Social Media Workshop at the 2010 Youth Assembly

On Day 2 of the Youth Assembly, Saba Loftus, Erica Gregg, and I held a 45-minute workshop on the power of social media. The room was almost at full capacity as we engaged youth participants in a discussion on how to advance a project or organization through online networking.

Facebook, Twitter, and blogging are three very important online media tools you can use to connect with like-minded people all over the world. By creating a socio-professional profile on the Internet, you can link up with individuals and organizations working on similar projects and that have similar goals, thus enhancing your global reach and supplementing your efforts.
Specifically, we discussed the importance of leaving a social media footprint. Joining Facebook groups, following people and organizations on Twitter and commenting on blogs are the best ways to start networking online. Once you have begun to interact with others who are making a difference, you can post your own content and integrate it with those you have reached out to online. It is important to constantly put up fresh content to keep people interested, and it is equally as important to continue seeking out people with similar interests and goals as you build your own social media network.

The workshop was also important in highlighting that different countries have different predominant social media websites. For example, more South Koreans may use CyWorld while over 500 million people are currently on Facebook.

After the workshop, numerous youth delegates approached me about how to personally advance their own causes. One delegate from China was very enthusiastic about starting a grassroots social justice club at his high school, but social media is a problem for him because the government prohibits the use of Facebook and Twitter.
This is a perfect example of where IYC can help youth activists get around specific and challenging problems. We arranged for the delegate to create a profile on our website – internationalyouthcouncil.com, where he will have access to IYC opportunities and support. He is eager to speak to IYC members about how he can promote his club both online and in his community and IYC will be there to help.