Community Blogging
Why
Blogs?
Blogging is a programmatic tool. The
intent is to use blogging as a tool for change and a tool for
communications. The goals of this process
include:
- To
build capacity of communities to be reflective and evaluate
their progress
- To
reinforce program outcomes and help keep the focus on
poverty, leadership and community
- To
help communities maintain a history of the project.
This will help remember how far you have come and your
successes along the way.
- To
help community communicate internally about Horizons
progress, decisions about issues and other things in their
communities. It is a way to tell the community story.
What
else?
-
Blogs encourage first-person narrative and storytelling,
making the content more compelling to site visitors.
- Blogs
are an easy way to share information in a community
- Blogs
are accessible by any community member from any computer
with an Internet connection
- Blogs
are designed to be easy to use, easier than traditional
website software
- Blogs
can be maintained and viewed with slow ("dial-up") Internet
connections
- Blogs
are free advertisement for communities
- Blogs
can help get youth engaged and be recognized
- Blogs
can be a community's memory
-
Because blogs are free, they are sustainable after Horizons
- With
the encouragement to use blogs, more community members
become trained - building capacity within the community
- A
community's blog could become their resource center.
- A
community's blog may help connect alumni that have moved
away and are considering moving back.
- A
community blog is a way to market yourselves globally
Job
Description for Bloggers - WE NEED YOU!
What
to Blog?
Tell your
community story here!
Communities
will learn more about what to blog during training, but here are
links to other blogs that have been ongoing sometime that may
provide you with ideas.
You will
be encouraged to refer to the Horizons grid when blogging as
well. This grid looks at your community's progress on
outcomes in the Horizons program. More on this during
training...
North Dakota Horizons Blogs
Each state involved in Horizons has a state blog page as well as
individual pages for each community. To see North Dakota's
page and get a link to all community pages, please go to:
http://www.northdakota.communityblogs.us This will
provide you with the "look" of the ND blog page as well as each
community page. A group of 2-6 individuals in each
Horizons town will become the "official" bloggers and keep each
site updated. Training will be provided by your local
coach, who will also provide support for each
community's blog team. A digital camera with video
capabilities has been purchased for each town and will be
presented during blog training. Communities can receive
incentives depending upon how much they blog. The blog
incentives will be available for review in November, 2008.
Blog Permission Forms
We are
asking each community to have anyone in a picture complete the
attached permission form and keep it on file in your community.
This form allows NDSU Extension or the Northwest Area Foundation
to potentially use these pictures for publicity purposes.
We have been asked a number of times to use these pictures in
articles, stories, etc. and have to get permission afterwards.
Please do so beforehand so we might be able to use a great photo
you've acquired!
PERMISSION FORM
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