2. WHO WE ARE
Gabriel Caruana – Mpowerment Core Group Member
Andrew Shopland – Mpowerment Project Coordinator
Claire O’Gorman – Peer Education Programs Manager
Michael Reid – Community Engagement Manager
4. WHAT IS THE
MPOWERMENT MODEL?
Guiding Principles:
Social Focus
Empowerment Philosophy
Peer Influence of Safer Sex Messages
Multi-Level Approach
Community Building
Diffusion of Innovations
5. INCREMENTAL ENGAGEMENT
Social Events
Formal Outreach
Community Member
Workshop / Discussion Night
Core Group Member
Event Outreach
Campaigns
Social Media
Informal Outreach
Peer to Peer
Engagement at events
Facilitator / Mentor
GOAL: 1000 Workshop Participants Over 4 Years
6. HISTORY OF
MPOWERMENT YVR
2010
ManCount Survey
YouthCO seeks evidence-based
intervention to complement the work of
HIM.
2011
#gayboysolution engagement campaign
Partnered with UCSF
Partnered with HIM / Totally Outright
7. 2012
Funding received from PHAC, TD Bank &
TELUS.
Launched project in May 2012.
2013
Funding received from Vancouver
Foundation
As of October 31st, 2013:
Project has run for 18 months
Over 40 events, workshops & discussion
nights
1,400 total social event attendees
770 unique attendees
200 unique workshop participants
25% secondary engagement
15% of gay guys age 18-29 have attended
one of our events, skewing towards
younger
Mpowerment YVR
8. MILLENNIALS?
Generation Y, Echo Boom Generation, iGeneration
For our purposes: Born 1982-2000
Political worldview has been shaped by 9/11, Great
Recession, and the rise of tech-enabled social
movements
Digital natives: Have always had computers, cellphones
and social media
Socially conscious generation. General spirit of support
for human rights
Underemployed, and have trouble keeping up with
increasing cost of living
9. GAY MILLENNIALS?
Coming out younger
High percentage have experienced bullying
In Canada, marriage equality has always existed
Online sex and dating has always been the norm
Increasing cost of living downtown means most live
away from gay villages
Increasingly urban HOWEVER… Also rural
Raised on porn but still not receiving any gay sex
education
Want more from the gay community & desire healthier
relationships with other gay guys
12. IT GOT BETTER?
Communication
Location Based Social Networks (Grindr, Growlr, Hornet, Scruff, etc.)
Wide range of dating and cruising sites (Plenty of
Fish, Adam4Adam, Manhunt, Squirt, etc.)
Tolerance
Vancouver Pride is now a Civic Event
GSA/QSAs in schools
Safe to live outside Davie Village
Same-Sex marriage
13. Apolitical: discrimination is perpetuated
Highly Sexualized: objectification is the norm
Lacking Intimacy: openness is challenging
16. HOW DO WE CREATE
CONNECTION AND
ACCEPTANCE?
Intimacy
Inclusion
Non Sexualized and Sex Positive
Youth Run
17. PRODUCTION OF SPACE
Henri Lefebvre – La Production de l’espace (1974)
Space is socially constructed based on values and the social
production of meanings
This process is fundamental to the reproduction of society
“Change life! Change Society! These ideas lose
completely their meaning without producing an
appropriate space… new social relations demand a new
space, and vice-versa.”
18. SPACE FOR MPOWERMENT
Defined values and expectations
Building container over time
Shared experiences and intimacy
Positive feedback cycle
22. ENHANCING THE RIPPLE
Diffusion of Innovation
Giving the guys skills to
develop their personal
communities
Event planning
Translating online communication
to community
Applied inclusion
Empowerment
Personal and Community
26. TYPICAL SEX ED…
Lacking relevance
Feeling left out
Feeling judged
Lots of myths and
misinformation
27. PEER EDUCATION
Power in learning from peers
Increased relevance
Increased trust and safety
Removes the traditional
hierarchy in education
28. PEER EDUCATION
WORKSHOPS
Acknowledge the skills and knowledge in the room
Allows for two-way discussion, clarification of ideas and
information
Increases relevance
Allows for exploration of all the “Grey Areas” and “What
ifs”
What -> So what
30. PEER EDUCATION WITH
YOUNG GAY MEN
Easier to be forthcoming
Feelings of belonging
Finding meaning
Sense of security
Information from a reliable
source
32. REFLECTIONS &
IMPORTANCE
Peer relational practice
Allows relationships to form and
development
Ongoing feedback and reform
Space for follow-up and
questions
34. ENGAGEMENT
1.
Reach Out
2.
Develop Relationships
3.
Foster Community
4.
Share our Vision
5.
Build Trust
6.
Inspire Action
7.
Cultivate and Steward
Ultimate Goal:
To mobilize youth to be leaders in the HIV movement and in their own
communities.
35. THE EXCUSES: ENGAGING
YOUNG GUYS
“Young guys don‟t want to come to our programs.”
That‟s because the program needs to be fun and fulfill an actual want
or need of young gay guys.
“Young guys are apathetic and just don‟t care.”
That‟s because they‟re not being inspired. This generation has a taste
for the dramatic/emotional and expect to be stirred to action.
“It‟s hard to reach/find young gay guys.”
This is actually the easiest generation to reach in the history of
humanity. They‟re all online.
36. THE EXCUSES: ENGAGING
YOUNG GUYS
“This generation is lazy and self-entitled.”
So were the Baby Boomers. And Generation X. Everyone always thinks
that about the youngest generation.
“We can‟t relate to younger guys.”
Then hire younger staff or empower a group of young volunteers. Be
a youth ally and practice good Eldership.
“The young guys we do find aren‟t „high-risk‟ enough.”
There is no standard demographic profile of the young gay male that
gets HIV. Don‟t go looking for specific people or you‟ll ignore
everyone else. Target the community and you‟ll reach everyone
organically.
37. THE EXCUSES: SOCIAL
MEDIA
“Social Media doesn‟t actually accomplish anything
and we don‟t have the staff time.”
“Our communications policies don‟t allow junior staff
and volunteers to speak for the organization.”
“We have no control over what other people say
to/about us online.”
“Social Media is a passing fad.”
Followers, fans, and „likes‟ don‟t actually mean
anything.”
38. SOCIAL MEDIA AT
YOUTHCO
Learning from 2008 Obama Campaign
Social Media Policy = Not to have a social media policy
Decentralized control to each program. Autonomous
communities
Brand and values consistency ensured by managers via
Hootsuite
Only delete comments in extreme circumstances! Engage
in a dialogue
Specific strategy for each platform
YouthCO currently has 12 social media accounts on 5
platforms targeting specific youth communities. Controlled
by many staff and volunteers
39. WHICH PLATFORM
WHEN?
Facebook – Event
promotion, program
pages, direct messaging
Twitter – Professional /
informative
Instagram – Pictures/videos
from event
Tumblr – Miscellaneous fun
reposts
40. WHICH PLATFORM
WHEN?
YouTube – Gay and sexpositive video promos
Email – Rarely used.
Facebook messaging
instead
Texting – Core Group
members and those who
opt-in
Facebook Advertising Cost effective, hypertargeted social advertising
41. STAYING IN CONTROL…
Centralizes control of multiple social media accounts onto one control panel
Allows multiple staff/volunteers to control multiple channels
Social CRM (contact relationship manager) database.
Manages contacts via email, phone, texting, Facebook, Twitter as well as live
events
43. MILLENNIALS & DIGITAL
ACTIVISM
Technology-enabled social movements and protests of
the past 15 years have shaped the attitudes of Millennials
surrounding human rights and social justice
What makes digital movement-building successful?
It inspires and/or organizes real-world action.
44. FROM ONLINE ENGAGEMENT
TO REAL WORLD ACTION
What is the value of a comment or a “like” on
Facebook?
NO VALUE if we don‟t follow up!
Each time someone interacts with our page or post it‟s
an invitation for us to talk to them
We‟ve already done the hardest thing, which is getting
them to notice us. Don‟t waste it
It‟s not a “cold” contact because they either follow our
organization or we have friends in common. Mention the
connection to build trust
45.
46. •
•
•
•
Tagged with “MP General”
Flagged for “Initial Outreach”
All contact information he‟s shared with us is available
If he has interacted with us on Twitter or
Facebook, NationBuilder matches the names up and links his
social media accounts to his profile
47. CHALLENGES & ISSUES
Confidentiality: Community organizing data is kept
entirely separate from service & health data
Building relationships across demographics within the
youth community. Sometimes get stuck in the same
social networks
As program has skewed younger, guys in their late 20s
are not as interested
48. LESSONS LEARNED
Peer education more important than ever
Young gay guys have a strong desire to build a healthier gay
community
Young guys need a voice at the table
Elders to listen and not judge
Social Media is by far the best way to reach this
population, but must be done relevantly and intentionally
Taking a community organizing approach to health
programs is powerful
Youth are passionate and knowledgeable – empower them
to reach their potential
Ad lib explanation about the Mpowerment Model. Leaving out the engagement process (next slide)
Ad lib explanation about the Mpowerment Model. Leaving out the engagement process (next slide)
2010After ManCount Survey, it was clear more needed to be done for YGM.Research began into possible evidence-based community level interventions.2011#gayboysolution engagement campaign launched to build organizational capacity working with the target pop in the community and onlinePartnered with UCSF to adapt and implement Canada’s first Mpowerment Project.Partnered with HIM / Totally Outright to build first Core Group
2012Funding received from PHAC, TD Bank & TELUS.Launched project in May 2012.2013Funding received from Vancouver Foundation
Generation Y, Echo Boom Generation, iGenerationFor our purposes: Born 1982-2000. Anyone who is currently a teen or twenty-something (today’s youth)Political worldview has been shaped by 9/11 and subsequent wars, Great Recession, and the growth of technology-supported social movements (Anti-Globalization, Occupy, Marriage Equality, Environmentalism, Idle No More)Digital Natives. We’ve always had computers, and most have always had cellphones and social media.
Segue from last point about community into the next section
Growing up as a gay man outside of the lower mainland, I never knew what to expect when I first experienced the Vancouver “gay scene.” I can’t say what I encountered was either positive or negative, but was definitely an eye opener. I think that we experience a long for a sense of belonging. Growing up, where I did in Langley, I was never really exposed to homosexuality, and therefor didn’t know what to expect of the gay culture or lack there of. I think I speak for most gay men when I say that there is a need to discover our culture and determine those perimeters. As I started to make a few core friends within in the Vancouver gay community, I was introduced to alternatives to the night life, one of the most influential being Mpowerment. For me, one of the best parts about being apart of the Mpowerment core group is being surrounded by a community of great guys who are like-minded, passionate and involved in their community. I can confidently say that I have learnt so much about who I am and what it means to be apart of a healthy, sex positive environment yet at the same time not feel any pressure to connect with the other guys on a sexual level. As opposed to most of the other gay scene activities which focus primarily on the sexual encounter and level the individual still craving a sense of community or inclusion. It is so important that other young LGBTQ individuals get to experience mpowerment and like minded organizations and are able to feel apart of such a welcoming community. Most of my closets friends are people I have met at events hosted by mpowerment or at unmasked evenings.
Unprecedented access to communication and tolerance, good, right?
Spaces for young gay guys
Classic human geographyCritique of Marxism for just creating capitalist space, not allowing their society to be fully expressed
Guys, music, alcohol, dancing, but still very comfortable
40 guys crammed into our main space, listening attentively as we shared what we were thankful for
Diffusion of Innovation as on of Mpowerment’s core principlesWe could never reach all these guysThey are empowered as individuals, and we also empower our community to empower itself
IntroductionSelf introduction – GabePrevious experiences obtaining information about sex and health practices. - What resources I had: Highschool/University. - What I learned via media: Pop culture, internet- What I learned from my friends: Shared experiencesSelf introduction – Claire
Problem: Why Broadcasted information isn’t enoughHow we get health info typically {images of posters, campaigns} (Claire)This is typically very one-way and broadcast information,Oversimplification of the nuances and complications of testing and risk reductionLots of room for misinformationMakes it more difficult to know how to incorporate the information into our own lives and experience – the “what” without the “so what”
Things we learn about sex ed in school aren’t typically inclusive of all experiences, sexualities, genders, and identities (Gabe) Feeling left out of the sex ed that teaches how babies are madeThe stigma that surrounds sex and HIV makes it difficult to talk about in open and honest ways; we typically gossip or joke about itFeelings about obtaining health information from practitioners that didn’t relate – feeling judged, not able to relate, withholding informationHow friends obtained information – not always reliable with lots of myths
What is Peer Ed? (Claire)The power of learning from peersRelevantSafeRemoves the traditional hierarchy in education
Allows for facilitated discussionAcknowledges the knowledge and skills in the roomTwo-way discussionPutting information into relevant and relatable parts of our livesAllows us to explore all those “grey areas”
Peer Ed at YouthCOThrough the values of sex-positivity and inclusivityBeen doing it in schools for a number of yearsHave adapted it for the Mpowerment project
Peer Ed and Young Gay Men (Gabe)Experiences with YouthCONon-judgment and inclusiveness; more forthcoming with disclosing selfFeeling a sense of belonging in a non-sexual demeanor with other gay men; finding meaningFeeling a sense of security obtaining information from a credible source
Brief overview of Curriculum (posted on slide)Use check in a guidelines to establish group safetyEncourages all opinions and maintenance of respect for one anotherPlay games to encourage discussion and feel comfortable talking about sexTalk about not just the biology of HIV transmission, but also the complexity of relationships. Use a holistic perspective to also talk about our experiences within the context of our communityAllows for follow up with how to get involved
The importance of the program based on my own experienceAs an older participant – reflecting on impacts on young membersImportance of peer relational practiceEffectiveness – how mpowerment increases health promotion
Health programs are not school. People shouldn’t have to come simply “for their own good”
Anti-Globalization, Anti-War, Marriage Equality, Anti-Bullying, Obama Campaigns, Occupy, Arab Spring, Quebec Student Protests, Idle no More, Fuck Cancer, Movember, etc.