brazil - district 4760 ryep 2007 salt lake city yeo pre convention communicating with the media in a...

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2007 SALT LAKE CITY YEO PRE CONVENTION

Communicating with the Media in a Crisis

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A True Story…A True Story…

Our experience on communicatingOur experience on communicatingwith the media during a real crisiswith the media during a real crisis

Rtn. Ivan L. ViannaDistrict 4760 - BRAZIL


As a girl (Rotary Youth Exchange)As a girl (Rotary Youth Exchange)was missing for 5 days…was missing for 5 days…

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Case BriefingCase Briefing

1- Sunday: a girl RYE student goes to Church in a nearby city and does not return home

2- Monday: Crisis Plan is in effect, authorities are called, sponsor district & R.I. are informed. Police reports she was spotted trying to hitch-hike, 120 miles away from her host city.

True StoryTrue Story


3- Tuesday: Police finds out she staid overnight in a lodge in Brasilia, 250 miles away.

4- Wednesday: story is first shown on TV. Media calls got crazy + overwhelming .

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Briefing, page 2


5 -Thursday: National TV brings the story and pictures of the girl, whole country is aware and alerted.

At noon TV breaking news shows the girl on a beach 1,500 miles away in the north of Brazil. She calls Rotary and is taken to a Police station where YEO gets her

She is then flown to from Salvador to Brasilia to meet her parents, escorted by a Rotarian YEO.

6-Friday: her parents arrive in Brasilia where our YEO released the student to them, ceasing her exchange. She flies home with her parents


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Some actions Some actions we had to take: had to take:

1- As soon as the situation was defined as Crisis, we had our Crisis Team set up + keeping everyone informed: YEOs, R.I., DG, YEs

2- A chain of communication was soon defined: ONLY ONE person to speak for Rotary

3- District YE Emergency Funds became on standby and treasurer compromised to assist, if extra expenses were needed.

(and you may learn from them…)



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Some actions had to be taken IMMEDIATELY when we FIRSTLY were informed:

• We double checked the first information received before passing it out to others, as our primary source was very nervous and sleepless.

• Immediately the Crisis Team was declared active followed by an immediate Team Meeting: NEVER, NEVER TRY TO RUN A CRISIS BY YOURSELF: SHARE IT ASAP

• After informing parents, district YEO, DG and RI,legal and professional help was then immediatelycalled: police contact, experienced psychologist,lawyer, journalist.



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HINTS on the chain of communication:HINTS on the chain of communication:

• An important point during this crisis was the GOOD communication between the partner districts + BOTH DISTRICTS with R.I.

• Each district had a YEO contact who knew personally each other: in fact this is THE difference between Rotary Y. E. P. other YE programs

• FAST, CORRECT & reliable communication WAS kept between ALL involved ALL THE TIME



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On Communication

• No speculations or guessing, keeping only to the facts!

Host District YEO talks to sponsor District YEO Sponsor district YEO talks to natural parents Host district INB Coord talks to host parents Keep DG well informed of everything at all times

ROTARY INTERNATIONAL kept close contact with both districts, giving FULL SUPPORT

Basically the chain of communication was:



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During the crisis, we focus two objectives:

1- KEEP THE MEDIA SHOWING PICTURES OF THE MISSING GIRL ALL OVER THE COUNTRY

We had success perhaps for these reasons:

1- This story raised a lot of concerns in every home2- The unknown reasons raised questions + nightmares3- The international media was very active4- A young girl missing and traveling alone: this could

happen with someone in your family too!5- Rotary is taken very seriously in our country



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2- ALERTING AUTHORITIES THE GIRL WAS MISSING 2- ALERTING AUTHORITIES THE GIRL WAS MISSING AND that everything MAY HAPPEN if she is not AND that everything MAY HAPPEN if she is not found SOONfound SOON

Again, we were successful for contacts were made with:

1- Federal Government including the V.P. of Brazil2- State Police High Officers: some of them Rotarians3- Mayor of Belo Horizonte4- Minister of Tourism, himself a former RYE5- Church high officers, both in Brazil & abroad



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Some of the key messages we kept Some of the key messages we kept repeating repeating

over and over to the media:over and over to the media:

1- Rotary has been in close contact with the YE girl family and doing whatever may be necessary to assist them

2- We do not know what happened, police and authorities are investigating: there was never any evidence this might occur, it surprised us all



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3- Rotary officers in both countries are fully cooperating with authorities on the investigation

4- We can not speculate what might have happened: so far, what we know is what police tell us & tell you

5- I was a Rotary YE myself and so was my only son. Every year more than 8,000 students live abroad as exchange students. Brazil currently hosts over 1,000 Y.E. students from 36 different countries in RYEP



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Key messages after the girl was found:Key messages after the girl was found:

1- We DO NOT blame the girl, she had a health problem and we thank God she was found alive.

2- She flew home with her parents, her exchange is over

3- We are deeply thankful to the authorities, to police officers and to the media for their work which indeed contribute for this happy outcome

4- Ceasing media contacts, hoping in near future we will give further info RYE Program



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No ROTARY JARGONS such as R.I. DG, YEO, RYE, No ROTARY JARGONS such as R.I. DG, YEO, RYE, District, Governor, inbound & outbound, should be District, Governor, inbound & outbound, should be used when communicating with the mediaused when communicating with the media

Every Rotary Club YEO must know at anytime where is their host student and how to reach the student.

We would also strongly recommend:We would also strongly recommend:

Each YE should have a information card with emergency phones, as this girl had hers all the

time.



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Repeat this orientation to host family: treat the student just the way they wished their child would be treated, if

abroad in similar situation

Make sure to tell repeatedly to all Y.E. students :

Trust your instincts. If you do not feel safe in a situation or someone's behavior is making you uncomfortable, get out.BE YOURSELF.

Recommendations (2)Recommendations (2)



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DO NOT FORGET TO THANK PEOPLE WHO HELPED DURING THE CRISIS

SPECIALLY the NON-ROTARIANS CONTACTSYOU HAD AS;

•News Reporters•Police officers

•Local Authorities

LAST recommendation:LAST recommendation:



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THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION

MUITO OBRIGADO PELA SUA ATENÇÃO


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