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Your organisation: Online Youth Outreach

Tell us a bit more about yourself, and your interest in young people's digital literacy. To prevent spammers, we require this information.: For the last 2 years Tim Davies and myself have been researching and developing methodologies and polices in the practical application of online social media platforms to gain the views of vulnerable young people. I have successfully engaged and enabled young people to express their views online and participate with local decision makers in Devon to contribute to the delivery of Devon Children's & Young peoples Plan. Relevant information/links and documents can be downloaded for FREE:
http://www.katiebacon.co.uk
http://www.timdavies.org.uk

Below is a link to online community for Youth & Community Professionals:
http://ukyouthonline.ning.com/

I initially started exploring social media to engage with young people over 3 years age, due to working with homeless young people with transient lifestyles I discovered that their e-mail account (social media profile account) stayed constant and enable me to maintain contact with them to encourage them to access local youth support services.

Below is further information about my work and practice in digital youth engagement online:
Relevant information/links and documents have been uploaded to my webpage http://www.katiebacon.co.uk/. When I initially started exploring utilising social media within my practice there was little accessible information, hence I collated my learning and set up my webpage. A synopsis of my professional practice can also be located on the webpage.

I'm currently preparing a research consultation to explore with young people and youth professionals about how youth professional should interact/communicate/signposting online through social media platforms. While also exploring the issues of eSafeguarding/informed consent/interpreting online dialogue/how to display positive unconditional regard/empathy etc. I'm currently reviewing polices for online counseling best practice.

Also about to explore with The Eddystone Trust: services they offer (predominantly support for people living with and affected by HIV / AIDS) and deliver workforce training to a range of professionals on working with young people with sex and relationships issues. Methodologies in utilising the online social media platforms for young gay and bisexual men in rural areas and offering them a credible and safe space without necessarily exposing young men to the more sexually aggressive and explicit sites such as Gaydar.com.

I have co-written with Tim Davies a 2 day Social media training course for youth professionals. Below is the course content (the course is due to be certificated by CPD - Continuous Professional Development)

Learn how young people use social media
Explore how new social media approaches to engage with young people could be used within your practice/organisation
Develop practical skills in the use of social media tools (the afternoon session will be dedicated to getting ‘hands –on experience’
Identify practical ways to support young people to be safe online
Find ways of applying your professionals skills and values to new digital environments.
Learning outcomes:
Aware of how young people are engaging with social media;
Aware of a range of different methods for using social media in work with young people
Aware of the key issues to consider when involved in digital work with young people
Confident to explore and pick up new practical skills for digital work with young people
Strategies for taking forwards the use of social media in your organisation

Tim Davies and I have also co-written a training manual 'Practical guide for youth practitioners in utilising social media with young people to supplement the training course.

Please don't hesitate to contact me if you would like to discuss any ideas or questions.

Katie bacon's Blog

1 day introduction Social Media Training for Youth Professionals

Social media can amplify the positives and negatives of everyday life for young people, and can expose them to new opportunities and new risks. There are undoubtedly both positive and negative aspects to social media – but whatever our views – Youth Professionals need to understand the online activities and environments young people are engaging with. Explore both how to support young people as they engage in these environments; and how to creatively use social media and social networking to… Continue

Posted on February 1, 2010 at 16:58