Media Training for Voluntary and Community

Sector BeneficiariesRichard Holmes

Communications Manager2000-2006 Objective 1 Programme

South YorkshireUnited Kingdom

North Yorkshire

West Yorkshire

South Yorkshire

Humber

Yorkshire and the Humber Region

South Yorkshire is NUTS 2

Part of the English region Yorkshire and The Humber

Centred around the city of Sheffield

Objective 1 for 2000-2006

South Yorkshire Objective 1 Programme 2000-2006

In 1990s South Yorkshire suffered high levels of deprivation following the decline in its traditional industries of steel making, heavy engineering and coal mining

Programme’s focused on increasing wealth and transforming the local economy

€3.3bn programme includes €1.2bn from structural funds

26,000 new jobs created (so far)

GDP is rising: latest figures EU25 - 91%, EU15 84%

South Yorkshire is a phasing-in region for 2007-13

ESF is delivered through a single national programme in England with resources ring-fenced for each region

ERDF in the region will be delivered through a single competitiveness and employment objective programme with ring-fenced funding for South Yorkshire as a phasing-in region. Programme to be managed by the RDA

Structural Funds in the Region 2007-2013

ERDF ESF

South Yorkshire (phasing-in)

€271,041,000 €180,694,000

Yorkshire & Humber (excluding South Yorkshire)

€312,540,000 €214,978,000

Priority 4 – Developing economic opportunities in targeted communities

Many small scale, low grant value, grassroots projects

Managed by neighbourhood or voluntary organisations

Priority 4 contains 11% of SF investment but supports 36% of the projects

Volunteers often have limited publicity experience or skills

They don’t want to spend their “precious” funds on paid publicity

South Yorkshire Objective 1 Programme 2000-2006

We offer training workshops to help these groups use the media to publicise their stories – a low cost option

Training is locally based and free

Small groups (6-10)

Informal and practical

Delivered by the Programme’s experienced publicity team

Workshops help participants:

Recognise what is “news”

Understand the media’s needs

How to present their story to give it the best chance of being covered

How to write a press release

Learn where, when and to who they can send stories

Each participant brings a story idea and leaves with a developed press release

Workshops also cover:

The importance of the “soundbite” in interviews

Using quotes in press releases to express opinions

Personalise the stories

Focus on outcomes not process

Using pictures to sell a story

Deciding whether to supply the picture or stage a photo opportunity

Deliver a Euopean and programme message

People from around 50 community or voluntary groups have attended the workshops

All attendees have placed at least one story in the media, a growing number have placed many

We continue to offer a publicity support and mentoring service by email and telephone

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Year

Media coverage by Year in Column Centimetres

Contact Richard Holmes T: 00441709 763618Communications Manager F: 00441709 763679Objective 1 South YorkshireSilkstone House www.goyh.gov.ukPioneer CloseWath Upon DearneROTHERHAM S63 7JZUnited Kingdom

Email: richard.holmes@goyh.gsi.gov.uk