In late June of this year, PRISM partnered up with the non-profit organization, Promote Care & Prevent Harm, to share our knowledge of the ever-changing digital landscape and experience developing innovative solutions through using social media.
Promote Care & Prevent Harm is a South Texas-based non-profit organization that empowers students and young activists to create a more compassionate culture by promoting safety, connection, wellness, and peace, as well as, by preventing the spread of COVID-19, loneliness, illness, and violence. The organization’s journey began in response to the school shooting that took place at Virginia Tech on April 16, 2007. The group of young activists was moved by the moments of resilience that followed the traumatic event and sought out to build a better culture through transforming research into youth programs.
The non-profit organization's origins especially stood out to Mckenzie Collins, the PRISMite who led the workshops. While reflecting on her experience, Collins elaborated on how Promote Care & Prevent Harm’s story motivated her to take on this new challenge:
“I decided to take on this role with PCPH because the organization hits so close to home as a Virginia Tech student. Teaching is hard, especially when it’s over Zoom, but it was a very eye-opening experience.”
Collins decided to take on the role after PRISM’s Chief Marketing Officers, Hanna Kron and Savannah Meredith reached out to her about the opportunity to share her social media expertise. She taught a total of two workshops. One discussing the basics of implementing social media campaigns and the second focusing on mobilizing social media recruitment efforts.
The goal of these workshops was to help give members of Promote Care & Prevent Harm’s new COVID-19 Safety Corps Fellowship program the tools they need to apply their own voices to help the most vulnerable and least seen in their communities through social media strategy.
“Seeing the students from cohort one of the Safety Corps have that lightbulb moment happen for them when it came to recruiting students for their passions projects was really rewarding.”
While looking back on the time she spent with cohort one from Promote Care & Prevent Harm, Collins explained what she hopes the group gained from her lessons:
“I hope they had a better understanding of the power that can be harnessed from social media. It’s more than just scrolling and double-tapping, it can be used to create a movement.”
PRISM looks forward to seeing how Promote Care & Prevent Harm will implement their newfound social media knowledge to help aid them in carrying out their noble mission and vision. We have no doubt that they will continue to empower young leaders and activists to create change for the better by promoting care and preventing harm.