Communication, Ownership and Enforcement

Communication:

In this strategy, communication is considered a strategic issue, and addressed across the key actions which include public relations, schools and education.  The importance of an effective communications strategy becomes clear when the issue of litter and graffiti is examined under its component parts: the offenders, those affected by the problem, and the people working in partnership to address the problem.  Effective communication channels will be developed for each of these three groups. 

The strategy must recognise changing opportunities resulting from new media, and the difficulties in communicating effectively with such a wide audience.  Children and young people also represent an important target audience under this strategy; however they are not a homogeneous group.  A challenge for this strategy will be to understand the composition or subset of each target audience and to utilise effective channels of communication with the appropriate messages.

Ownership:  

Ownership is a fundamental issue to be addressed.  Ownership can be considered at two levels – the individual, and the community.  A common perception is that individuals (or small groups of individuals) cause the problem, and communities are encouraged to take ownership to address the problem.

The range of community, schools, and business focussed initiatives as part of the Clean Glasgow programme plays a very important role in meeting the objectives of this strategy.    It would be unrealistic, however, to assume that these initiatives, on their own, will create the conditions necessary for a change in social and cultural values.  A set of charters and initiatives are introduced in this strategy.  These are considered key to ownership, engaging with young people, and achieving long-term outcomes.

Enforcement

The final strategic issue is enforcement.  There is widespread frustration over the amount of money spent each year on de-littering and graffiti removal.  This strategy aims to create an environment where dropping litter and creating graffiti is recognised as socially unacceptable behaviour.  Whereas campaigns to address drinking and driving have taken decades to change attitudes in society, the complete ban on smoking in pubs and restaurants in Scotland has caused a rapid change in social values.  Sectarianism is another example – being effectively addressed in football as fans come to realise their behaviour carries serious repercussions. This strategy aims to use enforcement to create a similar paradigm shift in the cultural attitudes of Glaswegians.