Virgin Unite: case studies
They inspire supporters, demonstrate impact for commissioners and showcase your work to campaigners. Case studies are crucial for charity communicators.
When I worked in magazines they’re the first thing I would ask a charity PR for when I called them to cover an issue or story. And yet often, they couldn’t provide me with them and so I wasn’t able to write about their work.
I enjoy working with charities to make sure they have case studies that meet their aims so they don’t miss out on similar opportunities.
Entrepreneurs
I’ve worked with Virgin Unite, the charitable foundation of Virgin, to write various case studies showing the work that they do supporting social entrepreneurs.
The charity runs centres of entrepreneurship in Johannesburg South Africa and Kingston Jamaica, providing budding social entrepreneurs with the skills, resources and experience they need to make their business a success.
I spoke to entrepreneurs at the centres about their business and wrote structured web copy that told their story in an inspiring way. Their businesses included everything from protecting the Caribbean’s coral reef to getting a radio station in Soweto, South Africa’s biggest township, off the ground.
My Caribbean entrepreneur case studies featured in press coverage about the Branson Centre when it opened in autumn 2011, including the ‘Metro‘.
Businesses
I’ve also written around 50 case studies of businesses with social aims for Virgin Unite’s website about Richard Branson’s new book ‘Screw Business as Usual’. I researched each company, including John Lewis and Innocent, and then wrote up a 230-word case study explaining why they are “screwing business as usual”. Virgin Unite is enagaing supporters with these stories, asking them to recommend businesses to profile on the site.
Read the stories of Branson Centre entrepreneurs in the Caribbean.
