To all of my fellow communicators in Edmonton and across Alberta, stay strong. The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented event in all of our lifetimes not seen since the world wars or even the last pandemic of the Spanish flu in 1918. While we work through this global event, communications is more important than ever. The role you play in your organization right now is critical to helping our neighbours, fellow Canadians and our friends around the world stay informed and know what to do to get to the other side.
During this rapidly evolving public health crisis with new information every hour, stay positive. At the end of every day, make sure you take some time to reflect on what went well and look for the silver linings in what could have been better. Be sure to reach out to fellow communicators for support, whether you need to talk something out or look for tips and strategies. We’re all on this journey together, and it’s a new one even for the most seasoned communicators among us. Our collective knowledge is powerful. We’ve shared some resources below, and I’d love to hear from you about what messages have been successful for you.
Remember, your contributions are making a difference. I urge you to tap into CPRS National’s resources to support your coronavirus communications. The COVID 19 Resource Centre and Member Discussion Forum is available to all CPRS members. I also encourage you to share resources and reach out to other members on our LinkedIn group.
If you need an ear, feel free to reach out to me at president@cprsedmonton.ca or reach out to any of the board members.
Finally, I would like to end my note with a couple of items of business. First, if you are pursuing your Accreditation in Public Relations, CPRS National is extending the deadline to submit your work sample to Monday, May 4 2020. All other timelines for the current accreditation cycle remain in place. I encourage you to reach out to Tadra Boulton, our local accreditation chair, if you need support on this journey.
Second, we are looking for members to volunteer as lead for some of the portfolios on our board of directors. If this sounds like something you would like to do, please send your bio and an expression of interest to myself at president@cprsedmonton.ca and Past President, Cecilia Bloxom, at pastpresident@cprsedmonton.ca.
Stay positive and stay strong,
Lyn