While conducting research interviews earlier this year with an entrepreneur organisation set up by refugees in Dzeleka camp, we identified the need for a communications strategy and the skills-based training to implement it. In response we created an initiative which we called “Amplifying Refugee Voices”. In association with JWL in Switzerland, and using their vast network, we reached out to refugees in Malawi, Kenya, Jordan and Afghanistan.

OUR OBJECTIVE.

Our objective was to give refugees the necessary skillset to tell their own stories, to a mass audience, using professional PR skills. The design of our courses and their accessibility being an advantage in areas with limited resources.

We had no part in the selection of participants. We have no part in the choice of topics or interviewees. The views expressed in the content created are not ours. The work is 100% the creation and voice of our ‘student members’.

We are proud and privileged to have worked with JWL on this pilot project. We continue to work with the original students to encourage them to provide an authentic refugee voice of first-hand experience.

WORKING WITH JWL.

We are working closely with JWL to find a sponsor to enable us to roll out this opportunity to the an initial group of 80 refugees across all of their camps in 16 countries: Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Guyana, India, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines Sri Lanka, Togo and Zambia.

We are most grateful to the team in JWL who have worked so closely with our team to make this pilot a reality for the programme participants.

AMPLIFYING THOSE VOICES.

Delivering content creation skills online is one element of this programme. Providing a social media platform and a wider audience for these voices is the second element.

We proudly upload content, under our Amplifying Refugee Voices banner, across all of our social media platforms, to help to bring a greater spotlight to issues of concern to those content creators. Please keep an eye on our social media for stories originating under the “Amplifying Refugee Voices” logo. Help us to like/share/promote these authentic voices.

THE PR TRAINING ACADEMY.

The PR Training Academy is an online training platform which provides communications courses to PR Professionals. Courses are bite-sized, max 3 hours and laser-focused on industry skills like Smartphone Video Production, Writing Feature Articles, Radio Journalism and Event Management. The PR Training Academy is a sister-company of Irish Academy of Public Relations.