Your project is important, and everyone should know about it! When you spread the word about your good work, you can inspire others, celebrate your achievements, and advance your project’s goals. Our GYSD Toolkit is full of step-by-step instructions and detailed work plans to help you outreach to media and elected officials. But, if you’re looking for quick guides and templates, take a look below for tools and tips that will help you effectively amplify the impact your GYSD project. And don’t forget the quickest way to put your project on the map—literally! Register your project.
Social Media
Use social media like Facebook, Twitter and blogs to craft your own content, tell your own story, and potentially reach wide audiences without using the news media as an intermediary. Plus, you can get creative and show off photos and videos of your good work!
You can also use social media to raise awareness about your project issue, recruit volunteers, connect with likeminded people and organizations, and gain support from friends and family. Online supporters can offer encouragement, in-kind donations, and monetary support.
- Use Facebook to inform close friends and family members about your GYSD project progress and needs, and to recruit volunteers.
- Post statuses about your project on a personal page to tell Facebook friends why this issue is important to you and how it affects them.
- Like the Global Youth Service Day page!
Sample Facebook Messages
- So excited to kick-off our @Global Youth Service Day project with YSA! We are (fill in how project is addressing community issue).
- Did you know @Global Youth Service Day is the largest service event in the world and the only one that celebrates the amazing work young people are doing to improve communities? Get involved: http://gysd.org
- Our @Global Youth Service Day project is addressing (fill in issue). We are using (fill in method) to track project outcomes.
- We’re using (fill in activity) to reflect during our @Global Youth Service Day project (include link to reflection activity if applicable).
- @Global Youth Service Day is around the corner! We are celebrating youth service with our (fill in project celebration activity).
- Use Twitter to engage in online conversations with leaders in your GYSD project issue area that you cannot reach personally. Use hashtag #GYSD.
- Perform a simple search on Twitter for users interested in your project issue and follow them. Many bloggers, journalists, and issue “superstars” use Twitter and would love to hear about your project and can offer advice, support, or promotion.
- Attach pictures to your tweets (Twitpic, TweetPhoto, yfrog, etc.)
Sample Twitter Messages
- #GYSD 2012 is 4/20 – 4/22 this year! Join us in this celebration of youth service http://gysd.org
- Just registered our #GYSD project on gysd.org! Take a look at what we’re doing (include link to your project on gysd.org).
- We’re so excited to work with (fill in partner name) on our #GYSD project!
- Follow us and @gysd for updates on #GYSD. http://gysd.org
- Happy #GYSD! We’re celebrating the amazing contributions young people are making in the world (include link to project registration page, picture, or video).
Video
- Film different stages of the project using a cell phone, camera, or small video camera and upload to YouTube or Vimeo with GYSD as a keyword.
- Share videos to show friends, family, and potential project donors how the project is progressing. They can offer support or insightful tips.
- Record your thoughts on GYSD and it may show up on this website! Visit GYSD Youtube for more details.
Photos
- Use Flickr if you have a Yahoo account or Picasa if you have a Gmail account to share project pictures.
- Assign one project volunteer as the “official picture taker” and ask them to take pictures at every stage of the project planning process and celebration.
- Tag pictures using “GYSD”, so people can easily search for them.
Blogs
- Ask volunteers to write blog posts about their excitement, concerns, and proudest project achievements.
Templates
GYSD project organizers are encouraged to promote their projects to the media. Below are additional tips to help you spread the word to news media.
Templates
General Project Announcement Release - To be sent in advance of your project, to let journalists know it’s happening. Send to journalists and media outlets 3 to 8 weeks in advance.
Media Advisory (for orgs) and Media Advisory (for individual projects)
Media advisories alert media to event details and specific coverage opportunities. Advisories are typically sent 2-5 days in advance of your event to reporters, news desks and photo desks.
Post-Event Release—To be sent 24-72 hours after your project, along with pictures, to let journalists know what you achieved.
Global Youth Service Day Talking points - For use when giving interviews and talking about your project to leaders, journalists, sponsors and others.
Press release templates are provided as a guide, and are based on a standard format that is effective with, and familiar to, reporters. It is recommended to generally follow the template, but you should use your best judgment to adjust the template to best describe your project and its connection to GYSD.
Note: YSA grantees, Lead Agencies and Lead Organizers receive customized templates to describe their grants and projects. If you’re a YSA grantee and need a customized template, contact your YSA representative.
Media in Minutes
Follow this quick, step-by-step guide to getting media in minutes!
- When to begin? Start 1-2 months in advance and set aside a few minutes to review the information here and plan your media outreach. Think about your project goals, and how media might help by telling your story.
- Fill in the press release template. Insert your project information in the appropriate templates. Plan to send the project announcement press release 3 to 8 weeks before your project and allow ample time for follow-up.
- Identify key reporters and news outlets, and send your release. Research, identify, and gather contact information for reporters in your area who cover community news, youth, education and/or your particular issue area.
- Reporters can come from daily, weekly or monthly papers; radio stations; TV stations; and online news outlets.
- In addition to traditional media, it’s OK to send your press release to influential bloggers and listservs in your area, to raise awareness.
- Use the internet to research contact information for reporters, or flip through the paper to see which journalists are writing about community news and/or your issue area. If you’re having a tough time finding contact information, it’s ok to call the news outlet’s main number and ask to be directed to an appropriate contact.
- Send your release pasted into the body of an email (don’t send attachments).
- Follow up. A few days after you’ve sent your release, follow up with journalists by phone or email to see if the release was received, offer additional information, and invite them to cover your group or project, either in advance of or on GYSD.
- Prepare to talk to a journalist. Know what you want to say to a journalists before your phone call or interview. The talking points above (coming soon) will be helpful.
- Send a post-event release and thank-yous. Within 48-72 hours following your event, send a post-event release (template to follow) with photos to your local newspapers. Collect any resulting media coverage to share with project participants and GYSD organizers. Thank anyone who helped you with media, including the reporters!
When working with a reporter:
DO dream big and think creatively! What do you have to offer to your local morning talk show? The local top 40 station? The hard-hitting reporter?
DO keep in mind that your press release is one of dozens or even hundreds that the journalist receives every week. The more you can make your story stand out and tailor it to journalist’s interest areas, the better your chances of success.
DO keep conversations with journalists short, positive, and persuasive.
DO coordinate with other group members and identify a point person to lead outreach efforts. Journalists may become confused if several different people contact them about your project.
DO offer to provide photos whenever possible (see the toolkit for info on how to take a great picture).
DON’T be aggressive or make the mistake of thinking that media are obligated to cover your story. Journalists’ jobs are to educate and inform their readers about topics.
DON’T get discouraged if you have to call a couple of times, or if the reporter declines.
Frequently Asked Questions
This seems like a lot to do! How much time will it take?
Each checklist item should take between 5 to 20 minutes. By just following this checklist, you will ensure that more people know about your work.
I have a great story to tell, and want to do lots of media outreach. Can you help?
Awesome! Those with the time, interest, and resources to develop larger scale outreach campaigns are encouraged to do so, and will find more information in the GYSD toolkit.
If you think your youth-led project would be of national or international interest, be in touch with YSA’s Communications office (communications@ysa.org) so that we can coordinate our own efforts and work with you achieve your goals! Projects that have garnered national interest in the past are quirky or unique, involve a major figure or celebrity, or involve young people making a major, measurable impact on their community.
Can kids outreach to media?
Sure! Why not? With guidance and support, media outreach can be a great learning opportunity and a chance to practice persuasive writing and speaking skills. Keep in mind that some media work at a very fast pace, and receive dozens of pitches a day; some may not have the time or interest to engage with kids directly, but many will. Project leaders should use their discretion and allow youth to lead media outreach whenever appropriate.
I know what I’m doing locally, but what are the national and international media outlet plans for GYSD?
YSA (the company that organizes GYSD) works year-round to spread the word about youth service to the public. We use media outreach to shine a spotlight on your good work, help improve communities, and advance the number and diversity of young people serving in substantive roles. YSA spotlights grant programs, grantees, and their projects through our new media channels, including our weekly National Service Briefing emails, Facebook and Twitter. In a typical GYSD cycle, YSA will send out press releases and alerts about national and international efforts to hundreds of reporters in print, TV, radio and online media. YSA also provides GYSD participants with the resources necessary to spread the word within their own communities.
Elected Officials
Use USA.gov, Project Vote Smart, or Spark Action to find out who your elected officials are and how to contact them.
Use the "Engaging Public Officials" chapter of the GYSD Toolkit to plan your outreach to public officials.
You can direct public officials to the Public Official's Guide to GYSD. There are also lots of additional ideas and resources here for how you can engage public officials on GYSD.
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) is introducing a Global Youth Service Day Resolution in the U.S. Senate for the 10th year. Senator Murkowski introduces the Resolution each year to rally her colleagues around the work of their youngest constituents. Reach out to your Senators by April 13 so they can sign on as a co-sponsor of the GYSD resolution by April 16.
Logos & Banners
Feel free to use our logos to promote your GYSD project!
Global Youth Service Day Logo
