January 5, 2017
FROM: Kirsten Brewer
[Note: Kirsten has accepted a new position at a land trust and will leave the Commission on January 13.]
Public Information Materials
The brochure geared towards potential part-time members has been sent to the printer; it should be printed by Wednesday, January 11. This brochure emphasizes the flexibility of AmeriCorps, the option to transfer an education award for older adults, and the availability of local service positions. It will be distributed to programs and organizations that may work with or serve adults looking for volunteer opportunities.
A window decal, with the AmeriCorps Logo and the phrase “serving here” should be delivered soon. These will be distributed to sponsoring organizations and host sites.
Two new retractable banners were delivered; one features national service, both AmeriCorps and Senior Corps, and the other features the Commission. Two tri-fold displays were delivered. These graphic panels have Velcro backs for easy swap in and out on a tabletop tri-fold. One display features Volunteer Maine and the other display features the Commission.
Other materials recently purchased for outreach include “AmeriCorps Supervisor” lapel pins and two screen printed tablecloths. The table covers are for tradeshow, recruitment, or other events where attendees need to see whose display they are approaching. One has AmeriCorps and the other is for the Commission.
Ross Cunningham is editing video footage from the Blaine House Conference to create a short film. A rough cut is complete, background music has been selected, and “b” roll images have been chosen.
I have revised and created new Service Enterprise pages on the Volunteer Maine website. Currently, several are in draft mode, but they should be live soon. I interviewed a Service Enterprise trainer to include a testimonial on the website.
Social Media & Web Communications
Other ongoing projects include updating our social media accounts (twitter and facebook) and distributing e-bulletins to our AmeriCorps and Senior Corps partners. In December the big social media campaign was a paid advertisement seeking contact information from AmeriCorps alumni in Maine. The post reached over 13,000 individual facebook users. The post asked users to complete an online survey asking for contact information and their willingness to distribute information about AmeriCorps in their communities. Seventeen individuals responded to the survey. The Commission facebook page now has over 1,000 likes.
The VolunteerMaine facebook post with the biggest reach in December was about the upcoming Certificate of Management of Volunteers. It was viewed by over 1,900 facebook users. The VolunteerMaine facebook paged gained a net 11 new likes.
In early January I released another edition of VolunteerFare, the e-newsletter.
Radio Ads
Six radio ads (two each for AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and VolunteerMaine) are in rotation on Maine’s radio stations as of December 26, 2016.
Program Marketing
Michael Ashmore and I had a conversation with Katrina Crowell, a marketing professional. She is willing to provide pro-bono training on branding and awareness to our grantees. We shared with her some of the challenges of AmeriCorps brand recognition in Maine. I will collect more information from programs about their needs and status on brand awareness; she will create for us a webinar for the programs.
On the MCCS website, on our grantees individual program page there is now a link to Service Year, or a program’s online application. The intent is to give potential recruits an easy ‘call to action’ and clear next step for how to apply.
I provided feedback to a grantee on a draft website design. The sponsoring organization is beginning a new branding initiative and the program director is working diligently to ensure the program and AmeriCorps is integrated into that effort.
I compiled a list of career fairs in Massachusetts and New Hampshire that may valuable opportunities for exposure to a large number of potential recruits.