Summing up doing corporate communications in a charitable organisation

Hi all, counting down just three more days before the internship ends.

I just want to share a few important points to note when working in the corporate communications department in a charitable organization.

First: One really has to learn to work under tight budgets, this is important as every amount of money especially in a charitable organization has to be documented. Thus regardless of how important that backdrop or exhibition panel is, either one has to think of ideas to do something cheaper or have good relations with vendors who will help to perhaps sponsor or give big discounts.

Second: Many levels of approvals. This means that to approve for example, content in the programme booklets, we do not just have to go through the head of corporate communications but also the secretary general and both deputy secretary generals. Truthfully, I understand the need to have the senior management to look through as it is a reputable charitable organization. However with the number of people that have to approve it, this means more time is involved and the initial direction that the booklet should have may be lost in the process.

 

For example, the logo on the Left that was specially created to represent the ceremony was changed numerous times.

Third: Showcasing the Real side. As we seek stories that can be used for pitching to the media or even just to highlight to the public, we never try to stage things. We believe that it is through the stories of real persons told that can perhaps inspire or encourage others to take a wider look at the people around and not judge them from just their physical appearances.

Probably the most interesting thing that we can take away is seeing a side of society that one will not normally see. Sometimes SRC aims to show the real needs in Singapore and that means visiting the beneficiaries. Through a conversation with them, you will understand that some beneficiaries really need a lot of subsidiaries to just help them get through life. For some, they tend to be optimistic believing that since life has given them a form of obstacle, they will find ways to overcome them. In fact when I was making calls to champion blood donors to find out what got them into blood donation; one of them mentioned that it really takes time and courage to donate blood. Why donate material items like food and cash when you can donate blood or platelets that can give someone another shot at life.

 

 

As I end my stay at SRC, I will always have a soft spot for it. My Impression of SRC was a organization that promotes blood donation or donations for humanitarian relief overseas, now I realize that they do a lot for the community especially for the elderly and needy.

 

Regardless of any happy or tired moments, it has been a fun and enjoyable internship. It may or may not kick-start my career in public relations, but it has definitely shown me the side of public relations which I know I will always enjoy.

 Lastly, introducing SRCs’ mascot, Tiggi, who appeared suddenly three years ago and now calls the SRC his home.

 

That’s all for now as I bid farewell to an internship and the end of two fruitful years in Curtin Singapore but we will meet again someday.

 

Thank you.
Jacquelyn Woo
Curtin Singapore
15658504

 

The Inaugural Singapore Red Cross Awards Ceremony

Hi All, we are already entering the final week of the internship. Hope we all finish on a happy note!

As my title suggests, I am going to talk about the Inaugural Singapore Red Cross Awards Ceremony, it is basically an event that recognises the contributions of volunteers and partners of the Singapore Red Cross. On this day, a total of 29 awards were given out and the most important factor to the Red Cross was that the President of Singapore was the guest of honour. This is also only the second time the President of Singapore has visited the Red Cross House, the first being Yusof Ishak, the first president of Singapore in the 1960s.

Picture of Yusof Ishak visiting in the 1960s.

Preparations for this event took place from 2012. I only joined in May 2013 and I was thrown into preparations mode. Firstly I had to write the Emcee script which to me, was quite a challenge as my boss kept wanting me to add more 'meat' or content in this case. I also had to write the programme outline and ensure it matched the Emcee script. Proofreading the programme booklet and exhibition panels were no easy task as we had to make changes with the designers many times and yet when they were delivered, the exhibition boards were the wrong size.

Why were the boards the wrong size? They were supposed to be A1 and they came in A0, twice the size of panels we had bought. Thus what did we have to do? We had to paste them on the walls. In total five Females pasted 30 panels top and bottom on the walls of what was initially the staff lounge in three hours.

Our hard work in three hours.

There was a heritage tour planned for the president as well as for the awards recipients, thus these were some of the exhibitions.

 An acrylic mural and a photo wall of past events that involved Red Cross.

Below, we have the stage of where the awards are given out.

It is actually smaller than a school stage but as the staff like to put it, it is very cosy.

Public Relations wise, we had prepared a press kit to be given out to the media that was attending. Though coverage was not as expected, more importantly was that we were able to recognise the veteran volunteers and partners contributions to the Singapore Red Cross.

The press kit given out to the Media.

My role throughout the even was with the Stage Team and I had to assist my leader in coordinating the award recipients on stage. This was because I had a part in writing the programme outline thus I knew it very well and was able to control the flow of the ceremony. Though I had no role with public relations on this event, it has made me think that perhaps events are what I would like to do one day cause its like seeing something you worked so hard for come to life and I feel that not everyone can do that. More importantly was that I had great colleagues and bosses along the way and we left no man or woman behind.

This sums up my third week and I cannot wait to enjoy the final week.

Thanks for reading!
Jacquelyn Woo
Curtin Singapore
15658504

Tour of the Office

Hi all, its been a almost long and tiring month. But hope everyone has been enjoying their internship!

To start, I realise that in school, we are always taught to write in formal, dress formally, and be formal to people who are older than you. However in the real working world, I tend to see the relationship between boss and employees being fairly casual. In fact because we are in Singapore, it feels like Singlish would add that sense of pulling away the distance between people. This is just in terms of communication, but I feel it is better as we do not have to be uptight around seniors and will be able to finish our work without being stressed.

Just to give a little tour of my office, as I said earlier the Red Cross House has been around since the 1940s, 50s. Apart from fresh coats of paint and renovations internally, it still remains the same as it was.

The Red Cross House

 



There are only three stories in the Red Cross House, in particular, the staircase leading from the second to third story is a spiral staircase.

This spiral staircase is no joke, I have heard of colleagues who worked here for 20 odd years getting fit just from climbing.

 

Next we come to the open concept meeting room in the office itself.

 

As three departments share this 'meeting room', there is some order in place to ensure we do not snatch over it. Below, is the entire Corporate Communications and Marketing department. As of now, including myself, there are six people working there.

 

The most interesting things however is this ladder that I can see from my work station. As it is a old building, many things have been left untouched, including this ladder.

 



Everytime I ask my colleagues where this ladder leads to, they always answer that this is the ladder to heaven. Actually I found out it led to the roof, but it is great to have such imagination.

 

Well, we have come to the end of the tour, I hope you will all come back and visit the Red Cross House soon. Next time, I will cover on the major event that happened in Red Cross. Stay Tuned!

 

Thanks for reading!
Jacquelyn Woo
Curtin Singapore
15658504

 

My First Week of Internship in Singapore Red Cross.

Hi All

I am glad that I finally got to start my internship a week ago. This was due to many weeks of waiting and empty promises but the past is the past and we must now focus on the present.

I managed to get an internship in Singapore Red Cross' Corporate Communications department.  A short introduction of the Singapore Red Cross. They are a Singaporean humanitarian organisation which is part of a world-wide, non-political, non-religious movement that bases its work on the fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality. They are focused on six areas namely: blood donation, first aid,
 caring for the vulnerable, community services, serving humanity and international services.

On my first day, I was thrown into work by reading reports and brochures of services that the auxiliary of government organisation provided.

A Picture of my work desk.

 

My supervisors and colleagues have been very helpful and willing to allow me to help them out in their work. In particularly, my supervisor had already drawn up a list depicting the things I should do while I am there.

As of far, I have had the experience of collating media clippings, calling up the media and confirming they have received the press release sent, helped in facilitating a press meeting and co-wrote the emcee script for the upcoming awards ceremony.

My first task actually terrified me the most, I was given a list of blood donors and I had to call them up, find out their stories behind donating blood and send them to the public relations agency. I had a lot of phone calls to make and as the office is a open concept, everyone could hear every conversations made. This made me tune my voice down and a few times the person on the other end had to tell me to speak up. Overall, this was a very interesting task and I did well as the modules in school has already trained me to find the key points that the public relations agency could use to pitch as a story to the media.

At times when I am feeling distracted and need a pick-me-up, I always go to the cabinet picured below. Do not look down on this simple cabinet for it is filled with a variety of sweets, chocolates, potato chips, instant coffee and tea and even instant noodles.

This sums up the end of my first week. I cannot wait to start another week and learn as much as I can.

Thanks for reading!
Jacquelyn Woo
Curtin Singapore
15658504