I have been doing work experience at the Asthma Foundation WA since early February this year, so it's been quite a while. Fortunately, because I'm still there, I am able to use them for my placement which is great.
Basically, I'm in charge of a new campaign they launched this year, called "Help the Fremantle Dockers Tackle Asthma." Ten companies are sponsoring us and donating $2 for every tackle the Dockers lay this season. So far we've raised almost $30,000 so it's a wonderful initiative.
My role has been to liaise with the companies; update the tackle tally and website every week with new statistics; keep in close contact with the communications and events girls at Freo, and basically make sure everything is running smoothly.
I've had some up's and down's, but for the most part it has been a great experience. The only thing I am struggling with, is the structure of non for profit organisations. Everyone kind of does a bit of everything, which can either mean one person is doing hardly anything, and someone else is trying to juggle ten different things. I'm getting used to it, but it's certainly different to what I expected.
One of the major challenges I have found, is trying to decide how much of a say I should have, or how much I should just go along with what my boss said. I was asked to write a media release, a few weeks after I started. I was happy to do it, however at this point there was no marketing or PR coordinator, and the business development manager's were being replaced. Thus, I was literally the only person in the whole organisation with any sort of knowledge of writing media releases etc. I have written heaps for uni and done well in them, but it's definitely different writing my first one for an actual purpose. I did the best job I could, and waited for my boss (who is the CEO and has minimum experience with marketing and public relations) to get back to the office and check it. He read it, and immediately shook his head and took it back to his office and changed a huge part. I was really upset because I didn't think it was too bad, and being my first one, I expected him to be a little less harsh. However, when he showed me the new "improved" version, I disagreed with what he had changed, and I knew, based on what we had learnt at uni, that the structure he had written it in was completely wrong.
I toyed with the possibility of me trying to tell him what he had written wasn't completely right, but in the end I just sent off his edited version because at the end of the day, he is my boss and if that's what he wants to put, then I decided to just let it go. Besides, I had only been there for a few weeks and was still unsure of the etiquette I should follow etc. It was hard, and I think if it happened now (because i've been here much longer) I might say something because I'm a bit more confident with what i'm doing.
Anyway, I've written sooo much, so for any of you who have even gotten to this part, thanks for sticking with it :)
3 comments:
Hey Jess, I can see you predicament here. I have been in a similar situations as you in my current placement. I work closely with the Marketing Co-coordinator of the organisation, so she has some knowledge of what PR is and what Media releases suppose to look like(unlike your CEO). However as I discovered when I wrote my media release for her, what we've learn in uni is not an universal fit and certainly do not apply there. Matter of fact, most of the companies have their own templates, procedures, and ways of doing thing to ensure the end product aligns all of the companies documents. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, try not to be too discouraged and don't take criticism too personally.
Hey Jess,
I feel it is really important to trust your instincts in this case. Although public relations procedures and media release formats change quite dramatically depending on the client and the PR firm, as a student still involved with PR practice, I feel you need to have confidence in your work. You were obviously hired for a reason, and as you have mentioned, the place of PR within the Asthma Foundation is blurred between the lines of Marketing and whoever has time to attend to the work.
I guess, in a not for profit organisation, this PR and Marketing role can be hard to justify. With so little funds to work with, seeing the result of PR related activities is difficult to measure (despite you knowing very well the huge benefits). I have no doubt your young, fresh knowledge is sparking some excitement into the corporation and I wish you all the luck in your placement going forward.
Hi Jess,
Great blog and it sounds like you have an awesome place to complete your placement. Being in charge of a campaign like that must be awesome as well especially in regards to contacts in the future. You never know when you may need to contac the Dockers again!
Don't feel too down on your press release and having it changed or altered. At my placement, I have been writing a press release each day pretty much. At the start, it took about four drafts to get it 'right', or how my supervisor wanted it. It came down to changing the smallest of words. I remember it making me feel inadequate at what I was doing. But there are so many different ways on how to write something, and everyone will always have their different opinions.
Post a Comment