To Bring to Light
WASHINGTON DC: Working for the U.S. Army Warrior Transition Command (WTC) Washington Independent Productions developed a video that spearheaded an educational campaign to improve employment opportunities for wounded veterans. In January 2013 unemployment was 7.6 percent for all veterans and 11.7 for post-9/11 veterans.
WIP video research revealed several challenges that may be getting in the way of a wounded veteran hire and resulted in a year-long effort to educate employers about common misperceptions. The effort included a news conference to release two videos and highlight data that had been collected by the Society for Human Resource Management which shows what interviewers may be thinking:
- 53% don’t know if workers with PTSD are more likely to commit acts of violence in the workplace
- 52% don’t know if it is costly to accommodate workers with PTSD or traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- 70% don’t know if workers with TBI will need help with tasks that involve reading
- 42% admit PTSD or other mental health issues are a challenge when hiring veterans
WIP produced both a 10-minute video and a movie-style trailer for the U.S. Army WTC to raise these issues and communicate solutions. WIP streamed the news conference and distributed the videos socially, creating opportunities for employees and managers to raise any concerns they have about hiring veterans.
“I love working on campaigns like this one for the Warrior Transition Command because the videos I produce change minds, break down barriers, and contribute to a movement dedicated to improve the lives of our veterans.” said Susan Stolov, president and video producer.
Combined, the two videos received more than 4,000 on-line views the first year, by employers, HR executives and military recruiters, and the video has been well received by the media including coverage in publications like the Washington Post, USA Today and MinorityBusinessMBA magazine. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce sent links to 500,000 small business owners and employers nationwide as did the Society for Human Resource Management. WIP distributed information on many LinkedIn groups, at workshops, HR conferences and among Fortune 500 companies educating HR executives via social media, face to face meetings and conferences.
“Many employers don’t know that PTSD is more common in the U.S. from a car crash than from combat and that most accommodations cost less than $500. Most importantly, I’m happy to see the positive impact that has stemmed from the video outreach. Some executives, after watching the Army video, have called to say they hope to hire young military veterans,” said Stolov.
The two videos have received three awards from international and local competitions including the much coveted PEER award from the Television Internet Video Association.
Washington Independent Productions is committed to helping companies and organizations put issues and ideas on the public agenda through videos and targeted distribution. Services include research and message development, video production, script writing, media outreach, social media strategy and live streaming events.
