This document discusses using online tools to support rural communities and address isolation. It provides opportunities to continue connections after events, better understand communities, and support planning through sharing information, events, and feedback online and offline. Basic online tools mentioned include email newsletters and websites to share content like photos and updates. More advanced tools include using social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter regularly with planned content. Checklists are provided to take steps to collect contact info, have an online presence, engage communities both online and offline, and integrate multiple online platforms.

1. Supporting Communities … Rural Advocacy… Developing Solutions
Taking
Communities
Online

2. What do we mean by social
network?

3. So communities are natural
social networks
Doing this online is about using a
new set of tools

4. Opportunity
• Opportunity to address isolation
• Keep the connection going after the event
• Better monitoring and understanding
• Mutually supportive online and offline
– Promote events
– Gather information
– Get feedback
– Support planning
• And my first starting point for anything is google

5. Communication Basics
Who are we talking to?
What do they want to know
How do they like to receive
information?
How can we make it two-way?/what do
we want from them

6. So what are some of the
tools we can use?

8. Content is king!
•Develop content chunks
–Pictures from our last event
–Newsletter
–Keep short but regular
•Develop a plan say 1-3 items a week

9. Checklist
• Take baby steps
• Decide the priorities

10. Checklist basic
• Collect emails of key contacts/users attendees
• Email newsletter
• Any website presence
• More than 1 person can use it
• It is accurate
• We update at least once a month
• We use this online presence to support our
offline activities e.g. the village hall website tells
you how to book!
• Through offline activities we tell people about
our online presence (website on flyer)

11. Checklist medium
• We have accounts on
– Facebook
– Twitter
• We update these regularly
• We use survey tools to get feedback
• We have a content plan
• We have a content policy
• More than 1 person can do all these
things

12. Checklist advanced
• We use many platforms
• We post frequently and in different media
• We integrate our website with social
media and drive traffic to our site
• We monitor usage and feedback online
• We have active online discussions
• Whatever you can imagine…

13. Thoughts and questions?