Presentations and other posts relating to Crowdsourcing Change

Tuesday, May 7, 2013: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Tuesday, May 7 will be Philly NetSquared’s 5th Anniversary!  Since May of 2008, we’ve been gathering each month for Net Tuesdays, to discuss, learn and share something relevant to using the social web for social change.

We’ll be marking this anniversary milestone with our signature “Crowdsourcing Change” format.  Here’s how it works: Three local nonprofits share how they’re using online marketing and social media/networking to achieve their goals and objectives. Then the crowd (that’s you!) participates in a facilitated discussion about how each organization might use the social web to even greater effect. 

The nonprofits eager to receive the wisdom of our crowd on May 7 will be:

Philadelphia Museum of Art

Presenters:

Jennifer Francis, Executive Director of Marketing and Communications

Justin Rubich, Administrative Assistant, Department of Marketing and Communications

The world-renowned Philadelphia Museum of Art (Twitter: @philamuseum), is one of the largest museums in the country. Presenting painting, sculpture, works on paper, photography, decorative arts, textiles, and architectural settings, its facilities include the landmark Main Building on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, the Perelman Building, the Rodin Museum, and two 18th-century houses in Fairmount Park. The Museum offers various activities for public audiences, including special exhibitions, lectures, concerts and films.

Questions the Philadelphia Museum of Art would like our crowd to address include:

  • How far in advance should we post information about upcoming events to stimulate attendance? Is one post enough or should we do reminders?
  • How can we determine at what point virtual participation becomes physical participation, i.e. attendance?

SEPTA

Presenters:

Rohan Hepkins, Director of Customer Service

George Spellman, Minstrel of Customer Service & WOW

Michael Zaleski, Director of Emerging & Specialty Technologies

Barbara Siegel, Manager of Capital Communications

Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority/SEPTA (Twitter: @septa and others) is the nation’s six largest public transit system. With a network that includes bus, trolley, high speed and regional rail routes, SEPTA provides transit services throughout the greater Philadelphia region, and it is also one of the area’s largest employers with a workforce of more than 9,000 employees.

Questions SEPTA would like our crowd to address include:

  • To what extent can social relationships influence customer perceptions about our organization as they interact with us through social channels?
  • Does social “gaming” offer a viable mechanism for us to build business or increase loyalty?

Friends Council on Education

Presenter: Deborra Sines Pancoe, Associate Director

The Friends Council on Education, a national organization, assists Friends schools and their teachers, students, and families by providing publications and programs to support the implementation of Friends values in the classroom and in the life of the school community. The council’s services include consulting, professional development seminars, literature to support Quaker testimonies in school life, and peer network meetings. It also engages with members through the Friend’s Council Online Forum.

Questions Friends Council on Education would like our crowd to address include:

  • We do not have a Facebook page or use Twitter. If we were to add these social media platforms, what kind of posts would be most effective?
  • We feel challenged to increase participation on our online .net forum. How do we get more people there to cultivate conversation and dialogue and increase the receipt of our messages? 

Doors open at 6 PM on May 7 at the Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street.  Light fare is available, and RSVP’s are appreciated for planning, but not required. Not in Philly? Or can’t make it downtown? Watch the live Internet stream at http://phillynetsquared.org/live, and contribute your questions and comments via our Twitter backchannel (hashtag: #phlnet2).

Whether you’re a social media expert, or an interested citizen (museum visitor? bus passenger?), your perspectives and opinions are welcome and valuable.  So, come and join the crowd with your questions, insights and reactions, and help these local organizations more effectively use social tools to achieve their important objectives.  This is a great learning and sharing opportunity – not only for the presenting organizations, but for all participants!

Thanks to the American Friends Service Committee for sponsorship.

Tuesday, February 5, 2013: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

 

Get ready for another edition of our popular “Crowdsourcing Change” program on Net Tuesday, February 5, 2013.  Crowdsourcing Change is a fun format for learning, sharing and potentially making a significant contribution to worthy local projects. In case you’ve never been to one of these lively events, here’s how it works: Each presenting organization shares how they’re using online marketing and social media/networking to achieve their goals and objectives. Then the crowd (that’s you!) participates in a facilitated discussion about how each organization may use the social web to even greater effect. 

We’ve lined up three diverse and interesting local nonprofits, eager to receive the wisdom of the crowd:

 

Career Wardrobe

Caitlin Day, Education and Outreach Manager
Heather Bennett, Operations and Marketing Manager

Career Wardrobe (Twitter: @CareerWardrobe) provides a range of support services, including clothing, skill development and confidence building programs to help low-income women throughout the Philadelphia region successfully navigate the challenging transition into the workforce. Since 1995, the organization has assisted nearly 75,000 women, and it also owns and operates The Wardrobe Boutique, which sells recycled clothing to benefit Career Wardrobe programs and services.

 

Southeast Asian American Digital Archive

Samip Mallick, Executive Director & President

The South Asian American Digital Archive (Twitter: @SAADAonline)
(SAADA) is the only independent non-profit organization working to document, preserve and provide access to the rich history of South Asians in the United States. Through its digital archive, outreach and educational programming SAADA examine the importance of the past in shaping the future and ensures that important stories from its community are preserved for future generations.

 

1812 Productions

Tyler Melchior, Marketing and Public Relations Director
R. Eric Thomas, Marketing and Public Relations Assistant

1812 Productions (Twitter: @1812Productions) is the only professional theater company in the country dedicated to comedy. Since 2000 they have helped keep Philadelphia laughing by creating and presenting shows that explore and celebrate our sense of community, our history and our humanity. Staging comedy in it’s many forms, 1812 features original work as well as presentations by established and emerging playwrights.

 

Doors open at 6 PM on February 5 at the Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street.  Light fare is available, and RSVP’s are appreciated for planning. Not in Philly? Or can’t make it downtown? Watch the live Internet stream at http://phillynetsquared.org/live, and contribute your questions and comments via our Twitter backchannel (hashtag: #phlnet2).

So, come and join us with your questions, insights and perspectives, and help these local organizations more effectively use social tools to achieve their very worth objectives.  This is a great learning and sharing opportunity – not only for the presenting organizations, but for all participants!

Thanks to the American Friends Service Committeefor sponsorship.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

 

Get ready for another edition of our popular “Crowdsourcing Change” program on Tuesday, September 4.  We’ve got three terrific organizations eager to receive the wisdom of our 

  • Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA
  • Lupus Foundation of America, Philadelphia Tri-State Chapter
  • AIDS Fund

Crowdsourcing Change is a fun format for learning, sharing and potentially making a significant contribution to worthy projects. In case you’ve never been to one of these lively events, here’s how it works: Each presenting organization shares how they’re using online marketing and the social web to achieve their goals and objectives. Then the crowd (that’s you!) participates in a facilitated discussion about how each organization may use the social web to even greater effect. 

Doors open at 6 PM at the Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street.  Light fare is available, and RSVP’s are appreciated. Not in Philly? Or can’t make it downtown? Watch the live Internet stream at http://phillynetsquared.org/live, and contribute your questions and comments via our Twitter backchannel (hashtag: #phlnet2).

Here’s who’s on tap for the September 4 program: 

Moderator: Deni Kasrel

 

Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PA

Presenters: Liz Semon, Marketing and Communications Coordinator and Ted Qualli, VP of External Affairs & Marketing

Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern PAis a donor and volunteer supported organization that enriches, encourages and empowers children to reach their highest potential through safe, one-to-one mentoring relationships. Each year, more than 3,500 children in Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties achieve higher success socially and academically, thanks to BBBS Southeastern PA.

Questions the organization would like our crowd to address include:

  • What strategies can we use to increase engagement among our current followers?
  • How can we use our social media time more efficiently?
  • What metrics should we be tracking to determine success in social media?
  • How can we increase our number of social media followers?

Social Sites:

 

Lupus Foundation of America, Philadelphia Tri-State Chapter

Annette MyarickCEO

The Philadelphia Tri-State Chapteris an affiliate of the Lupus Foundation of America, the foremost national nonprofit voluntary health organization dedicated to finding the causes of and cure for lupus and providing support, services and hope to all people affected by lupus. The chapter serves southeastern PA, southern NJ and all of DE. Its largest event of the year is the Lupus Loop, coming up on October 28, and they’d like to use social tools to take this event to the next level.

Questions the organization would like our crowd to address include:

  • As a small staff with lots to do, how can we keep a sustained social media presence?
  • How do we encourage deeper engagement with constituents via social media tools?
  • Many people with lupus are not public about having it, for a variety of reasons: How can we use social media to help overcome that barrier?

Social sites:

 

AIDS Fund

Stephanie Lin, Corporate and Community Relations Coordinator

AIDS Fund supports HIV/AIDS education, prevention, and services in the Delaware Valley Region by raising dollars and increasing public awareness about the impact of HIV in our communities. Currently, 30 regional agencies receive funds from AIDS Fund to provide direct services and AIDS prevention initiatives, including Action AIDS, AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania, BEBASHI and The Mazzoni Center. While the organization uses social media for various purposes, at Crowdsourcing Change they would like to put special focus on how to apply social strategies to boost the success of its AIDS Walk/Run Philly, on October 21.

Questions the organization would like our crowd to address include:

  • How can we use social media to establish and maintain relationships with our walkers/runners/volunteers?
  • How can we use social media to motivate walkers and runners to spread the word to increase awareness and fundraising via their networks?
  • What other social media platforms should we consider beyond those that we now use?
  • How can we use social media in a more engaging way?

Social sites:

 

So, come and join us with your questions, insights and perspectives, and help these local organizations more effectively use social tools to achieve their very worth objectives.

Thanks to the American Friends Service Committee for sponsorship.

Sponsored By: 
  • American Friends Service Committee
Tuesday, May 1, 2012: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Crowdsourcing Fish

We’re excited to present another edition of our popular “Crowdsourcing Change” program on Tuesday, May 1.  We’ve got three terrific local arts organizations eager to receive the wisdom of our crowd. 

In case you’ve never been to one of these lively events, here’s the way it works: Each presenter shares how they’re using online marketing and the social web to achieve their goals and objectives. Then the crowd (that’s you!) participates in a facilitated discussion about how each presenter might use the social web to even greater effect.  It’s a fun format for learning, sharing and potentially making a significant contribution to worthy projects. 

We start gathering at 6 PM at the Friends Center (1501 Cherry Street).  Light fare is available, and RSVP’s are appreciated. Not in Philly? Or can’t make it downtown? Watch the live Internet stream at http://phillynetsquared.org/live, and contribute your questions and comments via our Twitter backchannel (hashtag: #phlnet2).

Presenters on the May 1 program: 

Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

Presenter: Amanda Inderbitzen, Marketing and Communication Specialist

The Kimmel Center for the Performing Artsis a world-class performing arts destination in the heart of Philadelphia. Showcasing an international array of programs that include music, dance and theater, the Kimmel Center is also the home base for several of our city’s most acclaimed performing arts organizations, including The Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Company of Philadelphia, Philadanco and Pennsylvania Ballet.

Questions The Kimmel Center would particularly like our crowd to address include:

  • How can we use social media on a more personal level?
  • How can we use the patterns and activities in our social media properties to help sculpt our social media-marketing plan?
  • What are ways we can improve how we tie our social media efforts to our traditional marketing initiatives (print, television, radio, etc.)?

 

LocalArtsLive

Presenter: Sharon Torello, Founder

LocalArtsLiveis a central source of information and discussion about classical music in the Philadelphia region. With a special focus on small, new, and community ensembles that struggle to publicize their events, LocalArtsLive works to strengthen the classical music community by connecting people and organizations while appealing to a more diverse audience and making it easy to find events of interest.

Questions LocalArtsLive would particularly like our crowd to address include:

  • How can we improve two-way conversation? Most of our messages do not spark replies.
  • We actively use Ning, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Foursquare and email newsletters (our Google+ efforts have stalled): What other social tools we should consider?

 

Mural Arts Program

Presenter: Almaz Crowe, Special Events and Marketing Manager

The City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Programhas created more than 3,000 murals that enliven the environs throughout our city. Its projects enable neighborhoods to tell their individual and collective stories as well as pass on culture and tradition. The program also engages Philadelphia’s at-risk children, youth, and adults who find their artistic voice, develop their self-confidence, and discover new ambitions while creating murals.

Questions The Mural Arts Program would particularly like our crowd to address include:

  • Youth play a large part in Mural Arts’ mission. How do we effectively and appropriately communicate with them?
  • Through new, cutting-edge projects like Philly Painting with Haas & Hahn and The Roots Mural Project, we are reaching new audiences who may not have previously had contact with our organization. Once these individuals begin following/fanning us, how do we continually engage them?
  • How does Mural Arts create a virtual community - and create two-way conversations - to better serve our diverse constituents?

 

What special contrbution do YOU have to make to the crowd?

  • YOUR expertise. If you’re familiar with using social web tools with your own organization or with others, your knowledge and experience are welcome.
  • YOUR perspective.  Whether or not you’re an “expert”, you’ve seen good and bad websites, and you may have impressions about these particular organizations.  The more diverse perspectives we have in the room, the more useful this exercise will be.
  • YOUR questions.  If you have a question (e.g., “Why should I ‘like’ your Facebook page?”), chances are that other people have similar questions .  These are important organizations in our community, and if you don’t understand something about the social tools they’re trying to use to reach people like you, then your questions can be vital contributions to their success.

This promises to be an interesting, unique and practical event.  Please join us in person, or online. 

Special thanks to our sponsors, the American Friends Service Committee(AFSC).

 

 

Sponsored By: 
  • American Friends Service Committee
Tuesday, January 3, 2012: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Crowdsourcing: Fishing for social change through group effort

We’re excited to kick off the new year with another edition of our popular “Crowdsourcing Change” program on Tuesday, January 3. We’ve lined up three terrific projects eager to receive the wisdom of our crowd.

In case you’ve never been to one of these lively events, here’s the way it works: Each presenter shares how they’re using online marketing and the social web to achieve their goals and objectives. Then the crowd (that’s you!) participates in a facilitated discussion about how each presenter might use the social web to even greater effect. It’s a fun format for learning, sharing and potentially making a significant contribution to worthy projects.

We start gathering at 6 PM at the Friends Center (1501 Cherry Street). Light fare is available and RSVP’s are appreciated. Not in Philly? Or can’t make it downtown? Watch the live Internet stream at http://phillynetsquared.org/live, and contribute your questions and comments via our Twitter backchannel (hashtag: #phlnet2).

Here are the presenters we’ve lined up for the January 3 program:

  • Greater Philadelphia Tourism and Marketing Corporation (GPTMC), publisher of the region’s official visitor site VisitPhilly.com and the “what happening” blog uwishunu.com. GPTMC works to lure leisure travelers to Philadelphia and its surrounding counties, through marketing and image building that promotes the region’s vitality and highlights its many attractions.  Focus questions GPTMC would particularly like to address:
  • What are the best new tools for us to use to engage with our potential traveler? Google+? Pinterest? Tumblr? Something else?
  • Our social media efforts pay off when we partner with other organizations and brands. Who do you think could work as potential partners in social media promotions to raise Philadelphia’s image as a destination?
  • PhillyEcoCity, a virtual meeting place for people across the Philadelphia region who are interested in environmental and sustainability issues to find information, collaborate, and inspire one another.  Focus questions PhillyEcoCity would particularly like to address.
  • Is there a way to use social media for find like-minded people to help build this organization with me?
  • How do I use social media to create synergy among people and organizations that have the same passion and interest for sustainability?
  • Protecting Our Waters is a Philadelphia-based grassroots alliance committed to protecting the Delaware River Basin, the state of Pennsylvania, and our region from unconventional gas drilling, such as fracking, and other threats to our drinking water, environment, and public health.  Focus questions Protecting Our Waters would particularly like to address:
  • How can we make our blog more interactive and increase its readership without putting a strain on our tiny volunteer staff?
  • Some people oppose fracking based on common sense, but feel intimidated when “bigwords” or tough concepts are used.   Others only take a stand when detailed scientific studies are noted.   How can Twitter and Facebook best be used to mobilize both types into taking a vigorous stand for a moratorium now?

This promises to be an interesting, unique and practical event. Please join us in person, or online.

Special thanks to our sponsors, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC).

Sponsored By: 
  • American Friends Service Committee
Tuesday, September 6, 2011: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Philadelphia Crowdsourcing Change

We are excited to present another edition of our popular “Crowdsourcing Change” program on Tuesday, September 6.  We’ve lined up two terrific projects that are eager to receive the wisdom of our “crowd”. 

In case you’ve never been to one of these lively events, here’s the way it works: Each presenter will show their website and share their objectives. Then the crowd (that’s you!) will participate in a facilitated discussion about how various social web tools and strategies might help them achieve their objectives.  It’s a fun format for learning, sharing and potentially making a significant contribution to a couple of important causes.


And there’s some new news to share. Everyone who attends will have a chance to win a FREE pass to SocialMediaPlus, the web 2.0 business summit November 1516 at the Convention Center — a $495 value! Attendees who don’t win the free pass can get a 15% discount anyway, because Philly NetSquared is a partner organization of SocialMediaPlus.


We’ll start gathering at 6 PM at the Friends Center (1501 Cherry Street).  Light fare will be available, and RSVP’s are appreciated for planning. Not in Philly? Or can’t make it downtown? Watch the live Internet stream at http://phillynetsquared.org/live, and contribute your questions and comments via our Twitter backchannel (hashtag: #phlnet2).  (And, sorry, but remote participants are not eligible for the door prize.)

Our Crowdsourcing Change Projects

Patch Adams Free Clinic of Philadelphia

The Patch Adams Free Clinic of Philadelphia is currently raising funds and other kinds of donations so that it can build and operate a health clinic in an environmentally-friendly structure to be located in a low-income Philadelphia neighborhood. The clinic will provide holistic services in the style and spirit of Dr. Patch Adams, the doctor-clown who travels the world promoting health care that heals both body and soul. Through the generosity of the community, the clinic will move beyond charity toward ownership. Members of the clinic will become owners who make decisions about how the facility operates, to include controlling prices. This model enables members to free themselves from government and corporate controlled healthcare.

Representatives for Patch Adams Free Clinic of Philadelphia who will participate in the presentation: Paul Glover, Founding Director; Jim Wurster, webmaster

Questions the Patch Adams clinic would like our crowd to address include:
  • How do we reach and engage our audiences which are varied and include: Individuals and families who will use the services of the clinic once it’s built, professionals that we need to enlist to provide medical services, donors, along with politicians and other decision-makers who can help make our vision a reality.
  • How do we effectively create awareness and begin to organize the community through social media channels?
  • How do we keep-in-touch with our constituents via Facebook, Twitter and email?  

Find out more about Patch Adams Free Clinic at PatchAdamsClinic.org.

Generocity

Generocity connects people to causes in the greater Philadelphia region. Its website aligns news, networking and action all in one place. The project encourages people to engage with like-minded individuals and facilitates public discourse on issues that are overlooked by traditional media. The site offers user-friendly tools for nonprofits and individuals to raise money and will soon recruit skilled volunteers for organizations and causes.  

Questions Generocity would like our crowd to address include:
  • Aside from using Twitter and Facebook to push out news articles and links to interesting sites what are ways we can use Twitter and Facebook to engage people in Philadelphia who care about social issues?
  • What are best practices for blogging and are those rules different for nonprofits?
  • What has been your experience with social fundraising tools and how could that experience have been improved or had great impact?

Representatives for Generocity who will participate in the presentation:

David Raible, Executive Director; David Fair, Consultant; Steven Sonntagg, Content Director; and Alex Shuptar, Social Media Manager

Find out more about Generocity at Generocity.org.

This promises to be an interesting, unique and practical event. Please join us in person, or online!

Sponsored By: 
  • American Friends Service Committee
  • Chevy Volt
Tuesday, April 5, 2011: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Crowdsourcing Change

We are thrilled to announce the three local nonprofits that will be the focus of our Crowdsourcing Change event on April 5:

  • The Academy of Natural Sciences
  • The Painted Bride Art Center
  • The Chemical Heritage Foundation

In this highly participatory format representatives of each of these Philly cultural and scientific icons will present their goals and current social web strategies to the crowd (that’s us!).  Then, in a facilitated discussion, attendees share advice, perspectives and feedback to help these nonprofits move their social dimension forward.  (See more information about these organizations, and their social web objectives, below.)

The event will begin at 6:00 PM on Tuesday, April 5 at the Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street.  Plus, we’ll be streaming the event live over the Internet (via http://phillynetsquared.org/live) and supporting a Twitter backchannel (hashtag: #phlnet2), so our crowd can extend beyond our walls and city.

This is a wonderful learning and sharing opportunity for everyone who attends, as we share our best current thinking; and just maybe help these popular organizations better fulfill their important missions.

More information about our special guests:

Academy of Natural Sciences

Presenters: Dennis Murphy, Web Manager and Mike Servedio, Membership Services Associate

The Academy of Natural Sciences is a research institute and natural history museum that delights visitors via engaging programs and memorable exhibits, which include wildlife dioramas, a dinosaur hall, live animal center and butterfly garden. Celebrating its bicentennial in 2012, the Academy’s mission is to encourage and cultivate the sciences, explore the biodiversity of our natural world and share these discoveries with the public.

Questions the Academy of Natural Sciences would like our crowd to answer include:

  • How can we use social media to better communicate who we are and what we do?
  • How should we differentiate what we post on Facebook and Twitter?
  • What social media considerations should we make for our main website, which we are currently converting to a Drupal content management system?

Find out more about the Academy of Natural Sciences at: http://www.ansp.org/

Painted Bride Art Center

Presenter: Phil Sumpter, Director of Marketing and Communications

The Painted Bride celebrates the transformative power of the arts. Featuring jazz, world music, dance, theater, performance art, video, poetry, spoken word and visual arts, the Bride produces and presents performances as well as offers forums to facilitate dialogue about contemporary social issues.

Questions the Painted Bride would like our crowd to answer include:

  • What types of social media posts work best for instilling meaningful dialogue?
  • How can we effectively encourage people to follow/friend us on Twitter and Facebook?
  • What kind of social media strategies are effective for getting people to do something specific such as repost, retweet, or buy something?

Find out more about the Painted Bride at: http://www.paintedbride.org/

Chemical Heritage Foundation

Presenter: Monica Fonorow, Promotions Coordinator

The Chemical Heritage Foundation helps foster an understanding of chemistry’s impact the world. Through exhibits, programs and research the organization strives to inspire a passion for chemistry, to preserve the story of chemistry, and shed light on chemistry’s role in meeting current social challenges.

Questions the Chemical Heritage Foundation would like our crowd to answer include:

  • How can we promote our events on social media while also avoiding a steady stream of marketing and PR posts?
  • Other than posting good content what else can we do to increase engagement and grow our following?
  • Is it effective for organizations such as ours to live tweet events? If yes, which events?

Find out more about the Chemical Heritage Foundation at: http://www.chemheritage.org/

RSVP’s via Facebook or Meetup are appreciated for planning, but not required.  It’s more important that you show up (in person or virtually) with your ideas and enthusiasm for enhancing the social dimension of Philadelphia’s rich cultural and scientific scene.

Our sincere gratitude goes to the American Friends Service Committee for sponsoring this event.

Sponsored By: 
  • American Friends Service Committee
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