Participation level:
- Low (Information only)
Innovation level:
- Low (Traditional)
Facilitator skill level, and other support required:
- High (Specialist skills)
Can be used for:
- Showcase product, plan, policy
- Discover community issues
- Communicate an issue
Information contacts provide a single, well-informed source from which the public can obtain information.
Information contacts should ensure good quality, correct and consistent information is given to all enquirers.
- Can link stakeholders with technical experts
- Ensures people don't get 'the run around' when they call
- Controls information flow and promotes information consistency
- Conveys image of accessibility
- Useful when consultation process is intensive and widespread
- Gives the contact person(s) a good sense of stakeholder opinion.
- Useful in making suggestions for future consultation activities given understanding of stakeholder concerns
- Good for building up trust among all parties.
- Organising group must be committed to and prepared for prompt and accurate responses
- May filter public message from technical staff and decision makers.
- Contact people require strong interpersonal skills.
- Contact people should be briefed first about major project issues.
- Contact people must be well briefed in what information is appropriate for release.
- All external contacts should be logged.
Organizing Information Contact
How many people to organize?
- Medium (2-12 people)
- Individual
Time required:
- Medium (6 weeks-6 months)
- Short (< 6 weeks)
Cost:
- Low (< AUD$1,000)
- Select and appoint person (s) with appropriate public relations skills and knowledge of public participation processes.
- Publicise person by name with relevant contact points: phone, in person and via email
- Brief person on role and provide them with appropriate background information
- Maintain a log of contacts
- Regularly meet with central information contact to develop a sense of stakeholder concerns.