8:00 a.m.
Registration & Continental Breakfast

8:30 a.m.

Chairperson’s Welcome & Speed Networking

Become acquainted with your fellow training attendees in this fun and fast-paced forum!

9:15 a.m.

How To Successfully Utilize Social Media Tools In Your Organization, Even With A Widely-Dispersed Staff And Security Concerns

The Canadian Expeditionary Force Command (CEFCOM) anticipates and conducts global full-spectrum operations - in concert with national and international partners - in support of Canada's national interests. CEFCOM deploys task forces around the world to carry out military operations ranging from humanitarian aid through peace support to combat. Task forces are made up of maritime, land, air and special operations forces selected and trained specifically for their missions. 

In order to be a part of the conversation about NATO, UN and Canadian Forces activities/deployments around the world, CEFCOM adopted the use of social media platforms specific to their environment, audience and communications goals.  In October 2011, they developed two Twitter accounts, one English and one French, to help them reach directly to the Canadian public and coalition partners to share important information about their mission successes, challenges and to develop relationships with their followers so that they can rely on CEFCOM for fast information about their missions overseas. They also developed Facebook pages at the "community" level for their deployed task forces to share more personalized information about their deployment to their local community, family and friends. 

In an environment such as that of the military, there are many additional security concerns with using new communications tools that the organization cannot control. CEFCOM must be vigilant in what they post themselves, but also educate their soldiers, sailors, airmen and women on acceptable use of social media in order to protect themselves while deployed and even their families at home.  Despite some hesitation, CEFCOM has been able to implement a growing presence in new media, as well as draft a comprehensive policy on the use of social media both for the organization and for deployed individuals.

You will leave this session with practical tactics for:

• Overcoming the government approval process
• Coordinating your social media efforts with other partners (whether governmental, stakeholders, international)
• Communicating through social media in both official languages
• Using social media for media monitoring, gauging and anticipating issues before they present themselves
• Educating employees on safe use of social media (Operations Security)

Jennifer Stadnyk, Public Affairs Operations Officer
Canadian Joint Operations Command, Canadian Forces

9:45 a.m.

Your Opportunity To Ask Questions

9:50 a.m.

Creating A Social Media Policy That Provides A Uniformed Framework For All Of Your Departments And Campaigns

A couple of years ago, Markham was overwhelmed with social media profiles that were popping up all over the Corporation. From cultural events to emergency preparedness planning to economic development initiatives – everyone wanted to run their own social media campaigns. Without a policy in place, the danger of inconsistent information being sent out into the world was growing.

In 2011, the Corporate Communications and Community Relations department started working with the business units to produce a social media policy. The policy provides a framework for social media use on behalf of the Corporation and since its implementation last summer, Markham has successfully integrated all of their social media platforms and campaigns under one roof.

You will leave this session with practical advice on:

• Creating a policy everyone understands and buys into
• Encouraging collaboration and cross-promotion using official social media profiles
• Laying the groundwork to take social media to the next level when the time comes

Dennis Flaherty, Director, Communications & Community Relations
Angela Vink, Senior Communications Advisor, Communications & Community Relations
CITY of Markham, Ontario

10:20 a.m.

Your Opportunity To Ask Questions

10:25 a.m.

Morning Refreshment & Networking Break

10:45 a.m.

Digest Session: Your Training Goals

This is your chance to discuss with fellow attendees and speakers what your most pressing social media concerns are and what solutions you hope to gain during this training.

11:15 a.m.

How To Build Senior Management Support For
Your Social Media Programs

In response to the changing media landscape and in an effort to use new and emerging technology to connect with and engage residents, The Regional Municipality of York launched a Facebook Page and Twitter Feed on June 30, 2011. Building senior management support for your social media program is crucial, but is not always an easy task. Detailed research, policy development and open communication between the project team and senior management resulted in senior management endorsing the program launch.

• Create a policy with a conservative approach to minimize risks through security
• Overcome senior management obstacles
• Encourage senior management’s involvement in content and campaign ideas
• Measure and share results with senior management
• Continue to build support for additional social media program add-ons

Masrine Guthrie-Peart, Communications Specialist
THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF YORK, ONTARIO

11:45 a.m.

Your Opportunity To Ask Questions

11:50 a.m.

How To Create And Implement A Social Media Policy For Your Organization That Won’t Restrict Your Employees

Located in the heart of Canada’s Technology Triangle, Waterloo Region is community renown for innovation. And the Region of Waterloo has a well-earned reputation for finding innovative solutions to meet the challenges and needs of the communities it serves.

When communications staff needed to find new ways of involving and engaging the public in several significant planning and transportation projects that would have far-reaching implications for the entire community, they turned to what was then a new and innovative approach for reaching new audiences – social media.

While their early successes helped demonstrate the value of social media tools to the communication process, there were no formal social media strategies or policies in place at the Region.

During this session, learn how your organization should implement a social media policy, including how:

• A small group of staff championed the cause of social media
• A collaborative “pathfinder” approach can be used to develop a formal social media policy
• To give communication staff the freedom they needed to continue using social media tools while formal social media policies are being developed
• To use social media to successfully engage and inform the community

Keren Adderley, Coordinator of Communications and Marketing
Region of Waterloo, ONTARIO

12:20 p.m.

Your Opportunity To Ask Questions

12:25 p.m.
Lunch On Your Own -- But Not Alone!

Join a group of your colleagues for a themed lunch with an informal discussion surrounding a specific social media hot topic. Take this opportunity to join others in a small, interactive group setting to network and brainstorm solutions to your most pressing communication concerns.

2:00 p.m.

Digest Session: Connect The Content

You’ve heard from a number of speakers, now we’d like to hear from you. Network and discuss with fellow training attendees and speakers what social media tools you’re using to communicate with citizens and where you have found the most success.

2:30 p.m.

How do you challenge and replace traditional, top-down communications and engagement common throughout public sector organizations, with innovative and creative solutions that excite your stakeholders/clients?

The Social Services Solution Modernization Project (SSSMP) is a multi-year technology transformation project that aims to modernize how social services are delivered in the Province of Ontario. With over 14,000 stakeholders across numerous regions, and in different levels of government (municipal, provincial, and First Nations), the challenge to deliver a successful implementation relies heavily on successful engagement and change management.

As part of engagement and business communications with stakeholders and partners, SSSMP uses an innovative approach that has received high acclaim and praise for its digital engagement techniques and has changed the way project communications take place.

You will leave this session with insights, recommendations, and formulas for:

• Developing your own digital engagement strategy
• Defining, understanding and working with your audience in a way that allows them to champion your communications for you
• Ensuring your website works for you and not the other way around
• Determining the relevance and usefulness of digital tools such as blogging, digital video, web presence, web-chats and using gamification techniques in public-sector communications
• Translating business objectives into digital outputs that provide effective ROI.
• Establishing metrics for your digital engagement initiatives

Natalie Anozie, Senior Communications Coordinator
Ontario MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY & SOCIAL SERVICES

Rob Oddi, Digital Engagement Strategist & Change Management Consultant
V2R SOCIAL MEDIA INC.

3:00 p.m.

Your Opportunity To Ask Questions

3:05 p.m.

How To Develop A Social Media Plan To Achieve Your Strategic Goals: Objectives, Tactics And Success Measures

Conservation Halton isn’t your parent’s government agency. Nestled in an increasingly urban setting – Canada’s official fastest growing city – they tow the line between a government regulatory body and a community organization focused on recreational activities and public engagement. They’re never more than a tweet, “like,” follow, pin, tag, reblog or check-in away. Like the environment itself, what good is social media without the people that make the conversations rich and the experiences worthwhile?

Conservation Halton is an environmental agency responsible for flood control, environmental planning, forest management, ecological monitoring, education, and recreation. They do everything from issuing building permits to operating Ontario’s fifth busiest ski and snowboard centre. Their stakeholders are varied, and their staff is just as diverse. From engineers and ecologists to educators and administrators, they encourage their staff to become official social media contributors as well as unofficial brand ambassadors, with some explicit guidelines of course.

While their foray into social media has been cautious, it was never without a clear plan – several plans in fact. It’s all about having a flexible style within a rigid framework. As Facebook and Twitter became popular destinations for brands to showcase themselves and engage their customers in image-building, they took a strategic approach, complete with objectives, tactics and success measures.

You will leave this session with new ideas to integrate social media into your traditional communications, including:

• How social media is relevant to every organization
• The benefits of social media, even when your employees are not able to access it at work
• How to get started on Facebook
• How to overcome the fear of negativity on social media platforms

Hassaan Basit, Director Communications
Conservation Halton
@Sci_Comms
@Ch_Comm

3:35 p.m.

Your Opportunity To Ask Questions

4:00 p.m.

Digest Session: Your Experience With Social Media

Thinking back to the presentations you’ve heard, and your personal experience, discuss with your fellow attendees and speakers an example of the most successful engagement you’ve experienced using social media.

4:30 p.m.
Day One Wrap Up

4:50 p.m.

End of Day One

5:00 p.m.

Networking Reception: Please Join Us!

We invite you to join us for a drink as you relax with your peers. All training attendees and speakers are welcome to join us for this special opportunity to continue networking. Don't miss this chance to benchmark new ideas over complimentary drinks!

Sign up during the day for dinner with a group. Take advantage of Toronto's fine dining while you continue to network with your colleagues.