This policy was adopted by the board at its regular monthly meeting on January 11, 2017.

Background and Purpose

The League’s communications assets presently include:

  1. Social media assets including Facebook;
  2. A website at www.inglewoodcl.com;
  3. A sporadic newsletter and other paper-based communications distributed  to neighbourhood houses, schools, and/or daycares.

Future assets could also include additional social media outlets, email distribution lists, other paper-based channels and possibly other types of assets such as digital display signs and boards.

It is the goal of this policy to provide clear guidance in the management of these assets so that they can communicate neighbourhood news and events and so aid, and assist the Inglewood Community and its residents in improving the quality of life in their neighbourhood.

Policy

  1. DEFINITIONS
    Within this policy and its associated procedures and guidelines, the following definitions will be used:

    1. Communications Assets (Assets): Those resources and processes under the control and administration of the community league board for the purpose of communicating its messages to its community and encouraging its constituents to communicate their messages back to the community league board.
    2. Communication Channel: A medium through which a message is transmitted to its intended audience, such as print media or broadcast (electronic) media.
    3. League communications: Communications intended to share and communicate facts, events, positions and news supported or sanctioned by the Community League or its Board;
    4. Neighbourhood communications: Communications intended  to allow individual members of the community to reflect, share, and discuss items and issues of individual or mutual concern;
    5. Neighbouring communities: Refers to the following community leagues and their respective boards:  Prince Charles, Sherbrooke, Dovercourt, Woodcroft, North Glenora, Westmount, Queen Mary Park, and Prince Rupert.
  2. LEAGUE COMMUNICATIONS
    The assets will be used to share League communications of concern to a large percentage of the community’s residents according to the following guidance:

    1. A “large percentage” is purposely undefined. Inglewood is a cosmopolitan community composed of more than the sum of its parts. It is made up of many groups, ethnic identities, religions, languages, and social economic strata. Therefore, it is not appropriate to insist that communications must affect a majority of its residents before any such issue can be raised. However, these communications should not be relevant only to a very small number of people or a small portion of the entire neighbourhood.
    2. Notwithstanding any League policy on advertising or promotion, it is intended that the assets will not be used to document issues or concerns limited to affecting only a particular individual, business, or a small area such as a block or building within the community.
      1. In the interests of supporting an innovative and vibrant business community within the community, an announcement of a new business starting up within the boundaries of the community will be considered to be of interest to a large percentage of the community’s residents. The business must be located in a commercial or industrial zoned premise.
      2. On-going promotion or advertising of that business is not deemed to be of such interest.
    3. As these assets are considered the source of authority of the League, contents shared should be regarded as truthful and accurate. For this reason, official communications over the League’s assets should ensure that:
      1. The content is approved by the Communications Director appointed by the League or the Board or his or her  designate;
      2. Submitted by a legitimate authority such as a City of Edmonton “Community Recreation Coordinator” (CRC) or other such municipal representative;
      3. If it is shared or publicized by a neighbouring community, it would also be relevant to residents of Inglewood;
      4. Or it is verified as accurate by two independent sources.
    4. The goal of these communications is to reflect positively on the community and as much as possible, to either reflect the consensus opinion of the community or to raise issues within the community with a view to fostering the necessary discussion to achieve a consensus opinion.
  3. NEIGHBOURHOOD COMMUNICATIONS
    The assets can be used to share Neighbourhood communications according to the following guidance:

    1. Notwithstanding any League policy on advertising or promotion and section B.2.a above, postings or communications intended to advertise a business or business opportunity will not be allowed.
    2. All Neighbourhood communications should be flagged or identified in such a way that it is clear that they are do not necessarily represent the official position of the Inglewood Community League or its board.
    3. Any communication must be specifically relevant to residents of Inglewood or one of its neighbouring communities.
    4. Any communication which discriminates, disparages, ridicules, or prejudices any person or group of people on the basis of: race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability and conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted or in respect of which a record suspension has been ordered will not be allowed and will be removed or hidden from the League’s communication assets.
    5. Any communication which violates or can reasonably be deemed to be in violation of the Canadian Human Rights Act, or the Alberta Human Rights Act will not be allowed and will be removed or hidden from the League’s communication assets.
  4. ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT OF THE COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE
    The public communications of the League will be managed by a Communications Director elected by the Community or appointed by the Board. This Director shall be responsible for:

    1. Recruiting, orienting, and monitoring the work of the Communications Managers for each of the communication asset channels.
    2. Deciding upon the communication service level standards for distributing and responding to the communications between the board and the public.
    3. Recommending and requesting a budget from the board to carry out the work of supporting the communications between the League and its community and managing the approved budget for this purpose.
    4. To the extent possible, each of the League’s communications channels will cross-promote the other channels with a view to improving the community’s access to the League’s communications and reducing the cost of providing these communications.
  5. EXCEPTIONS
    The following types of communications are exempt from this policy:

    1. Postal mail received by the community league board;
    2. Postal mail that is not directed at the entire neighbourhood, or large subsets of the entire neighbourhood;
    3. Telephone communications with or between members or volunteers of the board.