So far!!

Okay people, so we’ve been here for 4 days now and got some pretty impressive decisions under our belt.

First things first, World Food Day, on October the 16th. We’ve decided on doing a making noise action (pretty much the opposite to a minutes silence). This will be really good and every Activísta across the globe will be part of this, so make sure you make your noise! Also, we will be running an online facebook action. This will involve changing your facebook profile picture to a designated WFD image and also having a line in your status about it. Then ofcourse getting all your friends to do the same. Everyone should definatly get involved with this as it’s so easy and will take about 30 seconds to make an action and feel part of the campaign.

Some of the countries will be holding a meal outside parliament to show the politicians what poor people have to eat. Bit of a shock tactic that will work really well.

We also gave a presentation to ActionAids country directors yesterday. This was about Activista and how we need more funds and human resources for our really good cause. Also, how we have and will continue to benefit ActionAid in the youth movement.

Moving on from this today we decided on to expand Activista. There was lots of plans and targets made which is really positive and definately an achievable goal over the next 5 years. There was also some decisions made on the 2010 strategy, but more to come so will update later on in the seminar.

Hope you’re all good and keep checking back to find out what we’re doing and how you can get involved. x

Copenhagen times!

I am writing from the lovely little town of Copehagen in Denmark. (There’s a mermaid here ya’know). We’ve got this cool little Activista workshop thingymajig going on, it is mucho’s fun times. We’re learning all about how amazing Activista is and how we can help fight world hunger. This is an important issue so listen up, learn and then do something to help.

We have a variety of Activista’s here from a whole heap of countries inc. UK (moi), Nigeria, Nepal, Brazil, Uganda, Kenya, Greece, Sierra Leone, Gambia and Denmark. We’re getting together and seeing what each other is doing and what more we can do. It’s all in preparation for world food day which is on October 16th this year. This is prior to the UN food meeting in November. We’re coming up with ideas and strategies for the HungerFREE campaign over the next two weeks and I’ll keep you updated on what we decide and possibly how you can get involved

Anywho, catch ya later x

NASS 09

AH! The time of year has come again and my festival season is starting! Well started. Being a poor student I am volunteering at festivals this year, but it's for a great cause!

First festival of the season was NASS. For those of you that don't know it's a sports and music festival. I went there with ActionAid who I'm doing a lot of work with over the summer. We were campaigning for climate change. This meant going around taking of photo's of punters with giant fruit! This gets sent to the government around November in time for the big ole meeting in Copenhagen in December.

Although it rained for a week :( it was still really good and I met some amazing people; who will hopefully be at Reading festival. We got over 900 sign ups woo hoo!!!

That is all, peace out! x

My week at Quite Great PR

My week at Quite Great PR

Day 1: After being at a magazine for a week I felt I should go back to my university routes and work at a PR company. I chose Quite Great PR which is based in Cambridge so no more long days and train rides. It is also a music PR company and the music industry is what I’m looking to go into.

I started the day meeting the team. My friend had previously worked here so it was good putting faces to names. My first task was to write a “fantastic hen night idea” on wedding site forums. This was for an act touring in May and June called “Here come the boys” (like the Chippendales, basically). I had to make print outs for all the sites I had posted on to go into the client folder to show them what work was being done.

After that I had to ring around local businesses for a networking event Quite Great was putting on the next day called the QGI. All of the people I spoke to said it was too short notice so it was a pretty pointless exercise really. At lunch we went round town and asked local businesses if they wished to attend the event. We had one maybe.

Day 2: I spent today sticking newspaper clippings into folders. This was so if any of the team wanted to find out who was the arts editor for say the times all they need to do was look in the folder and it will tell them. I thought this was a really good idea and quite enjoyed just sticking things down. Later on I went with two of the team to set up the room they had hired in a bar in town for the networking event. After the room was set the people started to arrive. It was good seeing what the staffs were doing to try and interest potential clients. The event was set up like speed dating and after 5 minutes everyone moved round and spoke to different people. I was told I wouldn’t be speaking to anyone but at the last minute I was put in. I didn’t mind this as I am sociable person anyway and for the most part I just had to speak about myself, what I was doing at uni, why I was there etc.

Day 3: Today I was ill, which was a real disappointment. As it was the Easter week I was only working there 4 days anyway.

Day 4: I got to write a press release today. It was for a band called Tommy Tokyo who are Norwegian and will be playing at the Great Escape Festival in May. This was really good and I was really pleased when the only thing that needed changing on the release was moving the quotes from the bottom to the top. It was posted out with their album and a couple of other albums and releases. I spent the afternoon doing mail outs for the team.

My week at NME

My week at NME

Day 1: I started my day travelling the 60 miles from Cambridge to London. Once I had arrived at the Blue Fin Building on south bank I met Karen Walter who I had been emailing over the last year about this work placement. There were 6 work experience people in total. One girl had been there for 3 weeks and another for 2 weeks. 4 of us started on the Monday. One girl had previously worked there for a week, so she was able to tell us what to start doing. We started with the post. Although it sounds boring it was a good job. After sorting the mail we distributed it around the office. This gave me a chance to meet the writers and talk to them about my work experience.

We then had a tour of the floor we we’re working on and an explanation of where all the other IPC magazines were based. We also got to go into the basement and see where NME radio is broadcast from. It’s a small office but was good seeing the session room where some of my favourite bands have played.

We had a mediocre afternoon with sorting out the archives. Although this started off boring we started looking through the archives. This was wholly enjoyable and I really liked reading about old bands I love. It was a bit weird reading about Joy Division in their hey day, especially as some of the articles were only months prior to Ian Curtis’ death.

At the end of the day we were given our singles to review. I was given Frankmusik’s new single “We’re better off as 2”.

Day 2: The day started off with the post again. By this time we had a method going on so it was pretty fast to sort. Once again I got to talk to some of the writers. I spoke to the News editor Paul Stokes and he agreed to let me shadow him later on in the day.

I searched online in the morning for stories on other websites that would be of interest to NME readers but weren’t already on NME.com. I found 5 short news stories and emailed them off to Paul to see which one he wanted me to write.

He chose a story about David Hasselhoff’s two teenage daughters going into the music industry. I wrote the short article in the style of the magazine which looking back was a stupid idea. Of course it got sent back to me and I changed it into the style of NME.com then it was put up on the website.

Later on I went with Paul to NME radio to watch what he does with the news stories. It was fun being in the studio even though I had to be deadly silent.

Day 3: Post again! We got the task of research Michael Jackson for an upcoming article today. The task was split between me and another work experience girl. We split his solo career in half and found out details of his career online. We then went down to the archives and searched through all the archives around the time MJ had released an album. I didn’t find many news cuttings, I think this was because I had the first half of his career and his solo work wasn’t that big then. This took up most of the day.
Day 4: Once again post time. We were asked my Karen, who is the Editors PA to write a critique of the magazine which had come out the previous day. It could be written in any style we wanted and how ever long we wanted. I chose to do section by section.

In the afternoon James McMahon the reviews editor asked me to transcribe an interview he had done with Graham Coxon. I was really looking forward to doing this a Graham is an amazing artist and I love Blur. However, when it came down to actually transcribing it I was awful. It was probably the hardest thing I have ever done and took forever. It was so noisy in the background and half the time I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Every five minutes a coffee machine went off in the background which sounded like a spaceship taking off. Not good when you’re trying to hear and work out what people are saying.

Day 5: My final day and I was knackered. Travelling the 60 miles there and back everyday really takes it out of you. I admire all the people who commute from Cambridge. After the post I carried on with transcribing the interview which I hadn’t managed to finish the day before.

In the afternoon I had a meeting with Emily Mackay the assistant reviews editor to discuss the single review I had written. I was really pleased with the feedback I was given. She was impressed with my review and said she was doubly impressed when she found out it was the first thing I had written. She warned me to stay away from cliché’s, which I had used for my opening line. She also commented on the personalisation of the review which entices people to read it and enjoy the review more.

Then it all came to an end. I had a great week and I plan to go back in September for another week.

An introduction of sorts

Hi,

I'm Charlotte and i'm a student at Leeds Met Uni. I'm studying public relations, which I adore. I've been meaning to start a blog for the last year. I would like to say I just haven't got round to it, which being a student is believable. However, the real reason is I didn't think I had anything to say. Anyone who knows me will tell you I don't shut up so bit of a stupid thing to think really. Anyway, this is my blog I hope it will be interesting and more than likely very random. Hope you enjoy.

Below is my profile for PR for Leeds Met SU, thought it may be of interest.

Question One: Who is your role model?

I really want to say Dangermouse, as he’s so cool and super! Think it might need to be a real person though. Real person… I’d say Richard Branson and not just for the facial hair. He’s a multi-billionaire who started off selling old vinyl’s from the boot of his car. Genius! I admire him as he came from nothing and did it all himself; which is what I want to do. Because even though I come from Cambridge “Daddy” doesn’t pay for everything.

Question Two: Why Leeds and Why P.R?

I can’t even remember why or how I got this obsession with Leeds, but I have it. So choosing Leeds was pretty simple, except for the random three months at UEA, but we’ll forget that. As for PR that’s simple, a computer told me to. I did one of them random tests and it came up with PR, Marine Biology and Accounting. Tried the accounting for three months didn’t get on so well with that and am now giving PR a go. So far so good, rather like this vocation, so don’t think I’ll be moving on to Marine Biology anytime soon.

Question Three: What would be your ideal profession apart from Public Relations be?

Easy or what….I want to be a ROCKSTAR!!!!! Who doesn’t? One slight problem though I can’t play an instrument. So next best thing be their PR.

Question 4: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Still travelling the world. Apparently we are estimated to live till we’re 125. Figured I’ve got ample time to make my millions owning my own PR Company and settle down. After I’ve finished my degree and got at least a 2:1, I plan to see the world. Start in Russia, down to Asia, then to Australia, stop off in South America, make my way to Africa, get some street food in India then back on home soil. This might take me a while as I plan to volunteer and do PR work in a few of these places. Hence, the still travelling in 5 years time.