Communication is one of the most important aspects of any community
Modernizing Our Outreach: Why Livestreaming and Vlogging Will Strengthen VSO engagement and membership.
Veteran Service Organizations, such as Disabled American Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion, are experiencing a significant decline in membership across most of their chapters. Especially when it comes to our newest generation of veterans. Membership and participation rates drop dramatically with veterans from the Millennial and Gen Z cohorts. This trend has been rising for some time, and so have concerns about VSO's ability to fulfill their mission, which is to serve those who have served. It has long been suggested that we, the Office Corps of the VSOs, should find a way to meet these vets where they are and engage them on their ground. They are online, they communicate, seek education, and entertain themselves via online content. This is where they are. This is where we need to be. To address this decline and remain relevant to younger generations, Veteran Service Organizations must modernize their outreach by establishing a strong, intentional presence in the digital spaces where Millennial and Gen Z veterans already gather.
- Lifetime membership
- Professional assistance to veterans and their families
- Representing the interests of disabled veterans.
- Providing a structure through which disabled veterans can express their compassion for their fellow veterans through a variety of volunteer programs.
Recent research by the Department of Veterans Affairs shows that post-9/11 veterans prefer flexible online engagement and are more likely to interact with organizations that have a strong digital presence. Platforms such as YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram are just a few low-barrier options our organizations could use to reach these veterans. The Disabled American Veterans have, in recent years, started posting national events on YouTube and have begun encouraging chapters to use online platforms for this very reason. The question still remains, why have the chapters and other VSOs not followed suit?
The American Legion
- A leading advocate for veterans and their families.
- Over 12,000 Posts serving local communities and veterans.
- Hosts charitable events.
- Youth incentives and scholarships.
I have heard members say that Livestreaming and blogging should not be necessary; it isn't appropriate. Traditional in-person meetings are what we do. Maybe they feel that online outreach will be too complicated or simply outside our culture.
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