Tag: social media

Join Our Social Media and Communications Team

Our UCV Communications Team is looking for someone to post web links to our facebook page. We’d like to post, on average, 5 links per week, preferably spread out over the week including posting the link for the Sunday morning service on Friday. Each post would only take you a couple of minutes if you regularly sign into facebook anyways.

You would be made an admin for the page and post as UCV (not as yourself). You would be welcome to get more involved than that such as adding photos, updating the cover photo more often, but that’s not required for the basic role.

Thanks to a growing team of volunteers, we have been able to increase our social media and web outreach over the past months and years.

Our Communications Team meets two or three times a year. You would be encouraged to attend to find out what else is happening and contribute your ideas. A lot goes on between meetings with individuals and sub-groups taking on tasks. Our meetings are mainly a check-in for individuals and small groups to report on what they’re doing and get feedback from others on their projects.

Video – We’d like to be able to do more

Our youtube channel has been mobilized. Here’s the link for Rev. Phillip Hewett’s Memorial Service and memories shared after the service.

 

People from across Canada and beyond have been so appreciative of being able to attend Phillip Hewett’s memorial service through youtube.

Among the notes I’ve received is one from Patricia Pavey (previously Yates) who attended UCV some time ago and is the composer of our “Carry the Flame” benediction. (And in case you’re wondering about the extra part that some congregations sing, that part was added by Louise Taylor who was music director at the Victoria congregation.)

We have podcasts of Sunday sermons

Click here to find the most recent three sermons–and check back regularly.

Our Closed Facebook Group

On advice from other congregations, we set up a Facebook Group (for community communications) that complements our Facebook page (for external/outreach communication). Our page has over 900 Likes (up from 800 in March, 2018).

You must have a facebook profile to join Members and Friends of Vancouver Unitarians. 

Note: you can see what’s on our Facebook page  even if you’re not on Facebook. If you are on Facebook – please go there regularly and like, comment and share. That’s how we increase our outreach.

Volunteers Needed

We need more help to continue to expand this work.

Some tasks, like posting links to our facebook page, take only a few minutes to do and don’t require much learning.

Most committees now have someone to post events and articles (“posts”) on the web but others need help getting their message out. Training is available and if you’ve used wordpress it will be easy to learn about our system.

We’d like more photos posted on instagram, facebook and the web, especially (with permission) of our many events and our beautiful campus (with people shown). If you like to take photos, we’d like to have you on board.

Other tasks such as editing videos (adding title pages, tweaking sound and light) take a lot of time. We need at least two more people if we’re to do video-recording, some of our events. Some ongoing tasks would only take about 15-30 minutes each week. Congregational consultant Peter Bowden says if he could suggest one thing it would be to do a very short video about the upcoming Sunday programs. Rev. Samaya Oakley of South Fraser Unitarians has been doing this.

How to attract and welcome visitors using social media

Are you interested in how Unitarian congregations can use social media well? I liked this article by Peter Bowden, emphasizing how much research visitors do before showing up in person and how important it is to respond very quickly to them.

Website Training

Free Computer Training 

Learn how to use our wordpress website

All sessions held in Hewett Centre, UCV Saturdays from 1 – 4 pm.
February 23, 2019 – Topic: How to access our website and post news items.
March 16, 2019 – Topic: How to create events on the website.
June 1, 2019 – Topic: respond to needs expressed from those attending the first two sessions.
(Scroll down to the bottom of the page to find links to the events on the web.)
Learn the Basics: 1-3 pm with instructor and 3- 4 pm Practice with volunteer coaches.
For Intermediate Level: 3-4 pm in Biddle for experienced web users to ask questions and work on a project with instructor and volunteer support. Instruction with Luke 3-3:30 pm and practice with volunteer coach 3:30 .- 4 pm

Who is this aimed at? How many people from each group can attend?

The sessions are aimed at volunteers of UCV Committees/Teams/Groups who would like to be able to post their committee information and events to the website. Each group can designate a maximum of two persons from within their group to attend the workshops.  Computer knowledge level is basic but you must know how to log in to the UCV website. Before attending you will be given sign in access.

What must I bring?

Your own electronic device (laptop, tablet or smart phone). 
The text for something you’d like to post to the website. (You’ll likely post as a draft and can add to it later)
Your sign-in user name and password (This will be sent to you prior to the class).

What can I do to prepare?

Try signing in at home to make sure you have access. (Login button is at the very bottom on the right)
There are videos and instruction sheets on posting to the website.
If you have ever posted to wordpress before, these would be helpful to look at for a review.
If you are absolutely brand new, look over these materials and decide whether it’s worth your time or you’d rather wait for the in-person training.

Must I attend all three workshops in this series or can I sign up for workshops separately?

Preferable to sign up for all three sessions.

How and when can I register?  

Contact Aurora Eyolfson, Congregation Administrator, at 604-261-7204 or ca@vancouverunitarians.ca .
Registration is open now.
Priority for intermediate level will be given to those who are currently posting to the web and want additional training and practice.   
There is a maximum of 12 attendees per workshop.
Luke Zukowski, Computers Made Easy

Who will provide the instruction?

Instruction provided by Luke Zukowski of RevealMax.
John Henderson and Galen Elfert are volunteer assistants

Future sessions will include

  • Social Media Basics & Intermediate – dates tba
  • Web Posting Advanced (for those who have completed the basic sessions) – dates tba – likely late spring
  • Posters and Brochures – Basic and Intermediate – Marcus Hynes – dates tba. Likely basics in May and Intermediate in early fall. 
These workshops are funded by the Robert Koerner Fund.  

Links to upcoming computer skills events

No Events

Our Website and Social Media: A Team Approach Through Training

“Excellent Sessions”

(Step One of a Planned Three-Year Initiative in Becoming More Computer Literate as a Congregation)

Luke Zukowski, Computers Made Easy

Yes, our first computer training series was well received.  Thanks to funding from the Robert Koerner fund, the Connect & Engage Team was able to provide training to 12 Unitarian volunteers. Luke Zukowski, technology consultant from RevealMax, facilitated four sessions in October/November at the Hewett Centre.

If you’d like to take a similar series,
please complete the survey here.

Our goal was to train more committee members to become proficient in the use of social media and, in particular, in navigating our website. Learning how to post articles and events would provide more up-to-date information of our numerous UCV activities. Having more folks acquire these skills will decrease the current demand on our very limited resources (namely, our staff and limited volunteers with advanced computer skills).
So, how did we do?  On the whole, the training went very well, as illustrated by feedback from some participants:
…thanks for the first social media workshop, Sheila. I thought Luke (the instructor) was very skilled and responsive to our circumstances.
Luke is amazing!
I thought it went very well apart from the technological hitch which usually occurs anyway!
Excellent session – pleasant and valuable.  Luke was knowledgeable and clear.
The instructor was on the whole very good and I definitely learned some valuable things.  The last two sessions though were too fast for a ‘real’ beginner… mixing levels was problematic. 
If you would like to access the information provided in these sessions, Luke has provided us with the following videos: https://1drv.ms/f/s!AuNdXk4Bx8U0gjIOQdZ3feihrBI2
Our success was due to the efforts of dedicated volunteers. Thank you to John Henderson who worked tirelessly in providing valuable background information to Luke and gave up three Saturday afternoons to help out during the sessions (and who is volunteering to do it again for Phase Two). To Galen Elfert who got us back on track after a technological glitch. To Cathy Sevcik who assisted participants.
We learned a lot from this first step toward enhancing the computer literacy of our hard-working volunteers. We are hoping to build on this success and offer a second year of training.  It  would include a more advanced wordpress series as well as a social media/instagram series.
Stay tuned for further news as we move toward Step Two.
If you’d like to take a similar series, please complete the survey here.

The Art of Instagram

Vancouver Unitarians are now active on instagram. Tanya approached our minister about getting instagram going and within a week we had an “Instagram” meeting. Tanya has offered to be the lead person/coordinator for up to six months during which time she’d mentor our youth to take it over

.

Some Insta-Information by Tanya Sullivan, our instagram poster and coordinator

If you’re on Instagram, follow us by searching for “vancouverunitarian”. Hope to see you online. When you post something of interest to Unitarians, add the hashtag #vancouverunitarian and #ucv

What is Instagram?

Instagram is a free, online photo-sharing application and social network platform that was acquired by Facebook in 2012. Instagram allows users to edit and upload photos and short videos through a mobile app.

Suggestions in graphic above and in text below.

Instagram is Centred on Storytelling

  • Everyone loves stories.
  • Instagram gives us a platform to tell our story.
  • It’s personal, easily accessible and visual format makes UVC’s stories more accessible.

Tip: In addition to posting photos of what’s going on, use “real time Insta-stories” to share UCV’s personality and wide range of happenings!

The Reach of Instagram is Large

  • Instagram offers a huge potential audience to UCV.
  • Vancouver is home to approx 630, 000 residents.
  • The Greater Vancouver Population is approx 2,400,000.
  • Instagram engages with 700 million monthly users!

Tip: Use #hashtags to increase engagement, attract other like minded individuals to our congregation and to let the world know what we’re up to!

Visual Content is Super Engaging

  • Photos are one of the most-engaging content on the Web.
  • 90% of information transmitted to the brain is visual.
  • Our brain processes visuals 60,000X faster than text.
  • What is posted on Instagram keeps people coming back to see what we’re up to!

Tip: Keep the photos bright, consistent and clear.

The follower should be able to devise their own story just from the photo!

It’s a Goldmine of Insights, Ideas, Opportunity and Feedback

  • Instagram allows UCV to reach out to other congregations, organizations, businesses, charities, influential people, groups, philanthropic agencies, activists and curious youth!
  • The more engagement we receive – the more ideas we’ll gather to create an accessible offerings to all UCV guests and existing members.

Tip: Follow other UU congregations, Inspiring members of our community and Organizations that you believe would take an intents in what we do. When you share the @vancouverunitarian posts – they’ll notice!

It’s Fun & Vibrant (Like Us!) 

  • Help us build our community by following @vancouverunitarian
  • There’s a lot going on around here – let’s share it!
  • Tag @vancouverunitarian in your posts, Insta-stories for us to create more easily accessible content.
  • Include #vancouverunitarians #ucv in your posts about the church and happenings when you post to Instagram.

Tip: Have fun! Post often! Comment and like @vancouverunitarian posts and share our content!

Peak Bull

It’s no secret that we’re contending with a world awash in bullying, post-truth, and alternative facts. Unitarians are committed by covenant to a “free and responsible search for truth and meaning.”

We look at what’s being called the new war on truth and consider how we could and should fight back