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High Tech Meets High Touch:
Using New Technology for
Community Building
Steven CliftExecutive DirectorE-Democracy.org
The “default” local online news discussion experience is …
Most people see, expect public conflict.
Sharp contrast with private social networking.
Unlocking community …
Connecting people who live near one another.
Growing community…
Opening “organic” hot topic on Standish Ericsson Neighbors Forum in Dec. 2008: http://e-democracy.org/se
Dear Neighbors, My name is Michael and I'm interested in establishing a community garden in our neighborhood.
Dozens of messages, offers to help, and a call for a meeting.
Radical idea!? Local people online can meet in-person.
500 members, 10%+ of households in May 2010
This month the Southside Star Community Garden opened!
IntroductionHi, I am Steven Clift
Executive Director, E-Democracy.orghttp://e-democracy.org http://stevenclift.com
Created world’s first election information website in 1994
Spoken across 26 countries, 27th with Libya in two weeks
30+ Issues Forums serve 15 communities in 3 countries
Ford Foundation funded “Participation 3.0” start-up - includes two lower income, high immigrant neighborhood forums. http://e-democracy.org/p3
Ashoka Fellow
Presentation Outline
Two-Way Tools
Assumption: “Community building” not just informing
CC: e-mail E-mail Discussion Lists “Place” Blogs Facebook Groups/Pages Ning Social Networks Video and Photo Sharing Twitter Local #hashtags Interesting meta-sites More Issues Forums
Many Purposes
Meet Communicate Socialize Share Information,
Contacts, Advice Support Neighbors Exchange Opinions Community News Announce/Invite Organize Collaborate Problem-solving Building bridges/Inclusion
But first, Locals Online
Connecting a movement that doesn’t know it is one
New online community, 40+ introductions last week
Join here, links:http://e-democracy.org/locals
Related - Two one hour on-demand webinars – Local citizen media, and Issues Forums:http://e-democracy.org/webinars
Different flavors and approaches now coalescing
Community builders
Citizen news
Single block, neighborhood, community-wide
“Local everywhere”
Online-based promoting in-person
Off-line model moving online
General versus specific niche
First Secret
It is not about technology.
It is not about waiting for the new new idea.
It is about desire, outreach, and execution
If you have the desire, with community building intent, then your technology choices will matter.
CC:, E-Lists, Placeblogs
CC: E-mail The simple sheet of paper passed around at National Night Out saves
a stray dog from the frigid cold months later.
E-mail Discussion Lists 8 million American adults or 4% are members of nhood discussion
lists or forums – Pew Internet and American Life Project 2008, K. Hampton
Google/YahooGroups, DC nhoods, Brooklyn parents Hard to find, below the radar, stunningly powerful
Placeblogs Cornerstone of “citizen journalism” online, sometimes “watch dog”
protest sites Highly interactive examples
http://locallygrownnorthfield.org – Real comment community http://westseattleblog.com – Excellent forums too
Facebook Pages and Groups
Facebook Pages and Groups
Publicizing “private life” is NOT building “public life” online
Neighbors who are “friends” are connecting
Some blocks, nhoods use Facebook Groups, often private
Some neighborhood associations and gov’ts create Facebook Pages, “Walls” allow place-based interactivity Useful “gov” reports:
http://bit.ly/socmedgov
Ning Social NetworksNing (and Drupal too) have made better looking sites easier to create
Foster more two-way user content
The “there there” needs critical mass, lead “host”who animates exchange
Some leading sites Boston –
http://neighborsforneighbors.com
Harringay (UK) - http://harringayonline.com
Video, Pics, Tweets
Use of video and pictures on the rise
Many leverage YouTube, Flickr, etc.
Don’t let pretty pictures obscure analysis of “there there”
Use of place-based Twitter hashtags like #nempls support real-time organic groups
Interesting sites …
Connecting “folks” Front Porch Forum (VT
biz) i-Neighbors (Univ-based) ToolzDo (biz) GoodNeighbors (np) E-Democracy.org (np) MN Idea Open (np)
And many many more – “Social media in local public life” link on the right at:http://e-democracy.org/locals
Connecting “builders” Locals Online Democracies Online OurBlocks.net Blog Neighbourhoods Blog UK Networked Nhoods UK Leaders for Communitie
s ABCD in Action Comm-Org E-List Nat Co Dialogue Delib Talk About Local UK
Researchers too … Keith Hampton’s Blog
Neighbor Issues Forums StoriesMore Stories from our Neighbor Issues Forum
Somali community – 20 missing youth to crosswalks
“Little Mekong” and BoaLee’s lessons
Powderhorn Cinco de Mayoviolence
Chickens in Bemidji
Leech Lake Native American majority rural forum
Inclusion evaluation in progress:http://e-democracy.org/inclusion
Secret SauceKey Lessons
Civility and real names builds trust, real community
Outreach matters – Use paper!
Real inclusion is “work”
Multi-tech - Reach people where they are online – E-mail, web, FB, Twitter – we syndicate content
E-mail “reply” publishing is key to inclusion
Secret Sauce 2Key Lessons
Facebook increasingly used by immigrant communities
Elected officials participate with their voters
People LOVE neighbor forums
37 Blog posts sharing Lessons
Missing gap at block/building/township level? – http://neighbor.be opportunity
Many Purposes Reflections
Meet
Communicate
Socialize
Share Information, Contacts, Advice
Support Neighbors
Exchange Opinions
Community News
Announce/Invite
Organize
Collaborate
Problem-solving
Building bridges/Inclusion
Advice for Funders
Promote online community building idea
Find and encourage good local examples, counter terrible online news commenting trend
Convene and seed new efforts
Get lessons to local “hosts” – increase success rate
Real inclusion will NOT happen without initiative
Advice for Funders 2Don’t wait - technology and models will NEVER stabilize – constant evolution and opportunity to learn
Create two-way online connections among grantees with “host” e-facilitators
Consider options to connect people (the “builders”) across different cities looking for great ideas and lessons to apply locally
Pool resources - help people find (or create) local online spaces from national look-ups – Why not 8%, then 16% of Americans?
Further Information
Steven Clift [email protected] @democracy on Twitter 612-234-7072
Join Locals Online: http://e-democracy.org/locals
More Links http://blog.e-democracy.org http://e-democracy.org/nf http://e-democracy.org/p3 http://stevenclift.com
Slides also available from: http://www.slideshare.net/netclift
As part of Participation 3.0 we are:
Convening and working to “move the field”
Plotting a “Locals Online” roll call webinar
Working with League of Women Voters on “Sunshine 2.0” guide for local evaluation of govs online support for democracy
Working with OpenPlans.org on “DemocracyMap”
Really pushing inclusion in online civic engagement
Developing next generation partnership proposals by 4Q
