MF&RS run a Street Based Team Project. This team engages with Young People in Liverpool signposting them to support/advisory and diversionary activities available within the community. They are looking for new ways to engage and inform the young people about the activities that are put in place, for example diversionary events around and on Bonfire Night. Having another form of engagement will allow the workers to continue supporting the Young People they meet after they have left the area and allows the Young People to contact the workers. This may be particularly useful if a Young Person does not feel comfortable asking the workers about an activity they are interested in, in front of their peers.
After meeting with the Project Coordinator we discussed using social media to connect with the Young People before, during and after the Street Based Team has been in the various areas. After hearing about the Police Officers using Twitter to keep their communities up to date with where they are patrolling and any important happenings or events, the team are keen to do something simular, inspired by the success of the Police. Using an instant feed such as Twitter or Facebook (or both!) will allow the workers to update the communities they are in about where they are, what they are doing and details of any activities or events or any safety messages or warnings.
Other ideas that we discussed included Bluetooth marketing. This is when a device pushes out Bluetooth messages to any mobile phone which has their Bluetooth enabled. The message can be text, images, video or audio. This has become a popular method of advertising on the high street, one example includes the public receiving a Bluetooth message when they walked near Pizza Hut, and the message would then enable them to receive a discount or an offer. Devices are also being used in combination with billboard advertising. With regards to the Street Based Teams, we discussed using these transmitters to send out messages to Young People when out on patrol to give out safety messages or details on where the team is or where an event is. They could be used during events as part of a game or offer incentives to help engagement with the Young People. There are endless scenarios where a transmitter could be used to push out messages containing various content to the public.

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