“We knew we had volunteers who had these great skills that weren't being utilized and so we wanted to find a way for them to jump in … So we definitely saw that if we could come up with a structure that would support it, it was gonna be real valuable.”
– Sara Falconer, Red Cross Canada

Digivols: The Next Level for Social Media Ambassadors with Sara Falconer

Session 192

Even for an organization as big as the Red Cross, having a team of volunteers with a wide set of skills can make a huge difference — especially today in digital communications and social media. Sara Falconer, director of digital communications at Canadian Red Cross, joins this session to talk about how the organization created a training system that allows digital volunteers to lead the charge in the next wave of social media ambassadors. Whether it’s lending social media assistance or graphic design expertise, the organization strives to ensure volunteers feel like they’re making a real difference.

They discuss:

  • The merits of a shared editorial calendar
  • How to encourage experimentation with new programs
  • Balancing giving volunteers autonomy and maintaining company standards and language
  • The payoff of giving volunteers room to try new skills and projects
  • How a formal onboarding and training process can empower volunteers and make them feel more prepared
Resources:

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