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Brief Communications Plan for National Volunteer Week

A pad of paper and a sharpened pencil

This plan was submitted to Schizophrenia Society of Ontario, a not for profit organization, as a brief communications plan example with ways to highlight National Volunteer Week. 

Communications Plan – National Volunteer Week

Purpose

Schizophrenia Society of Ontario (SSO) will leverage National Volunteer Week (NVW) April 7-13, 2019 to recognize and highlight the efforts of its dedicated volunteers to internal and external stakeholders.

 

Campaign Objectives

In addition to highlighting the efforts and dedication of our volunteers, this campaign also educates our followers and those following the NVW social media hashtags about what it means to volunteer with SSO.

 

Key Audience / Stakeholder Groups

This campaign applies to all of our stakeholders, both internal and external: volunteers, staff, local MPs and consumers.

 

Key Messages

  1. Appreciation and gratitude for assisting SSO’s volunteers for both event and non-event related activities.
  2. Awareness: SSO has more than 65 dedicated volunteers helping out across Ontario.
  3. What it means to volunteer – highlighting SSO’s volunteers through featured interviews / stories.
  4. The impact to SSO and its consumers – a special message from the CEO, Mary, on what the volunteers mean to SSO.

 

Tactics / Action Plan & Timelines

Campaign Duration

April 7-13, 2019 – there is no pre-launch for this national awareness week. Post-launch can be in the form of a feature in the next scheduled e-newsletter (within 1-2 weeks of awareness week).

Resources

volunteer.ca has a campaign kit available to those who utilize and wish to recognize their volunteers as part of the broader, national campaign.

 

Social Media Messaging

Hashtags to use during the campaign:
From volunteers.ca specific to this year: #nvw2019, #nationalvolunteerweek2019
Additional tags: #ontario #schizophrenia #ssocares #schizophreniasocietyofontario #thankyou #differencemakers #volunteering

 

Editorial Calendar

April 7, 2019

  1. 1. E-blast to segmented list (volunteers, consumers and families and staff) – NVW 2019 kick-off with a message of thanks to volunteers and the highlights to watch for on the website and social media channels in the coming week.
  2. Same banner in the e-blast is added as the #1 carousel item to the website landing page.
  3. Social media:
  • Twitter – government-focused post educating MPs / MOHLTC / Provincial government about the efforts of volunteers across the province.
  • Facebook and Instagram – “Thank You!” message (appreciation and gratitude) to kick off NVW.

Instagram post sample:

a multi-cultural group of volunteers

We’re kicking off National Volunteer Week
with a big THANK YOU to the 65+ volunteers
that make a HUGE difference in the lives of
everyone they interact with here at SSO.
Whether it’s the individuals and families we
serve or our staff, we’re incredibly grateful
for your time, efforts and passion!
.
.
.
#nvw2019 #nationalvolunteerweek2019
#volunteering #ontario #schizophrenia
#ssocares #schizophreniasocietyofontario
#thankyou #differencemakers

 

April 8, 10 and 12, 2019

  1. Facebook and Instagram posts: Featured success story (1 of 3) with a volunteer, preferably a video if obtainable, otherwise a few quotes on what volunteering for SSO has meant to them.
  • Questions to ask volunteer: How long have they been volunteering? What has been their favourite / most rewarding moment in that time? What does volunteering at SSO mean to them?

2. Additional hashtags to use would be the community the volunteer is located in.

April 9, 2019
1. Social media post – Thank you video (or gif of gathered group holding “Thank you” signs) from Staff for volunteers’ efforts highlighting the gratitude and appreciation of SSO’s dedicated volunteers.

April 11, 2019
1. Instagram and Facebook – post “Thank you” gif.
2. Messaging: In light of NVW, SSO is highlighting the impact of volunteers on everything we do.

April 13, 2019 – wrap-up messaging
1. Facebook and Instagram – Special message from CEO, Mary – either as a video or text thank-you note with a photo. Message: how volunteers are at the heart of everything SSO does, from advocacy to events. Include brief note at the bottom about inquiries should anyone be interested in joining the team of difference makers at SSO with link to volunteer application page on website.
2. Post all three volunteer interviews into an article/success story on the website reflecting on the efforts of volunteers in light of National Volunteer Week, working in quotes and appreciation from the CEO’s message. Link this story into a post on Twitter.

 

Wrap Up

In the next newsletter (going both to subscribers and staff), include the campaign efforts and how SSO highlighted the hard work and dedication of our passionate volunteers. Include results in debrief.

 

Campaign assessment:

1. E-blast celebrating volunteers’ efforts – how many opens? What was the click rate?
2. Social media – how many likes? How many new followers? Discussion sparked?
3. Did any inquiries or applications come in from new potential volunteers?
4. Post-campaign newsletter – how many opens? What was the click rate?