Developing a communication and engagement strategy for a children’s charity

Background and objectives

Childhood First needed a new communication and engagement strategy to develop its communication activity and support the delivery of its newly approved five-year corporate strategy. The charity, which focuses on the provision of safe, effective therapeutic services for traumatised children, aims to balance sustainable growth with developing its external profile over the next five years. 

We helped Childhood First develop the foundation of an integrated communications and engagement service with a five year strategy that will enable them to develop an external profile and grow their influence, positioning the organisation to increase the impact of its work for the children and young people in its care.

Approach

We began our work with Childhood First with the ‘discover’ stage of our design thinking-inspired operating methodology. We interviewed stakeholders and conducted desk research of key documents to understand the landscape, opportunities and challenges, and perspectives of key stakeholders, helping us to define the project’s scope. 

From our research, we identified the need to establish a formal communication and engagement mechanism for both internal and external communication across the charity. 

Five-year corporate strategy communications and engagement plan and delivery 

Our work to deliver the corporate strategy communications and engagement plan and delivery included the following activities: 

• strategy development including short-, medium- and long-term deliverables to implement the plan
• communications audit
• stakeholder mapping
• audience segmentation
• narrative and key message development
• content and channel plan
• advocacy plan and best practice
• strategy communication materials

We advised on communicating the communications and engagement strategy to staff, stakeholders and children and young people, offering ideas that will help bring it to life. 

Outcome

The project produced an ambitious communication and engagement strategy and delivery plan to enable Childhood First to maximise the benefits of a formal approach to communication and engagement. The new approach to communications and engagement will support them to deliver the goals and ambitions outlined in their corporate strategy.

Testimonial

“Blue Lozenge supported us to develop a communications and engagement strategy that will help us meet our ambitions for the children and young people we care for now and in the future.

“Their approach provided as with a solid plan to implement a formal communications and engagement mechanism within the charity at a pace that suited us.”

Gary Yexley – Chief Executive, Childhood First

Contact

If you need help establishing a modernised and professional communication function at your organisation, please reach out by emailing us at hello@bluelozenge.co.uk.