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NSC Home Page > EUAS Contents > Communicating ideas
LOGISTICS
Communicating ideas
There are almost as many methods and approaches to presenting messages in support of education, as there are companies in the industry. Many existing examples are referred to in Appendix 14. This part of the report therefore very briefly reviews some of the main media used. Much more detailed guidance on developing educational policies/strategies/audits and on organising a site open day is given in Appendix 18.
Purpose: target audience
What is the purpose? Public awareness? Most companies wish to improve public awareness for a number of reasons - education in its widest sense e.g.
to improve understanding of local communities of company's reasons for extracting, processing and transporting minerals, the contribution materials make to everyday life.
for safety and security reasons, to reduce the risk of vandalism, trespass or accidents (by explaining to the wider public as well as those potentially involved in such incidents)
to assist the local community by providing a desired service e.g. educational support or materials
to stimulate recruitment into the industry.
Suitable Media
Factors influencing the choice of medium include:
purpose
target/type of audience
site characteristics
budget
timescale
frequency and timing of use/event
flexibility
corporate policy
Some of these are of course interrelated; many of these influences are self evident.
Printed Material
This may range from single explanatory (typed or handwritten) photo-copied sheets, or a designed printed leaflet, to a 'coffee table' presentation book. (Given the availability of technology, there is little excuse for poor quality material).
It may be customised to the site or generic (for the type of operation or for the company/division/area as a whole).
One company has produced a large corporate loose leaf folder for primary schools. Others produce folders which can carry leaflets on various themes (e.g. geology, wildlife, use of products) relating to the plant, plus material from corporate HQ.
Electronic Media
Options include CD, DVD and web based material.
Signs/Displays
These might include simple directional signs to large scale exhibitions. A growing number of quarries are commissioning interpretive panels at key viewpoints over plants, quarries or occasionally restored sites, and particularly alongside public rights of way - in complete contrast to the position 20 years ago when quarries were to be hidden from view at all costs - the trend is now for industry to explain what it is doing and why it is there. Topics cover matters such as geology, history, environmental aspects, the products and how they are produced. Travelling exhibitions shown at trade, agricultural, environmental fairs, local heritage carnivals, can also use similar graphics and present similar themes.
Other items
The Education Section of this report (see Educators and earners - why bother), provides a number of ideas as to how companies can provide other forms of valuable support for schools. Robust boxes contain rock specimens (local and national) and company products are particularly welcomed by teachers (see Appendix 11 for list of specimens usually sought).
Presentation
Keep messages short and clear; keep to a small number of key themes; offer more information to those who wish to have it e.g. by printed hand-outs. Use sharp type faces at a reasonable size and contrasting with background colour; work to a low word budgets.
Remember to clear copyright (especially for maps and photographs - see special notes about photographing children). Is the proposed medium sufficiently robust for the purpose (e.g. to sustain vandalism, exposure to light and weather)? Make sure the use of any corporate logos and colours complies with company policies.
Informing the whole company team
Education is not only a two way process, in which company staff learn more about the educational community and schools, colleges, the community etc. are better aware of the industry, but it also includes education of the company's own employees and the latter is much more than training staff about their own particular roles.
How much do the admin staff, weighbridge clerk, average dumper driver really know about the operation or the company? Yet it is the company employee - or nowadays often a sub-contractor, who is often the main critical ambassador for the company and indeed the industry, in the community - whether as a school governor/parent or in the local sports club, chapel or village hall committee. They are the people who are taken to task in the local shop or pub about noise, dust, visual intrusion or simply 'why are they building another big shed at the quarry'. Are they able to give reasonable answers - why is the quarry expanding? - who needs the stone anyway? Will it affect the river? Why can't they use a different route avoiding the village? The company never seems to take any notice of us! What are they doing to protect Bluebell Wood?
If the company staff don't know the answer - what are they expected to say? They can hardly defend a position which they know little about. Has a routine for addressing such queries been established - a helpline in addition to the more forward liaison group? Are complaints, comments, queries always followed up as a matter of routine?- by whom?
Are newcomers to the local community aware of why the quarry is there? - how long has it been there? What it does? Do company employees have briefing handouts/newsletters which they can use to cover such points? Can some of the material e.g. prepared for school visits, anniversaries or open days, be adapted for this purpose?