Free Online Resources: Build Your Youth Program

1. Free Online Resources:Build Your Youth Program 2008 National Convention

2. REDCROSSYOUTH.ORG

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

4. 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

5. 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.

6. 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

7. HOW TO PARTICIPATE • We encourage feedback from each program • Doesn’t 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@usa.redcross.org

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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”

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

14. QUESTIONS For more information contact us at: Justin Lam, National Youth Council LamJ@usa.redcross.org Mat Morgan, National Youth Council MorganMat@usa.redcross.org