Podcast Training in Kelowna
We would like to share CUSO-VSO's experience in this field and invite Scott Paton to teach podcasting to this sector. He works mainly with private sector that pay up to $1,500 per person for this training.
Scott, after helping CUSO VSO, really feels strongly about supporting the non profit sector and would like to offer the course for $100 for 2 people from each charity for the day.
Please let me know if you need further details or have questions.
Place: Okanagan Heritage Museum- thanks to the Museum for offering us the space!
470 Queensway Ave at Ellis St. [ beside the bus loop ]
Date: July 15
Time: 9 am
Registration Fee $100 for NGO’s only. 2 Staff can attend. Register with umeeda.switlo@cuso-vso.org
Make Cheque to Designer Web solutions. Can pay on the 15th.
Podcast Bootcamp in Kelowna
One day Podcast Training
1) Introduction to Podcasting and the Un-Web
2) Set up Podcast show on MyPodcastWorld
3) Set up first episode
4) Record first audio podcast episode
5) Upload MP3 to MPW account
6) Ping Show
7) Submit to iTunes
A big part of the training is the time the participants spend together networking and sharing ideas on how to make their podcasts more interesting, educational, inspiring and fun!
The technical skills of podcasting are crucial to getting the podcast up and running, but the ability of the podcast host to keep the interest of their listeners/viewers is the key to long-term success. So we do spend some time on the content producing side of podcasting as well.
What is Podcasting?
The best way to look at podcasting is as your very own online radio or TV show without building and maintaining radio or TV stations. At its most basic, an audio or video file is uploaded to a server. Once uploaded, anyone who has previously subscribed to the show automatically downloads it onto their computer. From the computer, it can be listened to, burnt onto a DVD/CD, downloaded onto an iPod or other MP3/Video player. Apple reports iPod sales in excess of 100 million units. People, visiting iTunes to look for music and podcasts, spend almost 2 hours there per visit. iTunes recently announced the 4 billionth download from its site. Industry estimates suggest that over 65 million people around the world regularly listen to podcasts.
The Australian Broadcasting Company reports 500,000 downloads of its podcasts each week. The age of their Podcast listeners ranges from 40 to
54 years old. And almost 50% of their podcasts are downloaded from people outside of Australia.
CBC Radio 3 is Canada's most downloaded podcast, with 3.4 million downloads and at least 125,000 listeners a week.
It is important to keep in mind that 38% of the population are auditory learners. In other words, they prefer to listen than to read. This huge segment of the population was poorly served on the Internet until recently when High speed Internet connections became easily available and computer chips became fast enough to process audio and video. Three or four years ago only 50% of the population had broadband Internet connections. Today, we are close to 90%.
Podcasting started officially in September of 2004. The technology behind Podcasting is stable and robust. And most importantly, it is easy to use.
Unlike typing out reports and emails, Podcasting is very quick, creative and fun.
Benefits for Non-Profits
It is imperative that the Canadian public, the Federal Government and other interested parties can easily access relevant information about the Non-Profit's activities and successes in the field.
Podcasting, a multimedia communication platform, is a powerful channel for Non-Profits to use to meet its public engagement goals.
There are many ways for Non-Profits to use podcasting. I am quite certain that if we met for 20 or 30 minutes, we would quickly add to this list.
1) Podcasts create an oral history of the adventures Non-Profits
Volunteers experience in the field. As they document their weekly experiences, the Volunteer creates something of lasting value.
2) Podcasting connects the Volunteer with their extended family
better than any letter could. And it adds to the phone calls home. As time passes for the Volunteers, their family, friends and associates miss them. Podcasting lets them reconnect weekly.
Through the weekly podcasts, the Volunteers are able to reconnect with many - if not all - of their friends and family. The Podcast platform also gives the family and friends a way to respond instantly to the Volunteers Podcasts. If each Volunteer has a warm circle of 50 friends and family, and there are 250 Volunteers in the field at any one time, then the Non-Profits reaches 12,500 people, they never would otherwise. These individuals will tell their friends about the Podcast, and if that was another 10 per person, the Non-Profit's message reaches 125,000 people. Some of whom would become volunteers, donors, or attendees of the Non-Profit's fundraising events.
3) Connecting NGOS
International NGO's, like the Red Cross (who have 2 podcasts), can tune into what other Non-Profits is doing. All NGO's groups who are interested in the work each Non-Profit is doing in the field. As they know more of what other NGO's are doing, they are better able to spread the word and support each other as well as collaborate and share knowledge.
Fundraising
The podcasts give Non-Profits a higher profile worldwide. With the podcasts connecting the Volunteers and their families across the globe, it increases the base of potential donors and new Volunteers.
The Podcasts also provide verification to present day donors of the good decision they make when they donate to Non-Profits.
Inclusivity
Podcasts are easily listened to my all people, especially, visually impaired, ADD, Dyslexic, the reading challenged, and people who are auditory learners. Podcasts can also be recorded in any language. They can be in French, English and even the native tongue of the local community.
Reporting
Podcasts add transparency to the results based management system now in place. Non-Profits can hear directly from the Volunteers in the field what is happening, how they are doing, and because we communicate so much through more than just words, in our tone, pacing, pitch, the home office can get a better sense of how the Volunteers are really doing.
Training
The Volunteers would need 8 hours training to be competent making their own Podcast series. As well they would be learning the standards that the Non-Profits wants in their podcasts.
The training would include learning approved scripts for the introduction and sign off. How to record the MP3 file, edit it and upload it. They would actually do their first Podcast in the training.
We would launch the podcast and submit it to the best Internet directories so that it gets the best exposure.
Equipment Requirements
In order to make a Podcast, Volunteers have some small equipment requirements. They need a computer or access to one with a high speed Internet connection. They need a hand held digital recorders. Most recorders come with audio editing software. If it doesn't, there are free software programs available.
Recommended Software:
Sony Vegas Platinum Studio
Recommended hardware:
Computer
Sony Digital Recorder
Sony Bloggie video camera
Set up
Set up includes working with the Non-Profit's podcast platform for the Volunteers. Set up the system for giving the Volunteers their own Podcast site quickly and easily. Optimizing the Podcast pages to rank high in the search engines, like Google, so more people around the world and in Canada are exposed to the Non-Profit's story. It also includes consulting with the Director of Communications to set standards for the Volunteers as to what they should be talking about, how to approach certain situations in the field that may be challenging for the Volunteer.
