Fairfield City Council took out the RH Dougherty award for excellence in communication and a NSW Youth Week Award at the 2022 Local Government Week Awards in Sydney last week.
The RH Dougherty Awards were established in 1981 and recognise and encourage greater understanding and communication by councils to their local communities. These awards celebrate councils who demonstrate excellence across a range of categories such as arts and culture, events, communications and planning.
Council submitted its COVID-19 communications strategy that reached residents and their families with key health messages to keep them safe, connected and informed during the lockdowns. The development of messaging and delivery methods were chosen with the unique needs of the Fairfield community in mind.
Council played a critical role in communicating the rules to residents during the thick of lockdown, including CALD communities that make up more than 70 per cent of the City’s population.
A variety of communication methods were used to get important messages to the community such as translated printed newsletters and flyers, social media, TV and radio, local newspaper, email newsletters, QR codes and more. These messages were particularly important during the period when Fairfield was declared the ‘epicentre’ of the pandemic and residents were faced with some of the harshest restrictions in NSW.
It was a difficult time for all and Council worked hard to get the right health messages, support and advice to the community. Congratulations to all staff and everyone involved.
Council was also awarded Best Local Youth Week Program for co-delivering a range of Youth Week activities including an escape room at PYT Fairfield, a soccer tournament with STARTTS, a flash mob with Hume Community Housing, wellness week with Community First Step and the annual Bring It On! Festival.
