Increasing Participation

Communications:

Increasing Participation

Regional Communicators

Role description and plan

March 2015

The aim of this document is to set out:

RYA Regional Communicator role
The strategy for regional communications for 2015
Housekeeping

RYA Strategic Business Plan for Participation

Purpose: To kindle nurture and support a life-long passion for boating in all its forms by all groups of participants

RYA Participation 2017 Mission: To have a vibrant sustainable network of clubs and other organisations in order to make boating more accessible and attractive to all

Communication objectives: Increase the number of new entrants to clubs via the creative use of regional media, TV, events and social media

Regional Communicator Role

The role of the RYA Regional Communicator (RC) is to promote the sports and leisure activities that the RYA represents at a local/regional level.

The RC’s are part of the HQ PR team which is working to promote sailing and powerboating in support of the RYA’s wider objectives to increase participation at all levels.

The RC will

Work with the clubs in their region, to promote club activities, open days, facilities and their human interest stories.

Work with the Regional Development Officer (RDO) and Sailing Development Officers (SDO) & RYA HQ PR Team to promote RYA events and activities.

Gain media coverage through a range of media including print, online and broadcast press, sports websites, what to do websites, County Sports Partnerships websites etc.

Work with the regional committee, RDO & SDOs to push RYA and RYA regional news to a wider boating audience e.g. club members who are not RYA members and RYA personal members using RYA regional social media and RYA web pages.

Provide PR advice to clubs who have the capacity to undertake their own public relations.

The focus of promotion of sailing and powerboating will be on using community based human interest stories from clubs including individuals, local community groups, local businesses clubs.

These may be of personal or group endeavours, new or existing facilities that the club has to offer the community, promotion of club events and open days, sailing activity, RYA events etc. In some instances these will relate to PR programmes running at a national level by the RYA PR Team.

Some communications will need to be targeted to particular groups within a community and to particular geographical areas. Others may be more broad brush.

Recurring themes/messaging

Start/Go sailing

Sports for all ages and abilities

One of the most accessible sports for people with disabilities

Not an elite sport
Does not have to be an expensive sport

Accessible on lakes, estuaries, rivers and the coast across the UK

Sociable relaxing leisure experience – or high adrenalin high-performance sport

Communing with nature – a sensory experience

Fun!

A social activity

Sailing is one of Britain’s most successful medal winning sports

Template stories

Start of the season

Push the Boat Out

Club open days

Grant awards and what these mean for the community

New training centres and what there to the community

New OnBoard clubs

New Champion Clubs

Club of the Year Awards

RYA Volunteer Awards

Honda Youth Rib

Non-template stories

Corporate/local business sailing sessions/stories at clubs

Start/Go sailing

Sailability – human interest

Headline figures such as ‘20k kids learn to sail at…’

Human interest stories

Regional events as organised by RDOs (emphasis on pre event PR)

RYA Active Marina (media event form)

Monthly output expected for each region

X 5 template stories

X 1 non-template story

Social media activity

Upload news stories to RYA regional web pages

PR advice/support to clubs

RDO/SDO meetings/telcon

Activity report and invoice

RYA Communication objectives: participation

Business Objectives

Communication Objectives

Audience

Develop targeted participation programmes with Marinas, Clubs, Centres and Class Association
Young people’s programmes to further widen accessibility
Grow adult participation in all disciplines.
Reduce 14-24 participation drop-off

/ Targeted promotion of sailing and windsurfing to support RYA participation programmes / Existing sailors.
Non sailors
Lapsed sailors.
Drop off (14-24)
Children and families.
Local authorities

Step-change disabled participation to 50,000

/ Support programme(s) with promotion of the accessibility of sailing using a range of media and channels relevant to this community / People with disabilities.
Clubs and centres

Create a holistic club development strategy to deliver real value to every affiliated club.
Focused activation in 180 key modernised clubs

/ Support clubs with communications
Promote public activities through a range of media including regional press / Sailing clubs. Existing sailors
Non sailors.
Lapsed sailors
Drop off (14-24). Families
Local authorities

Feed UK talent pathway via regional squads

/ Promote pathway opportunities to regional press
where possible / Existing sailors.
Non sailors

Improve marketing of boating and of the RYA, via Shows, Ambassadors, PR & Social media

/ Analysis of current communications to identify gaps/opportunities not being exploited. / Non sailors
Lapsed sailors
Drop off
Families

Key communications messages and channels of communication

Audience / What they need to know / Key communication messages / Key communication channels
RYA affiliated sailing clubs /

Best practice and advice from the RYA on club development including promotion

Who to communicate to
Which methods and media channels to use

Website
Broadcast media
regional
Social media

Existing sailors /

Why they should get back into sailing
What sailing is available to them
How and when they can sail

Sailing is cheap, accessible and easy to get involved in

You can sail anywhere in the UK: inland and coastal
Sailing can be a hi-adrenalin competitive sport or a social, family pastime
RYA can help you get back on the water

Broadcast media
Local print & online news
Regional/local leisure & sports online media
Social media

Non sailors-adults /

What sailing is
What sailing is available to them
How they can get started
Where they get started

How and where they can learn /

Sailing is a cheap and accessible sport to get involved in
You can sail anywhere in the UK: inland and coastal
Sailing can be a hi-adrenalin competitive sport or a social, family pastime
The RYA can help you started

Broadcast media
Local print & online news
Regional/local leisure & sports online media
Social media

Parents /

What sailing is
What the benefits are for children
How can they get started
Where can they get started
How the RYA can help them to get started

Teaches children confidence, leadership, team work and is great fun!
The RYA can help you get started through OnBoard and training courses
Sailing is a cheap and accessible sport to get involved in
You can sail anywhere in the UK: inland and coastal
Sailing can be a hi-adrenalin competitive sport or a social, family pastime

Social media
Broadcast media
Lifestyle magazines
Regional press

Drop off (14-24) /

Why they should continue to sail
What sailing is available to them
How and when they can sail

Sailing is a great way to stay fit and healthy
Sailing is a cheap and accessible sport to get involved in
You can sail anywhere in the UK: inland and coastal
Sailing can lead to a great career in the marine industry
Sailing is a fast and high adrenalin sport

Broadcast media
Regional/local leisure & sports online media
Social media

People with disabilities (non-sailors) /

What sailing is available to them
How they can get started
Where they get started
How and where they can learn

Sailing is one of the most accessible sports for people with disabilities
One of the few sports that can be done with able bodied people
Sailing is a cheap and accessible sport to get involved in
You can sail anywhere in the UK: inland and coastal
Sailing can be a hi-adrenalin competitive sport or a social, family pastime
The RYA can help you started

Social media
Disability press and publications
Regional/local leisure/sports print & online media
Broadcast media
Marine media
RYA social media
Regional/local leisure/sports print & online media
Local news: print & online

Lapsed sailors /

How they can get back out on the water
Where they can get back out on the water
What courses and activities are available

You can get back out on the water at local sailing clubs across the UK
There are affordable opportunities to refresh knowledge and learn new skills
The RYA can help you get back afloat

Broadcast media
Local print and online news
RYA news channels
RYA Social media

14-24 year old non/existing sailors /

What sailing is all about
How to get out on the water
What courses and activities are available

Sailing is a cheap and accessible sport to do regularly
Sailing can be a hi-adrenalin competitive sport or a fun social activity with friends
Sailing is a great way to keep fit and healthy
Universities are great places to sail
There are great career opportunities in the marine industry

Social media
Marine press
Broadcast media
RYA website and media channels
Local sports media
Schools and youth groups

Housekeeping

Media monitoring and evaluation.

The RYA monitors all relevant press cuttings, which are evaluated and a quarterly evaluation report produced.

Supporting photography/Video

When appropriate the RYA Press Office can fund additional photography to accompany press releases. This photography will be available to the communicators for media use/newsletters free of charge.

If you feel additional photography will support a local story and you need to hire the services of a photographer, please call the Communications Manager. This will be subject to budget restraints, but will be possible in certain circumstances.

Invoices

Invoices must be attached and emailed to:

and together with a time sheet.

RYA PR Team

Susie Nation-Grainger

Communications Officer

+44 (0) 2380 604208

Susie is your day to day contact. Please cc her all your regional releases. She will also be able to assist with images, publication schedules and the events diary. Susie is responsible for the promotion of participation, the RYA Suzuki Dinghy Show, RYA awards, Honda Youth Rib, training for dinghy and windsurfing.

Loretta Spridgeon-Connor

RYA Communications Manager

+44 (0) 2380 604209 / 07808 052368

Loretta is responsible for overall communications strategy and planning and is also responsible for public affairs, crisis and reputation management, cruising, The Green Blue, training for motor and yacht and commercial qualifications, incidents and safety.

Emma Slater

PR & Media Relations Officer

+44 (0) 2380 604215/07880 744425

Emma is responsible for the promotion of RYA membership, powerboat racing, technical, training for inland waterways, powerboat and jetski and leads on exhibitor PR for the RYA Dinghy Show.

Lindsey Bell

Skandia Team GBR/Racing Communications Team

+44 (0) 2380 604219/07769 505203

Lindsey is responsible for the promotion of Team GBR/Racing and the sailors involved.

Imogen Stanley

Racing Communications Officer

+44 (0) 2380 604 219

Imogen is responsible for junior and youth racing and Team GBR.

RYA Regional Communicators

Karenza Morton

South East, East Midlands, West Midlands regions

Michael Haigh

Thames Valley & London, East regions

Marina Johnson

Southern region

Richard Hemmingway

North West region

Liz King

North East & Yorkshire region

Manya McMahon

South West

Hamish Stuart

RYA Wales

Claire Caffrey

RYA Scotland

RYA Northern Ireland

Post vacant at present