The 3rd years are nearing the end of their degree and last week they did their final presentations showcasing the work for their PR Strategy and Campaign Planning Unit in which they had three months to create a campaign for a real life client.
In the next 3 blog posts, you’ll see an insight into how three of the groups, Prism PR, Pristine PR and Gecko Communications, carried out their campaigns, their clients and their personal highlights of the unit.
In this blog post, I spoke to Pristine PR – Helen Cummings, Chloe Attwood, Olivia Farrell and Emily Kerr – about their client, Solent PR.
Emily said: “Solent PR was our client and our brief was to ‘create a PR campaign aimed at prospective students for BA(Hons) PR & Comms whilst promoting a career in public relations.’
As a result we created numerous outputs such as a 9-page mailshot…
The Easter holidays are nearly over and all of the Solent PR students are preparing for their assignment deadlines over the next couple of weeks, but it’s the 3rd years that have the most to do! This month, I spoke to Chloe Attwood who’s nearing the end of her PR degree, read on to find out what she’s up to and her advice for new PR students!
Chloe Attwood, 3rd year Solent PR Student
You must be a really busy 3rd year at the moment! What assignments are you doing?
You are certainly right – us 3rd years are super busy (and slightly stressed) at the moment. Currently I have three assignments on my to do list. They are internal communications, where we have to create a mock up and critically analyse it. We also are still working on our PR strategy presentations and group assignments, where we will be pitching…
Solent PR 3rd year student, Chloe Attwood, is a one day a week intern at Napier PR. Chloe did a post on the Napier blog about what she’s been up to at Napier recently, as well as her dissertation!
Chapter 4 of this year’s e-book was dedicated to Crowdsourcing! The team was made up of 3rd year PR students, Chloe Attwood, Emily Kerr, Olivia Farrell and post-graduate student, Casper Nielson and they were managed by Steven Woodgate, Windows Phone Marketing Manager at Microsoft and previous Public Relations MA student from Southampton Solent (who you can read an interview with here!)
About The Chapter
Team member, Chloe Attwood, said:
“The main concept of crowdsourcing is to focus on User Generated Content (UGC). The chapter was aimed specifically at students of Southampton Solent University and we decided to aim it at students by using a social media channel many students are familiar with – Snapchat. This was done by using several Snapchat accounts and asking students (through other social media platforms such as the Facebook Solent PR society and the E-book in a day Facebook page) to send photos of…
As I am a soon to be graduate I think it’s only fitting that I start to think about going into the ‘real world’ and with that comes the work place. Now hopefully I won’t ever be in a conflict at a workplace, but sometimes it is inevitable. (We all have different learning and managerial styles after all). So I think it’s only best that you know the different styles of resolution. Now there are several different conflict resolution solutions (I haven’t listed them all) but here are just a few that you can use.
Adjunction
This is perhaps for the most serious of conflicts as it often involves bringing the conflict before law, either in criminal or civil court. Evidence is given and usually legal experts are used and then on the basis of evidence either the judge, jury or bench of magistrates, hears and considers the evidence given and a conclusion is made.
Arbitration
Is another method of conflict resolution that sometimes can be enforced by law. This method involves each side giving their views to an independent, impartial but expert arbitrator who has knowledge of the law. After making a decision the parties agree and are then bound to the agreement.
Mediation
A word often used when talking about conflict resolution. Now this process uses a third party, a neutral outsider to the dispute, draws up a settlement of the conflict. This often involves using facilitating discussions, (a concept I am now familiar with thanks to studying ethics in PR) to agree on the exact conflict resolution.
Now these three conflict resolution approaches are all different, but which one is the best?
According to Dreu and Vliert (1997:33)
“Well-managed conflict leads to resolution and agreement. People give up their grievances, accept apologies, and agree to new, less frustrating ways of proceeding.”
So which one would lead to a less frustrating way of proceeding in the future?
Can you always use the same resolution strategy or does it depend on the situation? Maybe it depends on the seriousness of the conflict. What do you think? I’d love to hear what you think is best to do in a conflict!
Please note that the conflict resolution solutions have been adapted from Stewart, S. (1998). Conflict resolution. Winchester [England]: Waterside Press.
Negotiation is hard at the best of times, but when someone’s life may be in your hands its best if you know the signs.
Is the government doing enough about mental illness?
Mental illness in Britain is often not talked about. There seems to be some kind of stigma attached to it. Depression is seen by some as a weakness, but why? When according to Stewart (2009) at least
‘one in four of the general population will experience some form and degree of mental illness during their lifespan.’
In case you don’t know, and I didn’t until a few years ago, there are several signs that an individual with depressive disorder may present. These range from having little interest in things around them to appearing to be tired (as suggested by Ireland, C., Fisher, M. and Vecchi, G. 2011). But I’d recommend using the NHS website for a full list of the signs of depression.
So how do you negotiate with someone with depression?
Well to start I want to tell you my favourite description of negotiation from Alan Fowler (1996)
‘Negotiation is a process, not a single skill.’
So here is a quick 3 step process to follow.
You want to be seen as empathetic. And you want to use active listening. This means clearly listening to the issues the individual raises. And if the individual doesn’t want to talk, have a conversation with yourself – talk about nothing but make the individual think about what they are doing.
Change their mood. Make efforts with the individual to postpone any suicidal action. Do something fun with them. Ask them, what makes them happy?
Support them. The key consideration for the negotiator is that they know they are not offering therapy to resolve any depressive symptoms, but offer support as to how they are feeling in that current moment.
Shockingly, not everyone knows how to negotiate and although these steps may seem simple, when used you can create a positive outcome for both parties.
As this process isn’t one that is taught, should more be taught on depression in schools? I believe so. And if the stigma of mental illness on conditions, such as depression, was lifted, would we be able to recognise the signs more?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on mental illness and negotiation.
Please note this process has been adapted from Ireland, C., Fisher, M. and Vecchi, G. (2011)
“Conflict is a process that begins when one party perceives that another party has negatively affected, or is about to negatively affect, something the first party cares about.” Huczynski & Buchanan (2010:661)
On 18th February I was shocked to find out that supporters of Chelsea football club, an English premier league club, racially attacked a fan that was travelling to their Champions League last 16 tie with Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes, the previous night. The video of fans preventing a black man entry onto the train soon went viral and to date three fans have been identified by Met Police according to the BBC. But what exactly has this man done to negatively affect these Chelsea fans? What is the cause of this conflict?
Screen shot of Home Office Statistics printed in the Sun showing arrests for racist/indecent chanting by club, between 2004/5 and 2013/14.
After a little more research I’ve found that appallingly Chelsea fans according to the Home Office statistics aren’t the worst and have been beaten, narrowly, by West Ham. (See photo.)
And more recently another video has appeared which shows West Ham supporters chanting anti-semitic chants on the way to a match. According to the Article 3 of the FIFA Statutes
“Discrimination of any kind against a Country, private person or group of people on account of race, skin colour, ethnic, national or social origin, gender, language, religion, political opinion or any other opinion, wealth, birth or any other status, sexual orientation or any other reason is strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion.”
But is just a slap on the wrists enough to stop racism and anti-Semitism in football completely?
Shouldn’t something be done to prevent the conflict in the first place?
How in the 21st century are football fans still allowed to be racist and anti-semitic? Is this a social problem that just takes place in football stadiums in crowds or is it crowd mentality?
What’s your view?
Please note that some viewers may find the videos distressing.
Are you a parent? If you are then please help me and fill out this very short survey on road safety. As a part of my University course at Solent I have been set a brief on road safety in Hampshire and need YOUR help to form my market research.
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