This document discusses the importance of in-person (IRL) engagement for organizations, in addition to digital engagement. It provides examples of different types of in-person events and strategies organizations can use, such as forums, trainings, open office hours, attending community meetings, annual fundraising events, and more. Planning tips are outlined, such as setting goals, recruiting participants, finding conversation leaders and locations, setting expectations, and following up. The document encourages organizations to get feedback and continue conversations through both in-person and online methods.

1. Engagement -- IRL
INN Social Media Summer Series
August 20, 2012

2. Just because we have digital engagement tools doesn’t mean we can forget
about old school, face-to-face engagement.

3. Why?
From NCME:
• Build connections
• Advance mission
• Build relevance
• Increase value
• Improve awareness
• Impact behavior
• Strengthen community
• Improve solvency
• Increase diversity

4. A few examples...
• Forums/community conversations
• Trainings
• Open office hours
• Tweetups
• Attend community group meetings
• Annual fundraising event
• Listening sessions
• Station yourself at coffee shops/bars

5. Host a forum
• The Lens “Salons” serve two
purposes:
• extension of its journalism
• develop new relationships to secure new funding streams
• St. Louis Beacon Community Conversations
• “vigorous dialogue on a wide variety of community policy
issues”
• online discussions and face-to-face conversations -- “Dialogue &
Drafts”

6. Training
• New England Center for Investigative Reporting
• High school summer workshop
• Investigative reporting certificate for professional journalists
• Community workshops (example: Texas Watchdog):
• Citizen watchdogs
• Open records requests
• Interviewing techniques
• Multimedia training
• How to attend a meeting

7. Get out of your newsroom
California Watch Open
Newsroom series
• Reporters station themselves at
coffee shops, bars,
Laundromats around the state
• Community members
encouraged to share story ideas
and give feedback
• Joint discussion on Twitter
with hashtag #opennews

8. Open your newsroom
• The Register Citizen opened a “Newsroom cafe”
• Offers free Wifi, inexpensive coffee and pastries
• Other ideas:
• Open your office for a happy hour
• Invite the public to story planning/budget meetings

9. Events
Wisconsin Watchdog Awards
• Annual event held in April
• Brings together journalists,
community members
• Celebration of watchdog
journalism, awards given
• Presented jointly with two
other local organizations

10. Plan and execute

11. Plan for impact
What do you want to accomplish?
• Raise awareness of an issue?
• Educate a certain population?
• Reduce some behavior?
• Expand skills for a group?

12. Recruit participants
• Who are the stakeholders? Where can you reach them?
• Develop a list of people to help you reach out, community connectors
• Invite people personally
• Create online public space (Eventbrite) to share:
• The value of community conversations
• What the meeting is about, and what it’s not
• Their role and expectations
• Logistics

13. Find a conversation leader
• Someone to remain neutral, listen and build trust, reconcile conflicts, stay focused, be
prepared
• Where to find them:
• Your staff
• Other journalists in the area
• Local businesses
• Civic groups
• Community/neighborhood groups
• Universities, community colleges, technical schools

14. Find a location
• Easily accessible (remember parking)
• Available in the evenings or weekends
• A community location, not a government or other “official” building
• Comfortable, few distractions and noise
• Affordable

15. Other tips
• Set expectations, lay the ground rules
• Take notes
• Record, if possible
• Have attendees sign in
• Conduct a survey at the end

16. Keep the conversation going
• Check in with key sources on an ongoing basis
• Online forums
• Over a period of time
• At a designated time
• Use it in your reporting

17. For more info
Community Conversation Guide

18. Upcoming NCME webinar
COMMUNITY INSIGHTS | ELECTIONS: A HOOK TO
ENGAGE YOUR COMMUNITY
2:00 PM ET Wednesday, August 22, 2012
With the presidential campaign entering the final
stretch, now’s the time to plan how you'll complement
your political coverage with engagement. Join us August 22
for a discussion about how to engage your community in
civic and civil conversations leading up to the election.
Register here

19. Homework
✤ Share a proposal for an IRL event on Google docs by Thursday (8/23)
✤ We will assign partners to complete a peer review by next Monday
(8/27)

20. Discussion:
What are you already doing?
How has the participation been?
What have you struggled with?
What would you like to try in the future?