Web Manager University – Fall 2009
Class Title: Building Online Communities for Citizen Engagement
| Class Format: | Webinar | |
| Instructor: | Judith Freeman | |
| Date | Thursday, October 22, 2009 | |
| Time: | 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm EST | |
| Place: | Online Webinar* | |
| Fee: | $50 for federal, state, or local U.S. government employees; $75 for non–government participants. | |
Webinar Description
Today, people around the world are using social media to form groups and promote the causes they're passionate about. These are key groups that can help spread information "virally" and instantly to millions of people. Rather than have a "one size fits all" communications approach, you can use online communities to send targeted messages to people who have already formed groups around particular topics and causes. And better yet, you can use online communities to mobilize people to take specific actions to improve their lives.
In this fast-paced webinar, you'll learn how to build and use online communities with new media tools including email, social networking, blogs, and more. We'll explore how you can build relationships with online communities to communicate important consumer information, provide answers to common questions, get feedback about the services you provide, give people a call to action, and other uses. This webinar will show you how to use tools and how to plan a communications strategy for asking citizens how to engage with your agency.What You'll Learn
- The new media ecosystem, including basics such as writing good emails, making good use of social networking sites, and reaching out to blogs and bloggers.
- Examples of organizations who have successfully built online communities.
- How to build an integrated communications approach, so you're conveying consistent messages across the different social media tools.
- How these tools can be used by government agencies to communicate with citizens and encourage their engagement with the government.
Plenty of time will be scheduled to provide ample opportunity to ask questions about tools and strategies.
Who Should Attend
Anyone with a basic knowledge of how the web works and is interested in learning more about how to communicate with and mobilize citizens on behalf on their government agency, such as:
- Web managers and content specialists
- New media specialists
- Public affairs officers
- People who manage email communications
Level of Course
Beginning to Intermediate. A basic understanding of social media applications will be helpful, but is not required.
About the Instructor
Judith Freeman is the co–founder and Executive Director of the New Organizing Institute (NOI), a training, research and development organization for technology–enabled organizers, activists, staff, and leaders.
In 2008 Judith was on a short leave from NOI for a five month position on the Obama new media team, coordinating their field and new media efforts.
Previously, she was the senior political strategist at the AFL–CIO, where she also co–founded the Analyst Institute.
During the 2004 presidential election, she worked on the Kerry campaign's internet operations. She advises political campaigns, unions and nonprofit organizations on organizing, targeting, strategy and technology infrastructure. She worked for 5 years in technology at the University of Chicago, where she also organized with social justice organizations.
