1 This handbook has a single aim: to help whoever works within Social Communication in the provinces, provincial conferences or regions by offering practical directions, helping to spell out the frame of reference already provided in The Salesian Social Communication System (SSCS). It was first published in 2001, at the end of Fr. Martinelli’s time as Councillor for the Salesian Family and Social Communication as it was then. He says in a brief five lines at the end of the book that it was born of the cooperation of all the Province Delegates for Social Communication. We know it also breathed his own energy and vision. This current edition is a complete re-writing of that, given that a year or two is a long time in this age of 'Rapid Development' (the title of Pope John Paul's last letter before he died, and, appropriately, on Social Communications), and since so much has happened within the Congregation in this sector, following GC25 and the appointment of a Councillor specifically for Social Communication. Material from the first edition which is not included in this newer one can still be useful, even if some terms and structures have changed in the meantime.
In his Letter 'With the courage of Don Bosco on the new frontiers of social communication' (AGC 390), Fr Pascual Chávez called for a change of strategy on the part of confreres in this area – not the creation of new guidelines but practical steps to 'release the life lying dormant in the doctrinal patrimony of the Congregation, and to find ways of embodying it in our educative and pastoral communities and in our localities'. That is as good a statement as one could find to express the intention of this handbook.
2 The handbook has in mind primarily those with responsibilities at province level: The Provincial and his Council, Province Delegates for social communication. Others who will benefit include those working in social communication at any level, provincial or local (amongst whom Salesian Bulletin editors, writers and publishers of texts of any kind), leaders and animators in social communication, members of commissions and advisory groups. People working in formation – of the young, of young confreres, of confreres generally in the area of social communication will find useful direction from the handbook, along with SSCS and the Formation to SC - Guidelines, the latter produced jointly by the Social Communication and Formation Departments.
3 It could be of interest here to mention one other group of possible beneficiaries of this text: national, conference or regional Social Communication Delegates and Commissions. Where a nation has more than one province, or provinces have formed a Conference, it has been found useful to organise social communication coordination around a national or conference Delegate. There is even the possibility of an as yet undeveloped regional communication structure.
4 The handbook draws from Part II of the Salesian System of Social Communication (SSCS): The functioning of SSCS, with further reference to aspects of Part III of the same document: organisation of SC. Effectively, the structure of chapters here is as follows:
CHAPTER ONE: the province social communication plan the why, the what and the how; this needs to be read in conjunction with the outline for the plan provided in the relevant appendix at the back of SSCS.
CHAPTER TWO: the management and organisation of social communication within and beyond the Salesian community and Salesian Family;
CHAPTER THREE:the delegate and groups or teams involved in social communication as run by a province, conference, region.
CHAPTER FOUR:structures and services involving public relations but also internal matters such as documentation and archiving.
CHAPTER FIVE:coordination between provinces.
5 In each of the above areas there are responsibilities at every level: the Province Delegate has tasks to carry out in coordination with the Educative and Pastoral Project (EPP) of the Province, and by delegation from the Provincial. He avails himself of an advisory team and/or a commission according to local circumstances.
6 Where there is no Province Plan it will be difficult, if not impossible, to work effectively with and in social communication in a Salesian way. Without a plan, whatever is done remains isolated and scattered, without impact.
7 Where delegation from the Provincial is missing, the Delegate's task often becomes complicated.
8 Since we are dealing with a continually evolving sector, there is a need for guidance and authoritative help: only the Provincial, supported by his Council, can give force to some of the choices involving local communities, and practical activities in education and evangelisation.