Social Media and Social Change in New Zealand

Social Media for Social Change Presented by Simon Young Catalyst/Cofounder iJump

“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. multi-stranded, What is required are 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 Mind Movie 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 Young Catalyst/Cofounder simon@ijump.co.nz

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Social Media and Social Change in New Zealand

by Simon Young

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