Support the Development of a Social Media Marketing Plan and Products
Activity/project background
Partner: Lupus Foundation of Jamaica (Local NGO)
The Lupus Foundation of Jamaica (LFJ) is a 40-year-old non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives and outcomes of persons affected by Lupus. Lupus is a serious, lifelong, autoimmune condition that affects thousands of Jamaicans, particularly the young, with life-altering, even life-threatening results. Knowledge and understanding of Lupus can help promote earlier diagnosis, reduce stigma, increase support, enhance effective self-management including accessing appropriate treatment and monitoring, and ultimately improve outcomes for those affected by Lupus. Social media has become a critical tool to promote awareness, empathy, a sense of connection/engagement with the cause, and support for LFJ’s work and programs through donation, volunteering, or membership. Therefore, LFJ seeks to work with a Virtual Service Pilot Participant (VSPP), savvy in social media, to bolster their digital messaging and services. This tool may also more effectively reach the young, which are the highest risk demographic for diagnosis and direct complications of Lupus.
The major campaign involved will throughout the month of October during Lupus Awareness Month (LAM). The social media engagement would begin one month before October and extend to one month after. This allows time for creating interest, inviting persons to participate in the social media campaign (through shares etc), providing sharable information about lupus or LAM activities, and finally saying thanks and reporting the outcomes of campaigns to the participants and audience.
LFJ has not previously worked with a Peace Corps Volunteer or a VSPP. They understand that the role of a VSPP is very different than a two-year Volunteer.
Virtual service engagement and tasks
The VSPP will engage in the following tasks, in collaboration with their Host Country Partners:
• Co-develop a comprehensive social media strategy to support the organization's goals and mission
• Co-create and publish compelling and shareable content across all social media platforms
• Provide guidance in managing and monitoring the organization's social media accounts, responding to comments and messages, and engaging with the community
• Develop and document processes and systems in alignment with best practices: content calendars, social media policies and guidelines, and templates for creating engaging social media posts:
• Assist with training and mentoring staff and volunteers – i.e., hands-on training on how to conduct research, work on social media platforms, create content, and analyze data to determine impact and results
This engagement is expected to be approximately 27 weeks. VSPPs are expected to engage on the tasks listed above for an estimated 5-15 hours per week.
Meetings between VSPPs and Host Country Counterparts will take place during normal office hours, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Jamaica time. Specific times will be determined during orientation.
The Host Country Counterpart will have access to Zoom, WhatsApp or Google Meet for regular communication and collaboration.
Per the Child Protection Code of Conduct, when engaging online with minors (0-18), two adults must be present.
Optional additional activities
The Peace Corps mission is to promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals:
- To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
- To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
- To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
Goal 1 will be achieved through the VSPP's engagement and completion of the above tasks. The counterpart and VSPP may also choose to identify an activity that aligns with Goal 2. Additionally, the VSPP may identify a Goal 3 activity to implement during their engagement. See recommendations and tools for Goal 3 activities.
Essential qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, journalism, public relations, or a related field
Experience:
• At least 1-2 years of experience in social media management
• Experience with creating social media content
Intercultural skills and motivation: Flexible, strong cross-cultural agility, high tolerance for ambiguity, able to work independently, resourceful, creative, and genuinely motivated and capable to serve virtually and in the non-profit sector
Desired qualifications
Technical Skills:
• A strong understanding of social media platforms and best practices
• Knowledge of graphic design, video editing, and other creative skills
• Familiarity with virtual engagement and communication
Experience:
• At least 2-3 years of experience in social media management, preferably in a nonprofit or cause-driven organization
• Experience working in a team
Terms and conditions of engagement
VSPPs will be engaging with the host country partner, in coordination with Peace Corps post staff, remotely from the US. They should have access to a computer, internet, and telephone in order to enable direct engagement with the Peace Corps overseas office and the Host Country Counterpart assigned by the host country partner.
Orientation with the host country partner will be provided, within the designated virtual service hours, during the first week of virtual service via an online presentation and discussion. The host country partner will provide an overview of its organization, the local context, and how they envision collaborating with the VSPP.
The VSPP will have regular check-ins with their counterpart and bi-weekly check-ins with Peace Corps staff. Spending unstructured time with counterparts can be critical to relationship-building and is encouraged through activities such as coffee chats and informal calls within the weekly 5-15 hours.
Engagement-specific safety and security
The VSPP will receive an orientation on Peace Corps’ Child Protection Policy and how it relates to online engagement along with IT security best practices. The VSPP will be expected to follow safety and security guidelines for online engagement to ensure their safety and that of the Host Country Partner and their counterpart, and any beneficiaries of the engagement.
Supervision requirements
The VSPP will report to a designated Peace Corps staff member. The VSPP will be expected to abide by the Virtual Service Pilot Participant and Donation Agreement and Participant Principles of Engagement. The VSPP will also be expected to check in with the designated host country counterpart as assigned by the host county partner.
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