COMMUNICATING RESULTS AND SCALING UP THE OUTCOMES
CELEBRATE SUCCESS
After the road modifications within the school zone have been successfully implemented, it is time to inform the public and celebrate the success of the project. At this point, it is fundamental to acknowledge the different partners of the project, their roles and relevance. The branding guidelines of all partners must be observed, and logos must be properly added to promotional materials. Note that some partner organisations may require submission of the materials for approval prior to publishing.
REPORT THE RESULTS
The results from the project can be presented through multiple resources, depending on the target audience. For technical stakeholders (e.g. road authorities) it is important to offer a detailed report describing the school assessment, methodology and results. For the school community, a brochure or a summary report with key highlights from the project focusing on the benefits to students may be effective.
COMMUNICATE THE RESULTS
After finishing any road upgrades and reporting the results, it is important to communicate with the project stakeholders regarding the results of the modifications. There are multiple ways that this can be done:
- Produce multimedia resources, such as short videos to promote the project. Keep it simple; tell a compelling story that connects the audience to the project and highlights its achievements.
- Before and after images and photos that include road users in the school zone present a particularly compelling story and reminder of who is most benefiting from this important work – children and families in the local community. Include consideration of valuable images in your project pre-planning and schedule taking them as the project progresses. Involve project partners and decision-makers in photo opportunities to record and encourage their ongoing support. Remember to source photos as required and ensure that appropriate permissions have been obtained before including photos of children.
- Quantify the project achievements e.g. before and after Star Rating improvements both in written text and visually overlaid on relevant images. Always include the star rating on assessed location images (by inserting the appropriate colour and number of iRAP stars (see SR4S Brand Guidelines)) to powerfully convey the safety status of the site being shown.
- Engage with local media to present the project to a broader audience. The invitation to media must highlight the importance of the project and the tangible benefits to the safety of young people.
- Social media platforms and networks can help gain public support for a project. Specific hashtags can be created, images and short videos can be shared, and frequent updates can be given to keep the relevant network informed as the project advances. It is recommended that all social media accounts are regularly monitored and updated to effectively moderate all communications.
- Tag the Star Rating for Schools (@SR4Schools), FIA (@FIA), iRAP (@irapsavinglives) and project partners social media promotions to leverage project promotions beyond the local community to regional and global audiences.
- Engage with partners to keep them informed of publicity efforts and include promote the project and its achievements in FIA, SR4S, partner newsletters and other relevant publications.
- With support from drones, it is possible to collect valuable data on traffic around the school and capture great images before and after the road upgrades. Please note that drone users must comply with appropriate local legislation and respect all safety requirements.
