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Special Olympics Inclusive Youth Leadership – Reflection and Social Media

Introduction Special Olympics Project UNIFY® has committed to support the effective implementation of the Inclusive Youth

Leadership Guidebook. The National Youth Activation Committee has a team of youth leaders on the Inclusive

Youth Leadership Sub-Committee, who have provided educational video messages, supplemental resources and

guidance since the 2013 Special Olympics North America Conference. You are encouraged to join this Project

UNIFY Twitter Chat as we have created this step-by-step guide to support your leadership.

Reflection and Social Media The Inclusive Youth Leadership Sub-Committee is excited to invite you to join the inaugural Special Olympics

Project UNIFY Twitter Chat on Reflection and Social Media!

Supporting Inclusive Youth Leadership This initiative is one of the opportunities provided in the Framework for Supporting Quality Implementation of the

Inclusive Youth Leadership Guidebook. For more information about this support plan, contact Rebecca Ralston

(rralston@specialolympics.org).

What is a Twitter Chat? • A Twitter Chat is when a group of individuals gather on a designated day and time, to engage in a conversation, utilizing the same Hashtag.

Who can Join? • Anyone can join! Youth Leaders, Educators, Parents, Project UNIFY State Programs and many more individuals and representatives from various organizations will be on the chat.

When is the Twitter Chat? • January 13, 2014 at 7 PM Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Where is the Twitter Chat? • The Twitter Chat will happen on Twitter. You need to sign-up for a Twitter Account and ensure that you account is marked as Public.

Why should I Join? • This Twitter Chat will provide you the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, share your newest resources and engage in discussions on the value of re"ection and inclusive youth leadership.

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Twitter 101 Before you start, create an account (www.twitter.com).

The Benefits of Twitter ü You can share your thoughts, ask questions, find resources and read news that interests you.

ü Because of limits on how long “Tweets” can be, you begin to formulate your ideas into a concise manner.

ü You can connect with people from throughout the world and stay updated on your favorite organizations.

The Basics – Terminology ü A Tweet is either a phrase or sentence that is no longer then 140-characters in length.

ü Your username is called your Twitter Handle.

o Example: the Twitter Handle for Special Olympics is @SpecialOlympics

ü A Hashtag can be a phrase or word prefixed with the # Symbol. There are no spaces between words and

phrases. You can create your own hashtag, or search for one already in use.

o Example: #ProjectUNIFY, #SchoolClimate

Actions

CRE ATING A “T WEET”

1. Click the Compose Tweet Icon; then write either a sentence or phrase that is no longer then 140-characters.

Twitter Handle

Hashtag

Compose

Tweet

Write your Tweet

A Tweet

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FAVORITING, RET WEETING AND REPLYING TO A TWEET

1. If you want to reply to a Tweet, click Reply. You can respond to any tweet this way, but remember the 140-

character count limit still applies.

2. If you like a Tweet and want to share on your profile, click Retweet.

3. If you like a Tweet, you can click Favorite. This allows the person who tweeted the tweet to know you like

his or her tweet.

SE ARCHING FOR PEOPLE AND HASHTAGS

ü If there is a specific person you want to find,

type his or her name in the search bar. If you

know their Twitter Handle, type the @ symbol in

front of their handle.

o Example: if you want to follow Tim

Shriver, type @TimShriver

ü If you want to search

for a Hashtag, go to

the search bar and

type the # symbol

followed by the hashtag.

o Example: want to learn about Project UNIFY? Type #ProjectUNIFY to find tweets that use that

Hashtag

Want to reply to the

question? Click this

button!

Like this Tweet?

Retweet to your

followers!

Favorite a tweet if you

want the person to know

you like their Tweet!

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FOLLOWING AND FOLLOWERS

ü With Facebook, one can submit a Friend Request to follow ones’ updates. For Twitter, one can follow

another Twitter user to follow ones’ updates.

o Note: you have the option to make your profile public or private. Most profiles are public so you

can engage in Twitter Chats and connect with more people.

ü Your followers are those who follow you!

ENGAGING IN A T WIT TER CHAT

The Inclusive Youth Leadership Sub-Committee We encourage you to follow the youth leaders of the Inclusive Youth Leadership Sub-Committee and the Project

UNIFY Twitter Handle @SOProjectUNIFY. They will share the leadership and be co-moderators of the Twitter Chat.

Lead-Forth

Like Project UNIFY on Facebook - www.facebook.com/ProjectUNIFY

Continue to Tweet your thoughts, experiences & questions using the #ProjectUNIFY Hashtag

Re"ect on how you can include blogging, tweeting and other social media websites to educate, motivate and activate more people

Engage

On 01.13.14 at 7 PM EST, log-on Twitter and type #ProjectUNIFY in the search bar

To add to the conversation, create a tweet and include the #ProjectUNIFY hashtag so others’

can view your tweet.

Favorite, Retweet and Reply to others' contributions.

Prepare

Set-up a Twitter Account & Follow @SpecialOlympics and @SOProjectUNIFY

Mark January 13th 2014 at 7 PM EST in your calender.

Share with your friends and family about this opportunity

Kabir Robinson •  @889kabir889

Karina Silva •  @Karina_Silva010

James Kweon •  @james_kweon

Jamie Behymer

•  @j_behymer

Roberto Eguia •  @EguiaRoberto