The Richmond Centre for Disability (RCD) has launched its own TV channel on YouTube – in a bid to reach a bigger audience and, potentially, generate some much-needed revenue.
Like most organizations, RCD has had to adapt to the pandemic, which has curtailed or halted its ability to offer its programs in person.
And it discovered that, while hosting its many Zoom video conferences last year, it was reaching clients it had never been able to before.
Starting Feb. 1, RCD will launch “RCD Sharenet” on YouTube, with “concise and focused 10-30 minute videos meant to connect our viewers to up-to-date and vital disability related information.”
The shows will run every Monday and Wednesday from 1-1:30 p.m. airing on the RCD YouTube channel.
“We launched our channel in December and have been playing around with it to see what we can do,” said Dave Thomson, RCD’s community outreach coordinator.
“We’re doing small videos of random stuff right now that people can get better at, such as tying knots, stretching, how to destress quickly.
“We’re trying to develop a bit of a brand. We’re launching this to also try and get enough subscribers to generate revenue. We are a non-profit after all. If we get to 400 (subscribers) and then 1,000, the revenue from YouTube keeps going up.”
RCD only has 195 subscribers right now, but Thomson and the RCD team is hopeful of the prospect that number will rise.
“With Sharenet, we’re trying to take a lot of our services, that you would get if you walked in, and put it on the channel,” explained Thomson.
“At the moment, we’re not quite reaching people like we used to. With Zoom, we are now reaching more people than we were able to before, so it’s about connecting with them through this channel, as well.”
In the coming weeks, RCD’s Sharenet videos will provide:
Information on RCD’s programming: Covid-related information, services and programs;
Disability information: Current and vital information from the disability community in the Lower Mainland relating to program services and support;
Peer to peer information: Peer to peer Information will provide viewers with hands-on realistic information from those in the disability community;
Pro chat sessions: Professional chat sessions will be an interview style with sought-after experts and professionals working in fields relevant to the disability community.
RCD’s YouTube channel is available now at
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Wprp0DhpGIs66KTb2xqag
