Agenda Item 8

SEVEC

Executive Director’s Report

Presented to the Board of Directors

May 30, 2011

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MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Following the Board meeting in November 2010, it was agreed that SEVEC had a lack of brand recognition and a redesign and rebrand was required to create the necessary presence and awareness for SEVEC’s success in the marketplace.

SEVEC website

In December, meetings were held with 3 service providers to award the contract to redesign the website. Concurrently, a graphic designer was hired to create a new logo for SEVEC that would maintain its Canadian identity while providing a younger, more dynamic look for the organization. Once the creative collaterals were completed in late December, the website team set about redesigning the new website for an ambitious late January launch. It quickly became apparent through this exercise that much of the material was outdated or redundant. As such, all content went through a thorough review and analysis. The end result is a website that is not only more visually appealing and speaks to a broader audience, but content that is more relevant and improved processes for our Group Organizers. The Department of Canadian Heritage is increasingly exploring how social media can be used more effectively with its funded partners. As such, and in keeping with the feedback received from our Youth Advisory Committee, the new website provides more opportunities for youth to display photos of their exchanges through Flikr, and a new Facebook page. Facebook has provided some challenges to our changeover. The password to the account resides with a former staff member who did not share the information. Despite repeated appeals to Facebook through emails and phone calls, we could not access our page as an administrator. As such, a new page had to be created and a concerted effort is being made to drive traffic to the new page. Also, to ensure that content is up to date and fresh, each member of the Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) is tasked with updating the FB page on a rotating basis.

To optimize our web traffic, we have also engaged SEO (search engine optimization) to ensure that any key words searched no google such as youth exchange, bilingual exchange, etc. directly lead web surfers to SEVEC.

The information we have collated to date on website visits is very encouraging:

In 2011 (February – April), SEVEC’s website received a total of 5,872 visits, of these visits, 4,421 were unique visitors. In comparisons to last year’s results, is experiencing an increase in brand awareness as 7% of visitors are absolutely unique to the site, meaning they were previously unaware of the organization.Should this visitor flow continue down the same path, by the end of the year we will experience in an increase of 15 %. Keeping the website up to date with new photos, testimonials, and fresh content will ensure a steady flow of visitors to the site.

MadInc. was engaged to redesign the SEVEC website. The final bill was approximately $15,000 which was $10,000 less than the previous website design by another firm. We continue to work with MadInc. to develop mass email templates and to make some design changes. We also received training to enable us to perform many of the day-to-day website maintenance tasks.

Promotional materials

Promotional materials were developed to reflect the new brand and new messaging. New materials include:

  • YEC recruitment posters in French and English – by making these reversible, we were able to realize economies of savings
  • New brochures for YEC
  • New ads for placements in publications
  • An online assessment tool for FSL and accompanying postcard to promote this asset
  • Pop-up display

We are also moving to replace the SEVEC t-shirts. On-site monitoring visits and conversations with youth and GO’s indicated that these were not worn and the cost for production and shipping is significant (close to $20K). Instead, we will move to a branded cinch bag, branded mini Sharpie, and custom cut luggage tag.

We are also looking into branded gifts for GOs. These items would go out to GOs with their certificates and PEQs.

Promotional materials were also developed for Youth Saluting Youth including:

  • A YSY one-pager
  • A Participation certificate
  • A YSY pin
  • Pop-up display

SAM PLEASE ADD ANY COMMS COLLATERALS I MAY HAVE MISSED INCLUDING SWAG!!

infoSEVEC was also redesigned and launched in XXX. The newsletter now features the following boilerplate products:

SAM PLEASE BREAKDOWN THE INFOSEVEC COMPONENTS AND WRITE A QUICK BLURB ON THE IMPROVED DISTRIBUTION MECHANISM

infoSEVEC will be issued quarterly on the following dates.SAM PLEASE OUTLINE THE DATES AND THE RATIONALE IN BRACKETS

Advertising

After a team review of our recruitment needs, we set about targeting publications that would provide us with optimal ROI. Publications which will feature the new SEVEC ads include:

  • CanadianSchool Counselor Magazine
  • CASLT, ACPI and OMLTA e-newsletters.

In addition, general YEC recruitment articles have been published in: CASLT’s Reflections newsletter, ACPI’s newsletter, Alberta Teachers’ Association magazine, and the Newfoundland Teachers’ Association magazine.

We are also investigating have found a medium for marketing to private schools. It’s a website and newsletter called Dialogue, published by Our Kids Media. We are working on a marketing package together.

We have also compiled rate cards for national, and regional newspapers.

Conferences

Again, we sat down as a team to review which conferences we’ve attended in the past and the rationale behind out attendance. Our research indicates that we get very little new business as a result of our attendance at these conferences. Nevertheless, we appreciate the necessity of being seen at certain conferences and networking with

various constituencies. As such, we developed a more strategic approach to conferences. We have also made it a team effort whereby every one attends a conference. The feedback that we get from different individuals attending is invaluable and helps us better serve our clients. Conferences attended include the following, and the name of the person who attended is in brackets:

SAM PLEASE PROVIDE A LIST OF THE CONFERENCES INCLUDING DATES AND LOCATIONS WHETHER WE PRESENTED OR HAD A BOOTH AND WHO ATTENDED – I’VE PUT IN THE ONES I CAN THINK OF!

-Ontario Minority Language Teachers Association (Toronto, Ontario, DATE NEEDED) Booth only (Geneviève Leroux)

-Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers (Montreal, Quebec, April 7-9). Presenters, no booth (Françoise Gagnon)

-Greater Edmonton Teachers’ Convention, Edmonton, AB

Program Recruitment and Outreach

A review of past and current trends with YEC revealed some recruitment challenges. These are more fulsomely discussed in Board recruitment strategies (Tab 6).With the renewed emphasis on certain targets to ensure our compliance with quotas, the following meetings and strategies were undertaken:

  • Yasir Naqvi, M.P.P., Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Education, Province of Ontario. Mr. Naqvi presented a Member’s Statement on SEVEC’s behalf at Queen’s Park and personally distributed more than 100 information kits including specific calls to action to every M.P.P. in Ontario
  • Jeff Sprang, V.P. Communications, OntarioPublic School Board Association. Mr. Sprang likewise disseminated information kits and electronic bulletins on SEVEC’s behalf.
  • Meeting with François Boileau, Provincial Commissioner of French language services in an effort to increase our OML targets in Ontario.
  • Paul Taillefer, incoming president of Canadian Teachers’ Federation and current President of the Association des Écoles Francophones de l’Ontario. Mr. Taillefer disseminated SEVEC info to several key stakeholders.
  • Beyond, Ontario, SEVEC information packages were also sent to key stakeholders in Atlantic Canada, and every Minister of Education in each province and territory.
  • An information kit with our new user-friendly material was also sent to each of our partners and stakeholders to stay top of mind.

Relationship building

Regular meetings are being held with stakeholders at Exchanges Canada. These have proved to be mutually highly beneficial. We have been proactive in recommending economic efficiencies to be realized through partnering with other funded partners, we have brought forth some challenges presented through our current risk assessment strategy, and are working with Exchanges Canada to improve the application process and paperwork to lighten the load for our GO’ while still gathering the data that is needed by EC and ourselves, not only for statistical purposes but for long-term tracking. We are also developing new relationships with the Office of the Commissioner for Official Languages (OCOL) to cross-promote their interactive map on second language opportunities at Canadian universities to our program participants.

In partnership with the University of Ottawa and OCOL, we are also developing a fact sheet that clearly delineates the economic benefits of a second language. The impetus for doing so is as a result of seeing other organizations get denied funding for a failure

to demonstrate such. We believe this document will be an important tool for many stakeholders, and bolster the significance of linguistic youth exchanges through hard-core data. The research exists in bits and pieces but, to our knowledge, no one has a comprehensive fact sheet.

We continue to seek new ways to work with long-term partners such as the French as a Second Language network (FSL), while developing new partnerships with organizations such as Scouts Canada and Girl Guides of Canada to increase our summer travel and twinning opportunities.

We are also working closely with organizations such as the Canadian Teachers’ Federation (CTF) to promote the Roch Carrier Award, and the new SEVEC Ambassador Award. CTF is also offering the opportunity of additional funding to our YEC groups through their imaginaction program. Through this social action program, groups can access additional monies and carry out a social action plan that enhances their learning plan while on exchange. More information can be found at

We are also creating a database of significant stakeholders from the educational sectors (education ministers, school board superintendents in strategic areas, etc.). We will include them in our newsletters on an ongoing basis as well as send them relevant communications such as how many exchanges took place in their jurisdictions.

Likewise, we are doing the same with all MP’s and MPP’s in Ontario. This work has already begun and has resulted in very positive feedback. By drawing a direct connection between a politician and students and their electorate in their area, we are

promoting SEVEC and creating an awareness of our impact and outreach. The typical scenario is that the politician visits the exchange group for a photo op that is then disseminated in householders and local community newspapers. It is free advertising and a golden opportunity to promote SEVEC and YEC.

Media

SEVEC is also striving to have a greater presence in the media to increase awareness and brand recognition. The Department of Canadian Heritage also requests any media clippings we have on our quarterly reports. As such, we have created two strong boilerplate op-eds/articles that can be adapted for various means. For instance, they can be used to respond to an article or letter to the editor that is critical of bilingualism, or that comments on multiculturalism, or a host of youth issues. Being able to respond in a quick manner to any issue that is in the media and provides us with an opportunity to highlight the great services we provide is a key component to receiving media coverage.

We are also creating a “media in a box” tool for Group Organizers encouraging them to send a photo with a byline to their local community newspapers and providing with some simple how-to’s in the hopes that they will be our cub reporters.

Finally, the Communications Coordinator is creating a Storybank file while serves as a repository for the stories and feedback we obtain from GO’s and participants that serves as a library of testimonials and stories to pitch to the media. These will be featured on the website as well and we are on-track to have a few articles put together to display an FSL exchange, OML exchange, Creative writing exchange, Dance/cultural exchange, and musical exchange by August.

The following is a list of publications in which SEVEC received mention in the last few months:

SAM PLEASE OUTLINE THE MEDIA HITS WE’VE RECEIVED ETC WITH AS MUCH INFO AS POSSIBLE

NEW INITIATIVES

In an effort to diversify our funding sources, new program initiatives have been developed. Following is an update on these:

Youth Saluting Youth

The program had a very successful launch on February 8, 2011 at CFB Valcartier. Two groups of students took part in a one-day “mini-exchange” and as the attached photos will attest, the day was a success. SAM PLEASE ADD A FEW PHOTOS OF THE YSY LAUNCH SEVEC has benefitted from a partnership with CADSI (the Canadian Association of Defence and Securities Industry) which has provided its members with information on our programming. We have also attended several industry-related events to create an awareness of this new program. YSY has been unequivocally well-received. With the continued emphasis by the Conservative Party on strengthening the Canadian Armed Forces, we remain confident that funding, either private or public, will become available for this program as it addresses a gap in high school curriculum, provides a needed service, and is unique. Of the $25,000 committed to date by the ADGA Group, $15,997 has been spent on promotional and start up costs. A $9,003 balance remains.

Veterans Affairs has voiced an interest in funding a commemorative event with exchange groups taking part. We have also been in conversation with the Memory Project to work together to cross-promote our initatives. The Memory Project is recording the personal stories of veterans, in particular WW II veterans. Exchange groups could include a visit from a veteran or a discussion group around the Project and its significance. Outreach has also been initiated with the CanadianWarMuseum to partner with YSY and talks are underway.

Letters have been sent to the Governor General of Canada, the Chief of Defence Staff, and the members of the Senate Defence Committee and Parliamentary House Committee with information packages on YSY. This was done just prior to the election and follow-up will be made when the House and Senate resume.

At the suggestion of different stakeholders, we are currently considering pulling together an Advisory team, informal in nature, and formed of individuals who are keen supporters of the program and may be able to reach out to potential funders or decision-makers to create the tipping point.

In the absence of a resource development staff person, the funding has not materialized as expected.


Healthy Habits for Aboriginal Youth

With the prolonged medical absence of Jennifer Pilzecker, this program never materialized due to short-staffing and no committed monies. Any groundwork that had been laid can be used should we move forward with this project in the future.

Meanwhile, we have had preliminary discussions with Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation to lead a youth forum when the World Indigenous Housing Conference takes place in Vancouver in 2012.

Youth Forum

The CAP CASAA forum that had taken place in previous years did not go forward this year. Although CAP held its conference in Charlottetown as planned, the province did not follow suit from SK with funding to facilitate a youth forum. Communications with Bill Conconi of CASAA are ongoing to ascertain whether there will be a forum in 2012.

SEVEC Ambassador Award

The SAA award is being launched this afternoon. The SAA page will be going up on the website as of May 31st.

This recognition award will be an additional relationship builder with teachers and Group Organizers. Terms of reference have been developed, CTF is on-board to promote, and solicitations for candidates will begin in the coming academic year.

Roch Carrier Award

More than 50 submissions were received for this award. Although sponsorship was solicited for the award, it is seen as target-specific (Montreal Canadiens/Quebec), and outside of Québec, the book is not well-known. We have made several calls to the Montreal Canadienshockey club to discuss a potential partnership with their “Canadiens@school” program. No response has yet been received.

For this year’s submissions, a judging committee composed of staff members with support from FSL partners determined a winner and four runners-up of the contest.

The prize will be awarded by SAM TO COMPLETE

INTERNAL PROCESSES AND BUSINESS

As previously mentioned, the advent of the new website gave rise to an opportunity and necessity to update content and review processes for YEC applications and requirements. The following improvements have been implemented:

SAM PLEASE OUTLINE WHAT HAS BEEN DONE TO DATE AND WHAT IS ONGOING (SUCH AS GO MANUAL)

SEVEC staff and volunteers undertake on-site monitoring for approximately ten percent of the participating groups. During the site visits this year staff identified several issues which are being resolved for the 2011-12 program year:

  1. Chaperones do not always accompany the group on every outing and event. For example, if the group is playing laser tag the chaperones may leave to have a coffee. SEVEC policy clearly states that chaperones must be present at all times but in future this must be enforced much more strongly and frequently as the planning process proceeds
  2. Itinerary changes are not always communicated to SEVEC. Without communication of changes, SEVEC is not able to assess the risk of a substituted activity and, in the event of an emergency, may not be able to contact the group. SEVEC’s policy clearly states that all changes must be communicated to the SEVEC office so additional training and reinforcement is being factored into the planning process.
  3. The SEVEC questionnaire does not provide adequate information to assess the goals and objectives of the program. Staff are working together to revise the questionnaire so it better reflects the goals and objectives of the program.

The spring and summer months are a time to review and implement process improvement, for staff and for group organizers. To date the following issued have been identified for review and enhancement: