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Designing & Implementing an RPC Communications Strategy. Annabelle South 19 th May 2009. Contents. Background - partners Process of developing the strategy The communications workshop Supporting partners to implement the strategy Communications community of practice Challenges
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Designing & Implementing an RPC Communications Strategy Annabelle South 19th May 2009
Contents • Background - partners • Process of developing the strategy • The communications workshop • Supporting partners to implement the strategy • Communications community of practice • Challenges • Lessons learnt • What next?
Background • Aim to influence policy & practice • 7 partners – UK, Africa and Asia • Academic organisations, research institutes and NGOs • Varying levels of comms experience and capacity
Developing the strategy • Initial strategy developed by LSHTM & AIDS Alliance during inception phase • Comms leads appointed for each partner • Preparation by partners for workshop • Comms workshop held • Strategies finalised by partners • Overall strategy agreed
The workshop • Purpose: • Develop country-level strategies • Strengthen comms capacity • Attended by comms leads for partners • External facilitators (ODI) & internal expertise
Workshop contents • Identifying the audience • Identifying the changes • Forces for & against change • The message & the messenger • Internal communications • Knowledge & learning • Communities of practice • Writing for impact
Supporting partners to implement the strategy • Community of practice (Comms CoP) • Comms manager • Lead & facilitate comms CoP • RPC-wide activities & products • Capacity strengthening • Support partner-specific activities & products • Capacity strengthening
Comms CoP • Purpose: to improve the comms performance and capacity of partners • Regular teleconferences: update on activities, share experience & ideas • Valued by partner comms leads (& comms manager) • Formal evaluation to take place next week
Challenges • Workshop costs – travel, facilitators • Limited time & human resources for carrying out comms activities • Partner not able to attend main comms workshop less active in Comms CoP
Lessons Learnt Workshop: • Multi-partner workshop worked better in long-run than single-partner workshop • Workshop was a good way of generating buy-in & enthusiasm • Timing Strategies: • Need to fit with partner’s overall priorities
Lessons Learnt Comms CoP: • Useful support mechanism • Important to find the right way for the group to function • Best for specific, concrete plans rather than conceptual discussions
Lessons Learnt Comms leads: • Clearly identified leads facilitated process of strategy development & implementation • Dual role (research & comms) means time-pressure substantial Other: • Need to take account of time needed for internal approval (within partners)
What next? • Updating comms strategy • Evaluating comms CoP • Capacity building • Continuing implementation