Monday, May 12, 2014

Engaging, educating and empowering Gay millennials

ENGAGING, EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING GAY MILLENNIALS 

Lessons learned from Vancouver's Mpowerment Project.

An audio-slideshow presentation featuring the coordinators of Mpowerment YVR - Vancouver BC.  

Click here for the audio-slidehsow
Best practices featured: 

1:47 What is incremental engagement?
6:22 Who are the Millennials?
7:49 Who are the Gay Millennials?
12:56 Spaces available for gay men today. Grindr and gay bars.
14:23 What the Mpowerment Project means to young adult gay men? A brainstorm and word-cloud.
15:20 How does Mpowerment create connection and acceptance?
18:39 How MpowermentYVR consciously creates a space with defined values.
22:36 Enhancing the community ripple. Guiding Principle: the diffusion of innovation.
32:09 Peer education and young adult gay men.
37:52 The Excuses: Not engaging young adult gay men?
40:39 The Excuses: Not using social media?
42:26 When to use what platform when? Facebook, twitter, instagram, tumblr
45:43 From online engagement to real-world action
49:04 Lessons learned in implementation




Find MpowermentYVR:
fb.com/MpowermentYVR
t    @MpowermentYVR

MpowermentYVR is a project of  YouthCO




Monday, May 5, 2014

1 super simple way to recruit new participants. Mpowerment best practices

Every young man who comes to an Mpowerment Project activity should be personally welcomed by a Project member and given an interest card to fill out.  The interest card contains a question on whether the respondent would like to find out more about Mpowerment Project (MP) activities, and also whether he would like to volunteer for the Project.

Interest card | front
Most importantly, the interest cards are a way to gather the name and contact information (smart phone, Facebook and Twitter) of every person who attends a Project activity. Some Projects have found that asking for too much information on the interest card deters some men from filling it out, so it’s probably best to keep it simple. The sheet also contains a list of volunteer opportunities so the respondent can check those that interest him.

From the interest cards it is then possible to compile a Project mailing list, e-mail distribution list, and volunteer database. The Coordinators need to review the volunteer list regularly, call men who have indicated an interest in volunteering, and match them with an initial task. Never forget to contact every single person who completes an interest sheet—and as soon as possible after they sign up, since that is when they have expressed interest (as opposed to waiting a while, when they may no longer be interested or available).

Interest card | back

RELATED: 3 easy to remember motivators for joining your MP Core Group.

RELATED: 2 simple ways to evaluate Social Outreach Events: Mpowerment Best practices. 




More recruitment and retention ideas are found in Module 5 Core Group and Volunteers. The module is a free download when you register at www.mpowerment.org 

Module 5 Core Group and Volunteers Objectives: To familiarize you with the decision-making body of the Project, the CG, as well as other volunteers who are not part of the CG. Both the CG and the non-Core Group volunteers are essential Core Elements of the MP.

What you'll find in the Appendix to Module 5:
Figure 5.1 Sample Core Group agendas
Figure 5.2 Sample Volunteer Interest Sheets
Figure 5.3 Sample Icebreaker Exercises
Figure 5.4 Facilitation Skills-Building Tips
Figure 5.5 Brainstorming Skills-Building Tips
Figure 5.6 Conflict Management Skills-Building Tips
more!  


C.R.U. Mpowerment Chicago IL 2014
AMP (Austin Men's Project) circa 1999