Using Social Media to Engage Youth and Racial Minorities

Today at the EPA 12th Community Involvement Training Conference in Arlington, VA, Beth Offenbacker gave a presentation focusing on the role of technology in engaging youth and racial minorities in civic capacity building and environmental awareness.  The presentation showed examples of interactive games and mobile applications ("apps") that seek to broaden the public engagement process. Emerging technologies for communications, computing, and visualization can be effectively used during the planning process for public involvement, data collection, spatial analysis, and visioning. At the same time, we should critically assess the impacts of technology on planning processes such as outreach. Civil liberties and the digital divide are two such concerns. These two emerging technologies present opportunities for future civic engagement, public involvement and even future employment, including for traditionally underserved groups, and particularly to reach youth who may be highly conversant with the technologies or who may be interested in becoming more active in their communities. Public involvement efforts can and should focus on opportunities to cultivate a culture of participation with youth and racial minorities. Three games/apps will be highlighted in this session: Walking History, an interactive, mobile game; Community PlanIt, an immersive 3D game; and Participatory Chinatown, a game designed for the master planning process in Boston's Chinatown.

Call for Proposals Extended to Wed Mar 16: VT UAP Social Media Conf

Call for Proposals

Virginia Tech Social Media for Planning Conference

Due Date Extended to Wednesday, March 16

Sponsored by the Virginia Tech Urban Affairs and Planning Program
www.uap.vt.edu

Held simultaneously in two locations, Falls Church and Blacksburg, Virginia

Friday, April 22, 2011

8am-5pm

This program will be submitted for AICP CM credits

Social media tools, communications, databases and other technologies are increasingly being used by planners today in their day-to-day work. Join us for this one-day conversation that will showcase best practices for how planners are using technology in support of visualization, stakeholder engagement and project management/implementation.

We’re seeking speakers to participate in the day’s program:

• Have a case study or innovation in using social media that you’d like to share with fellow planners across the Commonwealth?
• Or do you have some particular challenges with implementing social media that you’d like to talk about, as part of a conversation about overcoming obstacles to using social media?

Submit your Expression of Interest by Wednesday, March 16. We’ll let you know within the following week if your proposal has been accepted.

Click here to submit your Expression of Interest

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About UAP

The Urban Affairs and Planning (UAP) program at Virginia Tech offers two locations for graduate study, Blacksburg, Virginia and Alexandria, Virginia facility. The two UAP sites are jointly accredited by the Planning Accreditation Board and both offer a Master of Urban and Regional Planning and a doctorate in Planning, Governance & Globalization (through the School of Public and International Affairs).

In addition, students have the option of earning a dual master’s degree in UAP and several other disciplines, including natural resources, public administration, and landscape architecture.

Visit UAP's website to learn more about our degree programs.