EIGHTEEN organisation leaders within the Flankers community, in St James, were recently trained in the art of publicity, having completed a one-day workshop in media and publicity strategies.

The workshop was conceptualised and sponsored by Sandals Montego Bay and was held at the resort under the tutelage of the hotel’s public relations manager, Marcia Bowen.

According to Bowen, the objective of the exercise was to impart the skills necessary to get their issues in the print and electronic media.

“A large number of organisations within the Flankers community are conducting exemplary developmental work,” she said. “Support or coverage from the mass media is not always possible. In such instances, organisation leaders need to know how to formulate their own messages for publication.”

Participants in the one-day workshop include members of the:

* Flankers Peace and Justice Centre;

* Flankers Citizens Association;

* Flankers Mediator Association;

* Flankers Seventh Day Church ;

* Flankers Open Bible Church,

* and the Flankers Community Development Committee.

The workshop covered areas such as the definition of news and mass media, public relations and publicity, what media houses look for and how to interact with them; the tools of publicity and formulating the publicity messages.

The participants also gained practice in writing media advisories, press releases and captioning photos.

According to general manager for Sandals Montego Bay, Horace Peterkin, such an activity falls within the realm of the resort’s community outreach programme. The resort’s continued mission, he said, is to maintain its position as one of the most community-friendly groups within the hospitality industry.

Its community outreach programme spans areas such as conflict resolution, health, agriculture, education, sports and social development, he added.

Marilyn McIntosh, administrator of the Flankers Peace and Justice Centre and president of the Flankers Community Development Committee, said the course was timely and it had provided participants with the skills needed to get their respective messages across.