The use of social
media today has expanded from personal publications and communication between
friends and family to something much bigger that allows more people to become
aware of what is going on in the world around us. It is used for news, to
follow the breaking stories in our community, and for businesses, to expand
their clientele and reach a broader audience. However, I have recently seen that
it has reached another area of our society – charities. These organizations,
along with other non-profits, are using social media as a tool to spread the
word about what they are doing and get more people involved. It is a great way
to reach a new audience and open people’s eyes to ways of becoming involved in
a community that needs their help. Two different organizations that I have been
aware of and their utilization of social media are the Edmonton Humane Society
(EHS) and the Second Chance Animal Rescue Society (SCARS).
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| EHS Logo. Retrieved from http://www.thebouce.ca/concerts-events/city-of-edmonton-animal-care-and-control-centre-open-house/edmonton-humane-society-log/ |
The EHS is a no kill
animal shelter, based here in Edmonton, that will take in any animal that comes
in, regardless of their health. I have known about this non-profit organization
for a while, even though I didn’t live in this city up until a year and a half
ago. When I moved to Edmonton to come to the U of A, I wished to volunteer, but
my studies and busy schedule prevented me from having the necessary time
commitment required. However, this has not stopped me from keeping up-to-date
with what is going on in their organization. Their website is very well developed and organized and with an easy to
navigate side bar, it is simple to become informed of their volunteering
opportunities, fundraisers, and adoption events along with their adoptable
animals. Immediately upon entering their site, a Twitter and Facebook feed are
presented. So not only are you able to explore their website, you can follow
them on Twitter, where they make
daily updates to keep the public informed, and visit their Facebook page, which shares pictures and statues about animals they
have, and events they hold. It makes it easy for one to stay informed with what
is going on with EHS through their use of social media and create more
awareness.
SCARS is another
non-profit organization in Edmonton, as well as Athabasca, that is volunteer
based. They rescue animals in a no-kill way and are a second chance for those
that were set to be euthanized or are homeless. Before this year, I had never
heard of this organization. But when I became a member of the Pre-Vet Animal
Health Club here at the U of A and joined their Facebook group, a status made
by another member informed me of a volunteering opportunity with SCARS. I
became interested instantly in knowing what they were about. I visited their website and found myself exploring and
learning more about what they do. The site was also easy to navigate, with
headings that were simple to follow and find ways in which I could help. A news
feed keeps readers informed of what is going on with SCARS in the community.
Upon exploring their site, I noticed a link to their Facebook page. I don’t visit this page often but it frequently
makes status updates to keep followers informed of their situation. I also
found them on Twitter. Although here
they don’t keep as updated as the EHS does, there are still numerous statuses
about events they are holding and inspiring animal stories. For a seemingly
smaller charity than EHS, it does a great job of keeping the public informed
and spreading the word about themselves.
These similar but
different organizations have both shown me how the use of social media has
grown. Although I am not able presently to be a part of these organizations
through volunteering, I can still stay informed and hear of events they hold,
which can become I way for me to be involved during my free time. Fellow
blogger Lauren also shares thoughts
on another charity, Dogs with Wings, that as utilized social media as a way of
spreading the word about their organization and who also agrees that social
media is a great way to keep the public updated. Throughout these sites and
social media pages, the one thing that I have definitely noticed that has been
held constant is the professionalism. Every post, status update and story made
is written in an appropriate manner that does not turn off readers or make them
think of the organization as unprofessional on any level. I believe this to be
very important, as being improper can make an organization appear much
different than it really is, and turn away much needed potential volunteers. It
is so great to see social media being used in such a positive way and is a
great platform to help make a bigger impact on today’s society
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