A growing network of digital-savvy RSA Fellow volunteers is now on hand to help other Fellows with advice and guidance on virtual engagement with the Society, including the social media side of local RSA events, Fellows’ projects and suchlike.
You can view all the profiles of members of the network (and your own region’s ones) on the Regional Digital Champions network page.
The Digital Champions are becoming closely integrated with the RSA Regional Teams in every region (nb a link to the profiles of your RSA Regional Team members is also included on the Regional Digital Champions (RDCs) networks webpage).
Erinma Ochu, one of the NW Regional Digital Champions team commented: “Our Regional Digital Champions in the North West have been blogging and tweeting about events and encouraging event partners to create Storifies too. The goal is to create a buzz around Fellows networking in the NW.”
“We've also been sharing and exploring ways to measure social media impact."
The network was initiated by the RSA’s Digital Engagement group (RSAde) - one of the RSA Fellowship Council’s seven working groups. Here is an early blog post about the network: The Digital Champion’s Manifesto - and a more recent one: Digital Engagement: Regional Digital Champions.
The goal is to create a buzz around Fellows networking in the NW
– Erinma Ochu
Charlotte Britton, Chair of RSAde, said: “Going forward RDCs are a key aspect of the online engagement with Fellows. Getting Fellows engaged regionally in the projects and conversations online will be a big step forward. One of the improvements from the Fellowship Survey was that Fellows wanted to connect with other Fellows regionally. We're hoping the RDCs - and building the networks online - will help Fellows connect online and get involved in what's happening in their area”.
Activities that Regional Digital Champions can lead - or support - include:
- Offering 1:1 advice to Fellows with specific social media-related queries
- Social reporting: using blogs to report from - or about - RSA-related events (here’s an example of a live-blog: ‘RSA Fellowship Council Live Blog’, and an event report blog: ‘How to run an FRSA Reboot session’ (a fun and energising meeting format you might want to try using in your region!)
- Support RSA Catalyst fund projects with digital aspects of projects including development of their online communications strategy
- Support regional teams - as well as Fellows regionally
- Feed into RSA’s digital strategy development (eg via RSAde’s Moderation group)
- Host and contribute to online discussions on forums such as Linkedin, RSAFellowship.com etc.
- Social reporting: use Twitter to report live from an event and collate a report later (here are two example of Digital Champions' Storifies - tweets and other content - from the July 2013 RSA West Annual Conference and from a local RSA Reboot event: FRSA London City Reboot
- Add useful new how-tos, online tools to the RSA’s ‘Fellows' tools & techniques’ webpage
- Use Twitter to disseminate ideas and links to other materials
- Curate an online collection of regional information and resources
- Manage a local email list
- Moderate discussions on an RSA (or other) online community network (the separate RSA regional online networks are largely moving to the main RSAFellowship.com community - do join your regional RSA online group)
- Take photographs to add to a Flickr collection (such as the RSA Flickr group)
- Host online video Google ‘Hangouts’ where Fellows in up to 10 locations can meet and have a discussion about a relevant topic or project
- Suggest other innovative ways of using technology to engage and encourage Fellows to get connected.
The Regional Digital Champions network has its own group on RSAFellowship.com and has also been using Google Hangouts to video conference together, featuring interesting social media speakers.
Would you like to be a Regional Digital Champion?
If you would like to put yourself forward as an RSA Digital Champion for your region, please have a chat with your Regional Team members (you’ll find their link on Digital Champions network profiles page) to find out whether they need more Champions and whether your fit seems right for the role. Let me know what you decide.
Helpful links
- The Digital Champions network profiles page
- ‘7 Ways to become an online Fellow’
- RSA Connectors network (RSA contacts, around the globe)
- RSA’s ‘Fellows' tools & techniques’ webpage
Matthew Mezey is RSA Online Community Manager. Twitter: @MatthewMezey
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Hi Nick, the Digital Champions network is no longer active I'm afraid. This was a decision we made when the new website launched in February this year, and also the staff member managing the network left the RSA. Since then the idea of creating some volunteer roles has been discussed but has not progressed (except for Fellows who lead thematic network), partly because there has been so much flux and we'd want to set clear objectives for any new volunteer role so that it was satisfying and meaningful to the those involved. If you want to discuss this further please get in touch with me on alexandra.barker@rsa.org.uk
is this still current ?