There have been dramatic changes in how we communicate and maintain relationships in our community in the 21st century. Social media if used appropriately can bring about positive change - but is it for everyone? We examine this issue during a presentation at the Annual Conference of The Consortium of Therapeutic Communities (TCTC).

1. Ann Grain MCIPR
jag press & publicity

2. communication
 Dramatic change in how we communicate &
maintain relationships within our communities

3. communication
physical community
isolation?

4. 21st century communication
Different tools of communication available in 2013:
 provide necessary support
 decrease sense of isolation
 make it easier to stay in touch
 provide contact at any time
 improve engagement

5. 21st century communication
Different communication tools of the 21st century, if
used appropriately, can bring about positive change

6. the consortium for therapeutic communities
 Organisation for people who “recognise the influence
of our social environment on how we are, what we
learn and how we change.”
 “speaks with and for people who...see relationships
as central to what they do.”
Digital technology
 key component of our social environment
 building relationships

7. social environment: smartphones
Statistics
 94% of adults in UK own/use mobile phone
 60.4% of UK mobile phone users have a smartphone
(30.9 million). Expected increase to 80.9% by 2017
(43.4 million)
 76% of UK smartphone users browse internet using
devices

8. social environment: activity
Top smartphone activities:
 taking a photo/video
 browsing internet
 sending/receiving email
 using an application
 accessing a social network
 texting; ‘WhatsApp’

9. social environment: activity?
 57% of UK smartphone users visit social media
networks every day
 55% of adults in UK with home internet use social
networking
 in USA, Russia, Czech Republic & Spain, c.half of all
adults now use social networking sites
 UK has second highest proportion of social
networkers in the EU (Netherlands 65%, UK 57%;
Greece 32%)

10. popular social media platforms
UK
 Facebook
 Twitter
 LinkedIn
Worldwide
 Facebook
 Google+
 Twitter
Google+ expanding
dramatically in UK
Pinterest – fastest
growing social network
in UK 2013
Top 3 in USA: Facebook,
Twitter, LinkedIn

11. social media

12. challenge
How can online & digital technology
help us to build our relationships
whilst maintaining the principles which
underpin Therapeutic Communities?

13. Advantages of working with online
& digital technology







inclusive
accessible
reach a wider audience
target a specific audience
encourage interaction & engagement
any time & immediate
inexpensive
internet as extended community

14. digital media: hosting a website
 information sharing: resources, articles, links, further
information
 virtual venue: host discussions, display contributions
 portal: restricted access facility containing advice &
resources
 blog: reporting, sharing, having a conversation

15. digital media: social media
 highly participative
 dissemination is fast
 opportunity to: - start conversations
- gather data
- consult a potentially wide audience
 forums: engage a specific audience
 drive traffic to your website

16. digital media: video/image/audio
 podcasting: create video or audio podcasts to
engage viewers/listeners. Hosted directly on
website or via third party sites
 video sharing sites: YouTube – opportunity to
comment, start a conversation
 picture sharing: Picasa & Flickr – engage users to
contribute own impressions

17. challenge

18. how can we use these tools?
Think about:
 what you are trying to achieve
 who you are targeting
 with what messages
 how you will respond to what flows back
 what will happen to the intelligence that is generated
 Two-way nature of this communication tool has
positive implications for service user engagement

19. service users: facebook

20. service users: twitter

21. service users: website

22. service users: contribution

23. service users: blogs

24. service users: forums

25. improve commissioning
 commissioners require accurate, relevant & timely
information
 using social media
- views can be sought & fed back quickly
- greater individual involvement in
services
- less resource-intensive
- build better relationships

26. 21st century opportunities
 engagement, participation & relationship building
 collaborative working
 having conversations, giving opinions, sharing
information
 empowering communities
 providing a voice
 communicating community

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