Social Media & Public Participation

We know that online tools reach new participants and enable different kinds of conversation. But, it’s an emerging field and there is still much trial and error, so this short online course will give you a leg up in understanding and using digital engagement tools.
This online course will cover foundational concepts of digital engagement, consider its benefits and risks, and explore strategic frameworks for determining which online tools to use. You will learn the basics of how content gets seen on social media, and have an opportunity to strengthen the impact of your social media posts.

Who should take this course?
Public participation practitioners within an organization or engagement consultants who want to begin or increase their use of social media and other digital engagement tools.

NOTE: Only one person per registration.

Learner Outcomes
At the end of this online course, participants will:

• Define objectives for their engagement efforts and understand how to apply these objectives to develop an online participation strategy
• Begin to write content appropriate for social media public participation projects and understand the importance of two-way communication in this medium
• Identify challenges to participation in digital environments and be aware of approaches that may address these challenges
• Understand the range of ways people may participate online, and increase their knowledge of available tools

DATES: September 13 through 20, 2017

LIVE SESSIONS:

• September 13, 2017 - 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Pacific Time
• September 20, 2017 - 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM Pacific Time

(Time Zone Converter)

Trainer Susanna Haas Lyons, M.A., is a civic engagement specialist. She designs participation strategies, facilitates complex meetings, and provides training for better conversations between decision-makers and those who are most impacted by an issue. Bridging online and face-to-face methods, she has worked for 15+ years on some of North America’s largest and most complex citizen and stakeholder engagement projects. Susanna teaches in Simon Fraser University's Dialogue and Civic Engagement certificate program, the Justice Institute of BC’s Center for Leadership, and for Alberta Municipal Affairs. She is also a judge for IAP2 Canada’s annual awards that recognize excellence and innovation in public participation. For more information, visit susannahaaslyons.com or follow her on twitter at @zannalyons.

Trainer