Cuurio C.A.R.E.
Field Experience Guide
spring 2023
INTRO
Overview
HOURS
We want to be sure you guys all get the hours you need as well as have an impact on the world while you’re doing it, so this guide will help identify the different areas in which you’ll be asked to participate, in addition to leading online community groups.
IMPACT
Everything you do for Cuurio will further the cause of Christ, and you can count on the fact that your efforts here will bring returns for years to come; reaching people in every country with the good news of Jesus via the internet.
INVOLVEMENT
We've identified 6 areas of opportunity that your field experience can/will span, the first 3 being required (at some point), and the last 3 being optional or possibilities. We want to involve you in the most invigorating and exciting areas for you, so that you’re excited to do this on a daily basis.
OTHER OPTIONS
Please know that this is not an exhaustive schedule of your involvement! Once you get in and start getting your hands dirty, you (or we) may realize there’s another area that you’re perfectly suited for, and Cuurio needs you to work in that area - and it might even be a job that we haven’t thought of yet.
SUGGESTIONS
Keep your mind open and active, and don’t hesitate to throw suggestions at us. We operate very open-handedly with this ministry, and we know that you guys have much to offer, so we are excited to hear your ideas about all of it.
THANK YOU
Thank you for your willingness to jump in and involve yourself in such a new paradigm ministry, and we’re excited not only for the future of Cuurio, but for your future as well!
Opportunities
Online Care Groups
ONLINE CARE GROUPS
required
Cuurio C.A.R.E. is primarily about providing solid, biblical Christian counseling for people who need it. This will be accomplished in “care group” settings, via online video chat, and the users will come into the platform from various sources, including:
- Referral from a church
- Referral from another Christian organization
- Direct connection from internet search
- Personal referral from anyone
- Potentially many more avenues
The X Factor
We may sound like we’re repeating ourselves, but that’s only because it’s important that you all know this: we do not know how many people will be coming into this platform, how they will find out about it, or how fast the volume will increase.
The goal is to have each of you leading at least one “care group” of 10 or less across the whole semester, expanding to more groups as the demand grows.
Requirements
You will be responsible for everything involved with your group(s), including:
- Curriculum
- Launching each meeting
- Follow-up
- Admin
It’s very possible that you might be leading 2 or 3 groups before the semester is done, and that’s our hope.
Platform
In the beginning especially, your groups will likely be smaller – possibly even one person at a time, which is great. You’ll be launching each session via Google Meet, which is included in your Google Workspace registration through Cuurio CARE.
Session Details
Sessions should be 40-50 minutes, but preferably not longer than 50. Since every person you’re dealing with will have different needs and issues, and every group will have a different “personality,” your pre-conceived curriculum may or may not work as you imagined it would! We at Cuurio are not counselors, so we’ll leave that up to you, and trust that you will find the best route to help these people.
Flow
This is how these groups will populate, at least how we conceive it for now. It may change or morph as we progress, but here’s the concept for now:
- A Cuurio CARE form is filled out
- Staff* gets the email with the form content
- Staff decides which Group Leader should take it
- Info is forwarded to the right Group Leader
- Group Leader contacts the user and decides where the user fits (which group, etc.)
- Group Leader sets time, establishes the meeting link, and makes sure all info is sent to participants
*Staff may be actual Cuurio staff or one of you with the task assigned.
Co-Leading
If you’re not comfortable leading a group alone, please let us know, and we’ll partner you up with someone who maybe has more experience, or at least feels more comfortable leading a group.
Goals
As you formulate how you will approach these groups, keep the C.A.R.E. acronym in mind:
Connection, Affirmation, Restoration, and Encouragement.
Our hope is that everyone who comes into our system leaves feeling more connected, more affirmed, more restored, and more encouraged than they were when they started.
Writing
WRITING
required
Writing content for Cuurio in your area of expertise or passion is an important part of your field experience, and will be a requirement for completion of your weekly hours, up to the point that your counseling takes up all your required time.
Content is how Cuurio connects with people searching for help around the world, and you will be a part of this outreach for years beyond this semester; at least, as long as the internet is alive and well.
Weekly content writing assignments will look like this:
- Choose several areas/categories where you have a passion and/or experience
- Receive a supply of titles from us based on your chosen topics
- Write a blog-style article of 750-1500 words
- Submit to Cuurio via email or otherwise
As soon as possible, please fill out this form below so we have your topical preferences. Spend a few minutes and choose your top few topics, so we can have you a supply of titles ready by January 9. These choices apply to both written and video content creation.
VIDEO
VIDEO CONTENT
optional
If you’re good at talking, not specifically afraid to put yourself out there on video, & prefer to possibly start there instead of strictly writing content, video content would be equally acceptable & valuable. We might need to do a quick consult with you before you start (just an email exchange will probably do it), but here’s how the process would generally look:
- Choose a title prompt you’ll receive from us based on your topic choices
- Record a video of you talking on the subject, according to assigned specs (from consult)
- Transcribe your spoken content & edit for posting
- Submit to Cuurio via provided upload links
At the bottom of this page you’ll find the upload links for content of any kind.
chat
LIVE ONLINE CHAT
COMING SOON - required, once activated
We are currently working on having a multi-host live chat in place soon – possibly by the start of your semester, but likely sometime afterwards.
Once it’s in place and functional, we will host a sign-up form somewhere where you can register for hours manning the live chat. The users will be coming in from organic search on our general content, so they may or may not be believers. They also may or may not be legitimate, which we’ll have to address when the time comes.
This will serve as another way to get more hours, as well as another way to flex your counseling muscles in real time, but not face-to-face; all while having a direct impact on people’s lives right at their point of need.
We hope to cover most waking hours across North America, for starters; someday hoping to expand to a 24/7 coverage. We’ll keep you updated!
SEO
SEO STRATEGY
optional
If you have experience with keyword research and other SEO practices, this could be an area of opportunity for your involvement as well, possibly in place of writing content.
Pease send us a DM on Slack if this sounds like something you’d like to pursue.
social
SOCIAL ACTIVATION
optional
This is a low-commitment opportunity that wouldn’t necessarily take hours to do, but it could be beneficial to the whole platform. You would receive a link to every new piece of content that is published and share it via your own personal social accounts, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or any other platform where you’re active.
Social spread helps get the word out about our content, improves our reach and impact in the world, and increases the exposure of our counseling platform. We would love each one of you to participate as a social activator, but it is entirely voluntary.
DM us on Slack if you’d like to add social activation to your weekly participation.
wordpress
WORDPRESS
optional
If you have experience with WordPress (inputting, posting, finding images, naming assets & other SEO best practices, this could be an option for your hours, at least partially replacing your writing requirements.
As more writers contribute, we need help with the uploading, linking, adding titles/headings, finding images, and all other aspects of publishing on WordPress.
You would need to have worked with WordPress in the past and have some familiarity with the process and the platform to participate in this optional opportunity.
If you’d like to explore WordPress possibilities, please send us a DM on Slack.
Upload your content here.
If you’ve got content ready to upload, please click the button below & follow the prompts. This link is good for both written documents and video content.
