Reading Response: April 9th

Reading Response:

Community Outreach Strategies for Media

Assigned: April 9th

This brief reading certainly provides useful information for media groups here at Rollins. The idea of promoting a community event seems like a an excellent way to create a buzz, put faces to the organization’s name, engage with the community, and raise money for a good cause. In RTV’s case, for example, this made me think of RTV working with the Winter Park Day Nursery on something like their “trike-a-thon.”  Aaron and I heard about the trike-a-thon last semester, and were planning to volunteer, but later found that it got cancelled due to a lack of funds. Perhaps if RTV could partner with the nursery for the event, film, it, and provide volunteers, it could get off the ground and really become a big success here in town. At the same time, it could be good practice for RTV members to practice filming and have a good time. Also, perhaps we could turn it into our own competition somehow, maybe encouraging volunteers to also walk along with the kids and do a “walk-a-thon” sort of thing along with it. 

Reading Response March 26th

Reading Response

Hager and Brudney: Volunteer Management Practices

Assigned: March 26th

Today's reading by Hager and Brudney regarding techniques for volunteer management at charities definitely has parallels to sustaining volunteers at campus media organizations. For example, the authors mention that organizations should “invest in recognizing volunteers, providing training and professional development for them, and screening volunteers and matching them to organizational tasks.” They also stress that, “poor volunteer management practices result in more lost volunteers than people losing interest because of changing personal or family needs.” This really drives the point home that having the correct incentive and recognition for your volunteers is key to success. I also found it interesting that the authors suggested that, “charities that use volunteers to recruit other volunteers have higher retention rates. Having volunteers represent the charity implies trust, evidence of a positive organizational culture, and confidence that the charity provides a worthwhile experience for volunteers.” It is one thing to have a professor or administration member advocate a certain club or organization, but when actual student volunteers do the recruiting it becomes more meaningful and effective. That is what we are trying to achieve with our projects, but it is easier said than done. If, for instance, RTV had access to professional grade equipment and perhaps an intern program at a TV station, many more students might be interested in participating. 

Reading Response Downtown Community TV

Reading Response

Downtown Community Television:

A couple things stood out to be in the reading about the Downtown Community TV station in lower Manhattan. First, this station seems like the model for what a community TV station (and a college TV station) could be. They have great facilities, an energetic and active volunteer base, and talented people involved who are willing to teach others and pass on their craft. In addition, they are funded by the financial successes of the films created in their studios. Crucially, they also produce content which is (1) extremely relevant to the immediate community and (2) underreported by the mainstream media. Their wikipedia page shows that they have made award-winning films on a variety of important topics including homelessness, hunger, drug abuse,  the struggles of immigrants, and prostitution. I truly believe that RTV has the potential (further down the line) to be an engaging member of the Winter Park community, and touch on significant issues like these facing our own community.