Meet the Author: Ben Rigby, Mobilizing Generation 2.0
Event Details
Ben Rigby, author of Mobilizing Generation 2.0: A Practical Guide to Using Web 2.0 Technologies to Recruit, Organize, and Engage Youth will be on call to talk about his useful guide for nonprofits, political campaigns, and other organizers who want to effective use new media tools.
This book is a great resource for anyone interested in reaching the youth audience. It describes in a clear manner how to leverage new media - blogs, social-networking sites, photo- and video-sharing sites, mobile phones, wikis, online maps, and virtual worlds - to reach the youth audience. Social media is already proving its' effectiveness in reaching the younger crowd and increasing involvement in the political process. Add this book to your toolbox to help your nonprofit become a part of this changing landscape. Here's a presentation that reviews the book's content.
About the book, Holly says on the inside cover, "The next generation is online and waiting for their chance to make the world a better place. Mobilizing Generation 2.0 is an outstanding field manual for all nonprofits who want to engage tomorrow's citizens today and create change in their communities."
How's It Work:
1. Read the book (You can buy the book through us when you register (we offer the book for a 20% discount off the cover price; that works out cheaper than Amazon when you factor in shipping).
2. Check out Mobilizing Youth to find more information surrounding ideas presented in the book.
2. Register and join us for the 'Meet the Author' online chat and phone call with Ben Rigby. If you already have the book, you may join us for this unique 'Meet the Author' session without purchasing the book. Even if you don't want to read the book, you can still join us -- it will still be an engaging conversation.
Event Materials
Thanks to Ben Rigby and all who joined us for Meet the Author! Below is a transcript of the chat.
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anna_nten:Welcome to Meet the Author with Ben Rigby!
anna_nten: If you have any questions right away, please chat them here!
Reed from AFP Resource Center: Is there an online listing of the urls from the book anywhere?
anna_nten: http://blog.mobilizingyouth.org/
anna_nten: is the official book website but not sure if there is a listing of URLs
benrigby: hi
Shawn NPower Oregon: what age groups are categorized as "youth" in this discussion?
benrigby: 18 - 29 is rock the vote's official categorization for youth voters....
Shawn NPower Oregon: i feel old now:)
benrigby: me too
Shawn NPower Oregon: when discussing the options, would you also provide what resources are required to maintain them? staff, $$'s, etc.
ellebe CRS: Haven't recieved my book yet, but I looked at the craigslist slides and I would like to know more about measuring and metrics for social networking...specifically "Embed custom links to gain metrics."
Shawn NPower Oregon: is there research or other documentation with general guidelines about what tools work best for different types of organizations, budgets, or other criteria
Shawn NPower Oregon: with all of the tools, is it better to educate your staff to use/implement each of them, or outsource to consultants?
Judith @ YMCA: Or volunteers.
Shawn NPower Oregon: experience has been varied, but generally organizations that are smaller do not have tech staff - great opportunity for younger volunteers who do this stuff in their sleep :)
Shawn ONE/NW: Clay Shirky talks about the power of everyone, how do you think this concept is being adopted by youth? Ties into millions of hours of participation.
Shawn NPower: Oregon could you talk a little bit about how you get them excited and committed to doing this - what is the motivation?
Sarah Davies ACLU-WA: Mars Clickworkers Project:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clickworkers
Shawn NPower Oregon: should the expectation for youth be short-term project-specific participation or are trends showing longer-term loyalty to a cause/organization?
Sarah Davies ACLU-WA: Jenkins' Convergence Culture book: http://www.convergenceculture.org/aboutc3/thebook
Shawn NPower Oregon: isn't part of the draw that people are a "part" of something bigger, or is that going away as well?
Allison: is there a way to leverage the short-term interest to more long-term commitment as this segment of the population gets older?
Judith @ YMCA: can you point us to more factual references about the trends you just mentioned?
anna_nten: many are in the book and blog at http://blog.mobilizingyouth.org/
Sue_Anne: We are an agency who has a lot of older people that have volunteered / donated for years, but we're having a hard time converting that model to the younger generations
Sue_Anne: Partially, it's a time issue. Our volunteers run three auxiliary stores that are open 7 days a week, but even they are having problems getting younger volunteers to commit to a regular schedule to volunteer at the stores
Shawn ONE/NW: Another place to look for examples is in the for-profit world in the new discipline of Relationship Marketing. Long term relationship building via short terms interactions that provide high value.
Judith @ YMCA: Thanks. Sorry, I only got it yesterday and have not read it.
Sarah Davies ACLU-WA: Sue_Anne, maybe if you put the schedule on a google calendar, so they can see what shifts are open and sign up for them online, that might work better. That way they don't have to keep a consistent schedule each week.
Shawn NPower Oregon: do you use and opt-in system for signing up for all of the options (i.e. texting)
camel844133: What is you opinion in regards to emerging technology as being an enabler this isolation/non-personal interaction? Also facilitating a non-commital relationship or environment?
Sarah Davies ACLU-WA: More about short codes for text messages: http://gigaom.com/2007/03/16/10-things-to-know-about-short-codes/
Sarah Davies ACLU-WA: Putnam's Bowling Alone: http://www.bowlingalone.com/
Allison: These types of technology actually allow for a deeper sense of community, because it is self-identified community, not geographically based.
Sarah Davies ACLU-WA: The Extraordinaries: http://theextraordinaries.org/
Shawn NPower Oregon: if you were to say the top three tools you would recommend for organizations with minimal tech staff to be starting with, what would those be?
Sarah Davies ACLU-WA: danah boyd: http://www.zephoria.org/
Shawn NPower Oregon: what characterization of causes (i.e. advocacy vs. social justice) are most attractive to youth to support?
megan_kmi: Any suggestions to help maybe some older people within organizations to see how important implementing these types of things
Sarah Davies ACLU-WA: http://georgemiller.house.gov/video/
Sarah Davies ACLU-WA: http://recaptcha.net/
megan_kmi: Thanks!
camel844133: thank you Ben!
Allison: Thank you. You had some really interesting perspectives.
Shawn ONE/NW: Thanks Ben
Shawn NPower Oregon: thank you!
goose213235: thanks everyone!
Shawn NPower Oregon: great topic anna!
anna_nten: Thanks all for a great conversation!
megan_kmi: @anna_nten can we still buy the book from nten?
anna_nten: sure can!
megan_kmi: nice
anna_nten: if you just go and register again - this time select with the book price and I'll send it to you
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