Back in October, we set up an online text message system for communicating with the young people who attend our activities. Many schools now use these types of systems that integrate with their databases to send messages to parents of pupils, but there are also many simpler services available for smaller organisations. To see a range of options, just search for bulk sms messaging.
We’ve found using group messaging really helpful. Our Ignite group has grown from an average of 40 young people each week to nearly 80 because most of the young people now receive a text reminding them of the time, venue and activity. Where many of them would come every few weeks, their attendance has grown because they know what is happening each week.
Using the system has also been really good when we’ve had to communicate changes to the programme such as cancelling an activity due to staff shortages. One simple text and most of the group know!
Bulk SMS
When setting up our service, we chose to use Bulk SMS because they offer charity rates and you can simply buy credits as you go. Although the service is relatively simple, it offers a range of options such as setting your Sender ID (the name that says who the text is from), allowing replies to your text, sending text by email, and even text a group from your own phone.
The only drawback I’ve found is that you can’t set the sender ID and have replies at the same time. While this may seem a limitation, it’s not been a problem for us as we didn’t really want the young people sending replies to the online system as we don’t check it regularly enough.
Texts to mobile numbers in the UK cost 1 credit per message (at charity and non-profit rates). Credits cost 3.5p (exc. VAT) each so you can buy 300 credits for £10.50. This is a subsidised cost in exchange for including the message ‘bulksms.co.uk’ on the end outgoing texts. When the credits run low, we just buy some more.
To get started, you can type in individual numbers or upload a formatted spreadsheet with the name and number of each contact. You can then organise them into groups such as Juniors and Seniors so when you send a message, you simply select the group(s) you want to send it to. It even lets you know when a phone number stops working and messages aren’t being delivered, by moving that contact to a ‘failed’ folder.
So does anyone else use text messages to communicate with young people? What systems have you found that work for you?
10 responses to “Using SMS with youth groups”
clickatell is pretty flexible – you can integrate into your own websites, theres also an igoogle widget and has the advantage that you can set it up to use the caller ID of a mobile phone so people can reply like they normally would to messages they receive.
http://www.clickatell.com/
Sounds like some winning features! Thanks for sharing Mike.
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really good insight Jon. Particularly interested in the aspect of updating people when a session is cancelled/changed – do you find you need to send to ALL, or that sending to a few can get the message out?
We've been thinking about it, and are hoping to start it in September, collating all the info, with the standard address check at the start of the academic year.
Good question, and one I need to experiment with. The few occasions we've had to change a session, I've simply text the whole group (as it's a one-click process). It would be interesting to try just texting a 'high-priority' smaller group and asking them to spread the word. I'd have to identify certain people who have contact with many of the others.
Hi Chris, we produced a postcard size form asking the young people to give us their mobile number separately from the main consent forms. This is so that they can voluntarily choose to give us their details. Having said that, I've also put space for it on the main consent form now as well.
Both these forms have a disclaimer that we will only message them about relevant activities and they can remove themselves at any time.
I find this is a great idea! We have some problems reaching the kids for our youth club "Das Luther".
I will try to find a provider here in Germany, who offers this group messaging service and telling you later how/if it was working.
Be blessed.
Ralf
Thanks Ralf, if you find a suitable service in Germany please share it here so others can use it too!
[…] ways in which youth workers are engaging digital media to connect with young people, Tim quotes my previous articles about using text messaging with youth groups. Here’s the beginning of the article: […]