Corona virus, community and collaboration: How OnTarget used social media to facilitate education

By Ellie Marlow

The Situation
The global pandemic has altered how everyone conducts their lives, and this is no different for OnTarget. Unable to send mentors into school to deliver our usual service, we explored alternative routes to ensure we could continue to provide benefits to the local and wider community. As has often occurred during this time of change and adaptation, social media emerged as a key resource. Its ability to connect people regardless of location has proved invaluable during this period of distance and isolation. Drawing on this powerful attribute, OnTarget adapted its operation to ensure our key aim of improving mental wellbeing and employability prospects, using student role models, was achieved.


The Solution
This began with us noticing a gap in support for parents and guardians having to teach their children at home due to school closures. We wanted to address this. Considering the multitude of students now without studies and more available time, we constructed the innovative solution to produce a network connecting the two. Consequently, we established a Facebook group where students post their degree and previous areas of study so parents and guardians had an easy and accessible bank of knowledge to draw on. In just over 24 hours, the group gained 200 members, with this momentum and popularity reflecting its need. Students with a wide range of academic backgrounds, including languages like Spanish, French, Lithuanian, Mandarin, Arabic, German and more, as well as multiple teaching qualifications and tutoring experiences, posted about their expertise. Having organised these topics with tags, we have generated a vital resource to supplement the transition to home education. The group now has over 350 members, including a school and teachers, with parents and students connecting to overcome the difficulties associated with the pandemic. Alongside starting constructive conversations, the OnTarget and Enactus Team have produced resources on employment skills to ensure students at home are not missing out on vital work aptitudes, such as infographics on how to make a good CV or ace an interview.


The Summary
In the face of a global challenge, we focused on the benefits of the local community. Despite physical separation, OnTarget utilised the values of social media to bring people together. Like our mentoring programme, we believe success is in simplicity. Therefore, we looked at the current situation and provided a resource that fits within this, using technology and student knowledge to produce a community intent on helping each other. The result has eased adjustment by creating a framework to facilitate crucial collaboration.


Find the link to the group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/953765111693412/