Communications Consulting for Human Service Organizations
Tech in Human Services
I’m curious about your ideas, questions, frustrations, aspirations about using technology in social services. Check out my podcast, share some research, learn about the Nonprofit Service Canvas!
Consulting
From strategy to implementation, I can help your organization move forward to make better use of online technology in your service delivery.
Training
Social media 101 to pro. Introducing technology as a service channel. Let’s talk about how I can orient and train your management and staff.
Writing | Editing | Research
Need some web content? Looking for someone to interview and profile an influencer in your network?
My name is Marco and I work as a Communications Strategist for human service organizations, with a focus on digital strategy and online services. I'm mainly focused on agencies providing services to immigrants/refugees. But, I've worked in a variety of non-profit sectors, including employment services, information and referral and various community-based technology projects. I can help you harness the communications & network potential of web and social media in your work. I can help you develop and implement the strategy you need to move your services online effectively, securely, centred on your clients. You're probably not interested in geeking out on tech. Technology and social media are a means to an end. You probably care about the end. This is reasonable. Let's talk. It'll be fun. And useful. I promise. :-)
The team!
Marco Campana
Thoughts from people I've worked with.
Thoughts and articles
Power searching on 211Ontario – because you should know how
When it comes to I&R, one of the sites you should be using frequently, and as a power user, is your local 211 site. But, 211 sites are not always the most user friendly. You might find search results a bit confusing, or are unsure how to start, etc. We created a screen cast walking course participants through the 211Ontario site.
What knowledge, skills and attitudes do settlement workers need in the digital era?
At a workshop last year, I asked a group of participants to break into groups and identify the top four things settlement workers need to know, top four skills that they must possess, and the top four work-related attitudes and behaviours in the era of digital service delivery. Interestingly, there wasn’t much overlap between groups. This suggests the richness of human service work, as well as its complexity.
Innovative Outreach Strategies in the Immigrant Settlement Sector (video recording)
I recently presented at a workshop focused on innovative outreach approaches and thought I’d share my presentation here. My piece of the morning looked at how technology can help with that outreach.
TiHS Episode 12: Marc-André Séguin – so you want to immigrate, there’s a chatbot for that!
In this episode, I spoke with Marc-André Séguin, an immigration lawyer with the firm Exeo, in Montreal. Earlier this year, Marc-André launched the first immigration chatbot in Canada. Immigration Virtual Assistant, or IVA, is a Facebook Messenger-based chatbot.
TiHS Episode 11: Madison Watson – online service means a shift in how you do your work
I asked Madison what it’s like to shift from a predominantly in-person service culture to an online-only service. She provides a refreshingly candid overview of some of the challenges they faced.
Introducing the Nonprofit Service Canvas
This is a new tool to help you create a quick proposal for a new service idea. The Nonprofit Service Canvas is a quick and easy, but comprehensive, way to capture your project idea. It’s useful for both front line workers and organization managers/leaders.
Social Media as Strategy: Tools for Community Engagement and Development
Strategy, strategy, strategy. That’s what you’ll hear when you read any good social media or technology in human service article. It’s an essential piece of getting started, doing it well, learning from your forays into technology use, and refining your approach.
TiHS Episode 10: Renee Black – providing new tools for human service workers & their clients
In March of this year, PeaceGeeks was one of the winners of the Google Impact Challenge. They took home $750,000 to bring their “Services Advisor” mobile app/system to Canada (previously used in Jordan with UNHCR) focused on connecting newcomers to Canada with services, including service tracking, etc.
Standards for online service delivery – some useful starting points
In Canada and the United States, most human service workers work in unregulated professions, such as immigrant settlement work and employment support professionals. You can turn to the Social Work field for useful standards, guidelines and protocols.
Combatting “incomplete and false information spreading like wildfire throughout the community”
We already know that technology and social media, including pre-arrival services, are useful in client service. Getting into post-arrival, diaspora, uses of technology is also important to look at. But, what do we really know and understand about immigrant information seeking habits and technology use in human services?