I’ve very happy to announce that we’ve firmed up deets for the Tri-Valley’s first “Citizen 2.0″ training (East San Francisco Bay Area, CA), to be held at the end of March in Dublin.
This is very important to me, because the main reason I do this blog is to spread the word about how busy folks can use modern communications tools to take direct control of their democracy. Social media and 2.0 culture has the power to engage active citizens and businesspeople with their local community and government in ways not seen since the decay of small town life. This changes everything, from business development to governance.
I hope that you are promoting similar projects in your communities as well!
This free training will target entry-level folks who don’t know a Twitter from a MySpace but may already be engaging their customers with newsletters, or their government with public comment.
Congrats Adriel. Sounds like you are doing some great stuff out there. We got to do a GovLoop meet-up out there sometime. And I’ll make it there (or at least maybe you can skype me in on a laptop).
Adriel, I’m going to cross post my comment here, because I really, truly am interested in hearing what folks have to say….
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[to a previous commenter]
the problem that most local governments face is trying to figure out the best way to use their limited resources. Local governments can and do use social media tools when they can provide extra benefit for everyone involved for little to no investment on their part – many local government agencies have facebook and/or twitter accounts, for example.
However, for a local government entity to be able to invest more, there has to be a demand. What would you like to see your local government *DO* with these tools? Have you asked someone at your hometown about it? I am actually interested in your answers – and the answers of others – and I’d love to see us get more organized. Measureable, achievable objectives would be great!
Adriel, also – I would be very interested in specifically what you are planning on showing folks, and what the response is. I’d like to see training like this all over the place. If it was, then we’d have some kind of a base to work from to say “here! here is what our citizens know… let’s meet their expectations!”
@Paulette – I will definitely post a wrap-up. Still planning this out! We may invite city officials, but the thought here it to activate the citizens and have them demand that the government follow. If the citizens aren’t interested, we either aren’t presenting well, or this is all a dream, right?
Shout out to the Citizens of 2.0!!
BTW, glad you are moving forward with highlighting this movement. Its awesomesauce.