“Surviving or Thriving” & using Social Media to campaign Carrie Brookes, VONNE

Overview of “Surviving or Thriving” How we planned our media campaign The impact How we used social media About social media campaigning Top tips

About VONNE Member-led charity set up Influence policy on behalf of VCS Ebulletin, website Run networks Policy and Representation partnership, which encourages and supports the VCS to influence policy.

Our campaign – Surviving or Thriving Aim: To create up-to-date, accurate information on impact of the economic downturn on the VCS. Survey North East VCS orgs every 6 months Findings used to lobby and influence policy. Funded by Millfield House Foundation. Partnered with Newcastle CVS.

Our campaign – Surviving or Thriving Wanted media campaign to highlight issues through local media, make general public and policymakers aware. Sent report on findings to policymakers, MPs, funders, gov. departments, local peers. But also wanted general public to be aware and to put pressure on policymakers. So how did we do this?

Surviving or Thriving - TIMING Planned surveys so that release of findings would have maximum media impact TIP: Be aware of current media interest, read the Journal, watch local news, follow journalists on Twitter, keep eye on calendar for issue/awareness days to ‘hook’ your campaign.

Surviving or Thriving - PRESENTING Report > Exec summary > Press Release > Tweet TIP: If dealing in numbers, what are your headline figures? Can you aggregate figures?

Surviving or Thriving – PRESS RELEASE Include headline figures, quotes, key messages, contact details, but kept it 1 side of A4. TIP: Make sure you have a media contact person who is easily contactable. Mobile number on press releases and out-of-office. Media section on website.

Surviving or Thriving – CASE STUDIES We asked in survey who would be prepared to talk to media. Hand-picked the most media friendly. Fluffy animals and children! TIP: Interview your case studies that back up your campaign. Find the human story. Talk about service users, not organisations. Get contact details, pick reliable, contactable people.

Surviving or Thriving – PLACE YOUR STORY Chose journalist, pitched the story to them via Twitter and . Meeting with Adrian Pearson, agreed to 400 word editorial alongside case studies & exclusive story. TIP: Try and find journalist interested in your cause. Pitch story to them first, gives chance to shape story rather than just sending a press release.

Surviving or Thriving – BE PREPARED Briefed contact people for case studies on day story launched. Sent press release to all other news outlets. Launched on website, twitter, . TIP: Make sure CEO/spokesperson has time and energy to give interview. Could be 7am radio interview or live on 6.30pm news.

Surviving or Thriving – IMPACT Staggering response to media launch. Front page coverage of Chronicle, feature article in Journal and Northern Echo. BBC radio Newcastle and Tees, live interview and hosted debate with Guy Opperman, Tory MP for Hexham and Jo Curry. Third Sector, BBC National News, Tyne Tees, The Guardian, Civil Society website. Tweeted by MPs & social commentators.

Surviving or Thriving – REACH Pushed story to Patrick Butler of Guardian through Twitter. Case study on Single Work Programme picked up by Guardian. VONNE was asked to provide additional evidence to Cabinet Office. Lobbying is starting to penetrate. Nick Hurd acknowledged that the Work Programme is not meeting expectations.

Surviving or Thriving – CONTINUING REACH Met with Stuart Etherington of NCVO, Hilary Norman, Deputy Director at Cabinet Office, Stephen Bubb of ACEVO. Community Foundation launched Survive to Thrive fund to support VCS orgs that have lost public funding. We are contacted on a weekly basis to provide comment to media, speak at an event or address a meeting..

Using Social Media to campaign We used it to pitch to journalists & raise awareness of our campaign. Never before have journalists, MPs, policymakers been so contactable or us aware of their interests. Tools have had a democratising effect – anyone can disseminate ideas on a scale previously only for commercial media providers.

Why use social media for campaigning? Social media reaches greater numbers Social media engages a younger audience Social media saves money Social media can work outside of your group’s ‘reach' Social media can increase your speed of communication

Recent examples of social media campaigns: Pasties tax #Giveitbackgeorge National Forests sale Spartacus report Some not so successful, #SaveLennox

Three main types of online campaigning: 1. Awareness raising Educational slant, informing about your cause and changing behaviour. 2. Fundraising Link your website, Facebook page, twitter feed and YouTube site up so supporters can easily donate online. Eg: Justgiving, Virgin Money Giving.

Three main types of online campaigning: 3. Lobbying – by the charity itself or asking supporters to lobby for change. i.e. epetitions Charities need to think carefully: - How to make your message stand out? - Is the message targeted to the right people? - Have you researched who might be most likely to take up your cause?

Top tips on social media campaigning Build a strong database for your campaign Use brief, focused communication Strategise for different levels of campaign engagement – the ‘ladder’ Bear in mind the ‘overload factor’

Useful resources The VINE – NE’s most ‘influential tweeters’