Topic: Communications Compliance, Policy Advocacy & Media Liaison
Target Audience: SayPro Staff, Volunteers, and Strategic Partners
Facilitator: SayPro National Institutions Strategic Partnerships Office
Duration: 3-Day Interactive Workshop (can also be adapted to virtual modules)
🎯 Training Objectives
By the end of this training, participants will:
- Understand key communication compliance requirements in South Africa.
- Gain advocacy skills to influence public policy and institutional agendas.
- Build professional media liaison capabilities to engage press, broadcasters, and digital media.
- Align all SayPro communication activities with national values, regulations, and institutional partnerships.
🗓️ Training Structure
| Day | Focus Area | Delivery Format |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Communications Compliance | Lecture, Case Studies, Group Quiz |
| Day 2 | Policy Advocacy Skills | Workshops, Role-Plays, Simulation |
| Day 3 | Media Liaison & Public Relations | Practice Interviews, Press Writing, Mock Briefing |
📘 Detailed Content Overview
📌 DAY 1: Communications Compliance
Key Topics:
- Overview of Communications Acts (ICASA Act, POPIA, FPB Act)
- Government Communication Framework (via GCIS)
- Ethical and Legal Boundaries in Public Messaging
- Branding Compliance (National symbols, public funding, SayPro identity)
Activities:
- Case study: “Compliance Failures in Youth Campaigns”
- Interactive compliance checklist exercise
- Drafting a compliant press release
📌 DAY 2: Policy Advocacy
Key Topics:
- Policy advocacy vs activism
- SayPro’s advocacy role for education, innovation, youth
- Writing impactful position statements
- Engaging with Parliament, departments, SOEs, and NPOs
Activities:
- Develop a sample advocacy campaign (e.g. “Skills Access for Rural Youth”)
- Stakeholder mapping and power analysis
- Mock policy roundtable debate
📌 DAY 3: Media Liaison
Key Topics:
- Understanding South African media ecosystem (SABC, eNCA, community radio)
- Writing effective media statements and press kits
- Conducting professional interviews and media briefings
- Crisis communication and response planning
Activities:
- Press conference role-play (media + SayPro panel)
- Media pitch writing exercise
- Simulated crisis scenario (e.g. misinformation about SayPro campaign)
🧩 Training Materials Provided
- SayPro Media Toolkit (templates, press release formats, compliance guides)
- Advocacy & Lobbying Handbook
- List of Compliance Do’s and Don’ts
- Partner Communications SOP Manual
- Certificates of Completion
🧮 Evaluation and Certification
- Pre- and Post-Training Quiz
- Practical Assessment (media response + advocacy message)
- Certificate: “Certified Partner – SayPro Compliant Communicator”
✅ Follow-Up Actions
- Monthly communications compliance refresher briefings
- Quarterly Media Liaison Working Group meetings
- Real-time media watch and legal alert email list
- Inclusion in SayPro’s National Advocacy Partner Network