Costume Parties, Bike Lights and Friends: Lessons in Vaccinating Youth
In Pasadena, California, almost 90% of eligible residents in the community are vaccinated, a resounding success compared to the 72.5% rate of vaccinations statewide. Results like this indicate that something important is being done right, or in the case of Day One, a local nonprofit community organization, quite a lot of things.
In March 2020, when the California stay-at-home order first went into effect, the Day One team knew they would need to be creative in reimagining how they would continue supporting youth and families during the pandemic. With over 30 years of experience in building vibrant, healthy cities through public health strategies and youth empowerment, Day One was already an integral part of the Pasadena community for years and experts in outreach. They knew there would be a lot of work to do to keep local kids safe and informed.
Below is a look at some of the many strategies the Day One team utilized for success in reaching and vaccinating as many youth as possible.
Make it fun
“We recognized early on that kids in the community really craved a sense of normalcy, so we hosted a whole roster of outdoor events that were fun and engaging,” says Christy Zamani, Executive Director of Day One. From costumed bike rides to meditation sessions to beach parties, Day One kept a packed calendar of events which helped get kids out of the house, improving physical and mental health. These events also doubled as safe spaces to get information about COVID-19 and to talk about their concerns.
Give them incentives they actually want and need
One of Day One’s popular programs is their community health work connecting low-income families with free bicycles and free bike repairs, so they knew they could appeal to Pasadena's love of pedaling in order to help get the word out about COVID-19 safety. Day One set up distribution stations for bike lights and bike helmets at 42 pop-up stands at community events, laundromats and grocery stores around the city to draw over 1,500 people in and share information about vaccinations.
They also learned from hosting “Study Zone” events, using the organization’s yard as a space for kids to do schoolwork outside of their homes, that a lot of students needed headphones for home learning. By hosting a headphone drive to receive and distribute donations, Day One was able to gift over 185 pairs of headphones to local youth, while also using the event to engage families and dispel COVID-19 misinformation myths.
Meet them where they are
As youth transitioned back to in-person school and other activities, their schedules quickly filled up again. Christy and her team kept up by bringing vaccine clinics directly to the places youth were spending time, making it as easy as possible for young people to get vaccinated. Partnering with several academic institutions around the city, Day One hosted pop-up vaccine clinics for students at junior colleges and other campuses, catching their eye on their way to class. For busy families, they hosted a popular drive-through vaccination event with coffee and doughnuts, creating a sweet pit stop for people on the go. And for Halloween, they’ll host another free vaccine clinic for younger kids and families at the Trunk or Treat event in front of Pasadena City Hall, where various organizations will deck their car trunks out in Halloween decorations and give out candy.
Use the right messengers
Day One knew that youth and students need to hear from their peers, not just the adults in the community, so they showcased the real stories of their Youth Advocates as well as other students at various schools through videos.
“I got vaccinated to protect myself, my family and my friends from COVID-19. The more people are vaccinated, the more things we can start doing again. Don’t miss your shot,” said Alex Chew, a senior at Marshall Fundamental School. The video below is one of many Instagram stories that highlight the voices of students across Pasadena, sharing their personal reasons for getting vaccinated.
Christy believes another critical element to Day One’s social media success was a local community photo shoot, where they invited key leaders, including local church pastors, nonprofit leaders, day laborers, restaurant workers, business owners, elected officials and everyday residents to represent their #VaccinatePasadena and #CrushCovid campaign. They shared social media posts developed from the photos with their 30-50 community partners, including Pasadena’s Public Health Department, so these images spread across the city. “It was really inclusive and reflected our community, and I think it was very powerful to see images of these people you trust encouraging you to fight COVID-19 together,” said Christy.
CONGRATULATIONS Day One and Pasadena!
TTH is proud to fund the important work that Day One is doing on the ground for all Pasadena’s youth. Like many other organizations across our state, they quickly and creatively expanded their community-based programs, leveraged new and existing partnerships with local government and nonprofits, and built upon what they do best, reaching youth, to change the statistics in their neighborhoods. As families and organizations across the country prepare for children under 12 to qualify for and receive vaccinations, there is much to learn from their smart and varied approaches.