Do Good. Volunteer. (DGV)
Star Publications (Malaysia) Berhad
Believing that some stories must be told because they have the power to inspire views, thoughts and action, The Star set out to play a role beyond reporting and translate this into action.
INTRODUCTION
As The People’s Paper, there was a realisation that a bigger role could be played in shaping society and its values. Believing that some stories must be told because they have the power to inspire views, thoughts and action, The Star set out to play a role beyond reporting and translate this into action.As a result, The Star identified several causes to champion. One of them was volunteerism, under the banner ‘Do Good. Volunteer’ (DGV) launched in 2012. Its collaboration and support of hundreds of NGOs throughout the years had unearthed a gap in the market. NGOs were in constant need of support and help to sustain their cause while on the other end of the spectrum, many Malaysians were keen to lend a hand but were unsure how to access these needs or where to begin. The Star would come in to connect the two parties, supporting the already inbuilt desire in Malaysians to help others.
FRAMEWORK AND STRATEGY
DGV was viewed from a holistic perspective enabling the Star to deliver impactful results i.e. to:- Build awareness: The Star spread the news on volunteerism via editorial content while ad campaigns were rolled out to inspire readers to take up the cause. DGV also stamped its presence on-ground through road shows at exhibitions and vehicle branding.
- Connect people: A volunteer matching portal (dogoodvolunteer.com) was launched to connect NGOs who needed assistance to volunteers who are eager to lend a hand.
- Engage: To create a push for volunteerism, The Star introduced Good Day Out, a monthly event that ferries volunteers to various locations to lend a hand to the needy. In addition, their partner Leaderonomics launched Do Good Academy to teach NGOs how to become sustainable.
- Take action: The Star’s Employee Volunteer Programme collaborated with UNHCR to supply food parcels for 100 refugee families every month, an initiative which continues to this day.
ACHIEVEMENT AND IMPACT
Since its inception, hundreds of volunteer opportunities have been posted and successfully volunteered for by the 8100 odd volunteers registered on DGV portal. DGV’s very own monthly volunteer event, Good Day Out saw approximately 300 volunteers lending a hand to seven NGOs of various causes. The Star’s Employee Volunteer Programme also played a part in lightening the burden of 800 refugee families via the monthly Food Parcel Programme.NGOs whom The Star collaborated with also expressed gratefulness for the assistance rendered and have reported an increase in awareness, donations and volunteers helping out their cause from the editorial publicities. More than 79 NGOs benefitted from the trainings conducted by Do Good Academy to help them become more sustainable.
As an initiative, DGV received regional recognition when it was awarded Bronze in the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards, Best in Community Service for two consecutive years (2013 & 2014), Bronze in the Marketing Events Awards, Best Event for Community Service 2013 and Gold in the Marketing Excellence Awards, Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility 2013.
FUTURE DIRECTION
With the holistic approach of building awareness, connecting people, engaging, and taking action, DGV set out to help individuals unleash and fulfil their intentions of doing good.As an initiative, DGV has given The Star an opportunity to offer inspiring content, actively contribute to the development of society and empower youths to take action for a better tomorrow.
The concentrated efforts on volunteerism throughout the year have been a fitting celebration for National Volunteer Year, for DGV, volunteers and NGOs alike. Looking ahead, Do Good. Volunteer. aims to reach out to more organisations and further instil the spirit of volunteerism among Malaysians, ultimately creating a nurturing and selfless society.
The Star media group has entities in 6 areas: Print, Digital, Radio TV, Events and Training. As a media company and custodian of The Star – the leading English daily – and The Star Online – the leading news portal in Malaysia – it is committed to bringing news and content that inspires views, thoughts and action in the community.
