SERVICE PROPOSAL December 2, 2016 TO: Erin Waite, Chair Calgary Service Provider Council FROM: Catherine Yates, Principal Yates Communications
RE: FOLLOW UP FROM DECEMBER 2 MEETING It was a pleasure to meet with you, Alexi and Ryan today;; thank you again for the opportunity to contribute to the communication goals of the Calgary Service Provider Council. I am looking forward to working with your executive and membership. As promised, I have revised the original proposal scope (dated October 31, 2016) to focus on those elements Council is prepared to proceed with in the short term, specifically the storytelling workshops and strategic communication planning. Other elements of the proposal may proceed in 2017 upon further discussion. I have reserved for Council the dates of Jan. 24, 26, 30 and Feb. 1, 2017 to conduct four What's Your Story? workshops from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. in the Prospect Boardroom. Each workshop will include between 10-15 participants. We have agreed to meet on Jan. 17, 2017 from 9:00-11:00 a.m. to discuss a 'raw' communication plan that will provide a broad context for the workshops and subsequent communication work on behalf of Council. I am available to help frame this draft communication plan between now and mid January. Please let me know how I might assist. Thank you for bringing me on board, Erin. It's rewarding to help advance such a long-held goal. Sincerely,
Principal Yates Communications 403.819.1319 catherine@yatescommunications.net www.yatescommunications.net
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SCOPE OF WORK, REVISED DEC. 2, 2016 Element #1: Advancing Council's Mission through Great Storytelling Calgary Service Provider Council has requested an education process to learn about the importance of telling stories, collecting, writing and sharing stories through traditional and social media. Stories are an essential driver of change. Yates Communications will help Council raise awareness and build support for its work by harnessing the power of member stories. We provide a workshop to educate members on effective storytelling, followed by hands-on consultation working with a team of interested Council representatives to define and implement a storytelling system for Calgary Service Provider Council. Outcomes: Council members will learn... • Why stories are the very best way to communicate impact;; • What common types of stories to tell;; • How to tell stories effectively;; • How to collect stories and build a story bank to draw from;; • How to integrate stories into a communication plan and share them with the right people;; • What your powerful stories are. Yates Communications proposes to provide the following storytelling services: Step #1: What's Your Story? Workshop Kick off the educational process with a series of half-day workshops for Council members on effective storytelling. Called What's Your Story?, the workshop outlines a six-step process for telling better stories. Participants work with a template to build a storytelling plan and take away a list of excellent interview questions to get their organizations talking. We'll discuss ways to target stories to different audiences and share them consistently across multiple media. A key feature of the What's Your Story? Workshop is a "Missions Moment" exercise designed to capture powerful stories from Council member participants, the first step to collecting stories. Workshops will be held Jan. 24, 26, 30 and Feb. 1, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. in the Prospect Boardroom. Each workshop will include between 10-15 participants. Steps #2 & #3 in this process–Building a Storytelling System and Storybank, and Writing and Editing Stories–will be revisited in 2017 upon further examination of Council needs. Element #2: Creating a Strategic Communication Plan Calgary Service Provider Council has requested a facilitated process with interested Council representatives to develop a communications plan to achieve increased awareness and understanding among identified stakeholders primarily through success stories [working with three to five representatives who have communications background or interest]. 2
Council has identified an opportunity to increase communications activity;; to use a collective voice, supported by strategy and tactics, to increase awareness of the range, depth and quality of service member agencies provide to people with developmental disabilities. This effort can help Council bridge stronger partnerships with government funders and community agencies and mitigate risks that arise when important stakeholders are unaware of, or misunderstand, Council's work and history of commitment across the province. Outcome: Council's work will be more strategic, guided by an approved, multi-year communications plan. Yates Communications proposes to provide the following strategic communication services: Step #1: Planning Communications Yates Communications will facilitate communication planning by working with a group of Council members comprised of Alexi Davis, Ryan Geake and Erin Waite. This could be accomplished with a 'kick-off' half-day session, followed by multiple meetings with specific agendas to flesh out sections of the plan. Important elements of the process include: • Defining key messages-- succinct and compelling messages that convey Council's position and role on top issues and opportunities. • Determining strategies and tactics that are most effective and affordable. • Creating a crisis communication/advocacy 'tool kit' equipping members with action plans and content to respond proactively and professionally when issues arise. • Strategically using stories to raise awareness, integrating the Council's Storytelling System and Storybank. Step #2: Writing Communications Plan Yates Communications will work closely with the Council Chairperson to write or provide input into the communications plan. We will consult closely with the Chair and working group to complete a draft plan that can be presented to Council Executive for approval. Any ongoing consulting to guide implementation of the plan will proceed in 2017 as per Council needs. TIMEFRAME 2016 December Chair to flesh out first draft communication plan. Yates Communications to assist as needed. 2017 January 17 Meeting with working group to discuss draft communication plan. January 24, 26, 30, Feb. 1 Conduct What's Your Story? Workshops March-Year end TBD - Define Storytelling System and build Storybank Write, edit and post member stories to Storybank Implement communications plan
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BUDGET Activity
Amount
Professional Fees • Conduct 4 What's Your Story? half-day workshops @ $1,000 per workshop • Facilitate communications planning and write communication plan*
$4,000.00 $5,500.00
Subtotal GST TOTAL ESTIMATE
$9,500.00 $ 475.00 $9,975.00
*Council will be billed for hours incurred to a maximum of $5,500.
Payment Terms An invoice for a nonrefundable deposit of $1,000 will be submitted upon execution of the contract and the balance will be billed on a monthly basis. Any expenses incurred will be pre- approved and submitted with receipts for reimbursement. Agreement The signatures below indicate acceptance of this proposal and will be effective on the date signed. X______________________________ Date_______________ Catherine Yates, Principal Yates Communications X_______________________________ Date_______________ Erin Waite, Chair Calgary Service Provider Council
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