F2F & Online Events: Wrapping them Up Together

Did you know:

• 74% of nonprofits now have a presence on Facebook
• 80% have a full-time staff person spending at least 25% of time on social networking

The data comes from a recent survey sponsored by NTEN, Common Knowledge and ThePort and appears in a brief white paper offered by ThePort titled Best Practices: How Nonprofits and Associations Enhance Offline Events Using Social Networking. The Nonprofit Social Network Survey Report is available from NTEN with additional data and insights.

My take on the questions:

• How can online social networking support and enhance an offline event before, during and afterwards?
• How can social media create a more valuable experience for attendees and those who can't make it but are interested?

Timely questions since a group of us in Kansas are currently planning for a SPF SIG Community Sector Networking Event so this particular paper and these questions are perfect. What I took away from the paper is a a number of best practices pre- post- and during to support events. Ideas ...

• Open a conversation about the Conference or event where people can post questions for the event hosts, logistical staff and even workshop presenters
• Open a Forum on a conference topic and invite the presenter to join and talk about it
• Write a blog post about your experience as it relates to the topic
  
• During the conference, return to the discussion thread and add comments and notes from the session to support those unable to attend but are interested
• Blog your workshop experience
  
• Breakout the cell phone camera and take pictures and post them each day on your social networking site or on twitpic, flickr or other photo site, linking them to the Forum or blog post
  
• Use your flipvideo camera and post a video interview with a workshop presenter or group discussion on the topic
  
• Conference organizers and presenters can post links to or embed handouts, materials and slide decks from sessions
  
• Invite a presenter to join you on your social network to host a follow up conversation after the conference
  
• Find people you met at the conference on your social network (or invite them to become members) and friend them so you can stay in touch
  

The Paper has a lot more including ideas for generating revenue to support events and additional ideas for the wrap-around. I know that many organizations worry if they put the conference content online people will opt not to attend. I've long believed the reverse is true - as the paper also suggests.

...more online engagement equals more attendees at the planned event.

In these tough economic times I'm suggesting we can practice new ways to be virtually inclusive even when people can't afford to make the physical trip. The weaving of both online and offline networking, conversation and learning wind up creating a sense of belonging and people support a community to which they belong. Peter Block says:

The essential challenge is to transform the isolation and self-interest within our communities into connectedness and caring for the whole.

Seems to me we can actually use online interaction through technology with our offline events and bring people together in ways that strengthen relationships and widen the net(work). By interacting online we are helping to reduce the isolation and connect people in thoughtful, engaging ways.

How are you using social networks to engage people around your conferences and events? Any Tips or Best Practices you've discovered you'd be willing to share?

Social Network image Source: Gustavog

So What Does it Mean?

I posted a video a few days ago titled Did You Know? (Thank you Katherine!) It is chock full of interesting bits of information, some of which rattled my thinking, tugged at my heart or raised my curiosity. If you haven't seen it, take 5 and take a look.

What are the implications for prevention?

Brett Sculthorp commented mentioning the need to move past our old ways of learning within disciplines, in fact he even challenged the notion of multidisciplinary (which is about as far as I'd thought about) pushing the thinking into ...

... inter or trans disciplinary futures oriented framework that informs us about relationship, and therefore, knowledge systems. Physical technologies are a manifestation of deeper psycho-spiritual dynamics, an understanding of which should be the foundation of prevention.

His thoughts connected to some work just completed for/with the Kansas Family Partnership, AAPS and Kansas Regional Prevention Center Network with Ken Homer from Collaborative Conversations. Ken offered a new three-part Interactionar℠ series Collaborating for Results: How Conversations Get Work Done. The first two workshops in the series build collaboration skills in preparation for the the third, Coping with Wicked Messes: Shifting our Focus from Problems to Participation. In this session Ken describes the circumstances most of us find ourselves in from time to time -- situations where communications break down -- we talk past one another -- our thinking and systems get increasingly fragmented -- usually because we are thinking and working from different places and perspective (disciplines, silos) and always having to make our case from our own scientific viewpoint.

It was with this in mind that I read Dan L's suggestion:

Forget about specific job skills, focus on increasing self-efficacy with respect to handling new technologies and situations. Problem solving is also a must, as is a basis in the major theories..so long as you know to look for and be comfortable with the weaknesses of those theories.

Many fields are moving toward an understanding of (social) network analysis to understand communication flows and bottlenecks. Prevention is finally getting on board with systems thinking, but has a way to go.

While I see the point in dropping the focus on specific job skills, I'd suggest this is a both/and opportunity. We need some specialization and some generalization -- skills that help us hold both at the same time. I've taken the liberty of placing the distinctions Dan offered side-by-side here along with an image to try to capture and see the idea. The distinctions made me think of agency/organizational silos and how they tend to work the same way. One could easily replace the words academic orientation with agency, field or organization. Whether we work in juvenile justice, mental health, treatment, prevention or public health -- we all have a way we see and approach the social issues and even collect our own data via our own data systems.

When we get together in inter-disciplinary groups to work collaboratively (like agency level advisory groups or the twelve community sectors) we often have our discussions but when we leave the group we go right back to our own mental models of how things work. Sadly, a missed opportunity for developing new knowledge or achieving breakthrough thinking.

Dan commented further:

In Prevention, we've adopted a popular systems model, but now we need to get beyond testing programs and move to testing theories from other "fields." (e.g. don't tell me scare tactics don't work when there are fields of study that show how and when fear based appeals can be powerful, and the conditions under which they are less likely to succeed)

There is so much to learn and in some ways it depends on the path of the conversation and how we engage each other. Trans-disciplinary work is like working with wicked messes. It requires a foundation of deep listening and developing shared meaning in order to successfully identify possibilities, outline actions and evaluate/reflect on the outcomes. In some ways this is reflected in Brett's follow up comment only from a being rather than doing perspective.

The underlying thread to my comment was about developing our prevention practice from an understanding of our essential human ontology/being which demands as you suggest a systems or synthetic rather than analytic or disciplinary approach.

This is most definitely a deeper context than simply doing programs, policies and strategies. It is more than service delivery. It is more than training or technical assistance. It is more than the technology. It requires more of us in our day-to-day learning and practices in prevention. (read through the complete comment thread if you'd like the full context.)

What strikes you about the conversation?

Did you know?

Think things are changing fast?
Take 5. Watch the video.
Comments are open -- let's talk.

What did you see that strikes you as important?

Vote Now to Support Public Participation and Leadership

My friend and colleague (and many or yours) Stephanie Nestlerode has crafted a submission to the new Open Government Dialogue website - one very attuned to all of us who are working with engaging communities whether online or face-to-face. We have an opportunity to support this suggestion by voting for it. PLEASE VOTE TODAY. It's super easy but time limited.

Here's what Stephanie says:

Just like athletes, they [public sector employees] need a practice field with coaching to make the organizational system changes required to make public participation a true reality. Many leaders hold the intention to be open, transparent and collaborative, but they do not possess the knowledge, skills and attitudes required. Research shows that clarity on strategic intent and a positive learning culture are essential. Studies also show that these elements are often missing in the public sector. What are the consequences? What do we know about what creates success?

She offers a research foundation for her suggestion from a study by the National Research Council that states:

when done well, public participation improves the quality and legitimacy of a decision and builds the capacity of all involved to engage in the policy process.

There is also a caution -- that public participation done poorly can be worse than not having included the public at all!

When the research is coupled with experience we gain a sense of clarity. Stephanie has been engaged with supporting leaders in both Colorado and Kansas in their attempt to create a dual-state learning partnership. She speaks clearly to the issues involved in creating a practice field of leaders willing to learn together as they perfect their respective leadership practices toward perfecting public service.

Take a moment and read these 419 words and cast your vote today before time runs out. It will only take a moment.

What have you learned about establishing engaging public (community) participation? What would you add?

Create Your Own Conference, Anytime

How often do you get to be curious, studious or deeply engaged in something you really want or need to learn more about while you're at work?

Besides networking, one of the things I like most about attending conferences is getting to hear inspiring keynote and workshop presenters. In a conversation one afternoon, my friend and colleague Ken Homer from Collaborative Conversations suggested I'd like and benefit from listening/watching TED Talks. So, over the past year I've watched and listened to many spectacular presentations online - presentations that have informed, challenged, puzzled and inspired me.

One of my recent favorites is Seth Godin's presentation on Tribes (also the title of his newest book - and a must read for people in prevention interested in leadership). While entertaining and funny he also hit the nail on the head by asking and exploring what we all do everyday - namely, we try to change things. He goes on to describe how, by sharing ideas and values, ordinary people (like us) have extraordinary power to lead and create big change.


Another all time favorite is the story of Jill Taylor. She is a scientist dedicating her life to studying the brain. One morning she had a massive stroke and watched as her brain functions were shutting down one by one. Her story is remarkable and awe-inspiring on so many levels. She's also published a book, My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey.


Think the arts don't matter? You may change your mind (or reconfirm you commitment) when you hear the story of Jose Abreu's El Sistema - the Teresa Carreno Youth Orchestra and choir from Venezuela. Master Abreu was awarded a TED prize and spoke about his 35 years of helping poor and impoverished youth in Venezuela learn to play a musical instrument and be part of an orchestra. He is changing the lives of young people everyday through music. One of his students, Gustavo Dudamel, returns to El Sistema to conduct the youth orchestra in the single most spectacular performance I have ever heard. I am still moved every time I listen.


Finally, with all the troubles in the world today, how are we doing? Dr. Martin Seligman, founder of Positive Psychology, gives a 23 minute look into what modern psychology has been and can become when we leave behind the focus on the disease model and look from a different perspective. He draws interesting parallels with psychology and technology, entertainment and design.


Sometimes I look at the TED topics and wonder ... what does this have to do with my work in prevention and community change? But it only takes a moment to make the connection in most cases, even the Ron Eglash piece on African Fractals -- which turns out to be all about self-organization and people patterns. A topic of extraordinary interest and influence today given our social networks and other patterns of behavior. Without fail, every video I see offers some insight into the work of prevention and community change.

Take a moment to watch one (or all) of these and then drop a comment below with what strikes you about what you saw and heard?
What are the lessons for prevention and community change?
How important is a bit of inspiration and creative thinking to you and your work every day?

Creative Anti-smoking Ads

This tweet by @DebraWard caught my attention this morning via Twitter. If your work includes tobacco cessation then you may find these top 45 creative anti-smoking ads from The Design Inspiration very interesting (and inspiring).

Like all things creative the messages run the gamut from the curious to the disturbing. One in particular got a gasp! out of me. Since the page is copyrighted I'm not really able to copy and show the images here. However, the page had 150 Diggs this morning, including mine. The comments were curious as well.

Don't take my word for it - check it out and Digg it. Which ads stand out to you?

Connected Communities is Growing!

What would you do if there were a social network for people working in coalitions and community change?

If you've follow this blog for long you know there's been several posts about social networking and the power we now have of coming together via social media technologies. Some time ago I offered a little poll asking this questions and am happy to write this post because now -- there is.

Connected Communities, is a peer-to-peer community network to explore, discover and learn ways to develop and sustain communities, and it is growing by leaps and bounds, now numbering over 300. Connected Communities is hosted and supported by CADCA's Coalition Institute. This is an online place where people in prevention and community change have the opportunity to:

• talk with each other
• add a photo or avatar
  
• swap community stories
• celebrate learnings and project successes
• inquire about perplexing things
  
• add community photos or videos
• send private messages to each other
• meet up with friends and make new ones
• leave messages on each others "wall" (like Facebook)
• join (or start) forum discussions to learn from peers
• write a blog post about something you've learned or care about
• get new ideas
  
• start (or join) a group
  
• see the latest Prevention News Feed
  
• get on the Blog Roll
• invite other people you know to join you
• support your prevention friends and colleagues by responding to their questions and commenting on their stories
  

The more people join the more robust the site becomes, more opportunities to learn together and to contribute. You don't have to do everything just pick (or add) what interests you.

Another exciting part of the online community is the new international members from communities Eduardo Hernandez-Alarcon and Coalition Institute staff are working with in Peru, Columbia and Brazil. This opens up many new possibilities to learn with and from others from all around the world about the work of coalition development and intentional community change.

I've noticed that one of the first things people seem to like to do is upload community photos. This is a great way to get to know each other and learn about different communities and cultures plus it helps us bridge language gaps we may find - pictures do speak a thousand words. Others like to customize their own Page (called MyPage) which is done with a couple of clicks. Still others like to comment on blog posts or forums - another great way to support each other.

If you are looking for a safe place to learn more about social networking, would like to meet up with other coalition members, or maybe invite your own local coalition to join and start a group then Connected Communities is a good place to get started. I hope you'll join and I'll see you there.

The Secret is Out and in Your Hands

What if you could be a fly-on-the-wall at an alcohol industry meeting? And let's say you were to overhear discussions about the industry's top concerns that could influence sales?

I received a note from a colleague today (thank you Sarah) pointing me to the newest post on the FACE Project blog, Fresh Story. Rather than repeat the list here, click on over and read the full top ten list there.

For this post I thought I'd focus on one of the "concerns" that has to do with media. Since the data was gleaned from tobacco company documents surrendered as part of the 1990 tobacco company litigation (read Fresh Story for the linkage) these companies would likely have had no clue yet as to the emergence and power that social media would wield. I figure that's why they were focused on:

8. Independently run, well-funded mass media programs

Mass media campaigns are expensive - both to develop and to distribute via the normal mass media channels. Funding at levels strong enough to support these kinds of efforts is hard to come by and measuring the influence has its challenges as well.

So what about social media technologies?
If these facts from Pew Internet and American Life Project are true (and I trust them) then it seems to make sense to ask the questions -

• How are we looking at social media options?
• What is our social media strategy for engaging our community?
• In the case of social media marketing, how can it help us reach our priority population?
• In what ways are we hosting or joining online conversations about the social issues we are most concerned about?

Now, some may ask why should we shift to include some online strategies since so many people may not be online or may not have broadband access? And then I wonder ... and can't imagine that we would have waited until everyone had a telephone before beginning to use them? Seems to me that social media is much the same. For starters consider a few data bites:

• 73% of adults in America are online (1)
• 55% of adults have broadband access (2)
• 87% of 18-29 year olds online (3)
• 82% of 30-49 year olds online (3)
• 72% of 50-64 year olds online (3)
• 75% of adult women use the Internet (3)
• there's more.
• U.S. Internet viewers viewed some 13.1 billion online videos during February (4)
• The fastest growing demographic on Facebook is women over 55 (5)
• Facebook has more than 200 million active users worldwide (6)
  
• MySpace reported 125 million active users worldwide (Dec 08) (7)
  

With this many people online and particularly this many watching videos (more than half and upwards of 3/4 in some cases) it opens a whole different form for engaging people. Most video sites offer ratings and comments and favorites along with link and embed features so it makes sense to put prevention information online using this format where possible and advantageous. Once online any content can be linked to, easily shared and often embedded in blogs and websites.

Even when we utilize mainstream broadcast media sources to develop video, we can ask the developer to render a copy suitable for viewing online and upload it in strategic places like YouTube, Vimeo, Viddler, or if you are hoping to play the video in schools, TeacherTube. If you want to upload to multiple sites, try Tubemogul where you can upload and then designate the various sites where you want to make the video available and have some pretty good metrics to see which site is working out best.

What do you think? What is your experience -- perils and pluses -- of engaging in social media and social media marketing? Where and how have you used video?