A community directory is only helpful when readers can use its information. A long list of numbers copied from old notices may look comprehensive while sending people to the wrong place. Begin with a small, clearly defined directory that someone is responsible for maintaining.
Decide what belongs in the directory
Choose a purpose, such as public contacts for local community organisations or cultural groups. Explain the scope so readers do not mistake a partial list for a complete record of everything available in the area.
For each entry, record the organisation’s name, the purpose of the contact, the public contact route and the date it was checked. Use contact information the organisation has approved for public sharing rather than a private number found in a group conversation.
Make updates easy to handle
Choose one place to keep the master version. If several people maintain separate copies, corrections can quickly become inconsistent. Give readers a straightforward way to report an error, then verify the replacement information before changing the entry.
Keep a simple change log. It can be as short as “contact page checked” or “organisation confirmed new office number,” with a date. This helps another editor understand why a detail was changed.
Review before redistributing
Set a review routine that matches how the directory is used. Before circulating a printed version or a new download, check the most important contacts again. Mark entries that could not be confirmed rather than silently carrying them forward.
Do not label a listing as an endorsement unless there is a clear basis for doing so. Providing an organisation’s public contact details is different from recommending its services.
For the station’s own details, link directly to the Intsetse FM contact page. Our guide to checking community notices offers a similar approach to information that arrives through forwarded messages.