Integrated Communications Plan

Integrated Communications Plan

For

Steps to Success Program

Submitted by

Revised: April 5, 2011

Table of Contents

Page Numbers

Introduction 3

Phase One: Formative Research 4-9

Phase Two: Strategy 10-13

Phase Three: Tactics 14-23

Phase Four: Evaluative Research 24-26

Introduction

This integrated communications plan has been developed to address the potential crisis facing Mt. Hood Community College’s (MHCC) Steps to Success (STS) program. With a budget decision deadline of early April, the plan is incredibly compacted and fast-moving.

Phase One: Formative Research

Situation Analysis

Mt. Hood Community College (MHCC) is the prime contractor of the grant-funded Job Opportunities and Basic Skills (JOBS) program, a regional workforce training program. As part of JOBS, MHCC offers its Steps to Success (STS) program in District 2/Multnomah County, which is a welfare-to-work program that helps people overcome barriers so they can get back into the workforce. STS staff helps clients become more competitive in the job market through career services, training, skill building, support and resources. Staff also works with business partners from the community who make it possible for STS clients to gain valuable work experience.

JOBS and STS are overseen by Oregon’s Department of Human Services (DHS). MHCC is the prime contractor and subcontracts with Portland Community College (PCC) to administer some of the benefits of this program in a co-prime contractor structure. MHCC has been partnering with DHS to provide these services for 23 years. MHCC and its STS program also administer the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Oregon Food Stamp Employment Transition (OFSET)/Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) contracts. TANF provides job search assistance and coordination of services with community partners for families where children are at risk to go into foster care.

Per the governor’s balanced budget, the funding for the JOBS program for 2011 through 2013 will be cut 60 percent. DHS plans to change its service delivery model to use in-house agencies of various community organizations rather than a co-prime or prime contractor. However, if there is sufficient funding to keep a prime contractor, this funding is slated to go to PCC rather than MHCC. MHCC could still be a subcontractor, though it wouldbe in a reduced capacity and may be through a bid process. MHCC’s current contract would end June 20, 2011.

PCC would also become the prime contractor for SNAP beginning July 1, 2011. PCC would subcontract some services on the East side, which could include services provided by MHCC.

These changes would result in layoffs of 50 or more MHCC employees and decreased opportunities for MHCC students and community members.

The decision to make PCC, rather than MHCC, a prime contractor was made not only for budgetary reasons but is also thought to be personal and political in nature. This provides MHCC with an opportunity to make its case for MHCC, rather than PCC, to be named as the prime contractor for the STS and JOBS programs. The final budget decision will be made in early April.

Organization Analysis

MHCC’s STS program routinely exceeds its targets and goals, compared to PCC, which consistently falls short.

Specifically, for the eight months ending February 2011, MHCC placed an average of 131 clients per month, versus a target of 109. Comparably, for the same time period PCC placed an average of 62 clients per month, versus a target of 72.

Each college’s results are better highlighted by a graphical representation:

Official Placements Year-to-Date for 2011

Historically, MHCC’s STS program has earned accolades and awards, including:

·  Considered the premier welfare-to-work program in the country by a 1998 study by MDRC. MDRC was founded in 1974 as the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation. Its name was changed in 2003 to MDRC. The organization is dedicated to evaluating policies and programs for low-income people.

·  Awarded the Gresham Chamber’s Golden Note Award for contributing project assistance to businesses and organizations at no cost in January 2009

·  Received the Collaborative Solutions Northwest LLC’s “A Million Thank You’s” award in 2010

Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats (SWOT) Analysis

The Key Publics

Following are the publics, or key stakeholders, affected by the STS decision:

Benefit Statement

MHCC’s STS program has consistently exceeded its goals for the past 23 years. It has benefitted the community by helping at-risk community members find jobs and providing local businesses with qualified employees.

Phase Two: Strategy

Goals and Objectives

The goals of this plan are:

·  Convince key decision makers to keep full funding for the JOBS program

·  Convince DHS officials that MHCC, and not PCC, should be named the prime contractor, if, after the proposed budgeting changes, remaining funds allow for a prime contractor

Position:

MHCC has been providing quality and successful STS services for 23 years and is the best contractor choice to continue to provide the services for the next biennium.

The objectives of this plan are:

Action and Response Strategies

The proactive strategies that may be employed to achieve the goals include:

·  Communicate directly and transparently with the news media

·  Communicate directly and transparently with the publics

·  Develop key messages to be communicated consistently

·  Encourage interaction and participation between MHCC STS publics and key decision makers

·  Use traditional, social, free and paid media

The reactive strategies that may be employed to achieve the goals include:

·  Modify the communication tactics as needed

·  Modify the key messages as needed

Key Messages

·  DHS has informed MHCC that it plans to cut funding for the JOBS program by 60 percent. This action would eliminate MHCC’s STS program.

·  In addition, DHS plans to change its service delivery model for JOBS to use in-house agencies of various community organizations rather than a prime contractor. However, if there is sufficient funding to keep a prime contractor, that contractor is slated to be PCC rather than MHCC.

·  MHCC has consistently met, and often times exceeded, its monthly goals for STS, while PCC has consistently fallen short of its goals.

·  MHCC feels that the funding for JOBS, and subsequently STS, should be restored. If that is not possible, there should be minimal budget cuts rather than the 60-percent funding cut that is currently proposed.

Message Strategies

Message Sources

Details about the spokespeople for this campaign are as follows:

·  Any spokespeople for this campaign must be thoroughly educated in the topic, and must also have credibility, charisma and control.

·  The proposed spokespeople are:

o  Dr. John. J. “Ski” Sygielski, MHCC president

o  Carol Foster, MHCC STS manager

o  Margaret L Huffman, MHCC director of communications