This document discusses lessons learned over a communications career in the charity sector. It highlights 4 key lessons: 1) Tell individual stories to humanize issues and drive the right actions, as illustrated by a family dealing with a fatal disease. 2) Embrace change and keep an eye on the future of communications. 3) Know when to remain silent. 4) An empowering leader can accomplish much, as seen by an interaction with a Duke that ended up in a bedroom. The document aims to inspire rookie PR professionals in the charity field.

1. CharityComms: My biggest
comms inspiration
Lessons for a Rookie PR
Myra Johnson - director of
communications and engagement
Together for Short Lives
@Tog4ShortLives @Myra6767

2. There are 50,000 children and young people with
life-shortening conditions, and the number is rising
Together for Short Lives’ vision is for children and young people with
life-shortening conditions to have as fulfilling lives as possible, and
the best care at the end of life.

3. Cast your mind back to 1989…
The start of my comms journey

6. PR was a different world and tools
were limited

7. Enter my Hero: Professor Nick
Hardwick

8. Lesson 1 – Telling stories, keeping
people at the heart of your work
“When we think of people just
as numbers we do terrible
things.
Telling the story of the
individual human being behind
the numbers helps us do the
right thing”
Professor Nick Hardwick,
September 2016

9. Real people, real words
“No treatment. No cure. James
would not live beyond 5 years old.
We were given a sheet saying that
over time children suffer mental
impairment and worsening seizures.
Children with Batten disease go
blind, are bedridden and demented
– it is always fatal. To say we were
devastated, heartbroken, shocked,
crushed just doesn’t come close.”
Mum, Amanda Harrison

10. Lesson 2 – Keep an eye on the horizon
and embrace change

11. Lesson 2 (cont)

12. Lesson 3 – Keep your mouth shut

13. Lesson 4 – An empowering leader
And how to end up in a bedroom with a
Duke

15. Thank you

16. Visit the CharityComms website
to view slides from past events,
see what events we have
coming up and to check out
what else we do:
www.charitycomms.org.uk

17. 29 September 2016
London
#CommsInspiration
My biggest
comms inspiration