Marlon Parker: Social Media For A Purpose

Mandy Leontakianakis

On Wednesday, I met with Marlon Parker, 

IT lecturer at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, and the man behind the 'Technology For Community Empowerment' project: a practical investigation of how social media can be leveraged to affect real change in the lives of real people.

I first read about Marlon and his work in a biz-community article covering his use of MXit to connect and empower Western Cape communities affected by drug abuse, unemployment and gangsterism.

 In that article, Parker described the impact of isolation in emphasizing the problem of addiction. 

His response, was to tap the  power of the mobile platform and its relevance as a meeting place for young people: 

"The key thing was [that young people] don't know where to go to; even though there [are] numbers of people [to contact], they feel that people judge them. They don't feel they have the security of remaining anonymous. And the thought came about, seeing that we have 9 - 10 million people using MXit, [with] most of them being young people, why can't we use that tool to see if we can't reach an audience where people can actually get guidance... with associatives of drugs and gang activities?"(biz-comm)

The article grabbed me.

As an avid tracker of the social media landscape and as a strategist, I spend a lot of time evangelizing about the potential for dialogue, the cost-effectiveness, the creative versatility and social relevance of 'new' media platforms for delivering my clients' messages.

As a person, seeking more than the quick-fix of problem solving from my work, I am very interested in how the power to engage and connect individuals can be leveraged for something other than the sale of a product or service.

Marlon was already doing this work, and the scope and depth of his effort impressed me.

I decided to connect with Marlon, learn more about his work and see where I could add value.

I had been struck by the incredible take-up for the MXit service, by his other media-savvy plans and by the spirit of service that motivated the undertaking.

Also, that despite obvious need and reception for his offering, he is under-resourced.

We met in a Pretoria News Cafe and chatted for two hours: I had an abundance of questions and he is an abundantly energized and inspired individual.

What I left with was the sense that the Reconstructed project is a very tangible, human space in which peer counselling, mentoring, an authentic experience of community, access to technology for learning and expression (blogging / Mom 2.0), referrals to appropriate healthcare and professional counselling resources are made available. This holding area is really where the meat of the work is done in the lives of the individuals. Social Media are leveraged to deliver and connect individuals to this space.

I had had an upfront concern that online rehabbing was a poor substitute for the real deal, in human terms.

This is not the case: social media tools like MXit, Facebook and Twitter are merely socially relevant tools for connecting young people and keeping them connected. Breaking isolation, encouraging accountability and driving them to a very soundly developed program for sustainable recovery from negative lifestyles.

Parker's commitment to understanding, reaching and engaging his audience is purposeful and contagious. He markets a message in a medium and language that is entirely relevant to a community in crisis and he is getting results. Run entirely on the goodwill of volunteers, he is moving rapidly towards 4000 contacts on the MXit platform and achieving transformation in the lives of the Reconstructed community members.

Socially alienated young people are hooking back in to an experience of community, hosted by this project, it is a prototype for the meaningful use of technology.

Parker requires adequate backing to be able to deliver this service to an increasing subscriber base: I plan to assist. I hope other individual and corporate volunteers will lend him their support.