AYS Communication Strategy

This Communications plan is to enable us;

  • set our organization’s communications goals and objectives develop strategies and tactics to meet those objectives
  • define our target audiences, interests, risks and our communication responsibilities towards them.
  • Define our Communications Policy in line with Global standards and governing regulations.

Through our communications strategy, we aim to effectively communicate, build relationships, have discussions with key target audiences through appropriate channels to deliver the objectives of the organisation.

Vision:

A Nigeria where children and young people reach their full potential.

Mission:

To work in partnership with children and young people to advance their rights to health and protection from all forms of violence by strengthening capacities, providing direct services and influencing policies, for improved quality of life.

Who we are:

ActivateyourSite (AYS) is a non-profit organization founded in 2000 to improve the health and development of children and young people. AYS was registered in Nigeria with the CAC in 2001 and in the United States as a 501C3 organization. The organization was founded on the premise that children and young people can play a significant role in development, if given the necessary resources. In line with this principle, AYS has staff and volunteers, who are mainly young people, working at the headquarters in Abuja, and across seven states (Benue, Cross-River, Kaduna, Kano, Nasarawa, Niger) and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). These young people are directly responsible for developing intervention ideas and implementing the projects in the field. The utilization of this strategy has facilitated community entry and sustained the interest and active participation of young people in AYS’s activities.

What We do:

 

  • AYS works in partnership with children and young people to advance their rights to health and to protect them from all forms of violence in the most vulnerable and marginalized communities.
  • Using youth–friendly approaches, the organization strengthens the capacities of children, young people and other stakeholders to facilitate and sustain social change in health, child rights and education through integrated programming.
  • AYS’s original focus was HIV & AIDS, focusing on adolescents and young people, because they were the most affected by the epidemic. However, the changes and demands of the external environment, example, the need for adequate care for children orphaned by HIV & AIDS, necessitated a review of AYS’s program scope to increase the combination of programs and services to include the Child Program.

Communications / Media Policy

  1. Facts & figures should be collaborated.
  2. Audience should be warned before-hand if media contains sensitive content.
  3. Every personal story must have a signed consent agreement.
  4. Every program should have a communications representative that submits a report to the communications officer weekly. This should be tied to performance metrics.
  5. A member of the board/management should be nominated as a communications champion who would see to the approval of outgoing communications, and dissemination of communications alongside the communications officer. Approval times should be accelerated.
  6. The communications champion should be conversant with the media calendar.
  7. There should be weekly update and strategy meetings between the communications champion and the communications officer.
  8. The communications officer and champion should participate in communications training at least – once a month.
  9. The communications officer should send out weekly communications tips to all members of the team as AYS’s ambassadors.
  10. Communications regarding projects run in partnerships or with 3rd party organisations should have signed written approval before release. Communications approval may also be signed prior to the start of the project.
  11. Social Media Platforms to focus on are; LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and AYS’s Website.
  12. Employ the use of online analytics for effectiveness.
  13. Employ the use of Google Ad Words and Facebook Ads to target relAYSnt audience segments.
  14. Employ the use as a social media Calendar
  15. Employ the use of a CRM tools to generate segmented contact lists.

 

 

Guidelines for telling our Story

  • We tell our story to inform, educate and influence our audience to help meet desired outcomes.
  • People are at the center of our stories.
  • It should be less than 375 words.
  • provide an overview of a program and how it has benefitted one specific individual supported by a good photograph.
  • follow a basic, three-part structure that can be described as follows: Challenge—Activity—Result.
  • follow the basic five “W’s” of journalism: who, what, when, where and why
  • Use statistics.
  • Frame your story around the larger goals of the program. Even if you are focused on the tale of one individual, AYS is serving hundreds or thousands of others. Convey that message within your story.
  • Use direct testimony. The best stories will let the reader understand the subject “in his own words” – by using a quote or two to reinforce the main ideas of the story.

 

How to tell stories that deal with sensitive topics

  • it is crucial to ensure the safety of the persons whose stories are depicted or used for communication purposes.
  • It is possible to reveal people’s identities even in difficult contexts if they give informed consent whilst being aware of the risks.
  • However, written consent must be obtained in this case and only an adult can give consent.
  • Make your stories specific but protect the identity of your subject by using a pseudo name that is common in the vicinity and eliminate specific details that may identify your subject.
  • Respect the right to say no.
  • Obtain written consent.

 

Pictures

  • in a situation where the person/people in a photo are engaged in an activity, that photo is more likely to catch the reader’s eye.
  • Group shots of more than two people are not ideal.
  • When the photographer is taking people’s photographs, he or she should ask their permission before beginning.
  • Use discretion If you can’t use a photograph of a person, when you have finished writing your story, consider what might be an effective substitute.

 

 

Sample Consent /Agreement Form

I consent for ‘AYS’ to use case studies/ photos/ film/ audio of me taken on:

 

(date) ……………………… at (place)…………………………………

 

for educational, informational and promotional purposes, through all media including printed documents and AYS websites.

 

(This consent will apply throughout the world.)

 

AYS agrees to only use the images in a sensitive way in accordance with mission and not for commercial purposes.

 

Name ……………………………….

 

Signature …………………………… Date…………………………………….

 

Address…………………………………………………………………………

 

Taken by (name) ……………………………… (Position) ………………………….

on behalf of AYS.

 

Brand Consistency.

AYS should be addressed as AYS in all publications. The full name should only be used for differentiation and introductions and other important situations.

Communications Content Calendar.

Daily Communications plan should be that 4 different kind of messages are sent out each day.

  1. Stakeholder – based messages- This message goes out daily and is focused on the stakeholders to ensure they are being engaged.
  2. Objectives – based messages – This message goes out daily with an AYS objective in mind to make sure that a little progress is made daily.
  3. Daily Content Messages – On a need-to-basis messages should be sent e.g. Messages from Programs, announcements and advertisement.
  4. Commemorative day Messages – With the commemorative days in focus, messages are either sensitising the stakeholders on activities to be carried out on the day or merely disseminating information in relation to topics around the theme for the days.
  • Messages should be sent by the Communications Officer and the Communications Director.
  • A reactive calendar should be journalled daily and a monthly calendar should be developed and tweaked via hootsuite based on rhythm achieved.
  • Microsoft Access can be used to build different stakeholder contacts list.

 

Stakeholder Analysis

 

Communications Role in AYS’s Objectives.

 

 

AYS Objectives

  

Comms Strategy and tactics

  

Stakeholders

  

Communication Channels
1. Intensify the level of awareness about human (especially women and child) rights within the society) and Prevention Education.

·

 Speaking up and drawing attention to issues. Community Members, Guardian and Parents, teachers, and care givers. (Education) Religious Leaders, Policy makers, public sector Officials (State, LGA), CBOs/FBOs/NGO, Police/Prison/ Judicial Officers Discussions, Questions, Stories, Peaceful protests, Letters, Emails, Articles, Attending functions.
2. Adopt strengthening community resilience as a strategy to address root causes of development challenges and ensure program sustainability at grassroots level.

 

 Communicate with community leaders and infiltrate the minds of community members. Community Members, Guardian and Parents, teachers, and care givers. (Education) Discussions, Questions, Stories, Flyers

Social media, Statistics, Seminars

Community awareness forums.

 
3. Promote economic and financial independence of adolescent girls and young women as a right, as a critical strategy to remove impediments to accessing

SRH services.

 

 AYS will emphasize social mobilization to create awareness and defend human rights. Partners, Employers, Artisan Employers, media alerts, fact sheets, technical briefs, brochures, regular and social media.

 

 
4. Expand access to SRHR and HIV information for children, adolescents and young people and to drive advocacy agenda., Deepen and expand interventions to reach living with HIV.

 

 Information dissemination; increase collaboration and linkage with strategic partners to expand access to programs and services, and improve operating environment

 

 Partners, Health Care Providers, Community Members, Guardian and Parents, teachers, and care givers. (Education), Policy makers, public sector Officials (State, LGA), CBOs/FBOs/NGO, Youth and Service Receivers. Meetings, Events. Conferences, opinion pieces, press/News media: Web site, Social media, Videos, Scholarly articles, IEC/BCC Materials.

 
5. Conduct training and effective supervision of staff, including soft skills for example, time management, program management, report writing, proposal

writing, team work, interpersonal communication, IT communication – social

media, Skype, etc.,

 Training sessions. Harnessing the knowledge of program volunteers and donor organisations. Partners, Volunteers, Internal Staff. Training Sessions, social media.

 

 

AYS Objectives

  

Strategy and tactics

  

Stakeholders

  

Communication Channels
6.  Extend fund development beyond traditional donor sources, to include private entities and individuals as well as internally generated sources.

 

 Marketing communications,Active Engagement with the Health and velopment Sectors, Key NGO staff will maintain regular, ongoing face-to-face and virtual contact with colleagues in the health sector as well as donors regarding project activities and results. Potential Donors, Donors Phone Calls, Proposals, Emails, Social Media.
7. Address the weak HR System (including updating and implementing policies, succession planning and improving management capacity of HR personnel.

 

 Internal – TBD Internal Emails.
8. Reconstitute and actively engage the Board in governance oversight. Internal – TBD Internal Emails.
9.  Prioritize the development and implementation of a leadership succession plan for the founder/Executive Director.

 

 Internal – TBD Internal Emails.
10. Improve staff welfare package (salary review, awards/commendations for outstanding performance, promotion and career progression).

 

 Internal – TBD Internal Emails.
11. Improve physical infrastructure and working environment including expansion of office space and improving the availability of working tools.

 

 Internal – TBD Internal Emails.
12. Strengthen the capacity of staff to deliver on organizational mandate Internal – TBD Internal Emails.

 

 

AYS Objectives

  

Strategy and tactics

  

Stakeholders

  

Communication Channels
13. Expand the use of ICT beyond programming to include daily operations and management.

 

 Internal – TBD Internal, Partners, Emails.
14. Implement robust Knowledge Management (KM), Monitoring and AYSluation Internal – TBD Internal, Partners Emails.
15. Learning (MEL) and Management Information Systems (MIS) as the means of consciously and continuously building and improving on the organization’s

practices in line with best international practices.

 Internal – TBD Internal, Partners Emails.

Communications Calendar Segments

 

Stakeholders Comms Table.
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
Donor

Orgs.

 Potential Donors. Partners Orgs. Health Care Providers. Pol/Prison/

Judicial Officers.

 1
2 Religious Leaders. Comm Members, Guardian and Parents, teachers, and care givers. Adolescent, Young People, Children and women – Service receivers Policy makers, public sector Officials (State, LGA) CBOs/FBOs/NGOs Donor Orgs. 8
9 Potential Donors. Partners Orgs. Health Care Providers. Pol/Prison/

Judicial Officers.

 Religious Leaders. 15
16 Community Members, Guardian and Parents, teachers, and care givers. AYP, Children & women – Service receivers Policy makers, public sector Officials (State, LGA), CBOs/FBOs/NGO. Donor Orgs. Potential Donors. 22
23 Partners Orgs. Health Care Providers. Police/Prison/

Judicial Officers

 Religious Leaders Community Members, Guardian and Parents, teachers, and care givers. 29
30 31

 

 

 

 

 

Objectives Comms Table.

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
Intensify the level of awareness about human (especially women and

child) rights within the society) and Prevention Education.

 

 . Adopt strengthening community resilience as a strategy to address root causes of development challenges and ensure program sustainability at grassroots level. Promote economic and financial independence of adolescent girls and young

women as a right, and a critical strategy to remove impediments to accessing

SRH services

 Expand access to SRHR and HIV information for children, adolescents and young people

and to drive advocacy agenda., Deepen and expand interventions to reach living with HIV.

 

 Conduct training and effective supervision of staff, including soft skills for example, time management, program management, report writing, proposal

writing, team work, interpersonal communication, IT communication – social

media, Skype, etc.,

 1
2 Extend fund development beyond traditional donor sources, to include private

entities and individuals as well as internally generated sources.

 

 Address the weak HR System (including updating and implementing policies,

succession planning and improving management capacity of HR personnel

 Reconstitute and actively engage the Board in governance oversight. Prioritize the development and implementation of a leadership succession plan

for the founder/Executive Director.

 

 . Improve staff welfare package (salary review, awards/commendations for

outstanding performance, promotion and career progression).

 

 8

 

 

Improve physical infrastructure and working environment including expansion of

office space and improving the availability of working tools.

 

 Strengthen the capacity of staff to deliver on organizational mandate Expand the use of ICT beyond programming to include daily operations and

management.

 

 . Implement robust Knowledge Management (KM), Monitoring and AYSluation . Learning (MEL) and Management Information Systems (MIS) as the means of consciously and continuously building and improving on the organization’s

practices in line with best international practices.

 

 

Commemorative Days Comms Table.
Feb 4 World Cancer Day Feb 6 International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital mutilation Feb11 International Day of Women and Girls in Science. Feb20

World Day of Social Justice

 Feb13 International Condom Day 1
Mar 1

Zero

Discrimination Day

 Mar 21 International Day for the Elimination of Racial

Discrimination

 Mar 24 International Day for the Rights to the Truth Concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and Dignity of Victims. Mar 8 International Women’s Day Apr 7

World Health Day
Apr 25

World Malaria Day

 May 17 International Day against Homophobia, Trans phobia, and Biphobia (IDAHOT) Jun 4 International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression Jun 12 World Day against Child Labor Jun 16

Day of the African Child
Jul 11

World Population Day

 Jun 19 International Day of the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict Jul 30

World Day Against Trafficking in Persons

 Aug 12 International Youth Day Aug 19 International Humanitarian Day
Sept 5

International Day of Charity

 Sept 16

Global Female Condom Day

 Sept 26

World Contraception Day

 Sept 28 Abortion Day Oct 2 International Day of Non-violence Oct 11 International Day of the Girl Child
Oct 15 International Day of Rural Women Oct 17 International Day for the Elimination of Poverty Nov 20 Universal Children’s Day Nov 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women Dec 1 World AIDS day Dec 10 Human Rights Day

 

Sources

 

  • AYS’2017 -2022 Strategy Document.
  • USAID – AIDSTAR – TWO – NGO Communications Guide May 15 2013.