Lessons from the frontline of humanitarian communications

Humanitarian communications specialist, Jess Timings.

When emergencies strike, every word counts. A single story can shift public opinion, unlock funding or influence government policy - but if told poorly, it can risk the dignity of the people at its heart. That’s the reality of humanitarian communications.

Jess Timings knows this well. Since 2016, she has worked across some of the world’s most challenging contexts - from the Kaikōura earthquake and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in Armenia, to Malaysia during the earliest days of COVID-19, and Iraq, Syria and Nigeria while supporting safety for humanitarians on the ground. Today, she’s working with War Child Alliance on crises in Gaza, Sudan and beyond.

When we spoke, I asked Jess what she’s learned after years high-pressure humanitarian work. Her five lessons are as relevant to communications managers in New Zealand’s not-for-profits as they are for frontline NGOs globally.

1. Relationships are everything

“Prioritising good relationships opens doors, builds trust, helps you tell a better story and generally makes your job so much easier,” Jess says.

In practice, that means resisting the urge to dive straight into task lists when deployed to a response. Instead, take time to listen, learn the dynamics and build credibility with colleagues who’ve often been there long before you arrived.

The same applies when working with communities. People are more willing to share their stories if they feel respected, not extracted. “There’s nothing worse than someone who bulldozes their way into a role during a humanitarian response and fails to read the room,” Jess says.

Tips for communicators: Your rapport with frontline teams and affected people is what enables access, credibility and stories worth telling.

2. Kill the jargon, find your human voice

NGOs often slip into dry, technical language or sterile statements in a crisis - and both lose people fast.

“Technical language and jargon are the antithesis of engaging content, and so is unemotional copy,” Jess says. “We lose people when we lose the human voice.”

For NGOs, that means letting your comms team write in a tone that sounds like a human being, not a legal document. And it means resisting the temptation to strip all emotion out of a story. Honest, simple, respectful language always beats being “gravely concerned.”

Tip for communicators: Write as a person, not an institution. Avoid passive, overly formal language. A little humanity goes a long way.

3. Accuracy vs speed: get the balance right

In a crisis, speed matters - but so does accuracy. Jess has learned that having an approval process that balances efficiency with effectiveness is critical.

“You need to be able to rely on the right people to correct or confirm, and you need them to do that quickly,” she says. When mistakes inevitably happen, a good process and internal clarity on what’s truly urgent means you won’t be alone in taking responsibility.

For NGOs in New Zealand, that translates to preparedness. Have your factsheets, key messages and emergency-specific sign-off systems ready so you can move quickly without scrambling.

Tip for communicators: Build a pre-agreed crisis sign-off process now, so when something breaks, you’re not drafting chain-of-command under pressure.

4. Protect dignity in every story

For Jess, respectful storytelling isn’t optional - it’s the most important part of the work.

“Never take a story from someone who’s not ready to tell. Show them the pictures, let them choose which ones they like. Be open, be human, and make sure they’re sharing because they want to, not because they feel they have to,” she says.

This applies everywhere. Whether you’re interviewing a refugee family in Aotearoa or a community leader in Sudan, the principle is the same: protect dignity first. Communications goals come second.

Tip for communicators: Always check the power dynamics. Ask: Is this story ours to tell? And have we earned the right to tell it?

5. Hope is as important as hardship

While some stories involve immense suffering, Jess insists that communications must show resilience and solutions too.

“If you only show devastation, people switch off. They need to see resilience, solutions, and the impact of their support. We need to show not just people suffering.” For NGOs everywhere, the lesson is clear: balance urgency with hope. Show the difference people can make, not just the scale of the problem.

Tip for communicators: Don’t just explain the problem - lift up the progress, the survival, the possibility.

Final thought

Jess’s words are a reminder that comms is not just about reach or response - it’s about relationship, respect and responsibility.

“Don’t stop being kind. Never forget the person you’re talking to is a person. And if you’re lucky enough to get paid to make the world a little bit better, don’t lose sight of that.”

At the end of the day, the best humanitarian communications don’t just inform audiences. They honour people, deepen empathy and make change feel possible.