Video Volunteers

"How do you work better with the government?" A question that's turning more and more heads grey at scale! Video Volunteers dug into this challenge and found that the real impact comes from balancing collaboration and persistence when working with the government. This approach boosted VV’s impact by 45%, reaching an additional 4.5 million people over the past year. But how to do it? Community Content Creators (CCs) experienced a shift in their mindset through VV’s training, viewing government officials as partners in co-creation. This small but powerful change enabled CCs to combine grassroots insights with government authority for mutually beneficial outcomes. Curious about how this shift worked? Read the full report for the key strategies developed by the CCs themselves. #NGOImpact #CommunityCollaboration #CitizenEmpowerment #SocialChange #GrassrootsAction Jessica Mayberry Stalin K Ashoka ASPIRe Amrita Sunita Anand Heena Singhal Zaheen Singh Gabrielle Kruks-Wisner Tanu Kumar Shabnam Begum Shankarlal Raikwar Kashif Akhtar Rasita Chik Baraik Madhur Kumar Anil Kumar Bideshini Kumkum Bhagya Shahroz Fatima Poonam Verma

Video Volunteers is proud to introduce our newest chapter: a research vertical committed to amplifying the power of citizen voice. We’re exploring how grassroots stories can redefine development by putting communities at the center. If you're passionate about research on the power of citizen voice, we’d love to connect. We’re actively looking for collaborators to join us on this mission. #CentertheCommunityVoice Video Volunteers

Aamir Ahmad became the first Kashmiri player to play in a national kabaddi league, Pro Kabadi League . He was sold to Jaipur Pink Panthers for Rs 09 lakh in the recent auction. Watch his inspirational story on the link mentioned below : https://lnkd.in/gZmWm-4e My Story for Video Volunteers #Kashmir #players #kabaddi #prokabaddi #sports https://lnkd.in/gZm7ZHP9

Excited to be a part of this!

Did you know? 20% of government officials are eager to collaborate with citizens to create real impact. From awareness workshops to local surveys, these partnerships have the potential to drive change at scale. Deep dive into the full report to discover what officials are truly looking for in citizen-led initiatives. https://lnkd.in/gVQr3nrh #CollaborativeGovernance #CommunityLeadership #CitizenEmpowerment #GrassrootsAction #SocialChange Jessica Mayberry Stalin K Ashoka ASPIRe Amrita Sunita Anand Heena Singhal Zaheen Singh Gabrielle Kruks-Wisner Tanu Kumar Shabnam Begum Shankarlal Raikwar Kashif Akhtar Rasita Chik Baraik Madhur Kumar Anil Kumar Bideshini Kumkum Bhagya Shahroz Fatima Poonam Verma

What if a small shift in perspective could help you change millions of lives? It’s not a dream—it’s a reality! Just ask Shabnam Begum from Uttar Pradesh. She’s helped women gain recognition for their cultural contributions and secured housing certifications for leprosy patients. If she can, so can you! To help you get started, here are 10 Golden Secrets shared by Community Content Creators (CCs)—the unsung heroes driving change in their communities. Ready to collaborate with the government? Start here: 1. Pitch Perfect: For clarity and confidence, practice, practice and practice 2. Build Bridges, Not Barriers: Show officials you’re here to inform, not expose. 3. Stay Connected: Keep in touch and be patient—good things take time. 4. Be a Community Star: Highlight local support and involve the community 5. Respect Wins: Positivity, respect, and recognition go a long way. 6. Know Your Stuff: Arm yourself with local knowledge and solid research. 7. Sell Yourself: Showcase your bio and past wins to build credibility. 8. Find Common Ground: Align your goals with the officials for smoother collaboration. 9. Fair Share: Let officials respond before you publish—balance is key! 10. Start Where It Began: Solve problems at the source before escalating. Curious to dive deeper? Check out the full report on how Community Content Creators are making waves across the country! https://lnkd.in/gVQr3nrh #NGOImpact #CommunityCollaboration #CitizenEmpowerment #SocialChange #GrassrootsAction Jessica Mayberry Stalin K Ashoka ASPIRe Amrita Sunita Anand Heena Singhal Zaheen Singh Gabrielle Kruks-Wisner Tanu Kumar Shabnam Begum Shankarlal Raikwar Kashif Akhtar Rasita Chik Baraik Madhur Kumar Anil Kumar Bideshini Kumkum Bhagya Shahroz Fatima Poonam Verma

What I love about #ClimateWeek2023 and the #UNGA Side Events is the sheer diversity of sessions. Because there’s no single curator, you get everything—from glittery corporate events and pay-to-play PR panels to serious policy discussions and community talking circles rooted in anti-racism and indigenous rights. As someone dedicated to amplifying community voice, I’ve always found the most powerful conversations are those that center ‘listening circles’ and elevate people with lived experience. Even here - in rooms filled with powerful people - as I watch the faces of the audience I observe that the people speaking from their lived experience of injustice voices command the most respect and leave the deepest impact. That's how it should be. One speaker reminded us that when we seek the input of someone with lived experience, we should pay them as we would a lawyer or doctor. This resonated deeply—it’s about valuing lived expertise as much as learned expertise. Another powerful message was about the need for spaces where people can “think out loud” while feeling supported by attentive listeners. Often, it’s in these seemingly rambling moments that new, transformative ideas emerge. Yet, the majority of sessions are still speeches or panel discussions, leaving little room for deep, co-creative conversations. I long for spaces where people can genuinely connect in unexpected ways, breaking down barriers to foster real, impactful dialogue. As a social entrepreneur, I find it challenging to have my voice heard in these high-stakes settings—how much harder is it for communities that aren’t even in the room? This is the core of what we strive to do at Video Volunteers. There are other promising initiatives here, like the Unmute Manual, which aims to make the UN more participatory, and efforts to integrate citizen-generated data into official UN processes, something VV has been involved in for years. I also attended a session by the Population Council showcasing four innovative SDG data dashboards focused on adolescent girls. This is important work we must build on, and we need two things: 1. We need a commitment from everyone to actively seek out sessions with the most diverse voices and, once there, to resist the urge to gravitate toward the most powerful people in the room.  2. We need technology that allows us to instantly access the perspectives of those with lived experience—right in the moment, as discussions unfold. Imagine a tool where, during an UNGA panel, speakers could ask questions and immediately hear from people on the ground, challenging and enriching the conversation in real time. There's incredible potential for technology to reshape how we gather, listen, and act. Who’s working on this? Who wants to collaborate with our network of grassroots communicators across India? Who’s ready to unleash the power of community wisdom at UNGA and Climate Week next year? Let’s make this happen. #VideoVolunteers #CommunityVoices

Video Volunteers is at UNGA 79! . . Our Founder Jessica Mayberry will be attending key sessions across NYC. If you're around and want to connect, drop us a message. Let’s collaborate on amplifying community voices and driving impactful change together! #UNGA79 #CommunityVoices #GlobalImpact #unga #unitednationsgeneralassembly #unitednations #socialimpact #development #AI #tech #data #empowerment #partnership #citizendata #SDGs #communitydevelopment

Interesting read for those interested in the power of community voices!

📹 Empowering Voices through Storytelling 📹 Two remarkable women associated with Video Volunteers  have turned their struggles into powerful stories of change. From overcoming child marriage to challenging gender inequality, their videos highlight the issues faced by marginalized communities in India. 🔗 Read their inspiring journeys and how @VideoVolunteers’ work on first-person-storytelling is transforming lives in this article by Al Jazeera: https://rb.gy/uwn3rk . #CommunityMedia #SocialImpact #Storytelling #GrassrootsChange #MediaForChange #AlJazeera