A lot needs
to change at the UNAA WA.
I started my
internship with the United Nations Association Australia, the WA branch, on
October the 2nd after much deliberation over whether I should be
taking this unit this semester or not.
The initial
meeting with the Vice President of the organisation, Neesha, was arranged as a
coffee catch up in South Perth to discuss what my internship would entail. One
of the first things Neesha said to me was that she was excited to meet me, as
we share similar backgrounds- both of us having lived in Singapore spending a
good chunk of our childhood overseas, an experience not many people have had.
She showed
me the organisation’s brochure- a flimsy, thin, a4 piece of paper folded in
half with no clear messages or explanation of what the organisation actually
does and why it exists. “We are currently stuck in our traditional,
conservative ways and are looking to modernise and change the way we
communicate”- what Neesha was basically saying was, this is where YOU come in.
I was told I was to conduct a communications audit, survey, or questionnaire to
figure out exactly what internal and external stakeholders thought of the
current and past communication strategies of the UNAA WA.
One of the
big problems I have now been faced with is that there are many people within
the organisation who are resisting change and progress. For example, it has
been a tedious hassle trying to get members of the organisation keen and
willing to participate in this audit.
And while
I’m on the subject of problems, the brochure could do with a little make over,
and so could the website (don’t get me started on how shocking it is) and the
way the internal communications is handled between key executive members.
As an
outsider looking in, I have noticed a lot of issues and problems with the way
the organisation is communicating. And to be honest, I am starting to feel like
a little fish in a big pond. I have a lot of ideas, but how can I make these
ideas reality?
2 comments:
Wow sounds very hectic. I can see that you have your work cut out for you, i don't know how i would cope in that situation, but at least you can say it will make an interesting final report when you get around to it :)
That sounds insane, you'd think such a well known association would have a bit of cohesion and definitely better communication. Good luck!!
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