Social media: a comms enabler

Social media is maturing into a practical and powerful enabler to assist community service organisations to connect and engage with their communities. It can foster and encourage the flow of information, creativity and a cultural mix that nurtures an ethos that can connect communities with openness and transparency.

Social Networking has the potential to increase digital and social inclusion and enhance communication practices of the community sector. It can open up new ‘spaces’ and opportunities to provide practical ways to engage, support and empower the community. Simple, everyday activities can be enabled by access to technology, which can help to empower and improve independence, health and wellbeing.

This week in Melbourne, Infoxchange were invited to participate in a Social Media and Information Technology Forum, by the Department of Health*. The Forum aimed to raise awareness of social media and information technology within the Home and Community Care (HACC) sector and to explore how technology can support clients to achieve goals within service delivery in the Social Support environment.

Infoxchange presented practical information designed to encourage and assist community service organisations (CSO) to embrace social media as a valuable addition to their communications plan. The presentation directed the audience to the iTaNGO project, an online resource hub that provides CSOs with the information and resources to enable them to get the most out of their information communication technology (ICT) setup, including social media and ICT planning.

Infoxchange were one of seven forum panelists from across the community sector that presented on different aspects and experiences of using social media in the workplace.

‘The use of social media has been widely accepted and integrated into the everyday lives of our society,’ said Erin Wimhurst from Uniting Aged Care. ‘Introducing the use of social media into our services for older people enables us to use this important social medium in our work with current clients and explore its potential application in supporting local communities and individuals to age well,’ Erin said.

‘Human contact and connectedness should never be replaced; however for those who find themselves physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually isolated, social media can be a resource that may improve access to family and friends distanced by geography or as potential access to new friends via shared passions and interests,’ ’ said Erin.

Vicnet representative, Linda Wheeler discussed the importance of engaging with the community and assisting them to use the Internet. Vicnet has developed Easy English Internet training workbooks with topics ranging from the basics of: Introduction to a computer, The Internet, Searching online and email, through to – how to use social media tools such as Skype, online radio, working with pictures, Google maps, YouTube, Facebook, Flickr and websites in your own language. The workbooks are available to download for free online. ‘We see the workbooks as a great resource for the community to make use of,’ Linda said.

Linda also talked about the MyLanguage portal where community organisations can find websites, case studies and resources to assist in delivering services to their Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) members of the community. 

It is has argued that social networking has a functional and practical place in the community work environment and has a key role to play in strengthening social connectedness, self-efficacy, general knowledge and life skills, critical to a civil and democratic society.

For more information about the iTaNGO project visit: www.itango.infoxchange.net.au

For more information about the Vicnet Easy English Internet training workbooks visit: www.vicnet.net.au/publications/item/94-internet-training-workbooks.html

For more information about CALD visit: www.mylanguage.gov.au/

*The Active Service Model (ASM) Social Media and Information Technology Forum – Department of Health. Funded by the ASM seeding grant.