By Elise S.
Being shut in doesn’t mean we have to shut out opportunities to support one another and promote your non-profit youth group. In fact, new ideas for ways to stay connected seem to be popping up every day! Here are a few to inspire you to reach out and stay connected during the COVID-19 Pandemic!
1. Host a Facebook or Instagram Live Q&A About Your Organization
Since people are more active on social media, this is the perfect opportunity to spread the word about your youth group! You can create a Facebook and/or Instagram Live event to tell everyone why you love your organization so much. Write out an agenda for your presentation, and try to involve everyone in the group. Be sure to include a few pictures and descriptions of group activities in your presentation. To be prepared ahead of time, have everyone write out what they plan to say, as well as some fun facts about your non-profit, and some ice-breaker questions to get the conversation started. You also write out some typical questions and answers, and even invite alumni to join you and talk about how your youth group has helped them in college and careers!
2. Drive-By Parades.
Have you seen what teachers and friends have been doing for each other? They have been holding drive-by parades or “carades” for their students or friends! So, why not do the same thing with the youth members and adults! Not only is this encouraging to the members, and an excuse to get out of the house, but it is also a great publicity tool! You might even want to make posters and decorate your car to cheer up your friends (and for even more publicity)!
3. Wear your Organization Shirts and Merch on your Video Calls.
Have you ever noticed athletes and public figures wearing hats and shirts with company logos? They’re doing this to promote a company or organization they support! We can do the same thing when video calling friends (and let’s admit it, we’re spending lots of time on video calls)! A t-shirt can be a conversation starter! Who knows, you may even get to talk about it with your friends and gain a prospective member!
4. Write Letters or Make Calls to Members.
Something that makes everyone happy is getting letters! One way we can encourage each other is by sending letters to active and inactive members. Another way you can keep in touch with members and adults is by giving them a call! This is a good way to cheer up, stay connected and reconnect with alumni, inactive members, active members, and adults!
5. Have a Virtual Game Night.
Another way you can have fun and stay inside is with online games! Have a Zoom call while you play on-line games, bingo or multi-player card games so you can talk during the game! You can plan this with your youth group and invite prospective members!
And don’t forget – encourage your members to share on social media using hashtags. Choose popular hashtags for a higher chance of the general public landing on your accounts, such as #fun #kids #stayinghome. Use a hashtag generator site such as https://ritetag.com/ or https://hashtagify.me/. It’s also good to include hashtags that are member only used hashtags in your organization and/or for an event. The International Order of The Rainbow Girls California https://gocarainbow.org/ uses #caiorg and #whyitainbow. It will help keep members posts organized in one hashtag location.
By doing these 5 simple things you can boost spirits, have fun, stay connected and share about your organization! This is just a start to the activities you could host!
