The Paradox of Social Media: 8 Strategies For Social Change

Notes & exercises on how to power change in a hyper-cyber world

How To Use This

Read through the questions and jot down your own answers or have a discussion with someone about it

Complete the charts/graphics

Download to view the notes pages for directions and tips

© Nina Chanpreet Kaur 2013-2014

Key Questions Why do some innovations spread quickly and others spread slowly?

Why do some innovations that are equally vital as others fail to take on or spread quickly? Is it due to:

The type of change i.e. economic? Political? Social? Cultural?

Visible vs invisible changes?

Difficult/inaccessible?

Time consuming?

What lessons can we learn from the spread of medical innovations over time such as maternal health, anesthetic and antiseptic practices?

Reading: "Slow Ideas" by Atul Gawande


http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2013/07/29/130729fa_fact_gawande?currentPage=all

Anatomy of an Idea that Spreads

• Visible

• Shows tangible or immediate benefit

• Proves that it makes life “better”*

• Involves multiple stakeholders

• Changes mindsets/creates new norms

• Spreads via person to person instead of just raising awareness

• Incentivizes impact makers

*better is subjective and relative, it may not be something that actually makes life better but is advertised as such


8 Social Media Strategies1. Know 101: Differentiate or define purpose with each type of

social media, communicate values across media

2. Identify your tribes

3. Widen sphere of influence

4. Engage in mind blowing collaboration & capacity building not just conversations and information sharing

5. Get creative

6. Get online to get offline

7. Know your Default

8. Follow 5 Rules for Posts


#1 Know Social Media 101Type of Media i.e. Facebook,Twitter, Instagram, Linked In

Purpose


Discussion Questions

How do you use social media to communicate your values?

What risks have you taken with social media?


#2 Identify Your Tribes: Circle of Change2 Step Process

• Economic• Political

• Cultural• Social

Key Organizations & Individuals





#3 Widen Sphere of Influence

5Ws + 1H

5Ws + 1H

What is your expertise?

What is your orgs

expertise?

5Ws + 1H © Nina Chanpreet Kaur 2013-

2014

#4 Mind-blowing Paradigm Shift: Collaboration & Capacity Building

Instead of using social media to have meaningful conversations (or arguments), how about engaging in mind-blowing collaboration and capacity building?

How can I use social media to build the capacity of others?

How can I use social media to be an ally to someone or another group?

How can I use social media to forge alliances for me/my cause?

How can I use social media to increase or incentivize follow up (my own or others)?


#5 Get Creative

Use art and multimedia art projects to engage people in your vision and interact with it in ways they may not otherwise have an opportunity to do so:

Post a call for an art competition about topics related to your work

Represent your vision and mission artistically and ask your tribes/followers to do the same

Engage your tribes/followers in creating art with you i.e. a community art installation at an event or on an online portal


#6 Get Online to Get Offline

Revisit Strategies #2 and #3. Identify those individuals and organizations you can interact with offline. Consider the following: Identify the best way to make an offline connection: do you have a

contact who knows that person or organization? Have you interacted enough online to make an offline invitation?

Arrange a meeting or informational interview

Show up at events and conferences linked to those organizations or individuals

Host events and invite those organizations and individuals to participate

Whatever you do, increase person to person contact: What does this mean for you or your organization?

What would it look like if you increased person to person contact among your staff/employees? Target audience? Other stakeholders? © Nina Chanpreet Kaur 2013-

2014

#7 Know your default Do you use social media more often to…

Complain or “client”?

Share great things that happened in your life?

Post inspirational quotes, stories or pictures i.e. drool over emotional porn?

Post pictures of your food or day to day life with your hubby or loved ones?

Post about political and social issues?

Know your default tendencies when it comes to social media & avoid them unless they are:

1. Authentic

2. Represent a balance of positive and negative attention

3. Help you collaborate with someone or build capacity!© Nina Chanpreet Kaur 2013-

2014

#8 Follow 5 Rules for Posts

Make it accessible

Communicate urgency

Show the big picture

Make it personal

Communicate values and shifts in consciousness instead of just information


So What?What does social media have to do with poverty eradication and social change?

In order to eradicate poverty and bring social change, we must work to eradicate all forms of oppression. Because oppression destroys our human connection and dehumanizes us, there is great opportunity when using social media to contradict that dehumanization but there is also great risk in perpetuating dehumanization. These strategies are intended to help bridge connections and meaningful, person to person impact – online and offline.


The Paradox of Social Media: 8 Strategies For Social Change

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