New Technologies and Social Networks Taking road safety online effectively Presented by: Manpreet Darroch Communications Officer – Youth for Road Safety 4 th European Youth Forum for Road Safety European Commission Brussels, 25/11/11
Agenda Taking road safety online Advantages and Disadvantages of social media Importance of online presence YOURS Conclusion
Introduction Manpreet Darroch Communications YOURS Manage online outreach Design online campaigns Embrace Life Campaign (2011) World Crossing Campaign (2010) Director of Tune into Traffic UK
Taking Road Safety Online Many organization are already online Internet is most used media in Europe Social media is a powerful tool for outreach Massive potential to reach young people with your road safety message!
Advantages A good tool to use to publicize your work Costs very little money to set up online Easy to create Facebook groups etc Online participation can be easier than face to face Cross border collaboration can be facilitated
Disadvantages Your message can be caught up in ‘commercial noise’ Harder to gauge participation and commitment Not as effective as a face-to-face conversation? User drop-out Hits do not necessarily indicate attitude change
Solutions – Examples at YOURS How do we take road safety campaigns online effectively? How do we ensure online participation?
Importance of online presence Advocacy is incredibly important for road safety Setting yourself up online is a great place to start Social media can be an effective tool to create a movement
Social media revolutions?
Going online effectively
Embrace Life = Online Awareness Campaign Asked people from around the world to show us ‘how they embrace life’ and accordingly, commit to road safety with a photo. The campaign began with a strategy plan including: - Concept - Start date and end date - Which medias we would use (online) - Online media timeline - People to contact to get involved
Easy to take part A picture was the entry criteria Incentive = 1000 euros for best entry Endorsements = by photographers Creates a buzz and movement via facebook and our website Use your own networks to engage others Engage those not active in road safety Great results
11/22/11
Conclusion Advantages and disadvantages to online networks Put your organization online – it’s where youth are! Be strategic and think about HOW you use social media Don’t give up – sometimes it takes time to see results
Join the Global Youth Network for Road Safety THE MINE SECTION for questions… We are here to support your work and publicize your projects!