At Domus Social, we manage one of the largest public housing parks in the country. About 12% of the city's population lives in municipal housing, in contrast to the national average of 2%. Communicating effectively is essential, and this task grows even more significant when addressing an audience of 30,000.
Effective communication means being able to transmit a message clearly. To achieve this, it is crucial to know and understand our audience. For instance, approximately 30% of our municipal tenants are over 65 years old, many of whom have low educational levels. Therefore, we know our communication needs to be straightforward, clear, and concise. The messages created should be accessible and enlightening, without any unnecessary embellishments.
Having established this basic level, it is important to take the next step. We must make our audience feel involved and connected to what we communicate. Highlighting real examples of actual stories occurring within the municipal public housing is key. In a universe highly marked by the spirit of community, it is essential to humanize our communication. Who are our people? What do they do for our neighborhoods? Consider the Domus Social mini-documentary series, "A Manager, A Story," which places residents in a starring role, or even the new initiative by the municipal company that celebrates residents reaching 100 years of age, in order to honor those who are the true heritage of our city's neighborhoods.
Finally, it is crucial to choose the right channels through which we wish to spread our message. While we must be mindful of communication trends and the new tools brought by technology, especially in the digital realm, we cannot overlook our audience's profile. It is important to be present where our tenants live their daily lives, within their own communities.
From here, we can utilize online methods, but also continue to employ more traditional means that deliver information directly to our audience, whether through a letter, a newsletter, a message on bus displays, at entrance showcases, or even through a phone call or an in-person meeting with strong presentation support.
More than just a means to convey a message, communication allows us to create bonds of empathy with our audience, thereby facilitating increasingly efficient management of the housing park.
Nonetheless, we cannot deny that public opinion impacts what we do. Therefore, whenever a communication project focusing on tenants is developed, an effort should also be made to show the city and its citizens what is being done in public housing and why. Bringing social housing out of the neighborhoods extends the work of Domus Social and the importance of social housing to the entire city, thus forming a positive and integrated image of this aspect of society.
Article by Filipa Melo, alumna of the Executive Master in Communication Management and Vice-president of the Administrative Council of Domus Social, Municipal Housing Company.
