By our own correspondent

Rome, 28 June 2020 -- After six months of the Covid-19 pandemic affecting people all around the world, we perceive a strong surge of digital communication as never before.

Young and old, poor and wealthy, students and workers, digital natives and digital tourists - many people making a huge leap of immersion in the digital world. They are pushed by the external situation of lockdown or simply inspired by others or are simply pushing themselves into this 'new digital continent'. Now we have online catechism, online Mass, online meetings, online provincial consultations, online retreats, online solidarity campaigns, online adorations. We could highlight in a special way:

•  Spiritual Pentecost Retreat online for young people like the Salesian Youth Movement FIN
• Don Bosco (Salesian) solidarity worldwide vs. Covid19 with daily updates from all 90 provinces
• Goodnights shared everyday on the YouTube channel like FIS-SALVO
• Salesian bishops sharing their Sunday homily on their Facebook page like Bishop Patrick Buzon, SDB
• Salesian formation house rectors appealing for generosity online like Tokyo-Chofu Rector, Fr. Noby
• WhatsApp groups for sharing among SDB and our lay mission partners became almost overnight a daily necessity in many ways (also thanks to GC28)

Yes, for many senior SDB this is a challenge, one that requires some life-long formation (new skills, new attitude, new mentality) for this kind of communication.The simplest way is to ask some younger confreres, youth around us 'to be helped - assisted'. And there are many new 'decalogues' for our journey, like the

TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR IMPACT STORIES

1. Length: The shorter the story the better. While 100 words would be the preferred length, 200 would be the maximum, unless...
2. Interview those reached by the Salesians: The reader likes to hear from beneficiaries, staff or outsiders, leaders. A few of their words could be the crux of your story or even the Title! ... Get them to approve your final version.
   
3. Title: Write a title that is catchy or even provocative. In this way you 'force' or motivate to read your story.
   
4. Photograph: The second help to attract a reader is a photograph, or statistics in the form of a graph or an attractive ‘infograph’.
   
5. Opening paragraph: The very first line should ‘connect’ with the reader. Write with a personal style...to motivate them to read on.
   
6. The ending: The final line should convey hope and optimism that change is possible and also express gratitude. The final phrase could be such as to motivate the reader to contribute to our mission, to give a hand, to become a partner in the common cause
   
7. Who should narrate the story? – It is better if the speaker is the person whose life you have impacted rather than a third person.
   
8. Highlight the Impact: Stories should be of the change we bring about. Therefore, describe the Before-After situation (improvement)
   
9. Emotions: Stories are the best way to move people. Emotions rather than a logical reason. Stories are emotional, they involve.
   
10. Protect privacy: Always protect the privacy of the beneficiaries in the use of names and photographs. Get written consent.
    

Related resources: Boscolink - Smart communication 2020

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