Theme 4 - Communication

Written Information

The four most important methods for sharing project information using the written word are:

• Meeting documents (see below)
• Reports and Publications
• Public flyers
• Print media

Meeting Documents

Meetings are an essential activity for all community groups. They require good preparation and planning in order to be successful. The manner in which a group prepares its documents can have a large impact on how well they disseminate their information. The most common documents are:

• Agenda
  The agenda is the document that details all the items to be covered at the meeting. It needs to be built in consultation with others, and should be distributed to members well before the meeting date.
  To view a sample Agenda click here (rtf format)
• Minutes
  Minutes are the official record of the proceedings. It is important that they are accurate. To view a sample minutes click here (rtf format).

There is more information on meeting documents at this site or go to Community Tool Box.

Reports and Publications

Reports and publications allow you to detail the results and impacts of your projects with a targeted audience. A report is likely to be required by the project funding body at regular intervals. It will need to detail activities, spending and outcomes. A publication in conference proceedings or a relevant journal will reach a wider audience of policy makers, researchers and practitioners. You may benefit from writing a joint publication with an experienced practitioner or academic, as the combination of knowledge will increase the power of your writing.

For assistance in report writing, look at the Tasmanian Department of Premier and Cabinet Project Management templates site, which provides useful templates for project status, interim reports and final reports.

Public Notices -Flyers

Public notices may be placed in newspapers and magazines or aired on radio and television. They will inform a larger audience of proposed activities, meeting and events, and are therefore a useful tool for gaining increased participation from your community.

Flyers are a cost effective way to promote events within the community. Many shops, offices and organisations will allow you to place your promotion on their notice board or window. Flyers may be produced on a home computer with a word-processing or desktop publishing package, and can look very professional. Compare the costs of printing from the computer or having the flyers photocopied.

This Adult Returners Key skills web resource has simple instruction for writing letters, flyers, reports and essays, including refreshing information on sentence structure and punctuation and will be useful for those who do not have the opportunity to write often.

The Print Media

Print-based media may cover local, regional, or national areas. Local and regional media often provide free space or airtime for community announcements. They can be an excellent way to reach a large number of local people.

To make the most of media opportunities develop a relationship with your local media group. Keep them informed with regular media briefs about your activities. To assist this process, create a media list and a one-page information sheet outlining the mission and goals of your group, and then you can add the relevant updated information when appropriate.
The Our community website provides more information.