For the past six weeks, I have had the honor of participating in the annual Nancy Bacher Long PR Institute, PRSA Philly’s intensive training program for junior-level public relations practitioners. Participants are split into mock agency teams that compete to create a comprehensive communications plan for a local nonprofit.
Each week, we gathered to hear presentations from seasoned PR pros on the different aspects involved in creating a PR plan – such as writing a plan (presented by BPR’s very own Blair Kahora Cardinal), strategic planning, budgeting, measurement and presentation. We were even treated to a media panel of journalists from KYW Newsradio, NBC10, the Philadelphia Business Journal and Philly2Philly.
On Monday, my team gave our final presentation to this year’s nonprofit client: Rebuilding Together Philadelphia. I can honestly say it was one of the most rewarding experiences I have had in my career to date. Rebuilding Together Philadelphia (RTP) is the local affiliate of a national nonprofit organization that works to repair and maintain affordable housing for families in need.
Our team created a plan with the goal of establishing RTP as the quintessential rebuilding organization by increasing donors, volunteers, media coverage and awareness.
I have always found nonprofit work to be enjoyable, but what I found to be most rewarding about PR Institute was being able to take my knowledge and passion for public relations and apply it to an organization that could truly benefit. It was very gratifying to hand an almost-fully packaged communications plan – complete with media lists, a crisis communications plan, an op-ed piece, a full color ad, a social media strategy as well as strategies and tactics to implement this plan – to the RTP team.
This program – founded by the late Nancy Bacher Long, a legendary PR professional in Philadelphia – is something I would recommend to all young professionals looking to further their knowledge in the PR world. It’s not easy, it’s time consuming and it takes a lot of hard work, but the experience at the end is worth it. Kind of like repairing and maintaining a home.