This presentation was prepared for the No to Knives and Crime Coalition symposium in London, UK, 7 July 2009 - it includes case studies and some guidelines for creating strategies that leverage social media to empower youth to participate in shaping their lives and communities.

1. Remixing the web for social change
The Future Today:
Social media empowering youth
to shape the future today
Amy Sample Ward
Global Community Builder, NetSquared.org
Facilitator & Blogger, AmySampleWard.org
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2. Remixing the web for social change
Agenda:
Case Studies:
• SexInfoSF
• YouthForce
• TheSite.org
Lessons Learned:
• Audience
• Goals
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3. Remixing the web for social change
Case Study #1
SexInfoSF
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4. Remixing the web for social change
SexInfoSF
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UkTQv5MZFU
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5. Remixing the web for social change
SexInfo
What is it?
• SMS based information system, targeted at youth in San
Francisco aged 12-17 for sexual health resources
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6. Remixing the web for social change
SexInfo
Why is it needed?
• Gonorrhea up 100%
+ 85% owned a mobile phone
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7. Remixing the web for social change
SexInfo
Who’s involved?
• Advisory Board with members representing the San Francisco
area (City of SF, churches, universities, charities, etc.)
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8. Remixing the web for social change
SexInfo
How did it start?
• Internet Sexuality Information Services (ISIS-Inc.)
+ San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH)
+ HipCricket Inc
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9. Remixing the web for social change
SexInfo
Are there similar projects?
• Youthnet.org (UK) operates a similar service for sexual
information via SMS; option for post code-specific services
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10. Remixing the web for social change
Case Study #2
YouthForce – World AIDS Day
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11. Remixing the web for social change
YouthForce
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3V1mVXm2bo
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12. Remixing the web for social change
YouthForce
What is it?
• coalition of youth-led and/or
youth-serving HIV/AIDS
organizations who are working
to empower young delegates
and promote youth
participation around HIV/AIDS
before, during and after the
International AIDS Conference
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13. Remixing the web for social change
YouthForce
Why is it needed?
• IAC 2000 (Durban) only 50
young people participated in a
conference of thousands
• IAC 2002 (Barcelona)
YouthForce coordinated a
visibility campaign, “Where are
the youth?”
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14. Remixing the web for social change
YouthForce
Who’s involved?
• Advocates for Youth and
Family Health International
• 40+ organizations including
youth coalitions, student
groups, health charities
and more
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15. Remixing the web for social change
YouthForce
How did it start?
• Advocates for Youth and
Family Health International
+ over 40 organizations
• Visibility
• Participation
• Discourse
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16. Remixing the web for social change
YouthForce
Are there similar projects?
• Chain Reaction (UK) focuses
on the premise that only when
working together can we
succeed in changing the world
(and youth are integral to the
event and the work)
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17. Remixing the web for social change
Case Study #3
YouthNet – TheSite.org
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18. Remixing the web for social change
YouthNet – TheSite.org
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLcCuhp8Dlw
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19. Remixing the web for social change
YouthNet – TheSite.org
What is it?
• provides online support and guidance to young people aged
16-24 in the UK
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20. Remixing the web for social change
YouthNet – TheSite.org
Why is it needed?
• “young people have the capacity to make their own decisions
&life choices, provided they have access to high quality,
impartial information and advice”
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21. Remixing the web for social change
YouthNet – TheSite.org
Who’s involved?
• YouthNet – the UK’s first exclusively online charity
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22. Remixing the web for social change
YouthNet – TheSite.org
How did it start?
• TheSite.org
do-it.org.uk
Lifetracks Consortium
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23. Remixing the web for social change
YouthNet – TheSite.org
Are there similar projects?
• Do Something
•Taking It Global
• Youth Noise
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24. Remixing the web for social change
Lessons Learned
Audience
• who is the audience?
• where does the audience go?
• what does the audience want?
• how does the audience talk
• how does the audience want to be involved?
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25. Remixing the web for social change
Audience
Who is the audience?
Flickr:
kamshots
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26. Remixing the web for social change
Audience
Where does the audience go?
Flickr:
tuexperto_
com
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27. Remixing the web for social change
Audience
What does the audience want to do?
Flickr:
cambodia4
kidsorg
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28. Remixing the web for social change
Audience
How does the audience talk?
Flickr:
nicolasnova
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29. Remixing the web for social change
Audience
How does the audience want to be involved?
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30. Remixing the web for social change
Lessons Learned
Goals
• do they match the vision?
• do they empower the audience?
• do the tools help achieve the goals?
• are they measureable?
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31. Remixing the web for social change
Goals
Do they match the vision?
Flickr:
theycallme
telly
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32. Remixing the web for social change
Goals
Do they empower the audience?
Flickr: sfllaw
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33. Remixing the web for social change
Goals
Do the tools help achieve the goals?
Flickr:
nswlearn
scope
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34. Remixing the web for social change
Goals
Are they measureable?
Flickr:
aussiegall
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35. Remixing the web for social change
Learn more:
Case Studies:
• SexInfoSF – www.sextextsf.org
• YouthForce – www.youthaids2008.org/en/
• TheSite.org - www.youthnet.org
Social Media for Social Benefit:
• AmySampleWard.org
• NTEN.org & NetSquared.org
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