PR students provide winning strategies

Jason Tozer

6 October 2006: Five final-year public relations (PR) students have given their time to provide non-profit organisations award winning communication strategies and planning as part of the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) Student Challenge.

Stephanie Lyons and Isabelle Herlt, working for Heart Support Australia, and Jessica Thomas, Jessica Mackey and Gill Elphinston, working for Dragons Abreast, spent 10 weeks providing their assigned organisations with a better understanding of handling PR.

The work of the five students put quality PR advice within reach for two not-for-profit organisations Photo: Kimberly Douglas

The two teams tied for the PRIA Student Challenge Award presented at the PRIA ACT State Awards for Excellence in September.

All the students agreed that despite the hard work involved in the competition, it provided a lot of valuable practical experience.

"You learn so much theory at university and one of the good aspects of the challenge was finally being able to apply it all," Ms Herlt said.

Ms Lyons said: "It is basically a summation of everything you have learned, because planning strategies involves everything you have to do as a PR practitioner."

As well as experience the competition provided them a chance to make a bigger impact on employers in the future.

"It's great practical experience and also looks good on a resume," Ms Mackey said.

Ms Thomas agreed. "A lot of firms in the industry know what the PRIA Challenge is and look at participating in it as something very positive about you," she said.

The benefits of the program extend beyond those for the students, according to Kerri Buzza, executive officer of Heart Support Australia.

"As a non profit organisation we could never afford for a professional PR company to put together a communication strategy," Ms Buzza said.

"However the work done by the girls was wonderful and every bit as professional as any PR firm would provide."

Ms Lyons and Ms Herlt will present their communication strategy to all 53 branches of Heart Support Australia at its annual general meeting in November.