In the past, independent think tanks have tended to perceive communications as an optional, marginal activity. However, the creation of a comprehensive annual communications strategy is becoming integral to the activity of any think tank including those in Central and Eastern Europe. Every organization requires a communications strategy to maximize its work’s impact, but technological advancement and the perception that there is abundant information and analyses at policy makers’ disposal complicate the task of choosing appropriate channels of communication.
At the end of May 2010, Policy Association for Open Society (PASOS) and the Think Tank Fund gathered 20 executive directors and/or directors of communication of CEE think tanks at a workshop in London (insert the agenda). The 2-day workshop hosted by the European Council of Foreign Relations (ECFR) benefited from the experiences of the London- based think tanks (IPPR, DEMOS, CER, Chatham House and several other organizations such as Global Witness, Open Society Institute). While participants have positively evaluated the events, PASOS has recorded some of the presentations and put them available here:
1. Developing and implementing a communications strategy – overview
Peter Harrington, former Communications Director, DEMOS, UK
download Powerpoint of Peter Harrington’s presentation (3.8Mb)
listen to Peter Harrington’s presentation (MP3, 31Mb, 45 minutes)
2. Developing and implementing a communications strategy – New media tools
Kathryn Corrick, digital media consultant
listen to Kathryn Corrick’s presentation (MP3, 45Mb, 49 minutes)
3. Communication strategy – Case study of Center for Research and policy Making (CRPM) – Macedonia. Presenter: Marija Risteska, Director
download Powerpoint of Marija Risteska’s presentation (610kb)
listen to Marija Risteska’s presentation (MP3, 20.5Mb, 23 minutes)
4. Communication strategy of a particular project – Case study of Providus Center for public Policy – Latvia. Presenter: Krista Baumane, Development Director
download Powerpoint of Krista Baumane’s presentation (173kb)
listen to Krista Baumane’s presentation (MP3, 15.6Mb, 23 minutes)
5. Building relations with media and policy stakeholders/ Effective advocacy strategies
Nicholas Walton, Head of Communications, European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR)
listen to Nicholas Walton’s presentation (MP3, 15.5Mb, 17 minutes)
Fiona Napier, International Advocacy Director, Open Society Institute
listen to Fiona Napier’s presentation (MP3, 21.8Mb, 24 minutes)
I hope you find them useful. Let me know your comments and ideas below.
Important note: All presentation slides are property of the presenters and should not be copied
3 comments ↓
Since now I know that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable, do you plan some other similar training, in May 2011?
Dear Goran
I thought I should contribute to your resource list with some additional materials from the RAPID programme:
http://partnerplatform.org/ebpdn/rescomm/RAPID (you might need to sign up to access the materials but it is fairly straight forward). There you can find presentations and handouts related to the research communication workshops that we’ve been running in the past.
And in fact, Ajoy Datta (a.datta@odi.org.uk) has been delivering them in easter europe and central asia.
There is plenty more available in http://www.ebpdn.org from other sources
I hope you find it useful.
Thanks Enrique. I am aware of these materials and have used them before.
They definitely deserve to be on this list ( far from being complete)
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