A presentation on the usefulness of online social media in the promotion of Special Olympics Ireland, October 2009.

1. Special Olympics Ireland and social media A presentation by Nick McGivney The Link October 22nd 2009

2. What are social media? Wikipedia says: Social media are media designed to be disseminated through social interaction, created using highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques. Social media supports the human need for social interaction, using Internet- and web-based technologies to transform broadcast media monologues (one to many) into social media dialogues (many to many).

3. Bo-ring!

4. What are social media? Nikipedia says: Social media are people. Talking to each other.

10. Nothing to be afraid of…

11. No, really… We’re all doing it already!

14. Chat forums

16. And doing it quite successfully. (Which kinda begs the question…)

17. ?

18. 1To find and talk to each other

19. 1To find and talk to each other 2To get awareness in the wider community

20. 1To find and talk to each other 2To get awareness in the wider community 3To advocate, inspire and influence

21. 1To find and talk to each other 2To get awareness in the wider community 3To advocate, inspire and influence 4To raise funds

22. THREE EASY STEPS

23. 300 million members 54 million visits/month 346m people read blogs

24. 300 million members STEP ONE

31. Sometimes a bit of commiseration/celebration fromsomeone who gets it.

32. The wide range of membership – non-discrimination about "level" of autism, so lots of experiences to draw on in problem solving.

33. Commenting on those silly apps is part of the chit chat.

34. Sharing information in realtime, via links. So if it is controversial you can engage and address it directly, like the Autism Speaks video where members of the group alerted me to negative media.

35. There will always be people who don't know where to look. So you can show them the right way. Especially with regard to Advocacy, the Helpline and the Parent support and counselling service.

36. A sense of ownership of the Group, where members support others and facilitate new members. There is always someone watching out.

37. The quickest way to publicise all details of an event, and to contact members in case of any changes.

38. If you have a sponsor it is very easy to link to their website and ensure that their contribution is recognised and rewarded by the group and their friendsetc.

40. An online network of followers Similar to text but only 140 characters long Link to external websites, photos, articles, videos etc Tweets are visible to all unless you Direct Message a follower

41. 1382% The growth rate of Twitter users Jan-Feb 2009 3 million The average number of Tweets per day 839,026 The number of Stephen Fry followers 3m + Number of Mr Demi Moore followers 253 The number of my followers 

42. But does Twitter work? The plus side Free Fast Fun Follow who you want to follow Unfollow just as easily The minus Noisy Needs dedication Can give responsibility to wrong person/someone too junior Easy to say the wrong thing

43. Will it work? Like gangbusters… if you use it properly!*

44. * While I put this presentation together Irish tweeters added 40+ new fans to the SO Facebook page. With just one little tweet!

45. 346m people read blogs

46. Down Syndrome loves blogs! ’til my head falls off 2 Pirates and a Princess 4everMom 5 Minutes for Special Needs A Day in My Life A is for Aiden Adventures in Down Syndrome Adventures of Homeschooling Noah All 4 My Gals Anne’s Originals Apostrophe Suz Archie’s Room Blog Art of Possibility Autism Vox Baby Island Baby Matthew Baltimore Brew Banana Migraine Barriers, Bridges and Books Ben and his Brothers: Life with 3 boys and CdLS Benbo bert, bean, rockstar & schmoozer Big Blueberry Eyes Bill and Ria Biscuit Raising Bits of Betsy Bittersweet Blessed Chaos Blessed With Girls Blessings and Glory Bloom–Parenting Kids with Disabilities Bonnie Bruno Brady’s Bunch Braska Bear Bridget’s Light Bump on the Road Cause of Our Joy Chanelle and Tristan Charlie’s Up To Charlie’s World Chewing the Fat Chewymom Chocolachillie Communication Therapy Blog Connor’s Adventurous Journey Conny Wenk Cornish Adoption Journey Days with Dylan Diary of a Goldfish Disability Solutions Doin’ it Down to Earth Down Syndrome Family Network Down Syndrome Life Down Syndrome New Mama Down Town DS Downblogger Dr. Brenda MD Medlog Dream Big Dream Mom DS Bloggers E is for Everything

47. It really loves blogs! Einstein Syndrome Ella Grace with the Pretty Face Elliot’s Expeditions Embracing Life as Household 6 Emma Sage Ethan and Lauren Everything Happens for a Reason falling down is also a gift Fighting Monsters With Rubber Swords Finnian’s Journey Flip Flop Mama Following Elias From here to there and back Full Time in NM Gaijin Mama Garden of Eagen Genetically Enhanced Gifts Blog Gigi and Nico and Sometimes My Art Gwendomama Hamula Family Hank & Willie Happinest Here in the Bonny Glen Hyperlexicon I don’t know what to say In the Life of a Child It’s Always Something Jacob Halpin Jaden’s Journal Jennelle’s Journey jennifergrafgroneberg jennyalice Just RK Kathy’s page Keeping Up with Down Syndrome NSW Kim’s Treasures and Snares Kwisteena’s Kwaziness Life According to Emma and Joe Life Decanted Life with 4 Kiddos Life with Bubba and Chicky Life With My Special Ks Life-Not Just a Cereal Anymore! Lily’s Life is Great Literary Mama Little Miss E Little Miss Magic Livia the Great Lola’s verrückte Welt Love Notes to my Family Lovely and Amazing Loving Sophia Maduixes I Raim mamazine Maternal Instincts…Flying by the Seat of My Pants

48. Mauzey’s Musings MeAnderings Megan’s Got 47 Mel’s Thoughts & WhatNots Mom of 12 and loving it Mom of 2 Monkeys Mom-blog Mom-NOS Mommy Life Monkey Musings Mosaic Moments Mother Words: Mothers Who Write Mothering by the Seat of My Pants MotherJungle MotherTalk Mountain Mama Mundo Bean My Cup Runneth Over My Life with Gabriel My Magical Miracle My Name is Sarah My new blog journey My Party of 6 Narrow Ridge Nic’s Nibbles Not That You Asked Numbering Our Days One Day at a Time One More, More Than One Opposite Kids Our Crazy Life Our Normal Life Our Unexpected Journey Our Vietnamese Ladybug patriciaebauer.com Piknik Studios Pocket Lint Postcards from Holland Practical Vampire Slayer Praying for Parker Prince Vince Meets the World Princess Princess Grumpy Princess Nebraska Quinn’s Crusaders Raising Joey Raising Reid Ramblings of the Bearded One Random Thinking Rebecca Creates Red Lights Reece’s Rainbow Reimer Reason ReJenerationS Rhett’s Journey Roc Rebel Granny Ruby’s Life Rylie Ryn Tale’s Book of Days No, I mean really…

49. reallyreallyreallyreallyreallyrealyreallyreallyreally Saint Nobody Sarah London Shamptons Sharp Pointy Sticks Sheard Scene Sheena Time Signing Time! Rachel’s Blog Slow Food, Lazy Family Slurping Life Small Swift Birds Snippets speak softly… Spinning Yellow Standing in the Shadows Stoll Life Stone SouP Stumbo Family Story Sunflower Stories Super Duper Jack Sustenance Scout Sweetest Cherry in an Apple Pie The adventures of leelo and his potty-mouthed mama The Adventures of Xavier and Bennett The Amicks The Chase is on The Family Room The Flege Farm The Imperfect Christian The Incredible Adventures of Ian and Chase The Krause Bears The More the Murrayer The Polkadot Platypus The Powell Family The Right to Live a Joyful Life The Road Not Chosen The Seal Bark The T21 Traveling Afghan Project The ups & downs of life The Upside of Down (syndrome, that is) The Upstate Update The Wonder Wheel The Zoromski Chronicles This Mom Three Weddings Three’s a Charm To The Max Trisomymommy Unringing the Bell Ups and Downs Upside Down World Utah Down Syndrome Foundation We All Fall Down Welcome to Illinois What’s happenin’ at the Hoovers WhatWorksForUs Where There’s A Will Wintertree Design Yeah, but Houdini didn’t have these hips

50. Ok, so there are a lot of Ds blogs. So what? Well, for one thing, they share a helluva lot of vital information on all sorts of issues relating to Ds. And non-Ds too. But when Ds lives in your house, it is a major benefit to be able to share and pool information on health, resources, finances and,of course, Olympics. It’s nice to know that it’s a small planet.

51. Nan P in Dublin… knows Nan P in Dublin knows Elbog in San Diego… knows Mel in New Zealand… Only because of blogging. How cool is that?

53. Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead (1901-1978) US Anthropologist, Author

54. Thank you very much A presentation by Nick McGivney The Link October 22nd 2009