Technology has become an indispensable resource for many Canadians. We are rarely far from a mobile device or computer and have access to real-time data at our fingertips. Technology allows Canadians to stay up-to-date wherever they are and over the past year the Missing Children Society of Canada (MCSC) has been introducing innovative tools allowing Canadians to use technology to participate in the search for missing children.

From our first Poynt pushes in the Kienan Hebert and Lindsay Nicholls cases, just over a year ago, to our most recent push in a Manitoba missing child case, MCSC’s individual engagement tools have reached over 3 million Canadians to help raise awareness for, and locate, missing children. With each use, the tools continue to grow as word of their ease-of-use and impact spreads.

On August 2, 2012, MCSC was contacted by law enforcement to aid in a missing child case. The female, who was 16 years old and had been missing for approximately one month, was known to live a high risk lifestyle and believed to be located in Alberta. Through Most Valuable Network, MCSC was able to garner over 1 million social media impressions. The child was located within 72 hours of the alert being issued.

“Our recent push through Most Valuable Network highlights the value of these tools. We are proud to be AMBER Alert partners, but unfortunately this girl’s situation meant that she would be unable to qualify for an AMBER Alert,” said Amanda Pick, Executive Director of MCSC. “We are proud to offer law enforcement a complimentary tool to AMBER Alerts. MCSC can offer targeted tools that can also be effective at locating missing children who don’t fall under the AMBER Alert mandate as well as support our AMBER Alert partners when AMBER Alert situations arise.”

“We have been stunned by the reach these tools have shown. Using technology, we are able to target specific locations important to missing children cases thus ensuring that individuals in the immediate area are aware of the situation,” continued Pick. “We knew technology could have the power to change the way we search for missing children, and Canadians have signed up to show their support for these tools. In fact, we have received inquiries from international organizations wanting to implement this innovative tool.”

MCSC is urging Canadians to use their social networks for social good by visiting www.valuablenetwork.ca to “donate” their Facebook or Twitter account, downloading the Poynt app atwww.poynt.com.

For more information on our individual engagement tools, please visit: http://www.mcsc.ca/child_search_alerts.