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Raise Your Hand campaign re-launches for summer
June 22, 2009 — Just as more young workers are starting summer jobs or permanently entering the workforce, WorkSafeBC’s Raise Your Hand campaign is back.
This year’s campaign includes a re-designed web site, live events, and social media components. It encourages young workers to be pro-active about their own workplace safety and drives home the message that youth have the right and the responsibility to ask questions about their safety in the workplace.
To reach the target audience, the campaign uses popular social media sites like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Flicker to share information and get young workers excited about workplace safety.
“Traditional media — like TV, radio and magazines — are not typically where young people get their information anymore,” explains Scott McCloy, WorkSafeBC’s director of Communications, who oversaw development of the campaign. “We knew we had to reach young workers where they spend most of their time — online. And we needed to present the information in an authentic and engaging way.”
The Raise Your Hand crew will also be travelling to school campuses, events, and festivals all summer, speaking to young workers about workplace safety. Activities for young workers include:
- The button generator: Show your commitment to workplace safely by creating a Raise Your Hand button. Digitally customize your button by adding your photo and using themes, colours and backgrounds. Wear it at work, or post your virtual button to your blog or Facebook page.
- Try your hand at reporting: When you create a button, you will be entered in a contest to become the Raise Your Hand event correspondent. With your new camcorder in hand, you’ll take an all-expense paid trip to the Whistler’s Crankworx Festival to report on event activities. Your news video will be added to Raise Your Hand social networking sites.
- Raise Your Hand anthem: Missed your chance on Canadian Idol? Share your talent with the world by singing the new Raise Your Hand anthem at live events this summer. The best cuts will be featured on YouTube in an MTV style video.
“The goal is knowledge and empowerment,” McCloy says, “Young workers need to form a united front so they will feel comfortable speaking up about their safety and if required, challenging unsafe work environments.”
For more information, visit www.RaiseYourHand.com.