'There is massive potential for every corps'

Regional Digital Manager Paul Nash talks about DigiFest and the digital support and training available to corps

What do you do?

I’m the link between corps across the territory and THQ when it comes to your digital needs. I’m here to help you learn and access tools and support that will assist you in your mission and ministry. I travel around divisions, chat with corps leaders and run webinars and training. I Iove it!

Why do you do what you do?

I’ve always had a passion for digital and was in education for 15 years before this role. I’ve been a member of The Salvation Army all my life. I remember as a kid going out to an open-air meeting and you’d have a band and it might draw people in. Today, the mobile phone is the high street – people are on social media and browsing websites, and digital outreach is our way of connecting with them where they are. Not every corps has a band, but we can all use digital tools to draw people in. I’m excited about helping us do that.

What’s the biggest hurdle people face when it comes to digital?

I think it’s a lack of knowledge. People can be scared sometimes – they hear stories about the adverse effects of social media, etc, but there are so many positives to using digital tools and platforms. We can help you learn and upskill, whether you’re new to digital or you want to know what tools are available. If you don’t have a clue about technology, someone in your corps might have that skillset. Corps leaders don’t have to do everything – most corps will have someone who knows how to use Facebook, for example. During the Covid-19 pandemic, a lot of corps used Facebook and YouTube in their ministry. Since then, a lot of people have stopped using those tools – there’s massive potential for every corps.

How many corps use their webpage to its full potential?

Out of roughly 600 corps webpages, about 150 haven’t been updated in the past year. It’s so important to have accurate information online, even if you update it every six months. If someone looks to see when your meeting is, but your webpage isn’t up to date, they might turn up to your hall and find no one there. They might not come back again.

Ahead of Christmas is a key time for updating that information: the Find Your Nearest Salvation Army map on salvationarmy.org.uk has a spike in traffic around Christmas, as people are looking to support The Salvation Army. We can help you with text for your webpage and, even if you’re not running a Christmas programme or appeal, we can help you with signposting to other corps or raising funds.

How can a corps improve their webpage?

Make sure to keep content up to date! Which we can help with. Plus one tip is to think about how accessible the language is: if you use an acronym like ‘Cameo’, for example, are you explaining what it is? If people don’t know what to expect, they mightnot come.

What support does the Digital Section provide?

The Digital Section has grown a lot in the past 18 months, so we can support you in more ways than ever before! We have a catalogue of tools, including TicketSource for event ticketing, Dotdigital for email marketing, contactless devices for payments and Fundraise Up for online donating and giving. We have resources to help with creating social pages and content, and we can help corps with Facebook pages when they’re closed. You are very welcome to email digital@salvationarmy.org.uk to find out more!

When does training take place?

We run webinars about once a month, and before Christmas we run those weekly. You can also book one-to-one meetings with me – I’m keen to listen and passionate about supporting you. On Wednesday 22 October, we're holding a day of sessions called DigiFest to help people find out more.

What is DigiFest and how can I attend?

DigiFest is an event to inspire and equip you in using digital tools in your ministry. It’s for anyone at a corps or THQ with an interest in or responsibilities around digital. We’ll talk about the tools that are available, how the Digital Section can support you, and answer any questions. It’s online and it’s free to attend. The Digital team would love to see you there!