Crisis Communication Essentials - Oct 2026

Date • Monday 19 October 2026 (bookings close at 12 noon Thursday 15 October 2026 unless sold out prior) Learn how to effectively communicate during a crisis to protect your organisation’s reputation, and how to interact with the media in challenging situations. These two half-day courses – Issues and Crisis Response and Media Training – complement each other, and can be completed separately or in conjunction. Morning Session (8.30am - 12.30pm) - Issues and Crisis Response This half-day foundational course will teach you how to create a plan to manage the public side of any crisis or issue. It will ensure you have the skills to communicate effectively with your Board, stakeholders, your people, and the media. You will understand how to identify audiences, develop key messages and how to plan for communicating quickly and effectively, while meeting the immediate needs of stakeholders and those impacted by an event. You will learn how to develop a crisis management plan as part of your risk management strategy, so that you are ready to protect the reputation of your organisation against any identified risks. What will you gain? By the end of the course, you will: • Understand the difference between public issues and a crisis • Understand how to plan for proactive and reactive responses • Have the fundamentals to create a crisis management plan • Recognise key stakeholders and how to communicate with them • Create issues and crisis management plans • Develop key messages • Have the skills to integrate crisis communications with operational responses • Have a plan for looking after the welfare of those impacted by a crisis Course structure The course runs for four hours and focuses on learning the basics of crisis and issues management, beginning with understanding the difference between issues and a crisis and the impact these can have on your organisation. It looks at how you plan for managing issues and crisis and provides best practice templates and standard operating procedures for you to follow. You will learn how to identify stakeholders and develop key messages. Afternoon Session (1.00pm - 5.00pm) - Media Training This half-day course teaches you how to develop and deliver key messages effectively. You will learn to be credible in the media, developing the interview skills needed to be effective in front of the camera. You will become more effective at getting your key messages to your audience via the media. What will you gain? By the end of the course, you will: • Knowledge of the makeup of the media in New Zealand • Understand how to research journalists and anticipate questions • Understand how to structure key messages • Develop basic interview skills • Learn the dos and don’ts of working with journalists Course structure The course runs for four hours and teaches the theory of succeeding with the media, followed by interview training in a fun and supportive atmosphere and the opportunity to practice your new skills in front of the camera. Course Facilitator - Steve Addison Steve Addison APR is an experienced media trainer with a background in journalism, and crisis and issues management. He takes a real world approach to ensure you are ready to manage any crisis and front any interview. His journalism experience ranges from high profile coverage of the Bain killings, human rights journalism in the Middle East focused on the Syrian War, and reporting on the Christchurch Mosque Massacres for high profile international publications. He has managed media issues in professional sport, conservation (where he worked for DOC immediately following the post Cave Creek Tragedy) and in health. Steve also worked as part of a team to manage health communications following the Christchurch Earthquake. This course is $1050.00pp for the full day OR $525.00pp per half-day course including GST and Humanitix booking fees. Course fees include catering (all dietary requirements catered for), booking fees and on-site parking.