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Documentation toolkit info card: newsletters
A newsletter is a documentation and communication product that provides a regular update about an organisation or a project.
A newsletter:
- Can be used to raise the profile of an NGO/CBO, share its work and promote its position on topical issues.
- Can include factual information and stories about a wide range of subjects, including projects, people, policies, partnerships, points of view, resources or future events.
- Can be used to communicate information both within an organisation and externally.
- Follows the same basic format for each edition.
- Is issued regularly, for example every month, quarter or year.
- Can be as short as one page or as long as twelve pages plus. But it should only be as long as is necessary and possible, considering the resources of the NGO/CBO.
Key questions
Key questions to ask before developing a newsletter are:
? How long will it be and how often will the newsletter be produced? Will you have enough time and resources to keep producing it regularly?
? Who will take decisions about the newsletter - such as what information to include and what views to promote? How will they get input, ideas and agreement from others?
? Who are the priority audiences for the newsletter? What difference does that make to its content and style?
Structure and content
These pages show an example of a structure and content outline for a newsletter by an NGO/CBO involved in HIV/AIDS. The outline shows what the product will contain and in what order. The boxes around it provide some key "dos and don'ts" about how to make a newsletter as effective as possible.
Page 1 • Name of newsletter; date; edition number, logo. • Introduction to the NGO/CBO. • Lead article - outlining the NGO's/CBO's experiences and position on the chosen theme; clear heading; photo; fact box.
DO choose a theme for your lead article that is topical, interesting for the readers and relevant to your work.
DON'T write articles that are too long. Focus on two or three key messages, and use short paragraphs, photos and boxes to make the text attractive and easy to read.
Page 2 • Four to six brief news updates about the NGO/CBO and its activities.
DO make sure that your newsletter includes news! Keep updates brief, topical and relevant to readers.
Page 3 • Case study of a project or community member showing what the chosen theme means in practice; photo.
DO use strong case studies to illustrate your theme. (See "Information card: Case study" for ideas.)
Pages 4 - 5 • Interview with a local stakeholder - sharing their views about the chosen theme.
DO let a variety of community members, local leaders and other stakeholders contribute their ideas and information to the newsletter.
DO keep your language simple, and encourage those being interviewed to do the same. Avoid abbreviations and jargon.
Page 6 • 4-6 brief news updates about other HIV/AIDS work nationally and internationally.
Page 7 • Letters from readers. • Lists of resources - such as training materials and data updates.
DON'T include only positive letters and feedback.
DON'T include resources that are irrelevant for the readers. Ensure that you include details of how they can get copies.
Page 8 • Calendar of events. • Contact details for the NGO/CBO and the newsletter.
DO let people know how they can give feedback about the newsletter or get more copies.
Finally,
DO decide whether your newsletter will be free or have a charge.
Style
This page looks at the style of newsletters - meaning how they are designed. It provides some ideas about how to make them as interesting and attractive as possible.
Make sure that the style of your newsletter complements your NGO's/CBO's other materials, such as leaflets and annual reports.
Think of a name for your newsletter that has a connection to your NGO/CBO. Make sure that it is easy to remember and is not being used by another group. For example, Network of Zambian People living with HIV/AIDS (NZP+) use the title "NZP+ News".
Make sure that your newsletter is easy to use and has clear structure for its readers to follow. For example, number the pages and include a contents list.
Choose one person to edit all of the pages of the newsletter - to make sure that the style is consistent throughout.
Use visuals to liven up your newsletter. Make sure that each one illustrates a specific point and has a caption explaining what it is.
Source: Documenting and communicating HIV/AIDS work
This is an extract from Documenting and communicating HIV/AIDS work: a toolkit to support NGOs/CBOs, published by the International HIV/AIDS
Alliance in October 2001.
To view the whole toolkit follow this link.
To download this card and three others, complete with graphics, in pdf format (which requires Adobe Acrobat software to read it) follow this link (file size 482kb).