Case Study

U.S. Dream Academy is an after-school program that aims to break the cycle of incarceration by giving children the skills and vision necessary to lead productive and fulfilling lives. It was founded in 1998 by Wintley Phipps, who had witnessed firsthand in his work with prison inmates the destructive influence of incarceration on children, families, and communities. Since its inception, U.S. Dream Academy has served over 1,500 students in neighborhoods where incarceration is a major problem. Through mentorship, they build confidence and guide these children toward meaningful growth. Their ultimate goal is to nurture a generation of motivated and capable individuals ready to tackle global challenges and foster innovation.

Website:
https://www.usdreamacadmy.org

What We Did:

• Website Redesign
• CTAs Landing pages and Form
• Inbound Marketing
• Data Integration
• Social Media Management
• Email Marketing
• CTAs Landing pages and Forms
• Mentor Coordinator Automation Training

The U.S. Dream Academy encountered challenges related to their outdated website and lackluster content, leading to a subpar user experience and the risk of losing valuable mentors. Furthermore, their struggles with social media outreach and content development added to the complexity of their recruitment endeavors. In addition, the organization’s local presence and search engine visibility suffered due to the absence of online listings for their locations, posing a hurdle for prospective mentors seeking to connect with them. Moreover, the lack of a dedicated designer made it challenging for the organization to produce diverse materials, affecting their ability to effectively interact with their clientele. This encompassed issues in managing their social media channels, impeding their capacity to engage with a broader audience and boost brand recognition. Another obstacle was the deficiency of premium content resources like Ebooks, Tip Sheets, and Infographics, which could position them as authorities in the field and draw in potential clients.

Recruitment Challenges:

U.S. Dream Academy needed to focus on showcasing the transformative power of mentorship to attract passionate mentors who shared their vision of making a positive impact on personal and professional growth through mentorship. The lack of a streamlined the application and background check processes to ensure a smoother recruitment experience for potential candidates, addressing challenges posed by lengthy online applications and fingerprinting requirements. The organization needed to overcome challenges in recruiting college students during pledge season by highlighting the benefits of mentoring and how it could fit into busy schedules, aiming to engage more students in mentoring programs.

Retention Challenges:
Retaining mentors poses notable challenges that can be mitigated by implementing a tailored communication strategy that takes into account the unique needs and preferences of each mentor. Making sure that mentors feel valued and backed up will enhance their capacity to provide excellent guidance to their mentees. This individualized communication method is essential in fostering mentors and empowering them to offer the best possible support.

Website design and development, as well as SEO plan and development for http://mentors.usdreamacademy.org. On and Off-Page SEO improves the visibility and search engine ranking and Local SEO of U.S. Dream Academy’s locations by claiming and updating online directory listings. Unlimited design options for website, print materials, social media posts, content offers, and other media assets. Account Management for the project, overseeing the entire project, coordinating with the client, and providing weekly status meetings, monthly analytics reports, and additional support as needed.

Targeted Campaigns Management

• Targeted outreach campaigns, personalized communication strategy tailored to each mentor’s needs and preferences.
• Blog Articles will be reviewed, edited, and distributed 2 articles per week
• Social Media Management involves daily posting on three different social media platforms for five days each week
• Premium Content Assets to provide valuable and informative content to the target audience.
• Email Automation features like Lead Nurturing, Scoring, Routing, Workflow, Landing Pages
• Recruitment Pipeline Configuration tools can help streamline efforts, save time, and drive productivity and growth.

Mentor Experience Campaigns

On-boarding campaigns encompass a sequence of intentional email messages that are sent during the initial weeks of a qualified mentor. These communications aim to provide guidance, support, and relevant information to ensure a smooth integration into the program.

Re-Engagement campaigns specifically target mentors who have shown a decline in their level of engagement. The objective is to regain their interest and active participation by offering them personalized content and incentives that align with their preferences and motivations.

The Win-back campaigns are designed to focus on past mentors who have experienced a temporary lapse or have not renewed their commitment. The primary goal is to motivate and encourage these mentors to re-engage with the program, emphasizing the value of their contributions and highlighting any new opportunities or benefits that may have arisen since their last involvement.

The National Mentor Coordinators Training program offers technical training for the mentor coordinators on how to effectively use marketing automation software.

The program yielded substantial outcomes, as it successfully recruited 250 mentors from 8 different locations within a span of just six months. Our focus was on ensuring that each child in the program had a dedicated mentor who was well-prepared and ready to provide support. Additionally, a comprehensive sponsorship package and promotional plan were developed for the exclusive 15th-anniversary gala, demonstrating a dedication to honoring the program’s history and cultivating continued backing from stakeholders.

Our objectives aimed to:

• Improve operational efficiency
• Educate mentors on How to meet the unique needs of mentors and give them the tools and skills needed to break the cycle of incarceration.
• Retain mentor engagement throughout the application process
• Improve the experience and engagement of current mentors
• Re-engage past mentors and encourage them to rejoin or become advocates