We’ve brought together a group of young people to work on developing content for the YMCA Manchester social media channels!
Illustration credit: Tengku Ilyana.
A group of six young people are volunteering to co-produce our social media content. This involves creating illustrations, poetry and self-care makeup tutorials (and more!) in line with our core messages around self-expression and mental health resilience.
Their content will guide us as we continue to develop our messages and advice beyond the YMCA Manchester Instagram page, into Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
As well as developing thoughtful posts and videos, some of the group are using their technical skills to keep our feed as engaging as can be. One volunteer is using her digital know-how to edit our Instagram videos, for example, including our September Support posts.
The group will focus on things like ethos, or how we put our message across; visuals, such as illustrations and artwork; and creative content, like poetry, video tutorials, and other creative forms.
If you are under 25 and would like to get involved with the group’s work, contact michaelc@ymcamanchester.org.uk
Ethos
Since the coronavirus lockdown, we’ve ran 21-day social media campaigns on mental health-related themes. These are designed to educate and support our young people in a fun and celebratory way. The group’s work will make sure we’re always topical and responsive to young people’s needs and interests with each campaign, and help us to shape how we put the message across.
‘Let your passion drive you to do the unexpected’.
For example, a recent discussion about mental health resilience has informed some of our upcoming themes, which will centre around change. This includes both initiating positive change and the power of choice, as well as coping with forms of negative life change.
Participants used the metaphor of the lifecycle of a plant to show how we can embrace the power of change and its natural role in all of our lives, while one volunteer linked passion for her hobbies to the idea of change, saying: ‘let your passion drive you to do the unexpected’.
We think this quote is an inspiring representation of our ethos, and we’re excited to incorporate it into the upcoming social media themes!
Illustration credit: Tengku Ilyana.
Visuals
We have some great artists and illustrators on board, making our feeds as colourful and eye-catching as possible!
Creative Content
We also have some volunteers who have reflected on mental health resilience themes through their poetry, including this testament to the power of creative self-expression!
Purpose
When you want to melt into the ground.
When you haven’t smiled in weeks.
Remember this: you are here for a purpose.
You can create art, writing, music, drama, dance.
Take that emotion and create something with it
that will help the next person to create something.
That will make people feel something.
Fulfil your destiny.
Some of the group are volunteering alongside their studies, while others are using their experiences to enhance their CVs as they go into the world of work.
For more information and to find out how you can become a content co-creator, contact michaelc@ymcamanchester.org.uk
