Communication Strategies in Community Work

This assignment focuses on analyzing communication strategies employed by community service organizations. It examines the influence of various factors like political, economic, social, and technological aspects on their work. The assignment also delves into ethical considerations, legal frameworks, and effective complaint handling procedures within these organizations.

COMMUNICATION
STRATEGIES

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Legal & ethical obligations within workplace-communication...................................................1
2. Complaint handling process in community service organizations..............................................1
3. PEST analysis for community service organizations...................................................................2
4. Aims of inter-agency collaboration.............................................................................................3
5. Differentiating between strategic and business plan....................................................................4
6. Factors to be considered when choosing between traditional and digital media.........................4
7. Evaluation of communication strategies by Community Service Organizations........................5
8. Consumer Participation in service-delivery.................................................................................6
9. Barriers towards client participation in service-program............................................................6
10. Securing financial resources......................................................................................................7
11. SWOT Analysis of CVS, UK online communication strategy..................................................7
12. Scenario......................................................................................................................................8
a. Strategy to be used:-................................................................................................................8
b. Online the involved process....................................................................................................8
c. Job description.........................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

1. LEGAL & ETHICAL OBLIGATIONS WITHIN WORKPLACE-
COMMUNICATION
A better understanding of roles & responsibilities regarding various work-roles is needed
to effectively maintain and monitor the work-related practices (Treweek and et.al., 2013). With
limited funding as well as resources, community service-workers have to carry on their work.
Also, this should assist them in meeting the diversified and complex requirements as well.
The members of senior staff need to give their workers appropriate examples for
development of skills in addition to advancement of knowledge. The workers should try
observing their higher staff, seek out the required clarification in case of doubt. Performance-
review conduction, etc.
Community service-workers must fulfil their legal obligations as well as responsibilities.
In order to do so, they need to be thorough with impacts imposed by legislation. In addition,
basic-level understanding of Australia's legal system has to be there.
Key-concepts within Australia's legal-system:-
Laws bound the Australian Government. Its legal system's principles of justice, equality
& fairness ensure that workers are all treated equally and necessary justice is assured as well.
These have ensured that rights and interests of people are being protected by fair decision-
making. The 'statue of law', subordinate legislations as well as judge made law are the basis of
the law system followed in Australia (Maintaining legal and ethical work practices, 2017). Also,
workers need to stay abide by civil & criminal laws. The formulation of these laws are done by
Commonwealth-government, local-government, state & territory governments.
Besides the legal obligations, workers should also be encouraged to meet their duty-of-
care obligations as well. In context with this community workers need to maintain the ethical
standards. Code of ethics provides the necessary standards of conduct that professionals need to
follow in their organization along with workers as well. However, ethical codes only provide
guidelines for making ethical-decisions to meet the obligations of duty of care. The behavioural
codes include following: showcasing respect towards other co-workers, interest-conflict
avoidance and duty being performed in an integrated manner to deal with various members
fairly.
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2. COMPLAINT HANDLING PROCESS IN COMMUNITY SERVICE
ORGANIZATIONS
An effective handling system for complaints usually takes in consideration three main
steps as discussed below:-
Step 1: To enable the complaints
→ People should be enabled to make complaints and proper arrangements should be made for
the same. The management supports these complaints which are customer-focused (Effective
handling of complaints made to your organisation - An Overview, 2017).
Step 2: To respond towards the complaints
→ The complaint received is responded in a prompt and objective-wise handled. Also, fair
decisions is taken to respond to them thereby maintaining confidentiality. However, upholding of
complaints causes to provide remedy for reviewing.
Step 3: To account and learn
→ In order for stimulating the requirements of organizations, clear-accountabilities are available
to handle complaint.
Examples:-
1. Providing of complaint-brochures to consumers will assist the organization to meet out
the requirements of service given to them.
2. The visitors of Official-Community should provide necessary help for resolving the
concerns of customers.
3. Staff members could provide assistance by finding an advocate or interpreter for handling
a complaint.
A certain level of confidentiality should be maintained regarding the complaints. Also,
the complaints should be reviewed on a regular basis for any sort of required rectifications. In
addition the system of complaint-handling should have an inclusion of time-frame,
communication-requirement, reporting-requirement and outcomes as well.
3. PEST ANALYSIS FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS
Political Economic
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1. The regulation/deregulation polices of
different administrations could possibly
affect the organizations.
2. The stable or unstable regime of
Australia could possibly affect the
community-service organizations.
3. So, up-to-date information needs to be
maintained regarding regulations &
policies of Australia by the community-
service sectors (Political, economic,
social, and technological factors
impact the work of community service
organizations, 2017).
4. Example: The Law Reform
commission of Australia offers
improvised access towards justice to
the Community Service Organizations.
Under this the formulated laws relate
the involved procedures in a more
equitable, fair as well as efficient
format.
1. There is a possibility that economy of
Australia could face a down turn and
thus impact upon the funding done
towards the community organizations.
2. The financial health of the organization
will be improved by reduction of
demands if the economy of Australia is
maintained and proves out to be better
to favour the condition.
3. So, community-organizations need to
be up-to-date about their budgets as
well as funds.
4. Example: The GDP of Australia
currently is USD 56,327.72. If any type
of downturns or rise is observed in this
current GDP then, the substantial needs
of community service organizations
will be overall affected. If in case
economic downfall is observed, the
unemployment will increase. Thus, the
community service departments in
Australia could come under financial-
stress as well.
Social
1. The ageing of people in Australia will
enable the difficulty to community
service organization for dealing with
elder people.
2. Also, the population growth in
Australia might lead to increase in
demands which will enable dealing
Technological
1. The inclusion of new forms of
technology like emails & texts allow to
communicate effectively.
2. So, community-service organizations
need to invest more money upon
updating of technologies so that
communities could be communicated in
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with ample people.
3. So, these organizations need to be
regularly updated with trends of
population.
4. Example: The population of Australia
including people of 65 years age is
likely to grow towards approximately
4.2 million by 2021. So the population
of working-age will be providing most
of their incomes to such people and will
seek a minimum change. So, definitely,
the dependency on community service
organizations is likely to seek
enhancement.
the best possible way.
3. Example: The latest technology of
Internet could definitely be utilised by
community service organizations for
keeping up the track for members in
form of a database. Also, in order to
meet the demands of people the current
technology of Australia might have a
positive or negative impact on the
community service organizations.
4. AIM OF INTER-AGENCY COLLABORATION
When organizations work together in order to find a solution towards a particular
problem and accordingly deliver desired outcomes then, this is referred to as collaboration. The
organizations of community-service generally collaborate for:-
1. Improving service-quality for delivering to client.
2. Offer service-delivery or administrative efficiency.
Encountering of conflicting opinions has been observed when single-agency is being
approached (Interagency collaboration, 2017). The circumstances play a crucial role in
determining whether to or not prefer single-agency approach.
In Australia, effective utilisation of Facilitating Model has been done. This model further
enables coordination in collaborative opportunities for the providers of services. Effective
collaboration leads to better solutions of problems that are incorporated within the domains of
organizations. These inter-agency collaborations lead to effective dealing with issues of poverty
as well as homelessness. Furthermore, the Facilitating Model utilised by Australia involves a
person at preliminary position. The role of this position lies between the community sector &
government. Their role is coordinating opportunities of collaboration for the service provider.
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The main purpose of inter-agency collaboration is to increase the service-use and make it more
easily accessible. Also, approaches like these enable to develop an integrated system of service.
5. DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN STRATEGIC AND BUSINESS PLAN
 Strategic-plan formulates Community-service department to new way where the main
focus is given to the participation (The Strategic & Business Plans, 2017). Whereas
business plans aid the Community-Service-Department to formulate new models of
business thereby assisting in developing aims & objectives. Strategic-plan assists the organizations in building up strategies that will further help in
meeting the objectives set. Whereas business-plan assist in planning about the
marketing, financial, staffing in con text to organization. Business-plan assists in development of potentials and further make business more
competitive in nature. Whereas strategic plan assists in making the business such that
product is able to meet the needs and requirements of consumers with help of ample
strategies.
 Business plan helps in formulating new innovative ideas that will effectively shape the
workforce of organization. Whereas strategic plan assist in developing strategies of
implementing those innovative measures within the organizations.
6. FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED WHEN CHOOSING BETWEEN
TRADITIONAL AND DIGITAL MEDIA
In order to communicate effectively, various factors need to be taken care of when
choosing between traditional and digital media.
1. Speed/Quickness: There are many types of important messages or information that needs
to be transferred within the organization or to other person in another city or country.
When important message has to be given within the organization then, traditional media
is not at all applicable. Instead using social media will be uttermost impactful. Also,
when an organization plans to launch new product then using Facebook will further assist
them to reach out majority of population within less time. A display of the product
including its working and use could be demonstrated on YouTube as well.
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2. Accuracy: When the information to be transferred is involving high accuracy such that
the reader or listener dies not develops misconceptions about it then, traditional media
could be helpful. Using newspapers and magazines to display the details of particular
products or services will assure that correct information has been communicated.
3. Distance: In order for communicating information to long distances or abroad, digital
media could be used where effective communication can be carried out without being
interrupted.
4. Cost: Cost involved in the process of communication also plays a key role. Before
choosing any media for communication, the overall expenses that shall be involved
should already be planned out and accordingly the media shall be chosen.
7. EVALUATION OF COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES BY
COMMUNITY SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS
In order to evaluate the effectiveness of communication strategies that are utilised by
community service organizations certain set of procedures could be adopted. This procedure will
further assist in evaluating whether the current communications strategy being implemented by
community-service-organizations is helping to meet the objectives set by organization. The
communication strategies are there to let the people know about the organization as well as
associated work. This way they will be further attracted towards taking part in various
programmes as well as services provided by the organization.
For finding the effectiveness of communication strategies, there are certain types of
metrics that will assist community service organizations to evaluate their communication
strategies.
→ Activity metrics: This process of activity metrics will provide the facility of understanding
the activities that are carried for implementing the formulated communication strategy. This will
assist evaluation of the process for production and sharing of messages. In addition, it will also
assist to investigate whether the community service organization's authorities are able to work
out as per the formulated plan.
→ Engagement metrics: This will provide help in understanding the effect of communication
strategy upon the audience that whether they are able to properly understand the piece of
information being communicated. It is an indicative measure of finding out the ability of others
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to engage with service-organizations. Interacting with the audience is a must requirement in this
process of evaluating communication strategy.
8. CONSUMER PARTICIPATION IN SERVICE-DELIVERY
An inevitable part is played by the by customer-participation at certain levels within the
service-delivery. A service is regarded as an action or performance that is simultaneously
produced as well as consumed. There comes ample of situations in which employees as well as
customer in the environment of service interact with each other for production of ultimate results
of service.
In order to engage the participation of customers, they to be physically present with the
employees of community service organizations when all the production-service work is carried.
However, there might arise situations, in which input from the customers will be required to aid
the community-service-organizations in creation of service-delivery. These inputs might
incorporate information or either physical-possession along with necessary efforts as well. This
will effectively contribute in the return of income-tax by the client by accounting the services.
9. BARRIERS TOWARDS CLIENT PARTICIPATION IN SERVICE-
PROGRAM
Community service organizations have to undergo different types of procedures for the
betterment of people (Patt and Weber, 2014).
Processes as barriers
As said, the 3 processes that act as barriers to client engagement in service program are as
follows :
1. Complicated procedure & policy : If the procedures and policies adopted by community-
service organizations are quite complicated then, these act as a barrier. This ends up in a
situation where the which consume most of the time of clients (Candlin and Hyland,
2014). In order to overcome this, online medium should be incorporated by these
organizations for engaging the clients in participation.
2. Delayed process : The activities that are involved in providing referrals to clients may act
as a barrier if they are too slow. This acts as a barrier for engaging the client
participation. To overcome this, the clients may be facilitated by providing them referrals
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through use of digital media. A website portal should be created that would easily allow
the clients to engage in activities of organization.
3. Technology : The poor technology utilised by community service organizations is a
barrier for engaging the clients. The poor technology does not enhance the way of
communication between client and organization. It rather slows down the engagement
process. To overcome this the authorities of organization need to stay updated with the
latest technology trends to engage the clients in service programs more easily and
effectively as well(Vromen and Coleman, 2013).
Communication barriers
As said, the 3 communication that act as barriers to client engagement in service program
are as follows :
1. Semantic Barriers : These barriers occur when one misunderstands the feelings of another
This is often caused by inappropriate use of signs, figures as well as words. This acts as a
barrier in client engagement towards service programmes. To overcome these, the one
who is communicating the information should use proper words and signs for making he
others understand effectively and also body-language should be proper to give a clear
understanding to others.
2. Emotional Barriers : Such barriers are referred to those which affect the behaviour as well
as mental state of a person. This hindrance often causes a barrier in communication
thereby limiting the participation of clients in service programmes (Walter and et.al.,
2017). These include, lack of attention, distrust, etc. To overcome these, a healthy
relationship should be maintained between both the parties between which
communication is carried out.
3. Wrong translation : When the authorities of organizations translate the necessary
information in accordance with service-programmes then, the client often misunderstands
the policies of a particular program (4 Different Types of Barriers to Effective
Communication, 2016). This acts as a barrier in engaging the clients towards service
programmes. So to overcome them, the conveyed information needs to be moulded as per
the level of understanding by the client which will make them to efficiently take part n
service-programmes.
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10. SECURING FINANCIAL RESOURCES
In order for securing the financial resources for a particular program of community
service organization, skilled leaders need to be hired that will further acquire and maintain the
resources for organization. Investors could be attracted on the basis of strong relationships within
the members of service-organizations. Also, in order to effectively secure finances the strategy or
practices followed by service organization needs to imply by the legislations formulated by
government so that investors will trust these organizations for funding. Furthermore, if the
organization is able to manage their resources such that they are able to meet the organizational
objectives on time then, investors will without any doubt invest in their programs. Either
entrepreneurs or government authorities could be consulted for funding. In case of government,
the service organizations need to make their strategies and plans such that the people are
benefited to maximum.
11. ONLINE COMMUNICATION IN ANGLICARE TASMANIA
Anglicare Tasmania is an organization of non-profits which is responsible for providing
community-services to the Tasmania's people. They have established themselves as an important
element Anglicare Australia organizational network. It assists in providing facilities as well as
programs related to accommodations, health, families and many more.
SWOT Analysis of Anglicare online website Strengths: The online communication strategy of Anglicare is quite effective enough.
The official website of Anglicare has effective measures to carry on effective
communication with the people. The communications section incorporates a very
innovative measure 'Life with Hope' which provides the facility of interacting with people
who have been benefited by the organization (Discover Anglicare helps Tasmanians in
many ways, 2016). Their reviews make it effective for people who want to either get
helped by Anglicare or in any way associate with it. Also, another section of their website
lays focus upon areas of needs which have to be further modified. These include Aged-
support, Disability-support, alcohol-&-other drugs and many more. This shows that they
are very much focussed about the betterment of people and consistently take on
measures.
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 Weaknesses: However, there is a weakness as well. The officials who are responsible for
the operations are not able to directly interact with the people. No option for interacting
with the officials is available. Although the site is interactive enough considering the
ample of options to make it user friendly but the queries related options are not there as
such. If any problem is encountered people have to go to the location of organization for
queries. Opportunities: The highly advanced option of customer engagement allows the people to
choose their facility as per their choice. Also, the site offers the aid of getting associated
with the organization so as to offer the opportunity to those individuals who want to help
people in fighting their problems. So, this is quite an opportunity for those who want to
get benefited by helping others.
 Threats: Since there are ample of features such as 'Research Library' and 'Secured online
payments ', other competitive organization could try copying the exact feature as well. So
Anglicare needs to handle this uncertain threat.
Recommendations:-
The only possible recommendation that needs to be given to the Anglicare's online site is
that, they should introduce an additional feature of customer query clearing by providing them
the facility to directly interact with the officials.
12. Scenario
A. Strategy to be used
In order for helping the mentally-disordered persons, to effectively take decisions, first of
all the information needs to be clearly understood by them. In order to make them understand,
fun activities shall be organized whose theme shall be based on the information to be made
understood. Also, use of attractive pictures as well as presentation will further aid in engaging
their participation.
B. Online the involved process
A separate blog will be created for introducing the mew programs of therapeutic arts. The
new Therapeutics arts Program will assist in meeting the needs and requirements of clients. Also,
they shall be provided assistance for fostering hope in order to introduce positive changes.
c. Job description
JOB-DESCRIPTION
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Position : THERAPEUTIC ARTS PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Report to : Social-service director
→ Roles & Responsibilities :-
1. Supervising & participating in diversified experience of art.
2. Curriculum of activities development.
3. Attending the training programmes upon the required trauma-informed service.
4. To manage the planned budget of program.
5. Creation of a safe as well as welcoming environment for clients.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Candlin, C. N. and Hyland, K., 2014. Writing: Texts, processes and practices. Routledge.
Patt, A. G. and Weber, E. U., 2014. Perceptions and communication strategies for the many
uncertainties relevant for climate policy. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate
Change. 5(2), pp.219-232.
Treweek, S., and et.al., 2013. Developing and evaluating communication strategies to support
informed decisions and practice based on evidence (DECIDE): protocol and preliminary
results. Implementation Science. 8(1). p.6.
Vromen, A. and Coleman, W., 2013. Online campaigning organizations and storytelling
strategies: GetUp! in Australia. Policy & Internet. 5(1), pp.76-100.
Walter, S. R., and et.al., 2017. Emergency doctors' strategies to manage competing workload
demands in an interruptive environment: An observational workflow time study. Applied
Ergonomics. 58. pp.454-460.
Online
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[Accessed on 13th June 2017].
Effective handling of complaints made to your organisation - An Overview. 2017. [Online].
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handling-of-complaints-made-to-your-organisation.pdf>. [Accessed on 13th June 2017].
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organizations. 2017. [Online]. Available through: <https://www.enotes.com/homework-
help/political-economic-social-technological-factors-951140>. [Accessed on 13th June
2017].
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Interagency collaboration. 2017. [Online]. Available through:
<https://aifs.gov.au/cfca/sites/default/files/publication-documents/bp21a.pdf>. [Accessed
on 13th June 2017].
The Strategic & Business Plans. 2017. [Online]. Available through:
<http://www.communityservices.act.gov.au/home/about_us/strategic_plan>. [Accessed
on 13th June 2017].
Discover Anglicare helps Tasmanians in many ways. 2016. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.anglicare-tas.org.au/services>. [Accessed on 14th June 2017]
4 Different Types of Barriers to Effective Communication, 2016. [Online]. Available
Through :<>. [Accessed On : 17th June 2017].
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