The second annual Government Communications Plan has been approved by the Council of Ministers. It is designed to help Islanders, the media, stakeholders and Government employees
to understand the Communication Directorate’s structure and responsibilities, and the activities planned for 2020 to keep people informed.
The document sets out the role and strategic objectives for Government communications, aligned to the aims of the Government Plan 2020-23. It provides an overview of the communication activities of every department, covering how information is provided, how the day-to-day operation of Government is supported, and how campaigns will aim to engage audiences on a wide range of issues.
Assistant Chief Minister, Connétable Richard Buchanan, said: “2019 was the first full year that the Communications Directorate operated as a cohesive unit within the Office of the Chief Executive, led by our first communications strategy which provided direction for our communications professionals.
“This new approach, which brought Government communications colleagues together, serving the whole of Government through central teams and embedded departmental communications heads, has been an early success of the One Government approach.
“It has delivered better value for money by bringing most graphic design and marketing in-house, negotiating better advertising deals, and making substantial savings on design, which more than covers the costs of the creative team.
“The plan for 2020 sets out an ambitious but achievable vision for 2020 that will ensure Islanders, stakeholders and Government employees alike are kept fully informed and are actively engaged with the work of this Government.”
The document also lists the major campaigns run in 2019: for instance, a campaign to encourage women to attend cervical screening appointments saw a 22% increase in take-up; Help2Quit saw 96 Islanders setting a date to quit smoking, compared to 73 the previous year; and a campaign to inform Islanders about proposed changes to the healthcare system saw 600 people attending public meetings and an Island-wide leaflet drop to 47,000 households.