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
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