African Commons Project and SANGONeT: Social Media for NGOs

Trying to decide whether to ban or integrate Facebook into your organisation? Think Twitter is inane - or informative? Can blogging *ever* be worth the time?

If you missed the pilot training programme – presented by The African Commons Project and SANGONeT, you’ll be happy to know that it’s back by popular demand! The one-day, hands-on training programme will introduce you to the cutting edge of web 2.0 tools and how they can be effectively used by you and your organisation to enhance operational practice. If you work for or with NGOs - and are comfortable with working online, then this course is a must! Please note that space is limited to 10 participants, so book early.

Social media platforms have graduated from 'fad' status and are here to stay. Organisations across the globe are beginning to recognise them as being integral to business strategy. Whether for marketing, stakeholder-relationship management or community-building purposes, these powerful tools can provide new, easy-to-use and accessible ways of amplifying objectives and maximising returns on investment.

In the non profit sector where the scarcities of time, money and resources are always playing catch-up to our inspirational strategies, social media platforms can be really helpful tools. These free digital spaces can assist us with connecting, networking, researching and fundraising. It's time that we began to engage with them!

The Introduction to Social Media for NGOs one-day training workshop will provide participants with a

• contextual background to social media tools such as blogs and microblogs, wikis, and multimedia file-sharing sites
• Relevant case studies will be shared to illustrate how these tools have been successfully incorporated into organisational practice - from initiatives as diverse as political campaigns to social entrepreneurship
• A 'playroom' space where non profit practitioners can experiment and come to grips with the tools in a practical session.

By the end of the course, participants should understand the purpose of social media tools, have a solid idea of how they could be incorporated into an organisation's strategy and a beginner's knowledge of practical application.

What should you bring to the course?

Apart from your burning social media questions and enthusiasm, please bring a laptop if you have one at your disposal. If you are not able to bring a laptop, please let us know when booking your place at the workshop. We look forward to seeing you!

Cost: R 1 200 per person, including refreshments and lunch.

What to bring: A laptop if possible

Date: 15 June 2009

Event venue: SANGONeT Boardroom, 29th Floor UCS House, Smit Street, Braamfontein (Parking at the Parktonian Hotel).

To book, or find out more information: email training@africancommons.org, or phone (011) 327 3155