Why the fight against COVID-19 is reliant on the Power of People

COVID-19 has disrupted the status quo in ways, and at a scale, not seen for generations. Individual liberties have been restricted, political divisions cast aside for newfound consensus and collaboration (at least in some countries), traditional axes of power and influence have shifted, and our communities are rushing to find ways to contain the negative social and economic impacts arising from this pandemic. It seems that overnight, life as we once knew it has made way for a radically different reality. There’s talk of a ‘new normal’. We’re reimagining how we live, work, learn, play and connect. Yes, these challenges are confronting in so many ways; yet at the same time, they’re also proving to be profoundly humbling.

We are all part of the solution

The traditional power dynamic between ‘those who help’ and ‘those who need help’ no longer holds. We face an unparalleled situation in which we simultaneously find ourselves both in need and a necessary part of the solution. The experts remind us that containment measures such as physical distancing require 80–90% compliance, exposing a simple human truth:

Tackling COVID-19 requires shifts in our day-to-day, individual actions and collective behaviour.

Whether it be to flatten the curve, minimise secondary outbreaks, or to tackle isolation in our community, the strategies required to minimise community transmission are ultimately reliant on the Power of People. Interestingly, the challenge doesn’t appear to be convincing Australians — we’ve proved by-and-large to be a compliant lot, and the evidence suggests people are actively looking for hyper-local ways to support their family, friends, colleagues and communities to navigate this pandemic. The challenge is how we best meet this demand and demonstrate the global impact of our individual actions.

A platform for social action at scale

As the world’s largest humanitarian movement, Red Cross Red Crescent national societies have a unique opportunity to act as a platform for social action at scale.

How might we nurture and harness the Power of People to support our communities to navigate COVID-19 in safe, confident and connected ways?

Our research highlights that people are looking for inspiration, tools and resources to help them support their families, friends, colleagues and communities to navigate COVID-19. As a platform, we have the ability to connect, channel and amplify these efforts within and across networks in order to demonstrate how hyper-local action contributes to impact on a global scale.

We’ve recently launched Digital Advocates — a virtual space for community connectors that are looking to actively share tips + tools, spark action in others, encourage positive conversations and nurture connection.

Australian Red Cross is supporting this network by providing:

• regular updates on where to focus efforts to tackle COVID-19 (e.g. encouraging people to #StayHome)
• activities and challenges designed to spark and nurture action in others (e.g. share your ISO story)
• learning resources designed to grow awareness and readiness (e.g. why digital advocacy matters and the kind of impact you can have)
• access to tools and other resources to use and share with others (e.g. COVID Connect for people seeking daily social connection over the phone; a field guide by Playful Thinking on the psychological benefits of playing in isolation)

What have we learned so far?

• People are looking for inspiration and to feel a part of something bigger
• Connection to a like-minded community is a strong motivation for joining the movement
• Framing people as part of the solution, and making calls-to-action less altruistic and more focussed on proximate actions and impact, resonates strongly, particularly with young people
• A trusted brand like Red Cross makes the movement feel legitimate, but user-generated examples of the ways people are taking action have the strongest engagement (supporting the principle of crowd-led and curated action that’s facilitated, connected and elevated by Red Cross as a platform)
• Expert information and advice is important but needs to be translated into tangible actions people can take forward
• It’s easier to spark activating behaviour when there’s a well-defined goal and clear call-to-action that people can identify with (e.g. flatten the curve, be part of the 80%, stay home)
• Whilst it’s relatively easy to capture baseline metrics like reach and engagement, it’s much more difficult to get visibility of how people are using content and the impact it creates

How can you and your network get involved?

• Join the Australian Red Cross Digital Advocates Facebook group
• Watch the latest video announcement and read our weekly wrap-ups to learn more about our current areas of focus
• Post an introduction within the group — why did you join? what do you hope to get out of it?
• Browse our tools + learning resources
• Share a post or Insta story each week: using our tips to mobilise your own community, testing our tools with your friends, sparking a supportive conversation with others
• Invite others to join