social media and social change in new zealand

Social Mediafor

Social Change

Presented by Simon YoungCatalyst/Cofounder

iJump

2003

“mental health gains will be minimal if the person lives in a hostile and uninformed community”- 1996 Mason Report

Photo by D Sharon Pruitt

Two goals:

• Create supportive environment for people with mental illness

• Bring down barriers of stigma and discrimination

Phase One (2000)

• Raising awareness

• Getting people talking and thinking

• Featured famous, aspirational NZers

Phase two (2001->)

• Strengthen positive public attitudes

• Improve public understanding/acceptance

• Improve understanding of impact of mental illness

• Create dialogue

• Counter negative stereotypes

Phase 2 (contd)

• Encourage people working in mental health sector

• Create a positive platform for policy change

Facts

• 1 in 5 NZers suffer from mental illness

• Most NZers discriminate through ignorance, not malice

• Maori and Pacific Island views need to be addressed differently

To significantly reduce discrimination ... education is not enough... litigation is not enough.

What is required are multi-stranded, persistent strategies.”

Liz Sayce

Multi-Stranded(more than mass media)

• Relationships built with 26 regionally-based organisations around NZ

• Included 11 Maori-based orgs

• Included 3 Pacific Peoples orgs

• Local relationships = local media coverage

2002 campaign

• Focus on friendships

• TV for mainstream audience

• Targeted radio for Maori/Pacific Island audience

Multi-stranded

• Training for other government agencies

• Relationships with journalists

• Media training for spokespeople

• Newsletter for influencer groups

A Beautiful MindMovie tie-in

Success

• 87% “people with mental illness can lead a normal life”

• 80% “I am more accepting of people with mental illness”

• 93% “mental illness can happen to anyone”

• 79% unprompted ad recall

• 60% discussed advertising with others

Since then...

• website: likeminds.org.nz

• national contractors: events, training, freephone service

• regional providers: workshops, promotional events, developing policies and procedures

2008 Effie Awards

• Won the grand award for “sustained success”

• Other results:

• Acceptance levels improving

• Documentaries resulting from campaigns

• More people seeking help

• WHO recognises best practice

Success secrets?

• Strong, simple message

• Relationship-building with key stakeholders/influencers

• Conversational focus

• Acknowledging larger context

Online

• Lots of online resources

• But not much social media - yet

Conversation

• How could they do this better?

Other social media/social change initiatives

• The LowDown

• Internet Blackout

• Twestival

• Givealittle

LowDown

• Web-based

• Interactive

• Music/Pop culture

• Why not social media?

#blackout bingo

if all the avatars are black, yell

“COPYWRONG!”

Protest on parliament

Blackout

• Grassroots

• Simple, clear idea

• Easy to take action

Twestival

• Global

• Easy to be involved

• Automated

Givealittle

• Platform for individuals

• Can be a ‘hub’ for other social media activity

How would you do it?

Simon YoungCatalyst/Cofoundersimon@ijump.co.nz