SmartStart awarded for innovation

The SmartStart program, for parents and babies, which is run by the Department of Internal Affairs, has been awarded for its excellence in innovation and communication.

The International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) has announced the program as a Merit winner in the 2017 Gold Quill Awards program.

SmartStart is the only public sector agency and one of only three New Zealand entries to be awarded a Gold Quill at this year’s awards.

“SmartStart is the first successful integrated digital service across multiple agencies including the Ministry of Social Development, Internal Affairs, Ministry of Health, Inland Revenue, Plunket and NZ Midwives,” said Internal Affairs Minister Peter Dunne.

“Feedback from IABC Gold Quill evaluators that the department’s entry was ‘a well-executed campaign of high professional standard which demonstrated creative and innovative work’ is particularly significant given the public sector operating environment.”

SmartStart has proved popular with new and expectant parents with already more than 65,000 visits to the website, a very encouraging sign that the message has got through.

“As well as the DIA team there have been many people from across the sector who have contributed to creating this message that tells a powerful story about the benefits of SmartStart and they are to be congratulated for a great win,” said Dunne.

“SmartStart is a great example of New Zealand as a digital government leader. As a founding member of the Digital 5 group of nations, other countries come to learn from our successes and this initiative will help support and champion our growing digital economies.”

Image credit: ©stock.adobe.com/au/Sabimm

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