communications strategy 2013-2016 - scottish fire and rescue … · 2014-07-25 · free home fire...

Communications Strategy

Communications Strategy2013-2016

Working together for a safer Scotland


CONTENTS

Introduction 1

Aims 2

Key Communication Principles 3

Marketing 4

Our Audience and Stakeholders 6

Communicating With Our External Stakeholders And Partners 7

Communicating with our Staff 9

Delivering The Strategy 12

Roles And Responsibilities 13

Monitoring And Evaluation 14

Performance Management 15


Following the Commission on the Future Delivery of Public Services (the Christie Commission) and the introduction of the Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012, the previous eight fire and rescue services became a single Fire and Rescue Service for Scotland on 1st April 2013 to build on the four pillars of public service reform: prevention, partnership working, focus on people and continuous improvement.

1. INTRODUCTION

protection agenda by delivering relevant advice to support SFRS’s aim of reducing risk to the public from fire and other emergencies.

The explosion of online social networks and the ever-increasing sophistication of mobile devices has transformed both personal and professional communications and radically altered the landscape of the traditional communication channels. New technologies are enabling ordinary people to build new networks, share information and access content as never before.

It is important that we can deliver our messages to target audiences effectively but also ensure that they identify with them and choose to act on them or share them with others. Therefore, the need for clear, effective, responsive and flexible internal and external communications is greater than ever.

This strategy will determine the direction and framework to actively encourage two-way communication and constructively use the comments and feedback we receive from our staff, partners, communities and other stakeholders.

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This is the first Communications Strategy for the new Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and has been developed to set out the principles and approach the Service will follow to embed and improve both its internal and external communications over the next three years and reflect the Service’s corporate vision, aims and values which fully align with the principles set out by the Christie Commission.

SFRS recognises that good communication is one of the founding principles of any successful organisation; getting it right allows us to understand what is required of us and allows us to share that information with others. It also ensures that as an organisation we are able to listen and respond to information and feedback received and adapt our communications as required.

Effective communication will allow us to raise awareness and keep our staff, partners, local communities and other stakeholders informed of our activities, plans, key messages and progress towards achieving the benefits of our strategic programme. Corporate communications will play a vital role in supporting the prevention and


• Achieve our overall organisational objectives and align people with our valuesWe will align our communication objectives with the SFRS strategic aims and promote the Service’s values to support:

• Improved safety of communities and staff• More equitable access to fire and rescue

services• Improved outcomes through partnership • Development of a culture of continuous

improvement

We will monitor, review, develop and promote effective communications internally and externally.

We will maintain a unified brand across all SFRS activity and ensure it represents SFRS’s core values.

• Engage effectively with our employees and stakeholdersWe aim to embed a robust two-way communication framework which will be developed to help staff and our external stakeholders understand and focus on the Service’s goals and how they can help achieve them.

We will build an engaged workforce through an improved flow of accessible communication and information, and provide staff with the information they require to undertake their role in an effective and timely manner. We want to ensure staff are well informed, supported and equipped to communicate in a way that supports the aims and objectives of the SFRS.

We will protect and enhance the reputation of the SFRS through improved communication, consultation and engagement with our stakeholders and partner agencies.

Through effective communication and a robust communication framework, we aim to:

2. AIMS

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• Demonstrate the success of our work and share good practiceWe will promote the success of the SFRS and the contribution it makes to creating a safer Scotland through appropriate communication channels and by doing so enhance our reputation both internally and externally

• Ensure people understand what we do and are aware of the services we provideWe will increase awareness of SFRS activities, prevention and protection safety campaigns and the specialist services provided by the SFRS both nationally and within the diverse local communities we serve.

We will help our stakeholders and key audiences understand what we do, the services we provide, how we will provide them and how they can access them.


3. KEY COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES

The key principles which underpin SFRS corporate communications and support the four strategic aims are:

• Communication should reflect SFRS core values of safety, diversity, dignity, fairness, excellence, equality, integrity and respect

• Communication should be an integral part of the strategic planning and decision making process, and be an essential part of the fabric of all work undertaken in the SFRS

• Communication should be a two way process to encourage meaningful dialogue

• Communication mechanisms should be equally accessible to all

• Communication should be targeted to meet the needs of its audience

• The SFRS will communicate in an open, transparent way and will be accountable for what is being communicated

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• Communication will recognise the principles of open government as laid out in access to information legislation, such as The Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, The Environmental Information Regulations (Scotland) 2004 and the Data Protection Act 1998

• The SFRS will take a co-ordinated approach to internal and external communication

• The SFRS will encourage and value all views and feedback which will, where appropriate, influence the Service’s activities and plans


The SFRS will undertake positive and proactive marketing, both internally and externally, to promote, support and publicise community safety campaigns, initiatives and information at a national and local level.

Corporate communications will work closely with the Prevention and Protection directorate to deliver our preventative messages and support marketing strategies following detailed analysis of data from previous campaigns and operational information to determine priorities for community safety campaigns/initiatives and to identify our target audiences.

Our marketing activity will be driven by our strategic priorities and will be tailored to meet the specific aims of the individual campaign/initiative to ensure it is successfully delivered to our target audiences and key stakeholders. This may be in the form of marketing materials such as posters and leaflets, promotional input to staff, trade and other magazines/publications, online marketing channels including social media, TV and radio advertising and public relations campaigns.

Communication plans will be produced in conjunction with the appropriate directorate for key initiatives, campaigns and messaging requirements. These plans will include key marketing elements, including communication aims and objectives, key messages, target audience, communication and marketing route and channels, timescales and costing/resource requirements as required.

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4. MARKETING

OUTDOORSAFETY

• Afirecandestroyatentinlessthan60 seconds!

• Onaverage,1400fiesperyearoccurin caravans!

DID YOU KNOW?

CONTACT DETAILSDreghorn Community Fire StationCorsehillMountRoadDreghornIrvineAyrshireKA114JZTel:01294211448

FOR A FREE HOME FIRE SAFETY VISIT

FREEPHONE0800 0731 999Text‘Check’to61611

orvisitwww.firescotland.gov.uk

AlternativelytoarrangeafreeHomeFireSafetyVisitcall

DreghornCommunityFireStationquotingcodeR04OS.


FREE Home Fire Safety Visit

and FREE Smoke Alarm

BUILT TO BE FIREPROOF

You are at no more risk of having a house fire than those living in other types of house.

For more information and fire safety advice visit: www.firescotland.gov.uk

If you would like this document in another format or language, please call 0800 0731 999.

KEEPING YOUR BUILDING SAFE

No refuse bags, combustible materials or items of furniture should be stored in common areas such as stairways, corridors or drying rooms within a building. By keeping these areas clear it will protect escape routes and reduce the risk of deliberate fires.

Lifts, fire alarm panels, fire doors and dry riser landing valves are there to assist with firefighting operations. If you see damage to any of these features, please report it immediately.

Most doors in common areas are fire resisting and fitted with self closing devices and should never be wedged open.

Bin rooms and access doors to the building should be kept secure to prevent intruders starting deliberate fires.

There should be no gas cylinders, flammable liquids or fuels stored or used within a high-rise building.

Emergency vehicle parking areas should be kept clear to allow firefighters access to fire hydrants and the building quickly in the event of fire.

YOU CAN HELP TO MAKE

SAFERYOUR BUILDING

The materials and fittings within a multi-storey are designed to prevent fire and smoke spread.

Most fires will not spread further than the area where they have started.

If there is a fire in someone else’s flat, you’ll be safer staying in your own home.

© Crown copyright 2013

The materials and fittings within a multi-storey are designed to prevent fire and smoke spread.

To book a free Home Fire Safety Visit text ‘fire’ to 61611call 0800 0731 999visit www.firescotland.gov.uk

MU

LTI-STOREY FIRE SA

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Fact.

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Avoiding Fires inCommon StairsAdvice from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service

If there was a fire in your stair, would you know what to do? Be stair aware!

FREE Home Fire Safety Visitand FREE Smoke AlarmFire can happen to anyone.But it is our job to help make sure your home is as safe from fire as it can be. This is why we provide free Home Fire Safety Visits. Our staff can help you spot a possible fire hazard, offer advice and guidance and fit smoke alarms free of charge if your home requires them.

A Home Fire Safety Visit only takes around 20 minutes. And that 20 minutes might just save your life.

Visits are easy to arrange.A Home Fire Safety Visit can be organised at a time that suits you, day or night.

The Service would also like community members to think about anyone they know who could be at risk from fire. It could be a friend, relative, or neighbour.

To book a free Home Fire Safety Visit for you, or for someone you know:

Every hour of every day there’s a house fire in Scotland.

Fact.

CALL 0800 0731 999or visit www.firescotland.gov.uk

Always ask for official identification - all employees of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will be happy to produce this on request.

Visit www.firescotland.gov.uk for practical fire safety advice, or talk to your local firefighters at your nearest community fire station. You will find contact details on our website, in your local library and in the phone book.

If you would like this document in another format or language, please call 0800 0731 999.

FurtherInformation

Draft version 0.1 (Edinburgh) December 2013


5. OUR AUDIENCES AND STAKEHOLDERS

We will tailor our messaging to meet the needs of our audience and key stakeholder groups and will ensure our messages are designed to address issues which concern or interest them.

An analysis of our audience and stakeholders will be carried as a key part of any communication plan to meet specific communication requirements, utilising data and evaluation from previous campaigns, operational information and risk analysis systems such as FSEC (Fire Service Emergency Cover Model) as appropriate. This will help us understand the different needs and the issues affecting each of our stakeholder groups to ensure we target our communications activities effectively.

The development of a stakeholder and engagement strategy will further support our activities and be a key consideration when we are planning our corporate communications approach.

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The SFRS’s key stakeholders, and therefore our key target audiences, include:

• The public and visitors to Scotland

• Vulnerable people – those most at risk within our local communities

• Our staff

• Voluntary and community groups

• Partner organisations including other Category 1 responders (the emergency services, local authorities, NHS Boards) and community planning partnerships

• Elected representatives – local and national

• The media

• Business community

• Government departments

• Representative bodies – such as Trade Unions


6. COMMUNICATING WITH OUR EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS AND PARTNERS

The way in which we communicate externally is crucial to how the Service is perceived by both the public and our own staff.

By engaging closely and working collaboratively with key partner agencies, including national and local government, we will ensure that our communications activities reflect the role the Service plays in community planning. This connection will support us to deliver key safety messages and information, increase the focus on prevention, and on our ability to respondto local priorities in every area of Scotland.

It is important that we raise public awareness of what we do, the services we provide, how and where we provide them, how they can be accessed and how they benefit individuals, local communities and contribute to a safer Scotland.

We have a wide and diverse range of external audiences and stakeholders. We intend to develop the public profile of the organisation by providing consistent, accurate and timely information to the communities we serve using methods that suit their needs and preferred ways to access information.

Communicating key community safety messages is essential to help people make themselves safer from fire and other emergencies. Community and fire safety information will be provided to our target audiences in an open clear and concise manner taking into account the needs of our diverse communities.

We will ensure a two-way communication process with our external stakeholders and partners. For example, corporate communications personnel will respond to comments and enquiries, providing answers to enquiries in person, in writing, by telephone, via social media platforms and our website.

The external communication function will play a lead role in developing the public profile of the SFRS, ensuring that our organisation is effectively positioned in the media and that opportunity to publicise the work of our staff across Scotland is optimised through positive relationships with the media and our external stakeholders.

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We will utilise a number of communication channels to ensure that we reach as many of our external audiences and stakeholder groups as possible. The channels we use will be adopted to meet the communication requirements of our target audience and will be selected as appropriate to specific communication plans. These will include:

• Traditional media – newspapers, radio, TV, trade press etc.

• Social media – SFRS Twitter, Facebook and YouTube channels

• SFRS Website

• Printed and electronic materials – leaflets, posters and publications

• Outdoor advertising and promotional materials

• Written correspondence

• Surveys

• Focus groups

• Public meetings and consultations

• Interactive events

• Events, exhibitions, open days and road shows

• Committee meetings (publishing agendas, reports and minutes)

Promote national core safety messages, support and publicise community safety

External Communication Objectives Strategic AimsImproved safety of communities and staff

More equitable access to fire and rescue services

Improved outcomes through partnership

Develop a culture of continuous improvement

Increase awareness of the SFRS and promote the wide role of the SFRS locally, regionally and nationally

Work with our partner agencies to improve communication and public engagement for all parts of our diverse local communities

Develop online communication channels to improve two-way communication and consultation

Fulfil our duties under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 to “warn and inform” the public, before, during and after emergencies.

To handle sensitive issues honestly and openly whilst ensuring the best possible outcome for the SFRS

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Effective two-way communication with our staff is possibly the single most important aspect of ensuring the organisation can operate effectively. It is essential to create a sense of belonging and loyalty to the new organisation, which encompasses eight former fire and rescue services.

Our staff are our greatest asset but if we do not develop methods to effectively communicate with them or support them to communicate with each other and those they provide services to, the organisation will not be able to fulfil its aims and objectives efficiently or empower people to support the Service in its activities.

Providing staff with a consistent, accurate and timely picture of where the SFRS is going, and the strategic issues facing the Service today, will facilitate an understanding of, and reinforce, the strategic direction of the organisation and support a positive environment for the acceptance and adoption of new policies, procedures and initiatives.

Supporting, listening and respecting staff views and ideas will help foster a positive attitude at work and will help them to do their jobs effectively. Proactive and accurate communications will empower our staff, help influence colleagues and peers and support them to successfully communicate on behalf of the organisation to internal and external stakeholders. By harnessing the skills and experience of our staff, we can identify ways of improving services and deliver best value, which will further encourage staff to contribute positively to support the aims and objectives of the SFRS.

7. COMMUNICATING WITH OUR STAFF

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A suite of internal communication channels will be used, and the appropriate methods will be identified to meet specific communication requirements. Internal channels include:

• Staff intranet

• Chief Officer’s Videoblog

• Core brief

• Electronic staff update (e-zine)

• Staff magazine (electronic and hard copy)

• Written correspondence – Instruction Notes/Awareness Briefings/Controlled documents

• Email

• Face to face programme, as appropriate, which may include

• Chief Officer road shows/briefings

• SLT/senior managers’ road shows/briefings

• LSO face to face briefings

• Area Manager/Head of Function face to face briefings

• Staff events

• Team or staff briefings

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Communicate with staff in a planned, controlled and consistent manner

Internal Communication Objectives Strategic AimsImproved safety of communities and staff

More equitable access to fire and rescue services

Improved outcomes through partnership

Develop a culture of continuous improvement

Produce information which is relevant, easy to understand and timely

Keep staff informed on corporate, local (directorate) and public issues

Be aware of and listen to staff views and suggestions when developing policy and taking decisions

Improve communication by researching staff requirements, monitoring efficiency and effectiveness of our communications, and by identifying and sharing best practice

Use new technology to target internal communications appropriately and reduce unnecessary duplication.


8. DELIVERING THE STRATEGY

This strategy will be supported by an annual communications plan, policies, procedures, guidance notes and individual themed communication plans to ensure that everyone within the Service understands their individual role in communicating on behalf of the organisation and how we will work together to ensure that the key principles of communication as mentioned previously are followed.

The use of communication plans, agreed key messages and position statements will ensure that our key stakeholders and members of our communities are provided with consistent, accurate and timely information and responses to their enquiries and requests for information.

Departmental communication plans will be created for internal and external communication to support specific campaigns, which will detail the actions required to deliver the strategy over the next three years.

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9. ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Good communication is delivered partly through our formal corporate communication channels but also relies on the participation of each and every member of staff.

When it comes to communication, we all have a role and responsibility to ensure our messages are clearly constructed, effectively delivered and easily understood. This responsibility begins with the SFRS Board, who set our strategic direction, the Chief Officer and the Strategic Leadership Team, who have made a commitment to maintain honest and open communications with staff. This extends to each of us in our day-to-day dealings with colleagues and external stakeholders.

The SFRS Board, the Chief Officer, his Strategic Leadership Team provide our strategic lead and are the source of key Service information. They will be responsible for defining priorities and objectives for communication. The Deputy Chief Officer has overall responsibility for the Corporate Communications function.

The SFRS Local Stakeholder Engagement Committee has responsibility for scrutinising the effectiveness of the Corporate Communication Strategy. Local Senior Officers and Heads of Function have responsibility for ensuring information is fed down through the Service, and for responding openly

to staff feedback and external enquiries with the support of Corporate Communications. Line Managers are tasked with cascading relevant information to their teams, and for responding openly to staff feedback and external stakeholders as required and with the support of Corporate Communications.

The Corporate Communications Team will act as our communications hub, co-ordinating communication and managing feedback for the Service. The team has responsibility for the SFRS corporate identity and manages the Service’s corporate communication channels.

External communications staff will provide strategic communication advice and support to the SLT and the SFRS Board to support the development of how the Service is perceived and ensure a visible and meaningful presence for the organisation.

All staff are responsible for communicating according to the key communication principles both within the SFRS and with external stakeholders. All staff are responsible for effectively using available communication mechanisms and offering constructive suggestions for improvement and for sharing knowledge and expertise with colleagues within SFRS.

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1 0. M O N I TO R I N G A N D E VA LUAT I O N

Evaluating the success of the Corporate Communications strategy, policy and plans will be carried out in a number of ways, with individual plans detailing evaluation mechanisms which will include both quantitative and qualitative approaches through the monitoring of both outputs and outcomes.

Examples may include:

• Surveys/workshops

• Hits/feedback on the SFRS intranet site

• Activity/feedback on the SFRS enterprise social networks

• Staff suggestions

• Number of press releases issued

• Key messages picked up by media

• Hits/feedback on the SFRS website

• Followers/feedback on Twitter/Facebook and YouTube

• Stakeholder group research/satisfaction surveys

It is important that our communication is monitored and the effectiveness of all corporate communications is properly measured to ensure it continues to meet the SFRS key objectives.

• Public/place surveys/polls

• Customer research/satisfaction surveys

• Focus groups

• Consultation events

• Number of attendees at events/briefing sessions

• Compliments received

• Complaints received

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To assist in the evaluation of the success of the Corporate Communications strategy, a suite of indicators will be developed to provide performance information for both internal and external communications. The measure, frequency and target will be clearly identified for these performance indicators.

In addition, individual targets and indicators will be set to evaluate the effectiveness of one-off communication projects and campaigns.

As our communications methods and mechanisms are embedded, we will be mindful of opportunities to use new and emerging technologies to support innovative ways of delivering our messages on behalf of the SFRS.

11. PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

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Draft V0.1.4 6th June 2014

communications strategy 2013-2016 - scottish fire and rescue … · 2014-07-25 · free home fire...

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