Mind is a UK mental health charity that provides support and challenges discrimination against those with mental health problems. It is facing funding cuts and falling donations, so it is turning to social media to engage communities and supporters. Social media allows Mind to personally connect with thousands quickly and cost-effectively. It uses social networks like Facebook and Twitter to share stories of those helped by Mind, recruit volunteers, and fundraise. While social media poses risks like reputation damage, Mind finds that being transparent, responsive and thanking supporters helps to maximize benefits and minimize risks of using these new channels.

1. Making Social Part of your DNA
Social Media Week London
16th February 2012
Making Social Part of your DNA

2. ENGAGING COMMUNITIES: TALKING
ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH ONLINE
Eve Critchley, Digital Officer, Mind
Making Social Part of your DNA

3. Who are we?
 We’re Mind, the mental health charity. We’re
here to make sure anyone with a mental
health problem has somewhere to turn for
advice and support.
Making Social Part of your DNA

4. What do we do?
 We’re a local and national network working
with around 250,000 people every year.
 We challenge discrimination, we give support
on and offline, we demand a better deal for
people for everyone with mental health
problems.
Making Social Part of your DNA

5. 1 IN 4 OF US ARE LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE
A MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM EVERY
YEAR.
Making Social Part of your DNA

6. Challenging times for the charity sector...
 The UK voluntary and community sector will
lose £911 million a year in public funding by
2015-16.
 Giving levels fell by around 10% during the
recession. (NCVO, Counting the Cuts, 2011)
 People have less to spare and fundraising is
becoming increasingly competitive.
Making Social Part of your DNA

7. So why social?
 It’s powerful - one message can reach
thousands in minutes
 It’s personal and relevant – people set the
agenda
 It’s informative - 86% of young people go
online for help with personal problems (Get
Connected, Connected Generation, 2010)
 It’s everywhere - 46% of the UK is on
Facebook
Making Social Part of your DNA

8. Social is the real world
 35 of the web’s top 50 brands are accounted
for by social media and ‘traditional’
businesses, up from 19 in 2004 (UKCOM/Nielson, 2011)
 Social media conversations are increasingly
reflecting the offline world.
 People are already talking about us. We
shouldn’t miss out on these conversations.
Making Social Part of your DNA

9. Meet Lisa
“I never knew of Mind
before my GP sent me
to a local Mind, but I
had never met anyone
so kind, supportive
and non-judgemental
that genuinely wanted
to help me.”
Making Social Part of your DNA

10. Lisa...
 helps to review the performance of local
Minds
 blogs for the Mind website
 engages with and supports our work through
Twitter and Facebook
 recently recruited a team of friends to join her
in a fundraising challenge.
Making Social Part of your DNA

11. People not donors
 40% of charities don’t take a holistic approach
to supporters. (CharityComms/Forster, 2011)
 People want to be involved in different ways,
they don’t see themselves as ‘donors’.
 We can be more efficient and provide a better
service if different departments work
together.
Making Social Part of your DNA

12. The bottom line
 Online fundraising raises around £10 for every
£1 spent on direct costs
 Average donation offline is £15, average
online donation is £30 (Race Online 2012, Survive and Thrive report)
 Build relationships now and we’ll have
stronger networks for future fundraising or
campaigning.
Making Social Part of your DNA

13. Beyond marketing...
 Community fundraising – recruiting
participants, motivating supporters, live
events coverage
 Campaigns – mobilising action, tapping into
grassroots movements, expanding our reach
 Media – recruiting case studies, building
relationships, sharing coverage
Making Social Part of your DNA

14. Risks
 Reputation and grievances
 Flaming and trolls
 Staff capacity and engagement
 Safeguarding staff’s mental health
 Setting boundaries
 Personal use of social media
Making Social Part of your DNA

15. Do
 Invest in content
 Be real and responsive
 Be transparent
 Prepare for difficult questions
 Thank people for their time and effort
Making Social Part of your DNA

16. Don’t
 Use a platform for the sake of it
 Cross the line from professional to personal
 Just tell people what to do
 Worry about having all the answers
 Set unrealistic expectations
Making Social Part of your DNA

17. Introducing the elephant...
Making Social Part of your DNA

18. Who is the elephant?
Right now, 1 in 6 workers is experiencing
depression, anxiety or stress.
Mental health at work is the elephant in the
room, it exists but is often ignored.
We can all take steps to make our workplaces
more mentally healthy.
Making Social Part of your DNA

19. What did we want from the elephant?
 To create something for employees to interact
with and share as part of our Taking Care of
Business campaign.
 To communicate the problem of ignoring
mental health at work, and the difference you
can make.
 To be flexible and realistic enough to work
through different channels.
Making Social Part of your DNA

20. Engaging with the elephant
 Friend him on Facebook
 Tag him in photos
 Talk to him in status updates, polls, likes and
comments
 Follow him on Twitter, see him check in to
businesses on Foursquare
Making Social Part of your DNA

21. Making Social Part of your DNA

22. The elephant as peer support
Making Social Part of your DNA

23. Final thoughts
 Be flexible – what you want might not be what
your audience wants
 Make the most of your digital champions –
internal and external
 Be prepared – acting quickly can make all the
difference
Making Social Part of your DNA

24. Thank you
e.critchley@mind.org.uk
Making Social Part of your DNA