World
Hello Week

Never start alone

A national campaign grows stronger when more people stand behind it. Start by bringing together organisations, networks, municipalities, companies, associations, schools and others already working with community, public health or social sustainability.

Tip from Sweden: Hela Sverige säger HEJ grew when more actors were given the chance to make the idea their own. Don't try to build everything yourself. Find a few who want to join from the start and let the network grow from there.

Do this:

• —Find 3–5 committed launch partners.
• —Agree on what you want to achieve together.
• —Divide roles and responsibilities.
• —Start building a network that others can easily join.

A hello looks different everywhere

You don't have to copy Sweden or Australia. Start with the simple idea and find your own language, name and expression. HEJ became G'DAY. What will yours be?

Do this:

• —Find your country's own way of saying hello.
• —Give the campaign a simple name.
• —Craft a message everyone can understand.
• —Decide what you actually want people to do.

Goal: An idea that feels obvious and easy to make your own.

Lower the barrier as far as you can

Taking part shouldn't require a big organisation, a big budget or advanced planning. Encourage people and organisations to get involved in a simple way.

This is an important lesson from Hela Sverige säger HEJ: when more people can do something simple on their own, the campaign can grow far beyond the central organisation.

Examples:

• —Say hello to someone you don't know.
• —Arrange a hello walk.
• —Hand out hellos at work or in school.
• —Start a hello activity in your neighbourhood.
• —Share the campaign message on social media.

Ask yourself: How can someone take part in five minutes?

One day gives the campaign power

World Hello Day on 21 November is your natural gathering point. Let it be the campaign's big shared moment, while World Hello Week gives people more chances to take part before and after the day.

Do this:

• —Agree on a clear date and campaign period.
• —Create a shared message.
• —Bring activities together in one place.
• —Give partners ready-made material to use.
• —Create a clear "it's happening now" moment.

Goal: When many act at the same time, it feels bigger than any single activity.

Media shouldn't come last

Start working with media before the campaign begins. It's easy to assume media reports on what has happened. But to build a national campaign you also need to create a story media want to tell.

A tip from Hela Sverige säger HEJ: Don't chase one big media hit. Build relationships and tell the story of how the campaign grows.

Think in three phases:

• —BEFORE: Why is the campaign needed? Who is behind it? What happens on 21 November?
• —DURING: Show people, activities and stories. Create images and concrete examples.
• —AFTER: How many took part? What happened? What surprised you? What happens next year?

Show that a hello can actually grow

Gather stories, photos, activities, participants and reach. But don't get stuck on numbers alone.

Tell:

• —Who took part?
• —What happened?
• —Who met?
• —What new partnerships emerged?
• —What made people want to join in?

Make it easy for everyone who took part to say: "This happened in our country."

It gives you material for media, partners and next year's campaign.

A national campaign is built over time

Don't try to do everything in the first year. The most important thing is to create a first version that works, document it, and then build on it.

After the first year:

• —What worked?
• —What made people want to join in?
• —Which partners want to continue?
• —Who wants to join?
• —What can be bigger next year?

That's how a campaign can move from: an idea → a few actors → a national campaign → a recurring movement.