FEST 09 Learning for Life and Work/Personal Development and Mutual Understanding Create Your Own Publicity Inform your local community Raise your school profile FEST 09 is all about making connections between what young people learn in school to the world outside the classroom window. It helps to provide a real context for learners to see the relevance of what they are learning in relation to the NI Curriculum areas of: • The World Around Us/PDMU - Key Stages 1 and 2; • Education for Employability; • Home Economics; • Local and Global Citizenship and • Personal Development & Mutual Understanding. Your local community will also be very interested to hear what you have been doing during FEST 09 so why not tell them through the media? You can raise the profile of your school in your community by contacting the press in your area. Tell them what you are doing and ask them to send a photographer and/or a reporter to your school. This is a great way to keep local employers, parents and the wider community involved and informed. This document will guide you through developing your own PR plan for FEST 09. 1 Here’s how to do it Step 1: Preparing a News Release: Think like a reporter! • Consider your FEST activity carefully. • What are the most important messages you want to get across? Keep this information at the beginning of the document. • Outline what the event is, when it’s happening, why it is important, who is involved and focus on what’s interesting and different. • Include a quote from your principal and/or the employer or community representative involved. • Keep it short and snappy and avoid irrelevant information. • Try to keep it to 2 pages including the notes to editors. Include your school logo. • Refer to the sample news release (P4-5). Step 2: Contact the Local Media • Call the local papers and radio stations 1 week in advance of your event – See the lists (P7-9) for details of press in your area. • Brief them on your activity; tell them what’s interesting about it. Refer to your news release for details. • Follow up with a media invitation by email asking them to send a reporter and/or photographer to your school. Outline the relevant details such as when & where the event will take place. See sample media invite (P6). • Be sure to give a mobile number and contact number so that journalists who turn up on the day know who to contact. 2 Step 3: On the Day of the Event • Be on hand to meet any photographers/journalists who turn up. • Assist them in arranging good photographs. Identify a suitable location for photos and get your “FEST 09 Banner” in the background. • Make sure a spokesperson is available in case of an interview opportunity. Brief them before the event so they are clear about the messages you wish to get across. • Have a photographer of your own on hand to take photos. • At the end of the day send the news release out to the press with the best photos. Send no more than 2 photos. 3 SAMPLE NEWS RELEASE (Based on fictional events) <Insert School Logo> News Release Date: 19 May 2009 CCEA School raises £1000 for Local Charity FEST 09 is sweeping the country. This 2 week event organised by CCEA supports the objectives of the revised Northern Ireland Curriculum by encouraging schools to engage with their local communities, employers and public agencies. The aim is to help schools create a real and relevant context for learning. Schools all over Northern Ireland have been engaging in all sorts of activities that help them develop the skills, attitude and disposition required for success in their future lives and careers. CCEA School, Belfast developed a partnership with NI Charity to raise money for a worthy cause and presented a cheque for £1000. Mr White, CEO of NI Charity explained the importance of understanding the local community and contributing to the development of our society. He praised the students for their entrepreneurial spirit and their sense of community. Mr White was impressed by the students’ enthusiasm, stating; “I wish to sincerely thank CCEA School for a contribution that will make a huge difference to the lives of others. It is clear that these young people are developing the core values and attitude towards their community and society that will help contribute to a thriving economy and inclusive society for Northern Ireland. They have demonstrated a level of commitment and spirit that will create great opportunities for them in the future. ” 4 School Principal Mrs Black was delighted with the response from the young people. “The pupils’ engagement in the project was fantastic. They were committed to achieving the goals that they set and they achieved them. Their planning was meticulous and they worked well as a team. I am so proud to see the understanding they have developed of the world around us. Through this project they can see how the things they learn in school can make a positive contribution in the real world. CCEA School would love to work with other agencies. If you are interested please contact [email protected] Ends Notes to Editors About CCEA School <Insert brief information about your school.> NI Curriculum The revised Northern Ireland Curriculum was introduced to schools in September 2007 and continues to be implemented. It is designed to meet the needs of young people, society, the economy and environment in the 21st Century. Details can be found at www.nicurriculum.org.uk FEST 09 FEST 09 is an event organised by CCEA (Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment). Its purpose is to: • Foster a greater awareness and culture of Learning for Life and Work and Personal Development and Mutual Understanding in schools. • Celebrate the great work already demonstrated by schools and further develop the engagement of key stakeholders. 5 Sample Media Invite - Send by email or post on school letterhead <INSERT SCHOOL LOGO> You are invited to send a journalist and/or photographer to a celebration of FEST 09 at CCEA School, Clarendon Dock, Belfast, on 19th May 2009 at 2pm. FEST 09 brings together schools and their local communities, employers and public agencies in an attempt to create a real and relevant context in which to apply their learning. CCEA school has invited CEO of NI Charity to present him with a cheque for £1000 which they raised by applying the skills and knowledge they developed in school to a real project. The event will last approximately 2 hours. The best time for photographs will be between 2.30pm and 3pm. ENDS Media enquiries to <Insert Name> on <Insert School Number>, Mobile <Insert Number> or email <Insert Email Address> 6 MEDIA CONTACT BY LOCAL AREA County Antrim Title Tel/Email Area Antrim Guardian 028 9446 2624 Antrim [email protected] Ballyclare Gazette T: 028 9335 2967 Ballyclare/ [email protected] T’patrick Ballymena Guardian T: 028 2564 1221 Ballymena [email protected] Ballymena Times & T: 028 2565 3300 Ballymena Observer [email protected] Ballymoney Times & T: 028 2766 6216 Ballymoney Moyle Times [email protected] Carrickfergus T: 028 9336 3651 C’fergus Advertiser [email protected] Larne/Carrick Times T: 028 2827 2303 Larne/ [email protected] Carrick Larne Gazette T: 028 2827 7450 Larne [email protected] Newtownabbey T: 028 9084 3621 N’nabbey Times [email protected]. uk Ulster Star T: 028 9267 9111 Lisburn/ [email protected] Dromore/ Castlereagh North Belfast News T: 028 9058 4444 Belfast [email protected] County Down Title Tel/Fax Area Newtownards T: 028 9181 3333 Newtownards/ Chronicle [email protected] Comber County Down & T: 028 9127 0270 North Down Newtownards [email protected] Spectator Banbridge Chronicle T: 028 4066 2322 Banbridge [email protected] The Leader T: 028 4066 2745 Banbridge [email protected] Down Recorder T: 028 4461 3711 Downpatrick [email protected] 7 The Outlook T: 028 4063 0202 Rathfriland [email protected] Mourne Observer T: 028 4372 2666 Newcastle [email protected] The Down Democrat T: 028 4461 4400 Downpatrick [email protected] Newry Democrat T: 028 3025 1250 Newry [email protected] Holywood Advertiser T: 028 9042 7115 Holywood [email protected] County Armagh Title Tel/Fax Area Armagh/Down T: 028 3752 2793 Armagh Observer [email protected] Ulster T: 028 3752 2639 Armagh Gazette/Armagh [email protected] Standard Portadown Times/ T: 028 3833 6111 Portadown News [email protected] Lurgan Mail T: 028 3832 7777 Lurgan [email protected] Examiner T: 028 3086 8500 Lurgan/ [email protected] Portadown County Tyrone Title Tel/Fax Area Dungannon Observer T: 028 8772 2557 Dungannon [email protected] Mid Ulster Mail T: 028 7963 1780 Magherafelt [email protected] Strabane Chronicle T: 028 7188 2100 Strabane [email protected] Strabane Weekly T: 028 7188 6869 Strabane [email protected] Tyrone Courier T: 028 8676 6692 Cookstown [email protected] Tyrone Constitution T: 028 8224 2721 Omagh [email protected] 8 Democrat Newspaper T: 028 8772 7195 Tyrone [email protected] The Ulster Herald T: 028 8224 3444 [email protected] Tyrone Times T: 028 8775 2801 Dungannon [email protected] County Londonderry Title Tel/Fax Area Derry People and T: 00353 749121014 Londonderry/ Donegal News [email protected] Donegal Coleraine Chronicle T: 028 7034 3344 Coleraine/ [email protected]