Internal communicators forum web content

1. The ICF

In 2006 Cabinet mandated GCIS to intensify internal communication within the public service to enable the public servants to better understand government policies and programmes and act as disseminators of reliable government information in their own communities. In addition, the intention is to mobilize them to act as agents of reconstruction and development.

It is against this background that the Government Internal Communicators’ Forum (ICF) was established and launched on 29 November 2006. Bringing together Heads of Internal Communication in national departments and relevant support staff, this forum intends to nurture an internal communicator to become a communication agent able to mobilize public servants to contribute towards better and effective communication between government and the people. There are principles to be adhered to, laid down by the Forum, when communicating to public servants:

• Supplement communication on the ethics of public service with more communication that builds an understanding of the content of departmental programmes beyond circulars and workshops, careful thought should be given to media, products and platforms that will effectively reach the public servants in a manner that mobilises them for implementation. Internal communication programmes must be informed by the government programme of action.
• Internal communicators should have a distribution plan to ensure that communication products reach all public servants.

The Forum also agreed that the core functions of internal communicators are to:

• Develop and implement internal communication plans informed by the Departmental communication strategy with key milestones, combining both Departmental activities and government’s programme of action
• Conduct on regular basis quantitative or qualitative research on platforms, media, products and language preferences to deepen the public servants’ understanding of departmental and government’s programme of action.
• Facilitate the communication of top management decisions to all staff members, beyond matters related to ethics in the public service and departmental and government policies.

For government to communicate effectively with its employees, it needs a well structured and managed internal communication that seeks to continually inform staff members of all the programmes and projects carried out in government and departments. In conclusion, the overriding objective of the Forum is to mobilise public servants to become active agents in harnessing all of society in united action around common development objectives.