Topic 2: Principles for effective communication in emergencies

Effective mapping of communications channels will ensure your school’s messages are disseminated through multiple channels so that classes receive your school information, advice and guidance several times from a range of sources.

Communicators understand that channels tend to fall into three main categories.

1.Mass media

2.School and community

3.Interpersonal

People seeking advice or sharing information about health risks often turn to family, friends, health care practitioners, co-workers, teachers, counsellors, and faith leaders. These one-on-one discussions are often the most trusted channels for health information.

Factors to consider when prioritizing channels include their reach (number of people that will hear, see, or read a message), and how the channel supports classes’ ability to recall the message and have impact (whether the message results in action).

Exposure to the message and repetition are key to class recall, as it increases the likelihood that classes will act on the information provided. For example, government policy-makers may be influenced by multiple news media reports about the need for immunization campaigns, but posters on community boards can be more effective at encouraging residents to get vaccinated and directing them to local health facilities.

Goal

• Identify effective channels
• Make information available online
• Ensure accessibility

How can you do it?

Communicators can start the planning process by considering how key classes receive health information and with whom they discuss health advice and guidance. The following questions need to be addressed.

• What channels do classes have access to?
• What channels do classes prefer for receiving health information? For seeking information?
• Are there partner channels that may provide support for hard-to-reach classes?
• What channels encourage two-way engagement with classes, enabling interaction between decision-makers and your school?
• Which set of channels best supports the communication objectives identified for the project?

If your school-branded content is understandable, people are more likely to trust your school as a good source of information. In order for your school to influence decisions to improve health, communications tools and supports must be clear and actionable for a wide range of people in diverse circumstances. The component sections of this principle discuss how communicators can ensure messages are understandable by employing tactics such as:

• Using clear and plain language to explain global health issues and guidance
• Telling stories with a human dimension to make the issues real to those at risk
• Incorporating visual components that show and enhance your school content
• Communicating in multiple languages if necessary, depending on your pupils’ origins

Goals

• Use plain language
• Tell real stories
• Make it visual
• Use appropriate language

Communicators can increase the sense of relevance to a health issue by referring to the personal experiences of the class or explaining how the issue can affect family, friends or others they may know in their community.

Communicators can start the planning process and consider how to create relevant messages by following these points.

• Understand the characteristics of the pupils group to design effective messages and strategies.
• Create messages and materials that include examples from or references to the pupils’ community, schools, or other points of identification. Alternatively, examples and references could relate to similar classes.
• Listen to your colleagues and to other stakeholders that work with pupils, in order to identify how to address their concerns.
• Tailor content and messages to meet the needs of the class.
• Design messages based on the classes’ readiness to take the appropriate actions

Goal

• Know the class
• Listen to the class
• Tailor the message
• Motivate the class

How can you do that?

To help ensure your school communications on public health issues are seen as relevant to the class, communicators should consider a wide range of questions in the planning phase.

Communicating in a timely way means engaging the class at the time when the health guidance is needed, and when they are receptive to hear and act on it. During health emergencies, for example, this means communicating rapidly what is known and unknown, and providing frequent and reliable updates. For many non-urgent health topics, timeliness / timing means engaging a class at the point when individuals and policy-makers need to take action. This “just-in-time” messaging is especially relevant for health issues that are seasonal, such as promoting flu vaccines, or when the health issues are more likely to affect specific age groups. In both cases, your school will need to determine how to engage the class when they are most likely to pay attention.

The component sections of this principle discuss how communicators can support timely dissemination of your school information, advice and guidance by:

• Making sure your school’s information is available to decision-makers as quickly as possible
• Timing communications to when decision-makers need to know and take action
• Sequencing messages to build the conversation over time

Goal

• Communicate early
• Communicate at the right time
• Build the conversation

How can you do that?

Your school communicators should consider these questions when designing communications actions and products that are timely.

• When health threats are urgent, what are the best methods to engage your class quickly?
• When are the class likely to be faced with a health-related decision for themselves or others on the health topic?
• How can messages be delivered so that the class has enough time to understand and act on the message?
• How can your school best get messages to the pupils quickly?
• Are there times when a health message will be crowded out by competing issues and concerns?
• Is there a way to deliver a sequence of messages over time that would increase the effectiveness of information and advice?

The components of this principle focus on strategies to reinforce public trust in your school by demonstrating:

• Competence: your school has technical knowledge in the health issue and its information is accurate and consistent with other experts and trusted schools
• Openness and honesty: your school is transparent in its work and the school is honest about what it knows, and what it does not know
• Dependability: your school does what it says it will do
• Commitment and caring: your school is committed to its mission and cares about the health of all people

How can you do that?

Communicators should consider these questions to help decide on how to communicate with the aim of building and maintaining credibility.

• What is your school’s role in this health issue?
• What does your school know about the health issue and what questions still need to be answered?
• How aware are at-risk populations and other decision-makers of your school’s status as a credible resource on specific health issues?
• What other organizations are perceived by the class as trusted on this health issue? How can your school align with them?
• Are partner schools’ messages aligned with those of your school?
• Who at your school is the best spokesperson for this issue?
• Are there any reputational risks related to the health issue, such as threat to your school’s reputation, perceived value or standing in global health? Should these be considered in planning communication activities?

Communication is a necessary component of any effort to achieve positive health outcomes. Your school must provide accurate health information in a way that encourages classes to take action and follow advice and guidance to protect safety and health.

This principle comprises several components helping communicators develop messages and campaigns focused on behavior change by understanding the class:

• Level of awareness of the health risks and protection
• Feelings of personal relevance to the health risk
• Knowledge of appropriate health behaviours or policies to mitigate risks and promote health
• Confidence that they can take the recommended actions
• Sense that the recommended actions are endorsed by their community
• Belief that the benefits of implementing actions outweigh the costs

Goal

• Move your class to action
• Do behavior change campaigns
• Communicate in emergencies

How can you do that?

Communicators should consider the questions below to help identify if your class is ready to take action. This insight can then be used to craft compelling communications products and activities that move decision-makers towards accepting and acting on your school advice, guidance, and recommendations.

1: Make information accessible

• Identify effective channels
• Make information available online
• Ensure accessibility

2 : Make information understandable

• Use plain language
• Tell real stories
• Make it visual
• Use familiar languages

4: Target the class

• Know the class
• Listen to the class
• Tailor the message
• Motivate the class

3: Communicate

• Communicate early
• Communicate at the right time
• Build the conversation

4: Be sure

• Technical accuracy
• Be transparent
• Coordinate with partners

5: Get things done

• Move your class to action
• Behavior change campaigns
• Communicate in emergencies