If your organization works with youth, this session is for you. This session will present a case study of how an organization that serves over 600 youth living in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods was able to successfully implement a social media strategy to better meet program objectives. The results were a higher level of engagement, better communication with youth clients and significant savings in staff time. This session will also provide an overview and understanding of the youth perspective on social media, trends, and mobile usage. Session participants will be given specific strategies to address issues such as: organizational buy-in; staff training; implementation and effective usage of Facebook, Twitter, and SMS broadcasting; integration with organizational goals; and adapting to emerging technologies.
Takeaways
- A youth perspective of Facebook, Twitter, and mobile usage
- An understanding of youth trends in Internet and mobile usage
- How to implement a social media strategy for your organization
34. Pathways demographics
• 50% under 30
• The generational divide:
• Gen Y: 31 %
• Gen X: 54%
• Babyboomers: 8%
• Did not respond: 7%
• Attitudes towards technology:
• Tweet all the time: 48%
• Shut it off when go home: 44%
• Barely remember to charge phone: 6%
42. Implementing social media
• Executive buy-in
• Find a champion
• Form the committee
• Set goals
• Develop a vision statement
• Develop Policy – www.policytool.net
• Implement
• Evaluate
66. How often teens check Facebook
Once a day
A few times a
week
A few times a
month
Less than once a
month
67. Facebook Demographics
• 50% of online 12-year-olds
• 65% of online 13-year-olds
• 83% of online 14-year-olds
• 65% of teens with smartphones are
continuous users
68. If you want to know what
teens are using, ask them.
If you want to know how
they’re using it, watch them.
69. Six Trends You Need To Know
1) Facebook is now the primary
online communication medium
for the majority of youth in high
school.
70. Six Trends You Need To Know
2) The majority of youth who
have email accounts do not
regularly check their inboxes.
71. Six Trends You Need To Know
3) Some youth do not use email
at all, preferring to use only
Facebook for online
communication, since Facebook
allows students to authenticate
accounts with mobile phones.
72. Six Trends You Need To Know
Students with cell phones
typically average between 1,200
– 1,500 sent messages per
month.
73. Six Trends You Need To Know
5) The number of text
messages sent is lower for
students who use smartphones.
Instead, they are using BBM,
iMessage, Facebook
Messenger, and Twitter.
74. Six Trends You Need To Know
6) SMS broadcasting is a
particularly effective tool to
remind and engage students of
upcoming events or tasks that
need to be completed.
86. What does this mean for
organizations?
• Schoolboard policies and firewalls
• Can students get what they need?
• Balancing student needs with limited
resources.
• Ontario College of Teachers
96. If we listened to our intellect, we'd never have
a love affair. We'd never have a friendship.
We'd never go into business, because we'd be
too cynical. Well, that's nonsense. You've got
to jump off cliffs all the time and build your
wings on the way down. – Annie Dillard
Photo credit: Flickr user,
jphilipson