Getting Social:Why Human Service Organizations Need to

Embrace Social Media

June 17, 2010

Why are we here?– What is Social Media?– Why should human service organizations embrace

Social Media?– Addressing concerns– Examples of Social Media use at Imagine!– Getting started with Social Media at your organization

Definitions

• Social Media• Web 2.0• Facebook• Twitter• Blogs• Wiki

What Social Media Isn’t (Really)

What Social Media Is

What Social Media Is“The Obama Generation”

• Always had the President as their Facebook friend.• The President was always one of the top Twitter users as far as they can remember.• Their President has always addressed them on Saturday mornings on YouTube.• They have always been connected to their friends to discuss topics and join causes in social networks.• During this administration, Whitehouse.gov will transform from a destination site to a place where constituents will have back and forth conversations with peers and the administration.

What Social Media Is

Facebook U.S. Audience Growth 2009

What Social Media Is

• More than 70% of Imagine! employees use Social Media

• Of that 70%, more than 56% use Social Media daily

Why Should Human Service Organizations Embrace Social Media?

“Thanks to a new class of collaborative technologies, organizations can now leverage information in valuable new ways, including: capturing accumulated knowledge, connecting employees who need information with the experts who have it, and enabling the best ideas to emerge organically.”

- Andrew McAfee, Enterprise 2.0

• Can address some key issues facing our field

• Accessible, appropriate, and easy to use

• Not an “add on”

• The price is right

Why Should Human Service Organizations Embrace Social Media?

Addressing Concerns

a. Using Social Media will make our employees less productive – they’ll spend all day talking to their friends!

Addressing Concerns

b. What about privacy and protection for our organization? This will jeopardize those!

Addressing Concerns

c. What about consumer exposure? Don’t we put them at risk?

Addressing Concerns

a. star trek sequal. 2011. YAY!!!!!

b. megan fox's birthday is one day after mine!! pretty awesome

c. go yankees knock the dogsox down!!

d. we should have like a robot that brings food haha :D

Addressing Concerns

d. What about my personal privacy? How do I protect that?

Examples of Social Media Use at Imagine!

Examples of Social Media Use at Imagine!

Examples of Social Media Use at Imagine!

Examples of Social Media Use at Imagine!

Getting Started

6 Strategies:

• Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty!

• Determine desired results, then use appropriate tools

• Prepare for the long haul

• Communicate, educate, evangelize

• Move tools “into the flow”

• Show that Social Media tools are valued