I have led the 'Clean Below? Good to Go' comm's activities for nearly two years now, on behalf of six councils in the upper North Island, and two government departments, so it's a great time to reflect on how it has developed and matured.
Writing stories and sharing them and content and stories are at the heart of the communications campaign, supporting the key messages and strategic goals of the programme.
At the heart of it is a website, which is a hub for all of the content. The stories are distributed via an online newsletter, and I also work to place them in relevant media channels, as well as our own social media channels - Instagram, Facebook and Youtube. Success at this doesn't happen quickly - it takes time to nurture and build the audience who can be your supporting cast as time goes on.
I listen a lot to what I hear about marine biosecurity out in the marine industry, and respond to it through the communications. We have developed print materials, an interactive quiz, and been able to help contribute to the growing awareness and understanding of the need to protect our coastlines from marine pests. I am very fortunate to be a part of it.