Free Online Resources: Build Your Youth Program

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Free Online ResourcesBuild Your Youth Program

• 2008 National Convention

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REDCROSSYOUTH.ORG
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BLOG STRUCTURE

• Posts
• Pages
• Summary
• Recent Posts (last 5)
• Blogroll
• Websites
• Online resources
• National News (RSS feed)
• International News (RSS feed)

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CAPABILITIES

• Each post or page is structured differently
• Basic text editing
• Hyperlinks
• Embed photos and YouTube videos
• Backend tools exist for administrators
• Approve comments, users and posts
• Monitor site
• Edit site structure

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WHAT WE BLOG ABOUT

• Blog exists for several reasons
• Promote the Red Cross mission to the public
• Recruit new youth volunteers
• Showcase our best volunteers around the country
• Administrators categorize posts
• Line of service
• Biomedical services, international services, etc.
• Demographic it targets
• Elementary school, middle school, high school,
  college
• Club or youth program activity
• Fundraising, recruitment, leadership, etc.

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WHY BLOG?

• Functional hybrid of website and message board
• User generated content with administrator editing
  and approval
• Allows for professional, dynamic web presence
• Links into existing community blogs
• Cross-promote Red Cross Chat and the Red Cross
  Online Disaster Portal

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HOW TO PARTICIPATE

• We encourage feedback from each program
• Doesnt matter if you are a youth leader or just
  getting involved
• Discuss your ideas, your experiences and Red
  Cross current events (local, national or
  international)
• Recognize successful events or extraordinary
  youth
• Integrate the blog RSS feed into your youth
  websites
• Contact the blog administrator at
  MorganMat_at_usa.redcross.org

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Free tools exist online
• Refer to handout for web addresses
• Information has also been uploaded to the blog
• Over the next year, we will be developing a full
  manual for electronic engagement
• Visit our youth booth to sign up for ARC-Youth
  Wire, the national youth listserv

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SOCIAL NETWORKS

• MySpace and Facebook
• Allow programs to create public or private
  profiles
• Advertise
• Communicate effectively
• Post photos and updates
• Link to local resources and websites

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SCHEDULING

• Jott
• Call a phone number and it will transcribe your
  message to a text email sent to your account
• Remember the Milk
• Send an email to a customized address that uses
  that information to update your online calendar
• Doodle
• Everyone checks when they are free so you can
  schedule meetings at the best time
• Google Calendar
• View your schedule visually receive email and
  text message reminders

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COMMUNICATING

• Yahoo and Google Groups
• Secure groups that can only be accessed by your
  groups
• Set up listservs
• Share documents
• Monitor group activity
• Email addresses
• Create free email accounts that sounds
  professional
• Yahoo, Hotmail, Gmail

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ADVERTISING

• Digg and Reddit
• Allow users to vote upon interesting news
• You can generate national coverage
• Consider advertising your impressive feats
• Example Kina Grannis from the benefit album
  Band Together To Fight Measles

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ROYALTY-FREE PHOTOS

• Sxc.hu allows photographers to upload their
  photos to be used for non-commercial purposes
• Wide variety of photos

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QUESTIONS

• For more information contact us at
• Justin Lam, National Youth Council
• LamJ_at_usa.redcross.org
• Mat Morgan, National Youth Council
• MorganMat_at_usa.redcross.org