Challenge
For nearly a century, the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Massachusetts (BBBSEM) has nurtured and empowered young people in our community. As the COVID pandemic unfolded, the organization foresaw a mental health crisis threatening the well-being of our youth.
In response to this increased need for support, BBBSEM partnered with Moira Studio to develop a 10-year communication strategy that would advocate for an increase in mentorship to address teenage mental health. With timely and relevant messaging, BBBSEM hoped to spark family conversations around kids’ struggles, attract caring mentors, and uplift Eastern Massachusetts’ youth.
Strategy
To develop a compelling communication strategy and support BBBSEM in safeguarding youth mental health, the Moira team took a deep dive into the community’s challenges. This would involve thoughtful research, extensive number crunching, and insightful analysis.
For six months, we interviewed kids, parents, and volunteers to discuss their impressions of the program, their hopes for the future, and challenges they may be facing. Through thoughtful workshops, Moira connected with the community to evaluate how systemic obstacles can affect younger generations and discover the effects this can have on their personal development.
With the information gathered, Moira was able to:
- Gain insights into the target audience
- Define the BBBSEM voice
- Determine the best ways to serve families
- Understand what motivates young people to give mentorship a try
- Inspire potential volunteers to participate as mentors
- Create a blueprint for future communications to reflect the love and effort that the team puts into their work
Results
Diving into the data from a place of care and respect yielded impactful results for Moira, BBBSEM, and the community. The outcome of this in-depth analysis was more than a guideline for successful marketing campaigns. It was a community-oriented communications plan that puts families first, to make mental health and mentorship accessible to the young people of Eastern Massachusetts.