Onboarding Guide: Community Leaders

Welcome to Be The People

Not every community effort starts with an organization. Sometimes, it starts with one person who sees a need and decides to do something about it. Be The People gives community leaders a place to tell their story, connect with others, and grow. Whether you're organizing a neighborhood cleanup, mentoring local youth, leading a community project, or bringing people together around a shared cause, the platform helps others discover your work and find ways to get involved.

Create Your Project & Org Page

This page is where people will first learn about your work on Be The People. The steps below will help you create a page that clearly explains what you're doing and how people can connect with it.

It should help someone quickly understand:

• What you're working on
• Why it matters
• How they can connect with it

1. Name Your Project & Org page

Title your Project & Org Page after your project (50 character limit).

It can be something descriptive, like:

• NW DC Youth Mentorship
• Potomac River Cleanup Crew
• Southside Community Garden

2. Describe Your Project

In 2–3 sentences, explain what you're doing, where you're doing it, and who you're doing it with (200 character limit). Keep this description focused on the overall project, rather than a specific event. (Time-bound events, volunteer opportunities, and calls to action can be posted separately as Opportunities.)

3. Add a Hero Image

Choose a photo that represents your project and the community around it. This could be the people involved, the community you serve, a project activity, or a meaningful moment from your work. Images should be: (1200x1200).

4. Set Your Location

Include your zip code and location so people nearby can discover your project more easily.

5. Add Relevant Tags

Choose tags that reflect the issues, causes, and communities connected to your work. Tags help people find projects they're interested in supporting.

6. Add Social Media Links

Connecting your project's social accounts helps expand your reach and makes it easier for others to engage with your work.

7. Submit For Review

Once submitted, your page will be reviewed within 1–2 business days. You'll receive a notification once it's approved and published. Then you're ready to start sharing Stories and Opportunities.

Post Time-Bound Opportunities

Opportunities are what help turn someone from being curious about your work into someone who gets involved.

As a community leader, an Opportunity might be:

• A neighborhood cleanup
• A community meeting
• A volunteer project
• A local gathering
• A mentoring session
• A workshop or training
• Another event you're organizing and inviting others to join

These are specific activities with a set date, time, and location, including an end time, so people can easily add them to their calendar and make plans to attend.

1. Choose an Event:

Select an event your org is hosting, organizing, or participating in. Whether it's a volunteer shift, a community gathering, cleanup project, workshop, or other event, it should have:

• A date and time
• A location
• A clear way for someone to get involved

2. Create a Title:

Write a specific title for the event (50 character limit)

3. Add a Hero Image:

Use a real photo that gives people a feel for what to expect, whether that's a past event, your community, or the work itself (1200x1200).

4.Describe The Opportunity:

Briefly explain what the event is and why someone might want to participate. (500 character limit).

5. Include All The Logistics:

Use the Further Description field to provide important details such as:

• Date and time
• Location
• Time commitment
• What participants should expect
• What to bring or prepare

The fewer surprises, the better.(5000 character limit).

6. Add a Sign-Up link (Optional):

Already managing registrations elsewhere? Add your signup link so people can register directly.

Examples:

• Eventbrite
• Google Form
• Organization website

Don't have a signup page yet? No problem. You can always edit your Opportunity later and add one.

7. Submit for review:

Once submitted, your Opportunity will be reviewed before it goes live on the platform. We will send you a notification once your all set.

Submit a Video Story

Stories are how people understand the impact of your work. They do not need to be long or polished, just authentic. A recent moment, lesson, success, or challenge is often the best place to start.

1. Add a Story title.

Keep it short and descriptive and engaging. (50 character limit).

2. Add a description.

Think of this as a caption that gives context before someone presses play.(280 character limit).

3. Upload your video:

Upload a video file

Formats: .mp4 or .mov Minimum resolution: 1280 × 720 px (16:9) Recommended resolution: 1920 × 1080 px Maximum file size: 250 MB

Or Paste a YouTube Link: If your video is already published on YouTube, simply submit the URL.

4. Thumbnail (optional):

Add a thumbnail image to encourage people to watch your Story.

Good thumbnails include:

• A strong still frame from the video

• A compelling event photo

• An image that highlights the people involved

  Accepted formats: .jpg, .png, .webp Recommended size: 1920 × 1080 px Maximum size: 5 MB

5. Submit for review:

All stories are reviewed before publication. Once approved, they'll appear on the platform for others to discover and engage with. You will receive a notification once your submitted story has been approved.