media during a real crisis BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP As a girl (Rotary Youth Exchange) was missing for 5 days… Rtn. Ivan L. Vianna District 4760 - BRAZIL 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION
True Story Case Briefing 1- Sunday: a girl RYE student goes to Church in a nearby city and does not return home 2- Monday: Crisis Plan is in effect, authorities are called, sponsor district & R.I. are informed. Police reports she was spotted trying to hitch-hike, 120 miles away from her host city. BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP 3- Tuesday: Police finds out she staid overnight in a lodge in Brasilia, 250 miles away. 4- Wednesday: story is first shown on TV. Media calls got crazy + overwhelming . 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION
True Story Briefing, page 2 5 -Thursday: National TV brings the story and pictures of the girl, whole country is aware and alerted. At noon TV breaking news shows the girl on a beach 1,500 miles away in the north of Brazil. She calls Rotary and is taken to a Police station where YEO gets her BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP She is then flown to from Salvador to Brasilia to meet her parents, escorted by a Rotarian YEO. 6-Friday: her parents arrive in Brasilia where our YEO released the student to them, ceasing her exchange. She flies home with her parents 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION
True Story Some actions we had to take: (and you may learn from them…) 1- As soon as the situation was defined as Crisis, we had our Crisis Team set up + keeping everyone informed: YEOs, R.I., DG, YEs BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP 2- A chain of communication was soon defined: ONLY ONE person to speak for Rotary 3- District YE Emergency Funds became on standby and treasurer compromised to assist, if extra expenses were needed. 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION
True Story Some actions had to be taken IMMEDIATELY when we FIRSTLY were informed: • We double checked the first information received before passing it out to others, as our primary source was very nervous and sleepless. BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP • Immediately the Crisis Team was declared active followed by an immediate Team Meeting: NEVER, NEVER TRY TO RUN A CRISIS BY YOURSELF: SHARE IT ASAP • After informing parents, district YEO, DG and RI,legal and professional help was then immediatelycalled: police contact, experienced psychologist,lawyer, journalist. 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION
True Story HINTS on the chain of communication: • An important point during this crisis was the GOOD communication between the partner districts + BOTH DISTRICTS with R.I. BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP • Each district had a YEO contact who knew personally each other: in fact this is THE difference between Rotary Y. E. P. other YE programs • FAST, CORRECT & reliable communication WAS kept between ALL involved ALL THE TIME 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION
True Story On Communication • No speculations or guessing, keeping only to the facts! Basically the chain of communication was: BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP Host District YEO talks to sponsor District YEO Sponsor district YEO talks to natural parents Host district INB Coord talks to host parents Keep DG well informed of everything at all times ROTARY INTERNATIONAL kept close contact with both districts, giving FULL SUPPORT 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION
True Story During the crisis, we focus two objectives: 1- KEEP THE MEDIA SHOWING PICTURES OF THE MISSING GIRL ALL OVER THE COUNTRY BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP We had success perhaps for these reasons: 1- This story raised a lot of concerns in every home 2- The unknown reasons raised questions + nightmares 3- The international media was very active 4- A young girl missing and traveling alone: this could happen with someone in your family too! 5- Rotary is taken very seriously in our country 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION
True Story 2- ALERTING AUTHORITIES THE GIRL WAS MISSING AND that everything MAY HAPPEN if she is not found SOON Again, we were successful for contacts were made with: 1- Federal Government including the V.P. of Brazil 2- State Police High Officers: some of them Rotarians 3- Mayor of Belo Horizonte 4- Minister of Tourism, himself a former RYE 5- Church high officers, both in Brazil & abroad BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION
True Story Some of the key messages we kept repeating over and over to the media: 1- Rotary has been in close contact with the YE girl family and doing whatever may be necessary to assist them BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP 2- We do not know what happened, police and authorities are investigating: there was never any evidence this might occur, it surprised us all 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION
True Story 3- Rotary officers in both countries are fully cooperating with authorities on the investigation 4- We can not speculate what might have happened: so far, what we know is what police tell us & tell you BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP 5- I was a Rotary YE myself and so was my only son. Every year more than 8,000 students live abroad as exchange students. Brazil currently hosts over 1,000 Y.E. students from 36 different countries in RYEP 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION
True Story Key messages after the girl was found: 1- We DO NOT blame the girl, she had a health problem and we thank God she was found alive. 2- She flew home with her parents, her exchange is over BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP 3- We are deeply thankful to the authorities, to police officers and to the media for their work which indeed contribute for this happy outcome 4- Ceasing media contacts, hoping in near future we will give further info RYE Program 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION
True Story We would also strongly recommend: No ROTARY JARGONS such as R.I. DG, YEO, RYE, District, Governor, inbound & outbound, should be used when communicating with the media BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP Every Rotary Club YEO must know at anytime where is their host student and how to reach the student. Each YE should have a information card with emergency phones, as this girl had hers all the time. 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION
True Story Recommendations (2) Repeat this orientation to host family: treat the student just the way they wished their child would be treated, if abroad in similar situation BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP Make sure to tell repeatedly to all Y.E. students : Trust your instincts. If you do not feel safe in a situation or someone's behavior is making you uncomfortable, get out. BE YOURSELF. 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION
True Story LAST recommendation: • DO NOT FORGET TO THANK PEOPLE WHO HELPED DURING THE CRISIS • SPECIALLY the NON-ROTARIANS CONTACTSYOU HAD AS; • News Reporters • Police officers • Local Authorities BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION MUITO OBRIGADO PELA SUA ATENÇÃO BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION
BRAZIL - DISTRICT 4760 RYEP 2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION