Social Reporting…

What’s that all about?

Hold onto to your seat, this is where digital media and ‘honest/raw’ feedback from young people/public can take place.

For an insight and introduction you need to go check out: David Wilcox’s informative blog on social reporting – well worth a read. Another good guide onsocial reporting by White Llama offering suggestions and highlights some pitfalls.

” Are you intrigued or your toes curling up with fear?”

I get excited by social reporting with young people as there is less ‘organisational’ control and editing/filtering of the ‘end’ report/feedback (hey we all like to look good). When Tim Davies and Devon County Council did the consultation ‘Social network sites in youth participation, 2008′ There were set questions but also young people were handed busbi’s camera to go interview other young people about their views and experiences of online social media sites. It allowed some young people to share the views whom may have not had a chance to complete the ‘formal’ consultation and discuss the ‘topic’ in a smaller group setting (2/3 people max).

If it’s the first time for yourself as a practitioner or group of young people in social reporting – make life easy – I would recommend yourself with interested colleagues to do a ‘trail attempt‘ – review a meeting, training event, conference. Think about how, whom and where to ‘capture’ the footage. Discuss what worked, what you would change and what could you do differently in the future.

A quick guide to social reporting – created by Tim Davies

• Discuss with group members what they would like to report, where and whom; local community event, music event, visiting a provision or environmental issue etc
• Identify with the group what skills they each individually have and need to learn.
• Ask if they want to do a task they feel comfortable and confident in completing – then invite them to ’show/teach’ another young person to do that task and they try an unfamiliar ‘task’- ok, I’m tough and like to encourage young people out of their comfort zones and whenever possible get them practicing communication, team and conflict resolution skills.
• Discuss and identify what risk(s) could present themselves & precautions to take.
• Prepare a risk assessment accordingly - I try whenever possible to do this with group members, be clear and explicit so each person understands their role and responsibility.

Tools: tape recorder, camcorder (busbi’s are good, simple and robust) or a work camcorder (under supervision, if required).

Parental/career consent forms:(photographs/film/audio;websites & social network sites)

1. Again keep it simple.
2. When annually renewing parental/career image consent forms, include a section about online social media and social reporting.
3. Ask interviewees if they would like to participate – clearly explain where the footage will be uploaded - informed consent
4. For young people with no parental/career consent; with their consent ask for address & contact details to post the parental/career image consent form with SAE included and cover letter briefly explaining the event/consultation, where and whom will have access to the footage (practitioners need to collect this information, not young people).
5. I always include a paragraph encouraging parents/carers to call if they have any questions or concerns – as yet not one parent/career has! KEEP the language in the letter simple, some parents have low literacy levels (I intend no disrespect, but this is a reality for some parents/careers)
6. Success rate of getting the consent forms back – 85% have been returned to our team, we think it’d due to clear explanation, SAE and reminding people on the social network profile/dropping a call to send the form back.

An online discussion took place on www.youthworkonline.org.uk between several practitioners about using images, video and other media tools online – worth a read with a cuppa & jaffa cakes.

Next week blogging about:
‘Signposting’ young people online to webpages with info, support & helplines;
housing, benefits, sexual health, depression & mental health.

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