Join FutureGov and 6 Consulting for a morning of new thinking about how local authorities can begin to engage with their residents beyond surveys and focus groups.

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We are pleased to announce that Merici Vinton, Obama campaign's North Carolina Director of New Media, will be joining us to speak about how local opinion was gauged on the campaign, how social media was used to communicate, and the impact it had on President Obama's election campaign.

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Conversations about neighbourhoods and local areas are going on all over the web as we speak.  The key to effective engagement is to listen first.  But how to listen when there's so much noise and not all of it is friendly?

This session will introduce you to some of the key tools on the web for listening to and getting insight from what your residents are saying online.  With case studies and practical exercises this workshop will show you how to make sense of the web and use it as a springboard for engaging with citizens.

Agenda

9.30 am Welcome and Introduction

9.35am  Why This Matters - Dominic Campbell, Managing Director of FutureGov

9.50am  Making Sense of the Noise - Paul Taylor, 6 Consulting

10.20am  Case Study of Greater Manchester Police - Paul Taylor, 6 Consulting

10.35am  Practical workshop exploring listening and the tools available

11.05am Break

11.15am The Obama Campaign - gauging local opinion and the impact of social media - Merici Vinton, North Carolina Director of New Media, Obama for America

11.35am  A New Kind of Customer Relationship? - Carrie Bishop, FutureGov and VRM Hub

11.50am  Questions, Conclusions and Next Steps

12.00pm  Lunch

1.00pm  Close