Illinois St Andrew Society - Communications Internship  

Project Organisation

Illinois St Andrews Society

Project Location

Chicago, USA

Project Activities and Key Roles

The successful candidate will work with the Society’s President and a dedicated committee to design and implement a communications strategy to enhance the Society’s relevance and connection to a new generation. This will include, but not be limited to:
• Flesh-out our new Target Audience (i.e. the “next generation of Chicago Scots”) and identify a consumer insight that will allow ISAS to generate and maintain a dialogue with this group.
• Connect with entities, in arenas such as Pop Culture, that are intrinsically “Scottish” and appealing to our new demographic.
• Strategic development of website, Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and, possibly other electronic media.
• Research communication strategies/techniques (particularly membership offerings) of successful membership organizations that are similarly positioned to ISAS (museums, National public radio/Television, Universities, not-for-profits and service organizations). Recommendation of strategic and operational improvements to Society’s outreach.
• Investigation and assessment of potential collaboration with outside organizations (for example possibility that administration of Society’s communications – particularly website/e-newsletter – may be an ongoing class project for local school/college).
• Evaluation and assignment of responsibility for ongoing implementation of communications plan following completion of internship.
• Identification of opportunities and recommendation of techniques to use e-communication tools to positively publicise and promote Society’s initiatives in local media.
• Evaluation of potential development of members only, password protected searchable membership directory with individual member authorized and edited profiles/contact pages. Cost/feasibility assessment of available tools.

Required Skills and Abilites

Much of this assignment will involve unsupervised research and preparation of written and verbal reports. The successful candidate will be able to exercise initiative and work without full-time supervision.

Essential Attributes

Understanding of/experience in:
• Social Networking tools
• Development of online communities
• Electronic communications tools (e-newsletter design)
• Ability with Microsoft suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Desirable Attributes

Prior involvement with/understanding of not-for-profit membership based organizations
Interest in international promotion of Scotland/Scottish culture.
Website Design/Development

Area of Study: Marketing/Public Relations/Communications

Additional Information

The Illinois Saint Andrew Society is the largest Scottish cultural organization in North America and the oldest not-for-profit charity in Illinois. The Society’s mission is to nourish the Scottish identity through service, fellowship and celebration of Scottish identity.

Based on research and discussions including reports of previous Saltire Foundation interns, the Society has placed strategic priority on defining and delivering programming that is relevant to the Scottish American community. The membership of most identity based/cultural organizations is getting older and fewer in number. To counter this trend, the Society is adopting and implementing techniques and technologies to connect the Society to new, younger members in the Scottish American community.

Project Other Duties

Duties to be assigned in collaboration with Society’s management and dedicated committee. Regular meetings with/reports to Society’s President.