Stakeholder Engagement & Communications

Purpose

The purpose of this Stakeholder Engagement & Communications Plan is to outline a structured approach to engaging and communicating with stakeholders. This ensures meaningful collaboration, transparent information exchange, and alignment with organisational goals.

The plan supports NTO in fostering strong relationships with stakeholders, addressing their needs, and leveraging their input to enhance training quality, compliance, and relevance to industry and community requirements.

Scope

This plan applies to all stakeholder engagement and communication activities conducted by NTO, including but not limited to:

• Engagement with industry representatives, employers, community organisations, students, trainers, assessors, and regulatory bodies.
• Communication strategies for internal and external stakeholders involved in the development, delivery, and assessment of training products.
• Activities related to industry consultation, validation, continuous improvement, and dissemination of organisational updates or decisions.

Feedback and Response Mechanisms

NTO has implemented a structured approach to gather stakeholder feedback to ensure inclusivity and relevance in decision-making processes. The organisation uses a range of methods such as surveys, focus groups, and online forms to accommodate diverse stakeholder preferences.

• Surveys: Distributed periodically to collect quantitative and qualitative input from a broad audience.
• Focus Groups: Organised to facilitate in-depth discussions and gain insights into specific issues or initiatives.
• Online Forms: Available through NTO’s website and internal platforms, enabling stakeholders to provide feedback at their convenience.

Response Process

• Acknowledgment: An automated acknowledgment is sent upon receiving an inquiry.
• Logging and Categorisation: Inquiries are logged and categorised based on urgency and complexity.
• Timely Responses: Simple queries are addressed directly, while complex issues are referred to the relevant department for resolution.
• Tracking System: A professional and empathetic tone is maintained, and a tracking system ensures no inquiry is overlooked.

Feedback Loop

NTO is committed to maintaining transparency and accountability by creating an effective feedback loop with stakeholders. After collecting feedback, the organisation analyses and consolidates the information into actionable insights. Stakeholders are informed of key themes, outcomes, and actions through:

• Newsletters
• Stakeholder forums
• Dedicated updates on NTO’s website

Monitoring and Evaluation

NTO monitors and evaluates stakeholder management processes to ensure performance is effective and outcomes are met. A process of performance monitoring, evaluation, and reporting has been established and implemented.

• Continuous Improvement: The organisation continually improves the effectiveness and efficiency of all processes.
• Audits: Process performance and outcomes are regularly audited to identify and remove causes of existing and potential problems, as well as to uncover opportunities for improvement.

Key Dates and Timeframes

• TNI Submission: At least 21 working days before the proposed Training Start Date.
• Training Completion: NTO ensures training aligns with employment opportunities for students.
• Outcome Reporting: NTO submits training outcomes within 6 weeks of the Training End Date.