This seminar is a must-attend event for all those who are serious about using social media to engage employees and citizens by using the latest Web 2.0 technologies and social networks to drive communication results. You will benefit from:

1. 18 innovative speakers at your disposal to share their strategies and experiences in social media fundamentals that are already proven to work
2. Over 25 hours of intense, interactive learning - we guarantee you will recoup your money spent by implementing just a few of the strategies shared during the seminar
3. The opportunity to customize your learning by participating in unique and interactive workshop sessions that will enable you to practice and apply your skills in peer groups -- you will walk away with strategies and tactics that you can begin to implement in your own organization - click here for more details
4. An abundance of networking opportunities -- you will make many new contacts so be sure to bring plenty of business cards to exchange with your fellow attendees
5. A comprehensive overview of social media strategies and processes from leading practitioners like the Army Public Affairs, British Columbia Ministry of Citizens' Services, City of Seattle, Genome Alberta, and many more
6. Acquiring new knowledge to lead your organization through the imperative, yet sometimes extremely difficult, responsibility of ensuring that the right information gets to the right people, efficiently and effectively
7. A complimentary packet of research materials that will serve as a helpful resource long after you have attended this seminar
8. A formal Certificate of Completion which documents your training achievement and commitment to continuing professional development
9. Optional networking lunches that give you the opportunity to brainstorm and benchmark solutions with your fellow attendees
10. Participating in instructional sessions that will share real-world examples, tactics and lessons learned from leading social media initiatives that will ground you in advancing your own strategy
11. The opportunity to learn how to engage your employees and citizens by using social media from leading government agencies and organizations
12. Access to the seminar wiki – you’ll have the opportunity to collaborate and keep in touch with your colleagues after the event using this social media communication tool

Dear Government Communicator:

The policy questions facing the public sector are larger in scope and more complex than ever before and the subsequent answers will have a lasting impact on society. Adding to the challenge is that these questions must be answered against a backdrop of rising citizens’ expectations and in some cases, reductions in budgets. As a result, a more networked model of government is needed. This means being closer to citizens, often delivering outcomes through partners and working in a more collaborative fashion.

Social media provides a platform for operating in a more networked manner and connects people in ways that have historically not been possible. It provides powerful new tools that can help communicate policy choices, build partnerships, and engage citizens. Most importantly, it allows for an approach to service delivery and policy making that is based on collaboration, transparency and participation.

Government organizations are recognizing this opportunity and implementing social media programs that enable them to deliver services more effectively and interact with citizens in a more meaningful way. They are doing so within the unique context of government, recognizing their responsibility to respect the needs and interests of all citizens.

What’s exciting is that innovators at all jurisdictional levels have demonstrated what can work, and what to avoid, when implementing social media within government. Attend this training to apply practical advice and lessons learned from your peers to your agency’s own social media strategies and plan.

• Department of National Defence analyzed which social media tools were appropriate in delivering their message to the correct audience
• British Columbia Ministry of Environment encouraged employee collaboration and empowered citizens by using social media
• City of Seattle, Washington integrated social media into both internal and external communication strategies

It's a real pleasure to be chairing A.L.I.’s 25th forum on "Social Media for Government" in Vancouver on April 4-7, 2011, and I hope you'll join me at this outstanding opportunity to meet, mix with and learn from some of the leading government practitioners using social media.

Sincerely,

Andrew Medd, Senior Manager
DELOITTE INC.
Seminar Chairperson

All accredited CPRS members who attend this conference will qualify for 2 Maintenance of Accreditation Units.

P.S. Reserve your spot today to learn how you and your team can better manage your social media efforts that result in maximized communications. Register 3 people and get the 4th for FREE! For more information, call (773) 695-9400 or click here for details.