Fifteen participants underwent a three-day communications and media workshop facilitated by the Divine Word University’s Communication Arts Department.
The training was carried out on behalf of ExxonMobil PNG at the Dream Inn from July 4-6.
ExxonMobil PNG Limited, operator of the PNG LNG project, supported the training for 13 of its community partner organisations to help them build their skills in communications and media.
Organisations that attended the training were: Advancing PNG; Women Leaders Network; Esmie Sinapa Development Consultants; PNG Tribal Foundation; United Church; YWCA; Evangelical Church PNG; PNG Business Council; Leadership PNG; PNG Olympic Committee; Coalition for Change; Salvation Army; Life Care PNG and We Care PNG.
The workshop was aimed at enabling staff and volunteers of EMPNG’s community partner organisations develop communications and advocacy strategies. This is to help better promote their respective organisation’s programs and activities.
EMPNG public and government affairs manager, Dan Worrall said the company is involved with many community organisations throughout the PNG LNG project areas and identified a need to build capacity within some organisations to promote their activities.
“We worked with Divine Word University to tailor training that would help build our partners’ capacities to enable them to better market and advocate for themselves and for their long term sustainability,” Worrall said.
Serah Abraham from the Salvation Army said the training was very good and covered main topics of advocacy, social media, news writing and tips on how to use the camera.
“The social media session was a big help, now I am able to understand how to share my news and others and pick out a few things like the google alerts,” she said.
“I would like to thank ExxonMobil PNG for this wonderful opportunity. Most of us have learnt something from this workshop.”
The training program covered development of strategic communications and advocacy plans; newswriting; use of mainstream media; interviews; on-line communications and social media; and photography. It involved both theoretical and practical sessions.
(L-R: Facilitator Maria Sagrista [DWU] giving pointers to how to operate a SLR camera to participants Leslie Thomas [Coalition for Change], Serah Abraham [Salvation Army] and Stella Vika [United Church PNG].)