Where next for the APYCO blog? You decide!

We’ve already used the APYCO Interactive blog to:

• Consult on the future of the association
• Share updates, news and hot topics from the conference

But that’s just the start of the possibilities.

• A blog consists of blog posts posted by the owner of the blog or approved authors. A blog post can be an article, some shared media (videos, pictures), an announcement or a question.

  and

• Comments which are posted by anyone who visit the blog and can respond to blog posts.

So - that means there is usually a blog author who shares information or starts a discussion - but then anyone can get involved.

Usually blogs are public and accessible to anyone on the internet. Regular readers of a blog are encouraged to subscribe using an RSS reader or by e-mail to be able to keep up to date with the latest posts on a blog.

Readers may find a blog because it has been linked to by another blogger (blog author), because it has been found in a search engine or because they have been given the address of the blog.

So what do you want the APYCO blog to achieve?

• Perhaps you want to see regular articles about managing services for young people?
• Perhaps you want to read occasional comments from the Chief Executive?
• Perhaps you think the blog should feature ‘guest authors’ from amongst the APYCO membership - sharing their stories about their work or hot topics that affect them?
• Perhaps you want to see more consultation on the blog - and see it as a platform for APYCO members talking together in public about the direction of the organisation?
• Perhaps you have a different idea entirely

Drop in your preferences, ideas and comments below - and lets see how we can develop the APYCO Interactive blog into the future…

A social media masterclass…

After speaking at last years APYCO conference DK from Media Snackers was back this year to run a Social Media Materclass with delegates.

You can find all the resources from the presentation online here.

DK shared how services with young people can:

• Use Skype to keep in touch via voice and video conversations with integrated teams, run conference calls and stay in touch without phone call charges
• Use Google Documents for collaboration in teams
• Set up and run a blog in just three clicks.
• Use Animoto.com to create dynamic visuals videos from photos.
• Use Issuu to display youth magazines and content dynamically online
• Use Flickr to share photos and geo-tag them
• Use Dipity to create virtual timeslines of events and activities
• Run interactive votes using SMSPoll.net

Also available at the conference was the executive summary of the new Youth Work and Social Networking report by The National Youth Agency - a practical research report outlining how youth services can take steps to develop their social media and social networking strategies. You can download a copy of that report here or discuss the report on it’s own blog here. (Disclosure: I was the lead researcher on the YWSN project).