Messages from the CPRS President
The Importance of Governance
May 15, 2013
Dear CPRS Members,
Governance often seems to be one of the least exciting aspects of a vibrant membership organization, but it's the one that makes all the others work, now and over the long term. So, when each of you receives your package of materials for the Annual General Meeting in the next few weeks, I hope you'll take a moment to consider the proposals to the governance of our organization, and demonstrate your support.
The proposals touch the national governance structure by preparing for compliance with new federal not-for-profit legislation. Additional proposals are designed to strengthen leadership planning, increase the effective use of volunteer and staff resources and establish or strengthen standards that will enhance those in place for the member societies that are the lifeblood of CPRS.
Throughout the last three years of research and member consultation that have led to these proposals, the Governance Committee has undertaken to identify any additional ongoing supports to this process, particularly at the largely volunteer-driven local level. One exciting outcome of the work to date has been the development of an “Society Operations Manual” for member societies that provides guidance on a wide range of aspects that have stumped many incoming local board members – everything from how to run an annual general meeting to a professional development event checklist to financial record keeping and regulatory compliance. With significant input from the frontlines via the Presidents' Council, CPRS anticipates making this a comprehensive and continually updated resource no member society can – or should – operate without.
Perhaps one of the most encouraging things throughout the last three years has been member engagement in the consultation, including almost 170 members from all over the country who provided feedback to the initial proposals. Your positive support, suggestions and comments were all utilized by the committee in developing the final proposals you will be asked to vote on, in person or by proxy at the AGM in Ottawa. As a final step, we'll also be holding an all members webinar May 16th, 1pm Eastern to review the proposals and answer any questions. I hope you will take the opportunity to join us.
Sincerely,
Richard Truscott, APR
CPRS National President
richard.truscott@cfib.ca
One Simple Act of Membership
March 8, 2013
Greetings CPRS Members!
I hope 2013 is shaping up to be a great year for you. And I hope you are tapping into the wide-range of local and national CPRS resources, events, and offerings to help support your work and build your career. The National Society, in partnership with your local Society, has designated March as Membership Month. We will be rolling out some special offers to help attract new CPRS members.
But we also need your help. I’m inviting you to help build your Society by committing to one simple act of membership during the month of March. Specifically, reaching out to at least one person in your personal or professional network who you think would benefit from membership in CPRS, and ask that they consider joining. If we all take even a small bit of time and effort to grow our Society, we will be expanding the CPRS network, and able to deliver more value for all members.
And don’t forget, there is $100 credit available to all current national members who successfully refer someone for membership in CPRS. The credit can be used toward all national programs and offerings, to help pay for things like membership fees, awards submissions, national conference registration, and accreditation fees.
Thank you for your help! I look forward to welcoming a whole bunch of new members in March.
Sincerely,
Richard Truscott, APR
CPRS National President
richard.truscott@cfib.ca
The Future of CPRS National Conferences
January 18, 2013
Dear CPRS Members,
Over the years, the CPRS National Society has delivered some outstanding annual conferences. Victoria, Saint John, Regina, Vancouver, Halifax, Edmonton, Hamilton/Niagara Falls, the list goes on and on. Ottawa is next up in June 2013, and thanks to the work of the local conference committee and the National Office, it is shaping up to an amazing event. We are proud to also announce that the 2014 CPRS National Conference will be in May 2014 at the Banff Springs Hotel in Banff, Alberta. I hope to see you there too.
As you may know, to make these annual conferences successful over the years, we’ve relied on teams of local volunteers. And they have done an incredible job of doing most of the planning, organizing, and managing of our annual CPRS Conference, with the National Office playing more of a support role.
Organizing a national conference is a huge undertaking. In many cases, these volunteers were trying to do all this work on the side of their desks, alongside a full plate of other work, family, and other responsibilities. At the same time, there was a high level of financial risk assumed by the National Society, but without the corresponding responsibility. It’s time to change that.
Following consultations with local Society presidents, and after thoughtful deliberations by the National Board, we have decided to move to a new model for planning and managing our annual CPRS Conference.
Starting with Banff in 2014, the team at the National Office will assume primary responsibility for all the planning, management, logistics, and budgeting for the annual CPRS National Conferences.
Local societies will still have the responsibility of making recommendations about conference themes, professional development content (especially ideas about local issues and presenters), and helping to organize and host the social events. And, of course, they will be expected to help provide volunteers to help during the actual conference. But most of the heavy lifting in terms of planning, organizing, and managing in advance of the conference and the awards gala will be done by the National Office.
Our goal is to ensure greater consistency from conference to conference in terms of professional development, attendance, and other outcomes. But most of all, we also want to ensure the experience is a positive one for CPRS members who attend, and more properly leverage the involvement of our local CPRS volunteers.
We will be working out the details of the new conference model over the next couple of months and will be communicating more information out to the membership soon. And we have already initiated discussions with CPRS Calgary as the local host society for the 2014 National Conference in Banff. I welcome your feedback on this new model.
Sincerely,
Richard Truscott, APR
CPRS National President
richard.truscott@cfib.ca
Accreditation. Are you ready?
November 9, 2012
Dear CPRS Members,
With the December 3rd application deadline looming, it's a good time to reflect on the CPRS accreditation program.
As most members are aware, CPRS offers a voluntary certification program that distinguishes those practitioners who have achieved a certain level of experience, competency and professionalism in public relations.
Those who have successfully completed the accreditation program receive the Accredited in Public Relations (APR) designation. Many talk about the sense of personal and professional accomplishment that comes with being recognized by their peers for having reached an important career milestone.
Accredited members who have been through the evaluation process have a high opinion of the APR. In the 2011 national member survey, 89 per cent of accredited members had a favourable or very favourable opinion of the APR and, 93 per cent of those with an APR would be highly likely or likely to recommend the APR program to others.
The content and structure of the CPRS accreditation program remains strong. The National Council on Accreditation constantly reviews the program and surveys volunteers and APR candidates to ensure it meets the needs of our members while maintaining high standards.
Perhaps the most common question we hear from those considering whether to pursue the APR designation is: "Am I ready?" In response, the Accreditation Council has prepared a self-assessment tool to help prospective candidates decide if they are ready to proceed. There are also a variety of other supports available for those who are interested and qualified to apply.
Finally, any discussion about our accreditation program wouldn't be complete without a tip of the hat to the incredible group of more than 60 accredited members from across the country who volunteer their time and effort to make our program so successful. Everyone from local accreditation chairs, invigilators, and graders to regional examiners, the chief examiner, and of course, the National Council on Accreditation members, all play a part.
With the support of our hard-working and dedicated staff at the National Office, members can be confident and proud our accreditation program is leading the way.
Sincerely,
Richard Truscott, APR
CPRS National President
richard.truscott@cfib.ca
A New Season Begins
September 10, 2012
Dear CPRS Members,
Good bye, summer. Hello, busy life! September is super fast-paced for many people, and it's surely no different for public relations professionals. Work is ramping up, people are plugging back in, and calendars are filling up fast. In the midst of the chaos, however, don't forget to find time for family and friends. It's a sure way to recharge.
But it's also wise to squeeze in a bit of time to hone your public relations skills and sensibilities. And CPRS is here to help. Check out a local professional development event. Or attend one of the national webinars being offered to members this year at no extra charge. Details of upcoming events are included in the September issue of the CPRS Communiqué.
Between now and the new year, I also invite you to engage in one small act of membership. Find one person in your network who is not a member of CPRS to bring along to a local event. Or chat up a colleague at work about joining the CPRS family. Growing our membership over the next few months is a priority for your national society. If we can add more people, that means more resources to boost professional development for members, more influence within the profession, and more fellow members to add to your own network.
Membership referral certainly has its rewards. For every person successfully referred into membership, you the member will receive a $100 credit toward any national offering, whether it's an awards submission, your membership dues, or the national conference. It's a great way to help CPRS grow. For more details, check out the website or call the national office.
Over the coming months, I hope to visit many of our local societies, attend local events, and meet as many members as possible. In the meantime, if you have any questions, concerns, or feedback about any and all things CPRS, please don't hesitate to contact me. I look forward to a productive (and busy) final few months of 2012!
Sincerely,
Richard Truscott, APR
CPRS National President
richard.truscott@cfib.ca
Building a Stronger Society
June 22, 2012
Dear CPRS Members,
It will be an honour to serve as CPRS National President over the year ahead. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to work with such great colleagues on the board, as well as an outstanding national office team.
It will come as no surprise to many of you that my theme for the coming year will be membership growth. Certainly not to the exclusion of other important priorities, such as continued growth of the Pathways to the Profession initiative, improvements to the national awards program, or building another successful and fun national conference (thank you to all the volunteers, staff, and Members who came together to make the Victoria Conference such a incredible experience!)
But rather, as a fundamental issue we must get right. The long-term success of our Society depends on it.
Total membership in CPRS has been static for several years now. Every year we recruit 300-400 new members, and every year we lose approximately 300-400. We grow a bit in total membership numbers, then fall back. Even a relatively small improvement in retention levels will help CPRS grow.
Over the coming year, a few things will be happening. First of all, we will be launching a new task force focused on finding new strategies to allow us to retain more existing members year over year. Building a stronger value proposition will be at the top of that list.
But we need to add more new members each year too. Bringing another 200 new members into the fold each year on top of the expected 300 new members would also help the Society grow, and fast.
That's where you – the member – comes in. We need your help to recruit 200 new members between now and March 31, 2013. We need each member to think of one person in their own personal and professional networks who would make a solid CPRS member. Think of how many new members we would have if half (or even a third!) of our total membership referred someone for membership!
So raise your hand. Help your professional association. Convince at least one other person to join CPRS. And don't forget, for every individual you refer who is successfully accepted into the National Society, you receive a $100 credit (up to a maximum of $800). The credits can be used toward paying for things like national awards, membership dues, accreditation, and national conference.
It's truly a win-win-win situation. CPRS wins by gaining another member (and hopefully a local volunteer), the new Member wins by gaining access to all the benefits of CPRS, and you win with referral credits.
I'll start the ball rolling. I will personally commit to refer at least three public relations professionals I know who could be considered for CPRS membership.
Our goal is 200 new members by March 31, 2013. Can you help by finding at least one between now and next March?
I look forward to a fun and productive year ahead. Thank you for your support!
Sincerely,
Richard Truscott, APR
CPRS National President
richard.truscott@cfib.ca