What is your charities name and Mission?
Whizz-Kidz - we support disabled children and young people to live active and fun childhoods - through mobility equipment
wheelchair skills training, and through getting involved in our Kidz Board and ambassador groups. Whizz-Kidz is fun, vibrant, and young people are at the heart of what we do - and how we do it. We're all about young disabled people living independent and full lives.
What is your name?
Rob Dyson – the PR Manager.
How long have you been using Twitter and whose idea was it?
Only for about 9 or 10 months, and I’m happy to say it was mine – after being introduced to it during two seminars in the same week; first by the BBC’s Gem Stone at a Media Trust event and then by fundraising and new media consultant Rachel Beer at a CharityComms session.
What have you enjoyed so far whilst using Twitter?
I have really enjoyed discovering people that the charity has helped over the years; now tweeting us and sharing their stories with us. It’s been fun chatting to fundraisers too, particularly marathon runners, and egging them on. There’s a real community spirit that comes through – even in 140 characters.
Have there been incidents of followers doing something wonderful for you?
We’ve had lots of followers tweeting celebrities off their own back – and it’s fantastic to hear them describing us and how we’ve helped - in their own authentic voices. It was particularly wonderful to get back in touch with one mother of a disabled young man we first helped when he was 10 months old. He’s now 19, and mum has shared photos of him with us via twitpic, showing how as he became more independent over the years after receiving our equipment. This is what it’s all about for me!
What has been your biggest challenge to date?
Just trying to ‘find our voice’ really. That and working out the best times of the day to tweet to maximise readership and response. We’re now learning to use it more strategically and integrate our tweets with other online activity – perhaps a link to a facebook questionnaire, or asking people to comment on a video or picture on Flickr. It’s about building a presence and brand that’s coherent and not scattergun. This is the challenge.
Do you have a Twitter tip for other charities?
As above really – everyone is using twitter in a bit of a ‘suck it and see’ way, but the key is reiterating your current campaign messages or activity across the spectrum of mediums at your disposal. So elements of your DM campaign (for example) can be seen on your website and on facebook, and then your tweet call to actions are the same again; this is how successful charities – even very small ones like Stop the Traffik – create an impressive buzz around a movement. But it must be genuine engagement – not simply broadcasting – asking questions, listening to the answers.
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Would your charity / Non-profit like to take part? If so follow this link for instructions: Twitter Charity Interview questions
