A grounded, community‑rooted digital presence for Indigenous youth in Vancouver
Supporting Indigenous youth through culturally grounded programs, mentorship, and connection.
Urban Native Youth Association
November 2024 – April 2026 (17 Months)
Social media management, content strategy, creative direction, analytics, campaign development, community engagement, handover and training
UNYA had a meaningful mission and a strong community presence, but their social media was inconsistent. Engagement was low, posting was irregular, and their digital voice didn’t fully reflect the depth of their work or the vibrancy of Indigenous youth culture.
A grounded, consistent, culturally aligned social presence that grew reach by 212%, doubled engagement, and helped drive their most successful fundraising year to date. It also created a digital space where Indigenous youth feel seen, supported, and celebrated.
UNYA needed a social media presence that could:
They needed a partner who understood both strategy and community, someone who could hold the work with cultural sensitivity, creativity, and long‑term vision.
Over 17 months, I served as UNYA’s digital partner, supporting:
This work was grounded in relationship, cultural respect, and a commitment to amplifying youth voices.
The Approach
I built a steady content rhythm that followed UNYA’s yearly cycle. Each month blended storytelling, cultural moments, youth programs, and community events in a way that felt connected.
I tracked reach, interactions, and audience behaviour to guide what we created next. This helped us focus on content that supported steady, meaningful growth.
I developed graphics, visuals, and captions that reflected UNYA’s identity. The creative direction centered culture, youth leadership, and community strength in a way that felt warm and authentic.
I highlighted real youth, mentors, artists, and community members. Centering lived experiences created the strongest engagement and helped build a loyal, connected audience.
I supported UNYA by creating and managing their social content across Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. I designed graphics, wrote captions, planned monthly content, and developed creative direction for key campaigns.
I handled day to day posting, community engagement, and analytics tracking to guide what we created next. My focus was on uplifting Indigenous youth, celebrating culture, and sharing stories that strengthened community connection.
Below are examples of some posts created during this partnership.
The Results
Over our 17 months working together, UNYA’s content saw over 700,000 total views, with engagement, watch time, and reach climbing steadily month after month. More than half of all views came from non‑followers, showing that our strategy consistently expanded UNYA’s visibility beyond their existing community. During this period, content interactions rose by over 165 percent, and reach grew by more than 150 percent, reflecting a meaningful increase in connection, curiosity, and community engagement.
Orange Shirt Day 2025 was the highest-reach campaign
The 2025 Bentwood Box Charity raised $104,933
Every campaign improved significantly in year 2
Community voices and real stories consistently reached the widest audiences
Each campaign told a different story about UNYA’s community. From cultural education to youth leadership to major fundraising events, these moments brought people together and expanded UNYA’s reach in powerful ways. The highlights below show how consistent storytelling, strong visuals, and community centered content helped each campaign grow year over year and connect with new audiences.
Orange Shirt Day Facebook post – 17,389 views, 9,848 viewers, 41 shares
This campaign became the highest‑reach moment of the entire engagement period, driving exceptional visibility and deep community response.
Background screen in the photo shows cumulative total to date: $1,057,821.83
Year‑over‑year performance for the Bentwood Box campaign showed clear momentum, with stronger engagement and record‑breaking community support in 2025.
8,312 views, 4,365 reach, 302 interactions, 114 shares, 16 saves on Instagram
The 2025 Craft Fair campaign saw significant year‑over‑year growth, with top‑performing posts driving stronger visibility and deeper community engagement.
4,646 views, 3,103
reach, 71 interactions
This community storytelling campaign was one of the strongest organic performers, showing how real voices and grounded narratives consistently resonated with UNYA’s audience.
The results showed clear, meaningful growth for UNYA. Over 17 months, their online presence expanded into new networks, their campaigns reached far beyond their existing audience, and their community engagement became stronger and more consistent. The increase in reach, interactions, and link clicks reflected something deeper than numbers. It showed that people were connecting with the stories, youth voices, and cultural moments being shared. It showed that UNYA’s work resonated, and that the community was showing up, sharing, and standing behind them.
When UNYA’s funding shifted, I created a full transition plan and trained their internal team so they could continue confidently with a sustainable, culturally aligned approach.
This is the kind of partnership I value: grounded, relational, and built with long‑term care.
If you’re a purpose‑driven organization ready to strengthen your online presence with clarity, warmth, and strategy, I’d love to support you.
Get a free SEO audit that helps you understand your website and strengthen your digital foundation.
