Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/323328
ActivatingOnlineCommunitiestoMaximizeImpact 8 Introduction MuchoftheworkatTakingITGlobalaimstobridgeonlineengagementwithreal worldimpact. DuringtheActivatingOnlineCommunitiestoMaximizeImpact – FutureChallenges2017 roundtable , therewerethreeexploratorytoolsusedtohelpguidediscussion.ThefirsttoolwasanEngagement PathwaysActivitytohighlightthehoweachor ganizationviewsengagementwithintheirsector.The secondtoolwasOpenSpaceTechnologyfacilitation , whichwasusedtoexplorethreecorequestions relevanttothegroup: • Whatdoesthefuturelooklikewhenweshiftourmindsetfrom'engagingvoluntee rs',to creatingcommunitiesofactionandlearning? • Whatarewelearningaboutactivatingnetworksofyouthforsocialgood? • Whatdoesitmeantotrulyleverageonlineengagementforofflineimpact Lastly , thethirdtoolwasasurveytoseewhereeachorg anizationsitsatthepresenttimeandwhere theywouldliketoseetheirtoolsandplatformsexpandtoin2017. Thisdiscussionincludedparticipation fromthefollowingorganizations:UnitedWayToronto,InspiritFoundation, CivicAction, YouthChallenge International,GetInvolved,YouthfulCities,OntarioCouncilforInternationalCooperation,Greenpeace Canada,BoysandGirlsClubCanada ,InnovateforGood andTakingITGlobal (AppendixC1.1) . Goals& Issues Duringthegroupintroductions,eachparti cipantdescribedtheirorganizationandhowit currentlyusesonline toolsand platformstoconnectwith their members .While eachorganizationwas uniqueeachfacedsimilar goalsandissueswithregardsto thefutureoftheircurrent technology, connecting to thepublicandyouthengagement. Astechnologybecomesmorecommonineverydaylife, itisnecessaryfororganizationstoadopt newtechnologicaltoolsandplatformstoavoidtheriskofbecomingoutdated.Withregardstothe f uturemandatesoftheorganizationsinvolved,manyhavesetgoalstobroadentheirsocialnetworking horizonstoincreasevisibilityandtoconnectwithtargeteddemographics. However ,asthese organizationsareadaptingtothechangingtechnologytheyare meetingmanycommonobstaclesthat arehinderingtheirdevelopment.Themostpressingissueinthissectorisnothavingthepropertraining orfundingtosupporttheseendeavors. Theorganizationsarelookingtocreatebothshortandlong term strategies tohelpmanagethedevelopmentofnewtechnologicalplatformsandtools. Astheorganizationsbecome moret echnologicallyadvanced , theyareableto connectwitha larger , morediverse cultural demographicthanbefore. Theorganizationsinvolved inthis discussion plan tointegrateonlinerecruitmenttoo lstoshiftfromasolelyevent basedprocesstosomethin g broader. Thiswillallowtheorganizationsto reach a large r ,more dynamic poolofcollaboratorsandvolunteers. Sincemany oftheorganizati on s who participatedinActivatingOnlineCommunitiesarebased onyouth engagement ,i tisimportanttokeepup to datewith the onlineandmobiletools that this demographicisusing.Theobstaclesth a ttheorganizationsarefacingwithyouth engagement loopback totheirtechnologicalissues andabilitytoconnect through onlineplatforms.Toreachyouthinthe future , theorganization s needtobecomemoreproactivenowwiththeirstrategiesandplatformsto makesuretheywillberelevant intheyears tocom e.