Who I worked with
The Proud Trust, an organisation that helps LGBT+ young people empower themselves, to make a positive change for themselves, and their communities.
The challenge
The charity had grown in recent years, in terms of income, activities and numbers of employees. This growth was exciting in terms of the potential difference they could make to young people’s lives and necessitated some new ways of working. The global pandemic added more change as employees had to work remotely and run services for young people online rather than in person.
The trustees and senior management team wanted to develop a more strategic approach to internal communication. They knew that remote-working and growth required more tailored communication to keep everyone aligned and to support the internal culture.
What happened?
I began by speaking to the Chair of trustees and the senior management team sponsor to get a clear picture of their requirements. We talked about the context of change and their high-level future ambitions. I then interviewed employees in a representative range of roles to understand the impact of effective communication on their work. I also assessed the internal newsletter and the results of a recent communication survey.
Taking all this input and context, I developed a strategic approach for internal communication, which brought together the priorities and motivations for different groups and the organisation as a whole. I also drew up a list of recommended actions to implement the strategy.
The outcomes
During the time it took to draw up the strategy, I spoke regularly to the senior sponsor to ensure that ongoing developments in the work of the charity were reflected in the end result. This was particularly crucial for the strategy to remain relevant during a pandemic. The Board accepted the strategy and recommendations and are currently looking at the best way to carry out the implementation phase.