Practical Public Information New and Established PIOs

In the ever changing landscape of media and public information, having a confident, competent Public Information Officer on your team is vital to your organization’s success.

This course will familiarize participants with basic public information tools and techniques. The course is appropriate for new and established PIOs. They will learn about the keys to writing successful press releases, communicating through traditional and social media and basic insights into effective crisis communications. Attention will be paid to interview skills and writing for the general public. There will be opportunities to practice using the skills taught in the course as well as to bring questions about issues within departments.

At the end of this course, participants will have the skills and knowledge to

• Draft press releases
• Write meaningful public service announcements
• Conduct a simple press conference
• Confidently handle media interactions
• Understand the uses for a diverse range of communications tools
• Be prepared for crisis, including the practical application of skills taught in NIMS training