Internal Communications
At The Policy Project, clear and consistent communication is key to effective teamwork—and we’ve found that Slack is the best tool to keep everyone connected, informed, and engaged. If you’ve never used Slack before, don’t worry—it’s easy to use, and we’re always here to help if you have questions!
Slack is our primary method of communication for all volunteers and impact teams. It’s the easiest way for us to:
Add volunteers to the right channels and teams
Share assets and resources
Coordinate on projects and events
Keep communication organized and transparent
We ask that you turn on notifications for Slack and get in the habit of regularly checking Slack for updates. To keep communication streamlined and ensure everyone is on the same page, please avoid creating separate group texts, GroupMe chats, or other side channels outside of Slack for Policy Project-related activities. Staying on Slack ensures we can all collaborate effectively and avoid miscommunication or missed updates.
Follow these steps to get setup on The Policy Project’s Slack!
1 - Download Slack
Slack is available for both Desktop and Mobile. We recommend downloading it on both your computer and smartphone!
2 - Join The Policy Project Workspace
You should have received an email from Slack inviting you to join The Policy Project Workspace the same day you received the email with the link to your volunteer onboarding. You should also be able to join by clicking this link.
Once you join, you’ll have access to our main “All The Policy Project” channel, as well as smaller group channels specific to your volunteer role (such as regional impact team channels or department specific channels).
3 - Update Your Profile Information
Setting up your Slack profile helps our team get to know you and ensures clear communication across The Policy Project! Follow these quick steps:
Open Your Profile
On desktop: Click your profile picture (or initials) in the top right corner, then click “Profile”.
On mobile: Tap the You icon in the bottom-right corner, then tap your name to open your profile.
Click or tap “Edit Profile.”
Add Your Full Name
In the Full Name field, enter your first and last name as you’d like it to appear to the team.
Add Your Volunteer Title
In the What I do or Title field, type your volunteer role title (e.g., Research Intern, Communications Volunteer, Southern Utah Impact Team Member).
Upload a Profile Photo
Click Upload an Image and select a photo of yourself. A clear, friendly headshot works best!
Save Your Changes
Click Save Changes (on desktop) or tap Save (on mobile) to update your profile.
4 - Turn on Notifications
Stay up to date with important updates and messages from The Policy Project by turning on Slack notifications on your phone. This helps ensure you don’t miss messages, meetings, or key updates from The Policy Project team. Here’s how:
Go to Settings in Slack
Tap Notifications
Set What You Want to Be Notified About
Tap Notification triggers to choose what types of messages will send you a notification—we recommend “All new messages”
Choose When You Want to Be Notified
Under "Notify me on mobile…", select your preferred setting—we recommend “Always, even when active”
Allow Notifications in Phone Settings
Open your phone’s Settings app.
Scroll to Slack, then tap Notifications.
Make sure Allow Notifications is turned ON.
Customize the alert style (e.g., banners, sounds, badges) to your preference.
5 - Get Familiar with Slack
If you are new to Slack, these short videos will help you get familiar with the platform!
Watch this video for a quick tour on how to get started in Slack
Watch this video to learn how to connect with the team in Slack by having real-time conversations in channels and direct messages
Follow this link to see how you'll be notified in Slack and how to adjust your notification preferences
6 - Introduce Yourself!
The final step in our Slack orientation is to introduce yourself! Navigate to the “all-the-policy-project” channel, and send a message telling everyone where you are from, a bit about yourself, and what your role at The Policy Project is. Bonus points if you include a fun photo of yourself ft. your pet, family, favorite vacation spot, etc.