View source for What is a Virtual Operations Support Team?

{{Guideline
|Publishing Organisation=EAPD (Employment Alliance for People with Disabilities)
|Language=English
|Year Published=2012
|Target Audience=Civil Society, Practitioners
|Covers Thematic=Unaffiliated volunteers, VOST
|Audience Experience Level=Starter
|Source Website=http://eapd.weebly.com/blog/disability-virtual-operations-support-team-dvost
|Synopsis='''VOST can be defined as a team that accomplishes some or all of the following'''

* Establishes a social media presence for an organization that previously did not use social networking tools to communicate with the public;
* Monitors social media communications;
* Handles matters that can be executed remotely through digital means such as assisting with the management of donations or volunteers;
* Follows social media and traditional media trends and reports back to the organization what is being seen; 
* Identifies misinformation or angry postings that need to be corrected or dealt with;
* Provides a supportive voice for the organization and its efforts;
* Amplifies the organization’s message by repeating content  (via personal and/or official social media accounts);
* Compiles media coverage (traditional and non-traditional) by date;
* Documents Social Media Conversation


'''VOST models'''

* External Support (Amplify and Monitor Only)
** Organizations that are both new to social media and the concept of a “VOST” might consider using support from team members in a more conservative manner. In this model the following support might be provided:
*** Follow social media and traditional media trends and reports back to the organization what is being seen;
*** Communicate issues and concerns being expressed by the public (e.g. represents the citizen’s perspective);
*** Identify misinformation or angry postings that need to be corrected or dealt with;
*** Provide a supportive voice for the organization and its efforts;
*** Amplify the organization’s message by repeating content  (via personal and/or established community VOST social accounts).

* Hybrid Support (Amplify, Monitor, and Respond on behalf of the organization, but with specific limits)
** In this model, the team does everything identified in the external support model, but also responds to questions from community members and posts content on behalf of the organization. 
** Unlike the model above, these individuals would be made administrators of those accounts. 
** In this approach, however, there are specific limitations placed on the team members.

* Internal/Embedded (Full range of social media duties and support)
** In this model, the VOST team leader  is given the full range of social media duties. 
** This model is often utilized by small communities that do not have a full-time (or even part-time Press Information Office) and the Agency’s staff person responsible for social media communication has many other duties during the response to a crisis or disaster.
|Is Archived=No
|Disaster Management Phase=During, After
}}