This month, we spoke to Aíne Gibbons, Director of Development at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences based in Dublin. RCSI is currently running the RCSI_TOMORROW campaign, the most ambitious philanthropic initiative in the institution’s history.
“Like all charitable organisations, Covid-19 has presented unprecedented challenges for RCSI but it has also brought the opportunity to engage with our community in a different way and unite under a common experience.
Early on in the crisis we sought to define our ‘voice’ to ensure a consistent tone across all of our communications. We took inspiration from the Irish Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar whilst he addressed the nation upon lockdown “let them say of us, when things were at our worst, we were at our best.” It was a statement that embodied how we wanted to act; with a recognition for the challenge but a collective resilience to be part of the solution.
From there we were able to adapt the message for our various audiences and develop the #RCSItogether communication campaign. By creating an inclusive message we could engage with our community and open a dialogue with them to understand their role in fighting the pandemic across the world. We didn’t want people to merely read what we were saying but to take part in it.
My advice to organisations regardless of the sector is to identify your tone and ensure that this remains consistent throughout your communications. Think about the reader and ask yourself ‘what will people say about our organisation when this is all over?’ I wish all of you the very best of luck in your endeavours.”
Before joining RCSI, Aíne Gibbons led significant campaigns for University College Dublin, Queen’s University Belfast, and previously worked in fundraising for the NSPCC.
