Thanks to this article in the Independent today, I was introduced today to Save the Children's Kroo Bay project, and the fantastically engaging content on their website that puts supporters and potential supporters in touch with their work there -- including these webinars.
I can't remember having seen a better illustration of a charity bringing people closer to it's work at grass roots level, whilst also educating them about the bigger picture, by including everything from individual profiles (where supporters can leave messages for workers and residents in Kroo Bay) to an overview of the Save the Children's 'big plan'. It makes the work the charity does highly tangible, without artificially simplifying the issues -- and has a refreshing honesty and integrity about it.
You only need to take a look at some of the comments supporters have posted to see what they have achieved here in terms of engagement. I was really struck by this one, from Sarah in Kent (which is full of insights):
‘I could see myself signing up to a 'save a Kroo Bay child' action plan which lists the key areas where money is needed to give that child his or her maximum chances of reaching adulthood in health and safety. I and others could put money into the pot until collectively we had brought it to completion. It would be like an individual child fund, albeit one of the thousands of other child funds that Kroo Bay needs support for.. but we may move one obstacle at a time. There could and should, of course, be a general pot as well as not eveyone would want to donat in the same way, and you STC would want some unrestricted funds (just remember to tell us why you want them?).
One the one hand, we the community would be able to see the chances of one child's life being safeguarded as within our reach, and we would know clearly what it takes to achieve that within an area such as Kroo Bay, or any other. On the other, we would be acting together, pooling our money but also connecting our thoughts, feelings and perhaps our dialogue in unity and collaboration.
The STC challenge is 'we save the children, will you?' and my answer is oh yes please let me save just one child, and then another, and then another. Please make it seem real to me that my donations have the chance of safeguarding one young human life to the point of adulthood.’
It's interesting to note that, given a social media element in the site, supporters are quick to engage not only with the charity and it's work, but also with each other -- seeing the oppportunity to collaborate and achieve more together as a result.
The Independent article finishes by saying:
'NGOs are throwing themselves with gusto behind the many tools Web 2.0 has brought, but it is difficult to ascertain which ones are having a direct impact on donations ... clever elements of multimedia can do much to draw in potential supporters and educate them about the relevant issues and individual campaigns. How and when that might translate into an actual donation, however, is more difficult to track.'
Of course, tracking itself is not really the issue here, since web analytics are sophisticated enough to enable this. However, the question of whether and/ or when investment in creating this kind of rich, online experience will result in more financial support, is the one on most charities' minds, and is far more difficult to answer.
Just remember that, once, not so long ago, many people probably asked the same question about direct mail. In fact, come to think of it, some of them still do...
