A leader’s perspective on communication as a tool for inclusion
Chief Executive Officer of English Language Partners, Rachel Elsy
From the Human Rights Commission to New Zealand Red Cross, and now as Chief Executive of English Language Partners, Rachel Elsy has spent her career working at the point where communication meets culture, identity and belonging.
At English Language Partners, thousands of former refugees and migrants learn English every year - not just to gain language skills, but to participate, contribute and feel at home in Aotearoa. This work has shaped Rachel’s belief that communication is one of the most powerful tools we have for inclusion and social cohesion.
She has led teams navigating human rights challenges, humanitarian crises, migration, race relations and cultural diversity. Across all of it, she has seen how the words organisations choose - and the people they centre - can either open the door to belonging, or close it.
For purpose-driven communicators, Rachel’s experience offers a leader’s perspective on what truly builds inclusive narratives, what makes communications trustworthy, and how we can better represent the diverse communities we serve.
Put lived experience first
Ask Rachel what distinguishes communications that truly drive equity from those that just talk about it, she is clear: centre lived experience.
"It's about genuinely including lived experience in your communications," she explains. "Having access to people who have that lived experience, being able to reference their stories and connect with them for their voices - not just our interpretation of their experience."
For Rachel, this isn't about tokenism or ticking boxes. It's about ensuring that the voices shaping your narrative are the ones who understand the issue from the inside out. For communicators working in the purpose-driven space, this means building genuine relationships and creating pathways for diverse voices to be heard, not just consulted (or even overlooked).
What communicators can do:
Build ongoing, genuine relationships with communities you serve, not just transactional "can we quote you?" requests
Create advisory groups or reference panels that include people with lived experience of the issues you communicate about
Ensure your storytelling process gives people agency - let them shape how their stories are told
Resource this properly: equitable storytelling takes time, trust and often translation or accessibility support
Sharing personal stories can carry risk for the individual and their family
Be upfront about the risks. Sharing a personal story can expose someone and their whānau to public visibility, online backlash or even harm. Make sure people understand the risks, know what support is available, and feel safe and prepared before their story goes public.
Listen to the opposition - and learn from it
One of Rachel's most powerful lessons about communication came from an unexpected source: someone who disagreed with the work one of the organisations she worked for was doing.
"Sometimes it's really valuable to have an external perspective," she reflects. "In a purpose-driven organisation, we're often surrounded by like-minded people, reinforcing each other's beliefs and the organisation's values."
She describes being media trained by someone who fundamentally disagreed with what her organisation was doing. "They asked all those questions that made me realise what other Kiwis were thinking who didn't agree with our cause. This was very valuable."
This willingness to engage with opposing viewpoints - not to change your values, but to understand how to communicate them more effectively - is what separates good communicators from great ones. It's the difference between preaching to the choir and actually shifting hearts and minds.
For communications teams:
Actively seek out critics and sceptics to understand their concerns - don’t just dismiss opposition as ignorance
Practice "steel-manning" opposing arguments: present them in their strongest form, then address them
Use media training or message testing with people who don't already agree with you
When facing criticism, resist the urge to become defensive - see it as valuable intelligence about how your message is landing
Seize the moment
Rachel believes that purpose-driven organisations must recognise when the social climate creates a window for real change.
"When something happens that puts your issue in the spotlight - like the Syria crisis in 2015 - that's your moment to drive real change," she says. "Be ready with stories, with voices, with the evidence that can shift public understanding. Those moments don't come often, so when they do, you need to be able to move. And you need a clear call to action, so that people know what they can do.”
For communicators, this is a challenge: you cannot scramble to build your foundations after opportunity arrives. The organisations who shift public understanding are the ones who have prepared.
For communications teams:
Keep a "strategic opportunity register” - what are the moments (awareness days, legislative changes, news cycles) when your issue might break through?
Build your story bank now, before you need it: gather case studies, personal narratives, data and imagery when you have time to do it well
When a moment arrives, move fast but stay values-aligned - speed matters, but so does getting it right
Co-ordinate across channels to amplify impact: social, media, email, events working together create momentum
When words fail, find another way to communicate
At English Language Partners, where the work centres on overcoming language barriers, Rachel has witnessed firsthand how connection transcends words.
She shares a story that captures this beautifully: a volunteer and a learner who struggled to communicate discovered they were both drummers. "They said they communicate in drumming," Rachel recalls. "It's a nice reminder that communication isn't always verbal - it’s about finding common ground."
This insight applies far beyond language learning. When organisations try to communicate across cultural or linguistic differences, they often get it wrong by assuming one-size-fits-all messaging will resonate. Real cultural intelligence means understanding that connection can take many forms, and sometimes the most powerful communication happens outside traditional channels.
For communications teams:
Don't assume written English is the best or only way to reach everyone - consider visual storytelling, audio, video or even in-person connection
Work with cultural advisers or community liaison roles to understand how different communities prefer to receive information
Test your assumptions: what feels "clear and simple" to you might still carry cultural barriers
Look for the universal human experiences beneath surface differences - music, food, sport, family - as entry points for connection
Master the art of translation
When asked what builds her trust in a communications adviser, Rachel describes a specific skill: the ability to be an interpreter.
"The best communicators are translators," she says. "They understand that you might say something complex, and they go away and interpret it - they give it clarity and make it make sense for different audiences. They just get the issue and can translate it without losing the meaning."
The best communicators, in Rachel's view, don't just polish words, they bridge understanding. They can take complex concepts and translate them into messages that resonate across different audiences without losing authenticity or nuance.
For communications teams:
Develop the skill of translating technical, sector-specific or values-heavy language into clear, human terms without losing meaning
Before publishing, ask: "Would someone outside our organisation/sector understand this?" Test it with a friend or family member
Build a bank of metaphors, analogies and real-world examples that make abstract concepts concrete
Stay close enough to the work to genuinely understand it - you can't translate what you don't comprehend
Choose authenticity over perfection
For Rachel, perfection in communications is not always the goal.
"Sometimes I just want to be authentic," she explains. "I'm comfortable with something not being 100 percent polished if it means we can connect genuinely with the audience we're trying to engage. I think that authenticity actually builds trust - so I'm happy to put out communications that aren't perfectly polished if it means we can make a real connection."
This is a crucial tension in purpose-driven communications. When you're working on social justice or equity issues, audiences can sense inauthenticity from miles away. Sometimes a slightly rough, genuine response builds more trust than a carefully crafted statement that feels sanitised.
For communicators used to striving for perfection, this requires a mindset shift, and a deep understanding of your leader's voice and the audience you're trying to reach.
For communications teams:
Have an honest conversation with your leadership about when polish matters and when authenticity matters more
Know your audience: some contexts (annual reports, formal submissions) demand polish; others (social media, community updates) reward realness
Develop guidelines for what "authentic but appropriate" looks like in your organisation
Trust that your audience is smart enough to value substance over style - especially when the message is timely and genuine
Final thoughts
Across her career, Rachel has seen communication act as a lever for belonging - or a barrier to it.
Her message for communicators is clear: If your organisation cares about equity, inclusion or social cohesion, your communications must reflect that in both content and process.
This means centring lived experience.
It means listening to dissent.
It means being ready when opportunity comes.
It means understanding culture, not just audience segments.
It means prioritising authenticity over polish.
Most of all, it means recognising that for purpose-driven work, communication is not just what you do - it’s how you create change.
When communicators choose language that honours people, bridges cultures and builds trust, they’re not just telling stories. They’re shaping belonging in Aotearoa.
