Social Networking A Youth Service Manager’s View

Why? An additional method of communication Face to face contact Snail mail Email Website Texting / Telephone Radio Advertising

An additional method of communication

Face to face contact

Snail mail

Email

Website

Texting / Telephone

Radio

Advertising

Why? Young people are already networking Young people promote Youth Service activity Young people evaluate youth service activity Opportunity to promote positive activity

Young people are already networking

Young people promote Youth Service activity

Young people evaluate youth service activity

Opportunity to promote positive activity

Risks Young people’s space Reduced social contact Parental concerns Corporate image Safety of young people

Young people’s space

Reduced social contact

Parental concerns

Corporate image

Safety of young people

Way forward Work with young people Educate parents Safe Practice Policy Guidelines Share practice

Work with young people

Educate parents

Safe Practice

Policy

Guidelines

Share practice

Website, SNS or Both? Website Social Network Sites “ Where r young people spending time/logging on?” Interlinked; Promotes website and SNS

Some application of SNS… Young Parents Group Positive images of Young People “ Don’t judge us till you know us!” Consultations: Publicity: Sexual Health conference / Workforce development Maintaining group contact: Information exchange & accountability to young people. Issue based work: Continuation of dialogue; Risk taking behaviour

Publicity: Sexual Health conference / Workforce development

Maintaining group contact: Information exchange & accountability to young people.

Issue based work: Continuation of dialogue; Risk taking behaviour

Future ‘aspirational’ uses for the SNS… Organised on line discussion Positive images of young people “Don’t judge us till you know us Fixed time period to contribute? Practitioner starts discussion? Injects with questions to maintain momentum? Story board “What happens next?” Young people added their comments to the photo

Organised on line discussion

Positive images of young people “Don’t judge us till you know us

Fixed time period to contribute?

Practitioner starts discussion?

Injects with questions to maintain momentum?

Lessons learned so far Is it Fit for Purpose? Engagement approach: Organisational support Senior officers involvement Team or single worker Acceptance of friend applications – own young person network of friends Keep Learning… Dummies guide to media tools/applications Takes time Ask colleagues/young people for info and suggestions Don’t panic – find solutions!!!

Starting to work with SNS

Do young people want us in their online spaces and if so how? Would you have "corporate"/work profiles and personal ones? How does this fit with council policy on access to Social Networking Sites? The challenges

Do young people want us in their online spaces and if so how?

Would you have "corporate"/work profiles and personal ones?

How does this fit with council policy on access to Social Networking Sites?

We went to Kongomana – Annual Youth Festival with a bus and some magnetic materials We asked young people to create a “local authority profile” We also used mobile video recorders We consulted….

We went to Kongomana – Annual Youth Festival with a bus and some magnetic materials

We asked young people to create a “local authority profile”

We also used mobile video recorders

We went to Kongomana – Annual Youth Festival with a bus and some magnetic materials We asked young people to create a “local authority profile” We also used mobile video recorders We consulted….

We went to Kongomana – Annual Youth Festival with a bus and some magnetic materials

We asked young people to create a “local authority profile”

We also used mobile video recorders

We went to Kongomana – Annual Youth Festival with a bus and some magnetic materials We asked young people to create a “local authority profile” We also used mobile video recorders We consulted….

We went to Kongomana – Annual Youth Festival with a bus and some magnetic materials

We asked young people to create a “local authority profile”

We also used mobile video recorders

We also had five digital video cameras to hand out - and groups were able to borrow the cameras to interview their friends and other young people. Each camera had a simple question taped to the back. At the end of the day we collected the cameras and took notes from the videos that had been recorded.

What did we find out?

What did we find out?

When asked, 94% of responses said they would be interested in engaging with a SNS opportunities for participation . Also 80% said they would be likely to share opportunities with their friends – with some suggesting they would be selective about which friends they shared opportunities with. Their spaces! Young people would welcome Social Networking participation opportunities

When asked, 94% of responses said they would be interested in engaging with a SNS opportunities for participation .

Also 80% said they would be likely to share opportunities with their friends – with some suggesting they would be selective about which friends they shared opportunities with.

Safe, formal and official… Young people want official looking, safe spaces to engage in. Safety from bullying is specially important . Top safety messages were: Don’t share any information in discussions or photos which could help someone work out where you live or go to school. If you see anything that worries you, report it to a responsible adult.

Top safety messages were:

Don’t share any information in discussions or photos which could help someone work out where you live or go to school. If you see anything that worries you, report it to a responsible adult.

The Internal Access Challenge

Internal Audit report on excessive usage There is no formal policy on SNS Staff were using it successfully and informally BUT with no formal framework for support Identify the barriers…

Internal Audit report on excessive usage

There is no formal policy on SNS

Staff were using it successfully and informally BUT with no formal framework for support

Q&A and Awareness session for officers and members Youth Service/Participation “Pilot” Chief Executive and Senior Member Support Involve the business early…

Q&A and Awareness session for officers and members

Youth Service/Participation “Pilot”

Chief Executive and Senior Member Support

Phil Norrey – Chief Executive of DCC Short Video Clip