Keep reading to learn more about the workshops or drop by to talk with us about your ideas and needs: We’re having an open house tomorrow, Thursday, August 14, from 6:30 to 9 at RootSpace, located on the 6th floor of the Valli & Valli Building in Saifi, Beirut (download a map).
To register, please fill out the registration form and send it to Mohamad Najem via fax: +961 01 449 709 or email: mohamad@therootspace.org.
The workshops are divided into two categories: one-day tutorials and two multimedia production tracks.
The one-day tutorials include:
Beginning Blogging (August 20, September 3, September 17, and October 4; from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; lunch and coffee break included)
The Blogging workshop is a full day, hands-on practical workshop aimed at beginning to intermediate-level bloggers. It will consist of four sections:
- Writing a Blogging Strategy
- Mastering Blogger.com, including an RSS review
- Marketing Your Blog
- Analyzing Web Traffic
Note: We will schedule an advanced blogging workshop in October if there is sufficient demand.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Digital Fundraising (August 21, September 4, September 18, and October 11; from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; lunch and coffee break included)
The first half of this practical workshop will focus on developing knowledge about the importance of SEO and how search-engine algorithms work so that NGO webmasters and communications professionals can draw more targeted traffic to their sites. Exercises will include keyword research and on- and off-page optimization.
The latter half of the day will look at methods of digital fundraising. Participants will learn about various online payment gateways and how to integrate them into their websites and blogs. In addition, some focus attention will be paid to using email, auto-reponses, social networks, and widgets to raise funds. Finally, participants will learn techniques for optimizing their conversion rates.
Online Collaboration Techniques (August 27, September 10, September 24, and October 18; from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; lunch and coffee break included)
In this workshop, we’ll learn how wikis and other project sites, like Google Sites, Zoho, and Basecamp, are structured, as well as key ways to encourage adoption of social media in our organization. Exercises will include editing wiki pages and developing an online project site. Key texts (provided): Working Wikily and Guide to Social Media for Organizations.
Facebook Activism & Community Building with Social Networks (August 28, September 11, September 25, and October 25; from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; lunch and coffee break included)
Using digiactive’s new guide to Facebook activism and other resources, we’ll get to know the ins and outs of Facebook and plan a social campaign of your choosing. In addition, we’ll look at other social networking platforms, like LinkedIn and Ning.com, and how to use them strategically to build community in and around your organization.
The multimedia tracks include:
Online Audio for Advocacy (October 6-10; space is limited to participants who can commit to attending every session.)
During this five-day workshop, we will focus on planning and executing audio productions to be distributed on the web. We will review how to write for audio, gather sound, and learn editing basics in addition to developing an online distribution and promotion plan.
We will provide some sound-gathering equipment but participants should also bring their own. The goal of the multimedia tracks is to have a finished product posted to the Web at the end of the workshop. Two participants from the same NGO can attend and work as a team.
Online Video for Advocacy (October 20–24; space is limited to participants who can commit to attending every session.)
As in the audio course, participants will meet every day for a week. We will focus first on planning and writing for video productions; then, we will shoot video and review editing basics. After refining our cuts, we’ll develop an online distribution and promotion plan.
We will provide some video-capture equipment but participants should also bring their own. The goal of the multimedia tracks is to have a finished product posted to the Web at the end of the workshop. Two participants from the same NGO can attend and work as a team.
To register, please fill out the registration form and send it to Mohamad Najem via fax: +961 01 449 709 or email: mohamad@therootspace.org.
For all the workshops, registrants will be asked to come prepared with an idea or proposal for how the Web 2.0 tool being taught applies to a specific challenge or goal at their organization. We strongly encourage participants from the same NGO or civil society organization to coordinate their social media planning and training.
Finally, the Social Media Exchange is available to conduct a limited number of workshops outside Beirut. If your NGO or and civil society organization would like to host such a workshop, please call our project coordinator Mohamad Najem, 03-792-505, as soon as possible to discuss dates and topics.
We hope to see you soon!
