Please find pasted below Econnect Communication’s first ever newsletter. We plan to send these short three-page (maximum) newsletters out to interested clients, colleagues and others around the middle of most months of the year.

 

The newsletter will feature short articles, events, new books or tips related to the communication of science and environmental/natural resource issues. Please feel free to send this on to anyone else who might be interested, and who would like to be on our newsletter contact list. Of course, if you would like to be removed from our list also please just let us know.

 

With regards

The team at Econnect Communication (Jenni Metcalfe, Lin Martin, Louise Ralph, Michelle Riedlinger)

 

 

THE FIVE HATS OF SCIENCE COMMUNICATION, by Jenni Metcalfe

The effectiveness of communication largely depends on the message that is being communicated, and this can be shaped to some extent by the role or “hat” the communicator is wearing at the time. As such, scientists and others conveying technical information need to consider what role they are playing in the communication process at any one time. Here are five possible roles:

 

1. The informer – provides expert advice based on scientifically proven facts or events (through fact sheets, media releases, presentations, etc)

2. The negotiater – engages with others about a particular issue where a mutually acceptable outcome is desired

3. The listener – a highly under-utilised role where the key purpose is to listen and feedback information gained through listening for the purposes of clarity (important in consultation processes)

4. The advocate – takes a persuasive role to change other people’s attitudes or behaviour (when dealing with the media this is a very different role to the informer, and the messages will be different)

5. The facilitator –the primary purpose of this role is to help others communicate between each other to achieve shared outcomes

 

 

MEETING CONSUMER NEEDS FOR EXPERIENTIAL TOURISM, By Lin Martin

Effective interpretation of cultural and natural heritage (delivered by skilled guides, visitor centres, displays, signs and multimedia) is one of the key aspects of satisfying visitor needs and expectations. Econnect’s work in this area over the past decade has shown that good interpretation will engage, involve, educate, challenge and entertain visitors. It provides a sense of place and meaning and brings people and the environment to life. It takes time, flexibility and courage to create innovative interpretation as a key aspect of a tourism product, but the rewards include satisfied visitors and a continually developing product to meet changing consumer demands.

 

Key points in planning interpretive tourism

·         Focus on your strengths - base your product on what natural and cultural resources you have that others don’t have.

·         Plan all stages of the project in detail before commencing ,including marketing, product evaluation and redevelopment. Plan for and monitor budgets tightly.

·         Be very clear about what you want to achieve – profit, local employment, community pride and involvement, and conservation of the resource.

·         Consult and involve the local community.

·         Take the time to do the project well. Do not rush the stages of consultation and product development. Innovation does not happen overnight.

·         Know your target audience. Plan and tailor the product from the consumer’s needs and perspectives. Undertake market research.

·         Interpretation should be fun, encourage involvement, stimulate the senses, and pose a challenge. Plan all activities to reflect a strong theme.

·         Choose methods that involve and engage the senses. Face to face interpretation is the most effective.

·         Be cautious with technology. Can you afford it and do you need it?

·         Collaborate with experts. Expertise may be found within your local community.

 

AN EVENTFUL LIFE by Louise Ralph

Organising an outdoor broadcast with ABC Radio in May this year on behalf of our clients, CSIRO National Awareness was, well…eventful. Event management is a bit like extreme sports. It’s a great adrenalin rush, and when you survive it you can’t help going back.

 

“If your organisation is running an event, it is putting its reputation on the line. Yet many organisations put less thought into an event than they would into designing their corporate stationery,” says Brisbane event manager, Lenny Vance of Buzz Events. “One cog not working can make the whole event fall over. So it is important to make sure tasks are assigned to those with the skills and the ability to carry them out, especially in voluntary situations where this is just one more task on top of many.”

 

According to Lenny, who developed and implemented Queensland’s statewide millennium celebrations, event management is really project management: “You decide on the outcomes, and what resources are available, and match those up”.

 

Here are some hot tips for planning your event:

·         Get a project plan down on paper

·         Clearly define roles/tasks for everyone and keep a check on their progress

·         Pinpoint your target audience

·         Pay attention to detail – plan methodically

·         Create something different and interesting

·         Avoid holding your event during big news times like Budgets being handed down, as well as special holidays, sports grand finals, and other distracting times

·         Promote your event. Use community bulletin boards in suburban papers and radio community announcements (both FM and AM radio run these as free services and will often post them on their websites as well); school newsletters; email networks; media alerts and editorials

·         Make contingency plans – have backup speakers and plan for bad weather!
 

And a word from the recently enlightened: Helium-filled balloons at events are great if you want to be mobbed, robbed and surrounded by a bunch of delirious kids with chipmunk-syndrome. Adding freebees to the equation guarantees a wild time, so hand them out from a peep-proof bag to avoid confrontation with those “negotiators” who will always want “the other one”.

 

 

A SOCIAL IDENTITY PERSPECTIVE OF COMMUNICATION by Michelle Riedlinger

As the field of science and environmental communication grows in Australia, more practitioners are looking towards theoretical models to help guide their communication planning. Psychological theories such as Social Identity Theory (SIT) focus on how individuals relate to each other based on their group memberships, such as age, class, occupation, regional location and organisational memberships.

 

We know that communication is not just about conveying information but developing relationships and trust. From a communication perspective, SIT proposes individuals:

§         would rather talk to people who are in the same group as themselves

§         have a tendency to conform to group norms and behaviours

§         are often mistrustful of people from other groups, particularly those groups which may pose a threat to the stability or integrity of the groups to which they are members

 

Even some of the basic principles of SIT, when related to what we know about communication have some important implications for communication practitioners. For example, SIT research tells us that people would rather hear things, particularly to do with behaviour change, from other members of their group. From the perspective of communication planning, communication practitioners may find it valuable to:

1.        use existing communication networks of relevant groups as much as possible, and if need be assist them to build up their own capacity

2.        use supportive spokespeople from these groups as much as possible to get your messages across

3.        identify “boundary spanners“ i.e. individuals who belong to your group or organisation but are also members of the groups that you wish to communicate with, - these people are better able to understand the needs and concerns of the groups you are working with and are able to identify common ground between the agendas that are operating on both sides

4.        identify and support groups which bring together members of various groups to solve common problems e.g. Landcare

5.        find new ways to bring members of various groups together under areas of common interest so that contact between groups can be achieved on an equal basis

 

If you are unable to establish relationships with the groups you wish to communicate with in these ways, it is particularly important for you to understand the norms of the groups you are working with and how you are perceived by these groups. The best possible case scenario for developing effective communication with these groups is if the group sees no distinction between themselves and you. Working towards this requires you to:

·         actively listen to the concerns and needs of the groups you wish to communicate with

·         be clear about the group or organisation that you are representing and be open and honest about your motivations in any communication

 

EVENTS OR CONFERENCES COMING UP

·         Ideas at the Powerhouse, Brisbane, 16-19 August 2001, http://www.ideasatthepowerhouse.com.au

·         ScienceNOW! Melbourne, 23-26 August 2001, http://www.sciencenow.org.au

·         Interpretation Association of Australia 2001 National Conference, 3-7 September 2001, Alice Springs, http://home.vicnet.net.au/~interpoz/

·         National Conference of the Australian Science Communicators (ASC), 23-26 September 2001, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney, http://www.asc.asn.au/

·         National Science Writers’ Festival, 18-21 October 2001, University of Queensland and SouthBank, Brisbane, Email: louise@econnect.com.au

·         Ecotourism Association of Australia Conference, Rottnest Island, 23-26 October 2001, www.ecotourism.org.au, Email: tony.charters@tq.com.au

·         Natural Resources Communicators Conference, National Museum, Canberra, 13-14 November 2001, Email Lawrie.Kirk@mdbc.gov.au