Web 2.0 Basics For Youth Development Staff

Amy BakerProgram Resource Director

UM Extension

Technology may be key

• 93% of youth (12-17) are online every day (Pew, 2007)

• Connecting with and relating to youth in ways they prefer may be key to keeping them involved and interested.

• Web 2.0 tools can also increase efficiency and reduce costs.

Topics

• Blogs• Wikis• RSS (Feeds)• Podcasts• Photo and Video Sharing• Messaging• Social Networking

Blogs: How you can use them

• Keep the community informed on what’s going on in your program.

• Share expertise related to your field.• Build community among staff, volunteers,

interns, etc.

Blogs: Program Examples

Blogs: Program Examples

Blogs: What you can do

• Ask your audience if they read any blogs, and if so, which ones and what do they like about them.

• Read and participate in blogs by colleagues

Wikis: How you can use them

• Wikis are good for almost any collaborative tasks.

• Create a Best Practices site for organizing youth field days

• Create an orientation manual for new staff or volunteers

Wiki: Example

Wiki: What you can do

• Use a wiki next time you are starting a collaborative, online document.

• Be part of the solution when you find something that could be corrected on any wiki

RSS (Feeds): How you can use them

• Feeds are primarily meant as a way to easily stay up-to-date

• Things that often have feeds:– News sites– Blogs– Wikis– Search results

RSS (Feeds): What you can do

• Subscribe to feeds to stay on top of news, blogs, grants opportunities

• Be aware of any sites you contribute to (blogs, wikis) that have RSS so you can encourage your audience/stakeholders to subscribe.

Podcasts: How you can use them

• Program marketing: record a spot that includes participant testimonials

• Increase engagement by podcasting a presentation. This allows absent participants, parents, and stakeholders to all be part of the conversation

Podcasts: What you can do

• Subscribe to relevant podcasts in your field

• Encourage your audience to subscribe to a podcast of interest to them (or play it for them) to enrich discussions on a topic

Images and Video Sharing: How you can use

• Really excellent for program marketing and recruitment

Image and Video Sharing: What you can do

• Upload photos to a site that is shareable to team members (Smug mug, Flickr)

• If you have a video camera, start recording some of your best events to increase interest by stakeholders and potential participants

Messaging: How you can use

• Communication with youth: many are more responsive to texting

• Communication with team: an instant message can be less intrusive than a phone call

Messaging: Examples

• Used in recruiting for U of M with high schoolers

• HealthPartners says it is the #1 way patients request appointment reminders and test results

Messaging: What you can do

• Have a youth show you how to do it on your phone

• On sign-up forms, add a question about whether participants would like to receive texts and if yes, what is cell #

Social Networking: How you can use

• Establish a simple programmatic presence for communications and marketing

• Stay in touch with current and past program participants

Social Networking: What you can do

• Become familiar with the terms of social networking: MySpace, Facebook, friending, status, etc.

• Create an account for yourself, just to see for yourself

Youth Online

• Be aware of which tools are better suited when participant privacy is an issue

• Become familiar with each tool’s access restrictions for creating private communities

• Be aware of the “new” digital divide—some youth have access to the web only at school and some sites may be blocked

Sources

Youth Impact, A LEARNS Resource, Volume 2 http://www.nationalserviceresources.org/files/Youth-Impact-vol-2.pdf

“Teen Content Creators” Pew Internet and American Life Project http://pewresearch.org/pubs/670/teen-content-creators

Extension 2.0 Curriculum