Connect
How do you engage and nurture a membership scheme?
The Challenge
In 2019, TACT Fostering created a unique (and pretty wonderful) membership scheme for its care-experienced young people and adults aged 15 and above.
The transition from foster care to independent living can be immensely challenging, with many facing isolation, uncertainty, and lack of ongoing support networks. Connect aims to bridge this gap by providing a supportive ‘community for life’ that offers meaningful relationships, guidance, and resources tailored to members' needs.
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Being the first of its kind meant a big education task was required to reach stakeholders (TACT Fostering staff, carers, and potential members) with a clear message about what the scheme was (and wasn’t). It also meant there was no blueprint strategy for growing Connect’s membership or engaging existing members within the community.
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I began supporting Connect in October 2023, when the scheme had 156 members – 63% of whom weren’t opening the weekly newsletters (which had an average click-rate of only 8%), and 24% of whom weren’t accessing any of the online content or events.
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My goal was to provide strategic guidance, get hands-on with increasing understanding and engagement (both within the TACT Fostering organisation and within the Connect community) and increase membership so that more care-experienced people had access to guidance and support throughout their journey into adulthood and beyond.
The Solution
I began by taking a deep dive into their existing communications and content, as well as reviewing the results from an independent evaluation survey that had been recently undertaken.
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My findings were:
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Member newsletters were too long, weren’t centred around the top interests of members, didn’t incentivise further exploration on the online hub, and were being sent at a time that wasn’t best suited to the audience and their lifestyles.
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The online hub was missing content sections on some key support areas, was quite text-heavy, and needed greater co-creation with member-led content and some more light-touch and fun content.
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Internal communications sometimes required an over-investment of time or lacked clarity on how colleagues could support and the impact that would have.
Over an 18-month freelance contract period, I am proud to have supported the charity by:
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Creating clearer, more consistent and more engaging communications
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Introducing new content resources that were informed by member interests and needs (such as resources and guidance on finding, applying for, and starting new jobs and careers)
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Working directly with members to empower them in creating their own community blogs
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Introducing virtual games and fun challenges to encourage a curious exploration of everything membership offered
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Nurturing the experience of new members with a refreshed series of welcome emails
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Celebrating existing members through ‘Connect-aversary’ mailers and gifts
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Working with a talented videographer (who was also a member) to create more video content that increased accessibility and engagement
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Pioneering a ‘behind the curtains’ explainer video that gave a greater understanding of what – and how - young people and adults could access by joining this very special members-only community.
Nicola Fleury, Connect Lead
I have hugely appreciated Kirsty's digital engagement support and consultancy.
Kirsty has been invaluable in developing our Community for Life within TACT Fostering at all levels.
96% of members would recommend Connect
My final project for Connect was to conduct a new survey with members and create an update to the previous evaluation report.
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It confirmed that Connect (now with 211 members) is significantly exceeding its target outcomes in all areas - providing a socially supportive network, empowering young people and adults, broadening horizons, supporting wellbeing, and valuing lived experiences of care.
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Only one of the surveyed members answered that they hadn’t accessed at least one area of Connect over the last 12 months, there was increase to 96% of members who felt ownership of Connect (rather than recipients of a service), newsletters now had a healthy open rate of above 60% and an increased click-rate of up to 24%.
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All amazing stuff! But, the best news for me to depart on (having complete confidence that the scheme is now in a great place to continuing growing and engaging by themselves) was their achievement in becoming a multi-award-winning community!
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In November 2024, Connect won not one, but TWO awards! They were crowned the Gold Winner of the Technology-Enabled Lives and Innovation in Practice Award at the Social Worker of the Year Awards and picked up the trophy for the Leaving Care Award at the Children & Young People Now Awards!
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My time as a freelance Digital Engagement Officer with Connect will stay in my heart for a long time and I’m incredibly proud to have played a part in its success.
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If you need support with increasing engagement or clarifying communications within your organisation, I’d love to make a difference for you too…