starting a Facebook page for the scout group??

[mckenzie]

I am not a leader but i am part of a small team who helps with fund-raising and organising events for our local scout group.

We are looking for other ways to get in touch with parents and the older scouts and explorers and this has been suggested as a way of keeping them in touch with what we are doing.

Can I just go ahead and set up an account in the name of the group (I have the leader's permission) or do I have to clear it with Facebook themselves in some way as it is not a sole person's account?

TIA

I would be wary of setting up a group page for anything! It is a minefield and takes quite a bit of work! If you don't maintain it, it gets very out of date and ends up a random list of posts.

You need to think about who would moderate it, who would have access, etc. It will turn out to be a pita. I have experience in doing this professionally and it takes a lot of time and effort!

The best way it to keep a database and email them! Of course, you need to have their permission to mail them and a 'take me off the list' option, and a 'this list not to be used for other purposes/used by 3rd parties...' etc.

If you have a budget, I would use an online mailing system (like CC but I suppose there are much cheaper ones out there for non business use).

I have set up a FB group for the club that I run and although it is a lot of work maintaining it, replying to queries etc it really is a great way to keep in touch. In saying that, about a third of our current members are members of the FB group so we cannot communicate with everyone using this system. We support this using good old fashioned letters and posters at the club.

thanks guys.

I already mail people with details of events but I'm hugely disappointed with the repines hence my desire to try another approach. Also, I figure I can reach the Explorers etc this way. I don't expect other people to post much on it, it's more just for us to advertise what we're up to.

Is there a 'Local Group' bit or noticeboard on the main scout association website?

You could potentially set it up as a fan page, rather than a group.

That way, posts would show up as being from the Scout Troop, rather than you. It also means that people like the page, rather than it being a group with members. I think it would just make it a bit more open and would work if you're just making general announcements/giving out general information, but you would obviously have to be careful with anything a bit more confidential (photos, children's names etc).

With a group, you would be able to make it closed or secret, so people would have to request to join and be approved, rather than anyone being able to see it.

To set up a group, you'd log in as you and just set it up. For a fan page, if you go to the Facebook homepage (logged out) you'll see it as an option.