The document discusses challenges with civic engagement and proposes an online civic network as a solution. It outlines five common challenges: lack of diversity, loss of participant information, lack of follow-up, limited existing networks, and barriers to online engagement. The proposed online civic network would provide an ongoing platform for civic participation, allow organizations to connect with a broad pool of participants, and make civic networking and engagement more accessible.

1. ONLINE CIVIC NETWORKS Connecting social capital in communities

3. Diversity Challenge

4. Any civic engagement project faces the challenge to recruit diverse participants.

5. Working with sponsoring organizations or agencies often leads to recruiting the usual suspects…

6. … especially since influential connectors between networks are hard to identify

7. If diverse recruitment is taken serious, it eats up a significant portion of project budgets and staff time.

8. Capacity Building Challenge

9. Participant information is typically lost after events or disappears in organizational silos…

10. … even though participants are often interested in a broad range of local issues and might want to get engaged in other activities.

11. Follow-up Challenge

12. During civic engagement activities lots of great ideas are being generated

13. … but a good way to continue the conversation about them afterwards and organize next steps is often lacking.

14. Networking Challenge

15. Online Social Networks, like Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, etc. are connecting millions online.

16. But most members use Facebook for private communication with friends. Existing online social networks lack other contexts - like civics.

17. Additionally, they only offer limited online engagement functionality and lack options to add tools when needed.

18. Online Engagement Challenge

19. Online engagement is now a valuable and convenient alternative or add-on to face-to-face engagement…

20. … but requires a significant upfront investment in knowledge and technology

21. … and requires time and practice for participants until they get comfortable using it.

23. It’s an online social network like Facebook, just on a small scale and with extra features.

24. It is collaboratively hosted by a coalition of civic institutions in a community.

25. It grows over time, as more organizers and their constituents or participants of their events join.

26. It captures and strengthens social capital in a community.

27. It encourages networking by introducing members through their profiles which include interests and skills.

28. The connections between members make social networks within a community visible and searchable.

29. This allows organizers and engagers to easily identify connectors by analyzing their networks.

30. Participants have a one-stop place to stay connected with their community and contribute to community news and resources.

31. It enables civic groups like trained moderators to stay loosely connected and get reactivated as the need arises.

32. Organizations can utilize the existing online engagment toolkit on-the-fly…

33. … and easily get the public involved without big budget or effort!

37. Profile Page

38. Networking

39. Connections

40. Outreach

41. Invitations and Newsletters

42. Resource sharing

43. Shared Information

44. Event Management

45. Event Management

46. Dialogue and Collaboration Hmm, let’s consider... I agree, but… I like this idea, … True, that’s a good… No, I feel like this…

47. Online dialogue

48. Now is the Time to Start an Online Civic Network!