Pre-Conference Workshop

New Media PR Boot Camp

-- Session Full--

Date: 20-21 May 2008

Time: 9.00am – 5.30pm

Venue: Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel

Facilitator: Mr Eric Schwartzman

Fees: $1,450+GST (public sector) $1,500+GST (private sector)

Ever felt lost amidst the different new media technologies which are emerging everyday? Sign up for PR Academy's New Media PR Boot Camp and get a crash course on New Media trends from blogging, podcasting, RSS, YouTube, MySpace to other social media platforms. The course is perfect for those who are raring to explore reaching out through these new mediums to a target audience, but do not know where to start.

The boot camp, conducted by Mr Eric Schwartzman, founder and chairman of iPressroom (USA), introduces key concepts and techniques of effective new media communications and provides a comprehensive overview of new media channels and strategies. You will learn about the features of these new media tools, how to weave them strategically into your communication campaigns and communicate effectively on behalf of organizations. Mr Schwartzman, a renowned new media expert has conducted this popular course for numerous Fortune 500 corporations, academic institutions and non-governmental organizations.

This 2-day boot camp is designed to make it easy for non-technical people, and public relations professionals in particular, to quickly learn how to create blogs and use new media to reach their key stakeholders. It covers the following:

• How to create blogs, comment and participate
• The benefits of RSS, blogging and podcasting
• How to build a business case for new media initiatives
• The importance of authenticity and transparency
• How to integrate new media into conventional public relations campaigns
• The basics of search engine optimisation (SEO)
• Podcast development, production and distribution
• Video on demand, webcasts and vidcasts
• Social bookmarking, social networking and Second Life

Mr Schwartzman will guide participants step-by-step through using these popular Web communications tools, and how to obtain measurable results from these media. The 2-day workshop includes lectures, demonstrations, case study presentations, discussions and group exercises.

*PLEASE NOTE ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENT:

Participants MUST bring their own laptops for hands-on practice.

Workshop Fee includes wireless broadband access, workshop documentation, luncheon and two tea-breaks for all participants.

Start harnessing new media in your communication campaigns today! -- Registration closed--

Post-Conference Workshop

Facilitation Skills for Community Engagement

-- Session Full --

Date: 23 May 2008

Time: 9.00am – 5.30pm

Venue: Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel

Facilitator: Dr Vivien Twyford

Fees: $850+GST (public sector) $900+GST (private sector)

As the public becomes more demanding and assertive of what they want, both public and private organisations need to be seen as consultative and customer-focused. How do we go about the huge task of getting public feedback and incorporating it into our initiatives? Internationally recognised community engagement and facilitation expert, Dr Vivien Twyford, shares her knowledge and experience in this 1-day workshop - "Facilitation Skills for Community Engagement".

The workshop will give participants a taste of basic facilitation concepts, and explore some useful facilitating techniques for a range of situations. Dr Twyford, who is Director and Consultant at Twyford Consulting of Australia, will share how you can bring together communities and stakeholders effectively when managing change and decision making processes. She will also guide participants on planning and implementing effective community engagement initiatives.

At the end of the day, participants will be able to:

• explain the values and principles underpinning ‘good' facilitation, and how facilitating differs from managing, training and presenting
• use a framework to help prepare for a facilitated session
• more confidently open and close facilitated meetings
• construct useful and meaningful questions to lead discussions
• create an atmosphere conducive to creative thinking, collaboration and action
• demonstrate an appreciation of at least one effective facilitation technique.

*Workshop Fee includes workshop documentation, luncheon and two tea-breaks for all participants.
Each participant will also receive a free copy of Dr Twyford's latest book "BEYOND PUBLIC MEETINGS: Connecting Community Engagement with Decision-making" worth S$38/-.

Reviews on Amazon.com
"Reading this book gives a clarity and depth to the concept of community engagement/public participation .... If you are someone who deals with the public or a member of the public who is involved with community decision making, this book provides a fantastic source of understanding of the issues and thought processes involved in good community engagement and public participation practice."

Be seen to start engaging your target audience and stakeholders. Make a

direct impact through community engagement! -- Registration Closed --