Syrian refugee support made easier thanks to social media

An expert says social media is playing a key role in community organizing as 25,000refugees arrive in Canada over the next few months.

Giles Crouch of Thistlewood digital research firm in Halifax says social media allows people to co-ordinate and mobilize like never before.

Val Macdonald, who helps run the British Columbia-based Syrian Refugee Support Committee Facebook page, says social media allows people to connect quickly.

The Comox Valley resident says one day she posted about needing diapers for a Syrian family and just days later, they had enough diapers to last three months.

She says social media also bolstered their efforts to raise about $40,000.

Crouch says that based on his company's analysis, more than 70 per cent of the people who've posted comments online have expressed supportive sentiments about Syrian refugees coming to Canada.

The analysis was based on a sample of online content including Twitter feeds, public Facebook posts and blog posts.