High Tech Meets High Touch: Using New Technology for Community Building

1. High Tech Meets High Touch: Using New Technology for Community Building Steven Clift Executive Director E-Democracy.org

2. The “default” local online news discussion experience is … Most people see, expect public conflict.Sharp contrast with private social networking.

3. Unlocking community … Connecting people who live near one another.

4. 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!

5. Introduction • Hi, I am Steven Clift • Executive Director, E-Democracy.orghttp://e-democracy.orghttp://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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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

10. 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

11. Ning Social Networks • Ning (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

12. 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 #nemplssupport real-time organic groups

13. 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 manymore – “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 Communities • ABCD in Action • Comm-Org E-List • Nat Co Dialogue Delib • Talk About Local UKResearchers too … • Keith Hampton’s Blog

14. Neighbor Issues Forums Stories • More 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

15. Secret Sauce • Key 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

16. Secret Sauce 2 • Key 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. Advice for Funders 2 • Don’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?

20. Further Information • Steven Clift • clift@e-democracy.org • @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