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Charity livestreaming

A how-to guide to help you turn your livestream gaming, festival or any videoed event, into a charity fundraiser.

How it works

Charity livestreaming lets you livestream your event and raise money for the Mental Health Foundation at the same time. You may want to share a live video of your concert, fitness event, cooking show or gaming experience. All you need is a livestreaming account and an online fundraising page to host it on and collect donations. All the money donated comes directly to us so there's no hassle for you. There are lots of options for livestreaming. We’ve put together a list of our recommendations and some basic steps to get you started. It's fun and easy, and a great way to share your support for mental health.

Livestreaming for beginners

If this is your first time livestreaming, here's a brief introduction to what it's all about.

What is livestreaming?

Livestreaming is where a show or event is recorded and broadcast at the same time. Once you're set up, you can share the link with your audience so they can jump in and watch the action! Embed your livestream on an online fundraising page that your whānau, friends and followers can donate to directly, and turn livestreaming into charity streaming.

How do I livestream?

All you need is a device like a smart phone, tablet or PC that’s connected to the internet, and a streaming platform to broadcast your event. If this is your first time livestreaming, and you want to share a live video using your phone, we recommend you choose Twitch as your streaming platform. It’s really easy to set up and fully compatible with our online fundraising pages.

How do I fundraise with livestreaming?

Whether you're an old hand at livestreaming events, or planning to livestream for the very first time, there are two main parts to it. Firstly, choose a streaming platform that suits your needs best. Secondly, set up a fundraising page to host your livestream and collect donations. There are a few steps to follow but they’re easy!

Step 1. Choose your streaming platform

We recommend Twitch. It's the easiest way to livestream a video from your phone. Download the app (it's called "Twitch:Live Game Streaming"), set up your account, and you're ready to livestream straight away.

To start a livestream with the Twitch app:

  1. Click on your account (the face icon).
  2. Click the "Go Live" button. You'll be prompted to add a name and category for your video.
  3. Click START STREAM and rotate your phone to begin the video.

You're livestreaming! To stop, touch the end button in the top left corner. You might also find this Twitch streaming guide helpful.

If you'd like to use a different streaming platform like YouTube, Mixer, Instagram or Facebook, check out our FAQ section at the bottom of the page.

Step 2. Set up a fundraising page

Click the button to set up your own online fundraising page and start collecting donations. Add your streaming platform and username during registration, or do it later. You can also add photos and a blog to tell your story and let your supporters know why you're fundraising for mental health. For more information visit Online Fundraising or click the button to get started.

Set up your fundraising page

 

To enable livestreaming on your fundraising page:

  1. Login to your fundraising page.
  2. Click "My dashboard".
  3. Click “Edit my page”.
  4. Scroll down to select your Streaming Platform.
  5. Add your Username for that platform.
  6. Use the switch to turn livestreaming OFF and ON as required.

Twitch, YouTube and Mixer are all compatible with your fundraising page. Instagram and Facebook are not currently, but you can still turn them into charity livestreams by including a link to your fundraising page in your Instagram and Facebook posts. Or if there's another platform you're into, you might take a look at adding your livestream to a Tiltify fundraising page with Mental Health Foundation as your chosen charity. 

Step 3. Plan your event schedule

You will need to make a plan for your event so it runs smoothly. If you're streaming classes or tutorials you may want to set up a regular schedule. You'll need to let your audience know the exact date and time you're going live with your livestream so they can tune in. There’s a lot of information on the internet about how to prepare for a successful event. We've included our favouite links in General Tips section of our FAQ.

Step 4. Set your goals

Whether you’re charity streaming on your very own Mental Health Foundation fundraising page, or through Tiltify, it’s a great idea to set your fundraising goals. How much are you hoping to fundraise?  What's your timeframe? Let your supporters know so they can help you get there and enjoy earning rewards on your page as you near your target.

Step 5. Involve others in your stream

Yes, you can add live guests into your stream and this can make it more and interactive. The way you add people depends on the broadcast channel you are using. For example, to invite a friend to join you in your live Facebook video, simply select a guest from the Live Viewers section, or tap a comment from the viewer you want to invite. On Twitch, make sure the channels are live before you invite a guest, then once the other channels have accepted your invites, click Start Squad Stream. Learn more about Twitch Squad Stream.

Step 6. Promote your event

Now its time to get as many people watching your livestream event as possible. No doubt you'll already have ideas how to do this. Here are our three main tips:

  1. Share the news of your upcoming stream across social media. Include a link to your fundraising page and the date and time you'll be livestreaming.
  2. Make it personal. Share your story on your fundraising page and in your social media promotion and let your supporters know why you’re fundraising for mental health.
  3. Get friends involved! It makes the experience more fun.

We are always here to help, if you want any further advice on fundraising or want to let us know what you have planned, reach out and email fundraising@mentalhealth.org.nz.

Congratulations, you're ready to go!

Now that you're all set up, you're ready to livestream your event and you've made it easy for your supporters to donate to mental health while you're doing it. Watch your fundraising total grow as it gets closer to your goal, and enjoy the supportive comments from your donors.

At the end of an event, you need to give yourself, your crew and your viewers a big ol’ high-five! Celebrating what you did is an important step too! So, don’t forget to do a celebration dance and pop a post on the channels you established your audience on. Mention things like:

  • Recapping the event
  • Thanking all those involved
  • What you raised collectively
  • What the donations are going towards

Then get in touch with us so we can tell you again how much of a legend you are! Thank you for choosing to support mental health with a livestream. We think you're awesome!!!

FAQ

Will my donors get a receipt?

Every donation made to one of our Mental Health Foundation online fundraising pages is sent a full charity tax receipt automatically.

Every donation made to us via the Tiltify platform is sent a basic payment receipt. This is not a full charity tax receipt, which is one of the reasons we prefer you to use our platform for your fundraising page. However, if your donors contact us directly with the details of their Tiltify donation we'll be happy to issue them a full charity tax receipt.

I can't see how to enable livestreaming on my fundraising page

Livestreaming is currently available on all our Do It Yourself online fundraising pages. Livestreaming has not been enabled on our running events fundraising pages. But it is possible, so if you'd like us to make it available please get in touch using the contact form below.

To enable livestreaming on your DIY fundraising page:

  1. Login to your fundraising page.
  2. Click "My dashboard".
  3. Click “Edit my page”.
  4. Scroll down to select your Streaming Platform.
  5. Add your Username for that platform.
  6. Use the switch to turn livestreaming OFF and ON as required.

If you're having any trouble at all, please let us know. We're here to help.

How do I turn livestreaming OFF and ON?

Once you have added your livestreaming platform to your page, you can turn it OFF and ON as required. To turn livestreaming ON:

  1. Login to your fundraising page.
  2. Click "My dashboard".
  3. Click "Edit My Page".
  4. Scroll down to the streaming section, and flick the switch to ON.

When livestreaming is turned ON a video box will be visible to display your livestream. If you're not currently streaming then this will appear as a black box. To keep your page looking nice, we recomend turning livestreaming OFF when you're not using it. To do that, flick the the blue switch to OFF. (Remember to turn it back ON before you start a live stream or it won't display on your page.)

There is a delay of about 4 seconds when you livestream to your fundraising page. This is completely normal.

Can I show livestreaming comments on my fundraising page?

Yes you can, if you have selected Twitch as your streaming platform. Tick the "display comments with stream" box to display them under the video box on your fundraising page.

Youtube and Mixer comments cannot be displayed.

How long will my livestream video stay on my fundraising page?

Your video will be visible on your fundraising page only for the duration of your livestream.

But you can save your video in your streaming platform. Then after you've finished your livestream you can add a link on your fundraising page to your streaming channel so that your supporters can watch the video there if they missed it live.

How do I add photos and blog posts to my fundraising page?

Personalising your page with photos and your story is a great idea. For easy instructions on how to make these edits, visit our Online Fundraising page.

Can I add a donate button directly on my Twitch Channel?

Yes you can. The Donate button will link to your Mental Health Foundation online fundraising page. You'll need a desktop computer to add this.

  1. Open your Twitch account.
  2. Click "Channel" from the menu under your username icon.
  3. On the About tab click the "Edit Panels" switch.
  4. Add an image panel.
  5. Download our Donate Button here.
  6. Copy and paste your fundraising page URL in the "Image links to" box.
  7. Add a description about why you're fundraising for mental health.
  8. Add the button image you downloaded earlier and click submit

How do I stream with Youtube?

Youtube have their own very helpful instructions on livestreaming. If you're wanting to livestream with YouTube it's important to read them first.

To livestream from your computer, you'll need to download an encoder software. For more information watch this video.

What is my Youtube username?

When activating livestreaming on your Mental Health Foundation fundraising page you'll be asked to enter your streaming platform username. If you've selected Youtube as your streaming platform, enter the character string at the end of your Youtube channel URL, as shown in bold in this example: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzIETtfXeau-lj17DGjZ-7w.

How do I livestream from my laptop or desktop computer? Instructions for Streamlabs

To livestream from your laptop or computer, in addition to your streaming platform, you will also need to use an open broadcast software encoder such as Streamlabs. This delivers your streaming contents from your computer to your streaming platform. Here are the basic steps.

  1. Download and Install Streamlabs OBS to your computer, available for Mac or Windows.
  2. Run the app.
  3. When logging in, select your streaming platform from the list (eg. Twitch) and use your login details for that account.
  4. The backend of Streamlabs looks like the screenshot below. The main menus that you'll use are the Editor, Dashboard, and Settings.
  5. You build content through the Source block in the Editor section. You may choose to add computer display and video capture to share your computer screen with webcam video of you in the corner.
  6. Make sure your streaming platform is online.
  7. Click Go Live to stream.



Watch the video for an introduction to Streamlabs

 



Inside Streamlabs



For further support with Streamlabs, try these links:

Streaming tips for Twitch, Youtube, Mixer, Instagram, Facebook, and Tiltify

There's a lot of information on livestreaming available on the internet, some it more useful than others. Here are the most helpful pages we've found:

For information on how to set up livestreaming on any of these platforms, click on the user guides.

If you have any questions about charity livestreaming, please fill out this form or email us directly at fundraising@mentalhealth.org.nz