BALTIMORE COVAX
How might we support Value Peer Ambassadors in
engaging Baltimore Communities around COVAX?
The Baltimore City Health Department, partnering with Morgan State University, Johns Hopkins, and the Center for Social Design collaborated on an outreach campaign for Covid vaccinations. After identifying the limitations of one large outreach team, smaller “Value” groups were established. These groups are made up of individuals (Peer Ambassadors) who identify with the community they represent and can best understand the complexities and concerns of their community members.
The Center for Social Design team co-designed with Peer Ambassadors to identify challenges within PA's work and co-create trauma-informed interventions.
GUIDING QUESTIONS
What are challenges peer ambassadors currently face?
How are peer ambassadors currently engaging people, besides tabling?
What existing support systems are in place for peer ambassadors? What support is missing?
RESEARCH
Building Empathy
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Attending ambassador trainings
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Conducting secondary research into medial mistrust, Covid,
and vaccines
Primary Research
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Field observations at events and clinics
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Interviews
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Think tank and coordinator meetings
KEY INSIGHTS
PAs need new methods of engaging people who are starkly against the vaccine and wont be easily engaged.
There are many ideas for social media, but no strategy for virtual engagement or support for implementation.
Vaccine access for kids is pending, and there is currently no engagement plan in place to address this new vaccine group.
Ambassadors utilize hit-and-trial for communication strategies, but do not have avenues to share strategies amongst each other.
IDEATION AND PROTOTYPES
DIGITAL STORY TELLING TOOLKIT
Connecting with those opposed to vaccination.
Ambassadors will utilize
storytelling on social
media platforms to connect
with a diverse audience.
VAX ACTIVITY BOOKLET
Increasing Vaccination Amongst Children.
Providing kids with engaging materials about vaccination and accessible information for parents will help to dispel misinformation and fear.
AMBASSADOR DIRECTORY
Increasing Collaboration Among Ambassadors.
The Ambassador Directory is a place to celebrate PAs, highlight their accomplishments, and connect with one another and the general public.
INTERGENERATIONAL TIKTOK
Increasing Collaboration, Skill Sharing, and Digital Outreach
Collaboration between youth and older adult ambassadors using social media will build stronger relationships between the groups, increase tech competency for older ambassadors, and reach more youth.
IMPLEMENTATION
Intergenerational Social Media
&
Children's Activity Book
After facilitating workshops, our team compiled a social media guide for Youth Ambassadors to build autonomy creating new intergenerational social media videos. We pivoted to structuring an environment for Youth Ambassadors to test their session and build relationships with other Ambassador groups.
Our team created an activity book equipping children under 12 for the emotional readiness to receive their Covid vaccine. We varied the content to engage children ranging from 5-12. Inside each activity book is an insert with FAQ for parents. There is a text only version for digital access for residents who are visually impaired, Spanish and English versions, and other languages in the process of translation.
Credit to:
Kennedy McDaniel, Rhea Gupta, Xing Tianqiao, and Becky Slogeris
