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 MICA’s 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.
MICA’s Center for Social Design developed a plan to co-design with Peer Ambassadors to identify challenges within their jobs and co-create trauma-informed interventions.
GUIDING QUESTIONS
What are some challenges that peer ambassadors are currently facing?
How are peer ambassadors currently engaging people, besides tabling?
What existing support systems are in place for peer ambassadors? What support is still needed?
RESEARCH
Building Empathy
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Attending ambassador trainings
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Conducting secondary research into medial mistrust,
Covid, and vaccines -
Creating a project glossary
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 still starkly against the vax, they won't be easily convinced or engaged.
There is a plethora of ideas for social media, but no strategy for virtual engagement or support for implementation.
Vax access for kids is pending, and there’s 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.
If we enable ambassadors with the
power of storytelling on social
media, they will be able to connect
with a diverse audience.
VAX ACTIVITY BOOKLET
Increasing Vaccination Amongst Children & Combating Fear
If we provide kids with engaging materials about vaccination and information for parents, more kids will get vaccinated.
AMBASSADOR DIRECTORY
Increasing Collaboration Among Ambassadors.
The Ambassador Directory is a place to celebrate PAs, highlight their accomplishments, and connect them with one another and the general public.
INTERGENERATIONAL TIKTOK
Increasing Collaboration, Skill Sharing, and Digital Outreach
If we engage youth with older adult ambassadors around TikTok videos, we will build stronger relationships between the groups, more tech knowledge for older ambassadors, reach more youth on social media.
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.
Credits:
Becky Slogeris, Kennedy McDaniel, Rhea Gupta, Xing Tianqiao
