INTRODUCTION
Online tools have the potential to reach new participants and foster involvement on a wide range of issues. As an emerging field, there is still much trial and error, so this course will give you a leg up by examining what’s worked and what’s failed. This interactive course will teach you to create digital engagement campaigns that gather input creatively, enable collaborative online interactions, and sustain participation over time. You'll also learn how to use social media for participant recruitment, and how to integrate mobile communication into your participation strategy.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
This course is ideal for anyone using social media for public participation. It is also suitable for anyone who is new to social media application in civic engagement. It’s targeted to public organizations which have experimented in public participation or are looking to explore new areas in greater depth. Any mid-senior-level communication professional will benefit from this interactive workshop.
DURATION
10 Days
Course Level:
COURSE OBJECTIVE
Upon completion of this training course, participants should be able to:
- Define objectives for their online engagement efforts.
- Begin to design an online strategy to engage people at all depths of involvement and at various stages of the project.
- Use simple online tools to “listen” to what people are saying online about a project’s key issues and people.
- Begin to write content appropriate for social media public participation projects and understand the importance of two-way communication in this medium.
- Identify participation barriers for digital environments and explore mitigation approaches.
- Recognize the value and capacity of online advertising.
- Design a simple measurement and evaluation plan for online engagement efforts.
TOPICS TO BE COVERED
Module 1
- The Public Participation Process
- Why Public Participation?
- The Classic Approach to Public Participation – Arnstein’s Ladder
- The Modern Approach to Public Participation Strategies
Module 2
- Barriers to Participation
- What defines an effective participation process?
- Methods of Public Participation
- The Town Hall/Public Hearing
- Focus Groups and Surveys
- Visioning, Collaboration, and Consensus Building
- Social Media
Module 3
- Social Media
- What is Social Media?
- What is Facebook?
- What is Twitter?
Module 4
- The Dominance of Facebook
- Mobile Technologies
- Who Uses Social Media?
- Implications of Social Media – The Communications Shift
Module 5
- Developing Social Media for Public Participation
- Why are we doing this?
- What are we expecting from participants?
- Who is going to manage this?
- How do we get people to use it?
- What do we say?
- When do we say it?
- How do we measure our impact?
Module 6
- Determining the Need for Research
- Research Goals and Objectives
- Data Collection
- Literature Review
Module 7
- Key Informant Interviews
- Identifying Key Informants
- Contact with Key Informants
- Semi-Structured Interviews
- Interview Guideline for Municipal Key Informants
- Interview Guideline for Non-Municipal Key Informants
- Case Studies
- Data Analysis
- Creating Recommendations
Module 8
- Interview Responses
- Case Studies
- City of London Skateboarding Facebook Page
- Initial Observations
- Purpose of Site – Introduction and Code of Conduct
- Interaction Observations
- Medway Skate Park
- Byron Skate Park
- General Observations
- City of London Skateboarding Facebook Page
Module 9
- Case studies
- Mid-Centretown Ottawa – Community Plan Blog
- Initial Observations
- Purpose of Site – Introduction and Code of Conduct
- Interaction Observations
- General Observations
- Mid-Centretown Ottawa – Community Plan Blog
Module 10
- Conclusions
- Current Use of Social Media by Selected Municipalities
- Barriers
- Benefits
- Best Practices
- Evaluation and Knowledge Transfer
- Creating a Guide to Social Media
Module 11
- Limitations
- Limitations of Social Media
- Availability of Information
- Key Informants
- Case Studies
- Personal Limitations
- Suggestions for Future Research
- Implications for Landscape Architects, Planners, and Consultants
Related Courses
Course Administration Details:
METHODOLOGY
The instructor-led trainings are delivered using a blended learning approach and comprise presentations, guided sessions of practical exercise, web-based tutorials, and group work. Our facilitators are seasoned industry experts with years of experience, working as professionals and trainers in these fields. All facilitation and course materials will be offered in English. The participants should be reasonably proficient in English.
ACCREDITATION
Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued an Indepth Research Institute (IRES) certificate certified by the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA).
TRAINING VENUE
The training will be held at IRES Training Centre. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, and lunch. All participants will additionally cater to their travel expenses, visa application, insurance, and other personal expenses.
ACCOMMODATION AND AIRPORT PICKUP
Accommodation and airport pickup are arranged upon request. For reservations contact the Training Officer.
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: +254715 077 817
TAILOR-MADE
This training can also be customized to suit the needs of your institution upon request. You can have it delivered in our IRES Training Centre or at a convenient location. For further inquiries, please contact us on:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: +254715 077 817
PAYMENT
Payment should be transferred to the IRES account through a bank on or before the start of the course. Send proof of payment to [email protected]
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