Building an online community of supporters: the first nine months Priscilla Brice-Weller Making Links conference, October 2007

experiment: putting theory into practice

ANTaR’s online portfolio (so far): Website - http://www.antar.org.au Campaign website - http://seaofhands.antar.org.au MySpace friends - http://www.myspace.com/ant4r Facebook friends - http://www.facebook.com  “Sea of Hands” group Technorati - http://www.technorati.com/people/technorati/ANT4R 30 Boxes calendar - http://30boxes.com  “ANTaR” Delicious bookmarks - http://del.icio.us/Australians_for_native_title_and_reconciliation Flickr photos - http://www.flickr.com/photos/antar ActNow - http://www.actnow.com.au/Groups/ANTaR.aspx YouTube videos - http://www.youtube.com/seaofhands American-based activists - http://www.change.org  “ANTaR”

define our goals ANTaR’s 2007 goals: Become a trustworthy voice on Australian Indigenous issues Extend the reach of our electronic communications Inspire people to take action

ANTaR’s 2007 goals:

Become a trustworthy voice on Australian Indigenous issues

Extend the reach of our electronic communications

Inspire people to take action

Like most advocacy organisations, ANTaR is not elligible for tax-deductible status (DGR) 1-year grant for online campaigner’s wage Large donation for 1 piece of online campaign work fill our piggy bank

Like most advocacy organisations, ANTaR is not elligible for tax-deductible status (DGR)

1-year grant for online campaigner’s wage

Large donation for 1 piece of online campaign work

flesh out our plan 5-star ratings: Time Money Geek

http://lolnptech.blogspot.com/

Who are we engaging online? sympathisers activists Simple actions Professional activists Active members Easy actions Advocates Specific, tangible actions

Simple actions befriending subscribing forwarding learning

befriending

subscribing

forwarding

learning

Easy actions blogging signing petitions protesting wearing badge/shirt/wristband

blogging

signing petitions

protesting

wearing badge/shirt/wristband

Specific actions donating volunteering finding events to attend downloading and using online materials offline creating and uploading video/images

donating

volunteering

finding events to attend

downloading and using online materials offline

creating and uploading video/images

bridging the gap between “easy” and “specific” Simple actions: befriending subscribing forwarding learning Easy actions: blogging signing petitions emailing pollies or companies wearing badge/shirt learning more Specific actions: donating volunteering downloading and using online materials offline creating and uploading multimedia finding events

Simple actions:

befriending

subscribing

forwarding

learning

Easy actions:

blogging

signing petitions

emailing pollies or companies

wearing badge/shirt

learning more

Specific actions:

donating

volunteering

downloading and using online materials offline

creating and uploading multimedia

finding events

would you like to be more involved? people are motivated to get involved for many reasons including: guilt, anger, empathy & personal experience

what would you like to do? people have different skills, availability, access to resources, & levels of motivation

Online advocacy is very time-consuming but personal relationships are very valuable

Success Stories in Indigenous health: hard-copy booklet & online map

Sea of Hands campaign: physical installations & online application

# unique monthly visitors up 300% in first 9 months of ‘07

passionate about the issue/s passionate about online technology

passionate about the issue/s

passionate about online technology

www.antar.org.au www.solidariti.com