SECTION 11- PUBLIC RELATIONS

Organized public relations practice is the continuing effort to effect a harmonious adjustment between an institution and
its public. Experience has taught that this adjustment requires, among other things, a two-way exchange of opinions and
information, which can result in mutual understanding and mutual interest. This free-flowing interchange of ideas and
information requires planned effective communication. In this process the practitioner serves, in turn, the role of catalyst,
counselor, and communicator.

Public relations, as an organized program, includes:

1. Facilitating and evaluating a free flow of opinions, attitudes, ideas, and reactions from all persons, however far
removed or remotely affected, concerned with the acts and policies of an organization.

2. Bringing these attitudes, opinions, ideas, and reactions to bear on the policies and programs of an organization
makes it possible for the organizations to chart a course that will serve the mutual interests of all concerned.

3. Explaining and dramatizing the chosen course to all those who may be affected and whose support is essential
to the success of the organization served by the practitioner.

Public relations is the management function which evaluates public attitudes, identifies the policies and
procedures of an individual or an organization with the public interest and executes a program of action to earn
public understanding and acceptance.

Public relations is defined as the activities and techniques used by organizations and individuals to establish
favorable attitude and responses in their behalf on the part of the general public or of special groups.

Public relations consists of 90 percent doing the right thing and 10 percent telling about it. "Good conduct
coupled with good reporting" is another. Many writers hold that public relations is simply the practical
application of the Golden Rule.

The work of welfare, health, and religious agencies is society's response to de consequences of its social
disorganization. Social welfare work is the affirmative answer to the question: "Am I my brother's keeper?" The
humanitarian urge to give aid and comfort to those needing it is deep within us all. Social work has now matured
into a professional calling. Caught up in the turmoil and tension of today's divided world, it is in the midst of
difficult problems and on the threshold of great opportunities.

The salient principles of successful public relations, according to Elizabeth Haglund as quoted by Skidmore, are
the following:

1.Know where and what your goals are. What are your targets?

2.Know who you want to reach. Who are your publics?

3. Evaluate resources, such as money, facts, manpower and skills available.

4.Note how your benefits dovetail with those you reach. Give before you get.

5.Know specific techniques of public relations in regard to preparation and participation regarding
advertising, publicity and brochures. Ask the questions, who, what, where, why and how much.

For example, brevity is important. Ordinarily one to two pages for newspapers is ample and probably half
a page for radio and TV is optional.
 6.Be absolutely honest.

7.Thank people. Show appreciation.

FUNCTIONS

Public relations is a function of management. It is more than just press relations, and the public relations
officer is often responsible to the board of directors.

The function of public relations is to promote public understanding and acceptance of an agency and its
services. The purpose is to ensure that the "image" or impression which the public carry of the agency is a
favorable one, so that ultimately there will be greater acceptance of the services of the agency.

QUALITIES OF A PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFCIER

The qualities of a good public relations officer include:

 Integrity
 A sense of timing and good journalistic ability
 Good knowledge of media such as television, exhibitions, press, etc.
 Ability to get along well with all sorts of people.

DUTIES OF A PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER

The duties of a public relations officer may comprise the following:

1. Providing information about the agency, its programs and services, inquiries on matters affecting the agency,
its policies etc.

2. Dealing with all relations with the press and other public relations organizations.

3. Organization of visits to other agencies and exhibitions.

4. Responsibility for house journal, internal agency newsletter or journal.

Public Image

It is important that the agency should decide, as an important matter of policy, what type of public image it
should project. To this end, all agency policies should reflect this overall policy of agency image.

A basic public relations policy can be put forward to ensure that the public is influenced to react to the agency in
the desired way. There are a number of publics, e.g., stockholders, clientele, employees (potential and present),
suppliers, and the government.

The various "publics" can be influenced by good relations to regard the organization as:

1. a good organization to work for, or invest in; and

2. an organization, whose services can be given with confidence and reliability.

 It is also important to increase morale both inside and outside the company. If employees are proud of the
organization, its achievements and services to the community, employees must be aided in their daily work. This
can, for example, help social workers become more confident in their service to clients.

Effective public relations can also be of help in the promotion of new service programs. A public relations
promotes a company and its services to a wider range of public. There is a problem drawn in trying to measure
the effectiveness of public relations as its results may not be too evident or capable of measurement.

The Executive as Public Relations Officer

Agencies are not self-contained units but are linked to their environment, and an executive holds a
position which places him in a particular relationship to the outside world, whether this can be conceived of as
the agency's immediate setting or the local community.

On a variety of occasions, the executive is the agency's official representative, as a member of the
coordinating committee, for example or in formal contracts with the executives of other agencies. But in addition
to performing the specific task on hand, he is also giving expression to a relationship between his own agency and
those with whom he is carrying out its business, On such occasions, he not only represents the agency, but to all
intents and purposes he is the agency, and on him falls ultimate responsibility for creating its "public image"

No agency functions in isolation. It is at the center of a series of concentre circles, representing the
elements in the community with which it must maintain a live relationship if it is to do its job.

The Executive as Public Relations Officer

First, it must establish its identity and its functions in relation to other organizations.

Second, it must establish its identity in relation to clients actual and potential.

Third, an agency's identity needs to be established in the community.

Public Relations and the Media

There are various ways which a competent social work administrator can utilize to interpret their
agencies to the public. They include television, radio, newspapers, brochures, books and personal contacts
among many others available currently with the advent of technology.