Masterclasses
Masterclasses at #SMEX20 will give attendees the chance to create their own personal multi-media training day. Lead by top experts who will share their insight and knowledge. Take a look at our sessions to give you an idea of what will be on offer.
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Campaigning for Change
This is a session about optimism and action! In this session we will look at why campaigning is needed, the impact a good campaign can have and examples of changes that have come about through campaigns. We will look at elements of a good campaign and creative examples. Mindful of organisations on a shoestring, the session will cover how anyone can be part of change!
What you’ll get out of it:
- Feel inspired!
- Know examples of campaigns that worked
- Know the key elements of a successful campaign
- Reflect on how they can campaign in their everyday lives
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Harness the power of blogging
Longform is back. Social media may be where conversations happen, but blogs are what begin them in the first place.
Done right, blogging is a powerful tool. But how can you make sure your blog stands out from the crowd and has maximum impact?
This interactive and interesting session will show you how to make your blog work for you, whether you want to change perceptions, engage a wider group of people, showcase what you’re doing or all of the above and more.
What you’ll get out of it:
- Understand the essential dos and don’ts of blogging
- Inject life into your blog and be inspired to come up with fresh ideas
- Explore how blogs can help your SEO
- Learn more about how to create guidelines for blogs and bloggers
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The Power of Sound
It’s surprising what you hear when you listen
Audio is an amazing storytelling technique and the charity sector is starting to see the opportunities it can offer. So how can organisations use audio in their work and what steps do they need to get started. And to podcast or not to podcast?
In this interactive and practical session Jude Habib will share her passion for audio storytelling and will provide tips and insights into the role it can play in your organisation.What you’ll get out of it:
- Learn different audio storytelling techniques from vox pops to audio diaries to podcasts.
- Learn interview techniques and about working with sensitive material
- Get ideas about where sound can be used within your work.
- Learn how to use your phone to gather audio stories.
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Engaging with the Media
Demystifying the process – from both perspectives
In this interactive workshop we’ll be bringing together representatives from across broadcast and print media to share insights into their work, how they share stories around difficult issues, gaining trust and access and consent. Our speakers from BBC Radio Newcastle, Tortoise and Only in Newcastle will demystify the storytelling process and answer all your questions.
What you’ll get out of it:
- Learn what makes a good story
- Understand how journalists and documentary makers work with charities and how these relationships work.
- Learn what access really means for charities, how does it work if you open your doors?
- You will leave with more confidence about working with the media on your stories.
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Amplifying the voices of people
Empowering people to tell their story for influence and impact
Amplify your organisation’s impact through firsthand storytelling. Nothing will show your organisation’s impact more powerfully than the authentic, well-told stories of the people you work alongside. But how can you work together to build trust and nurture firsthand storytellers to make a real impact? Come to this workshop to find out how to harness the power of storytelling for your cause, and give the people you work alongside a platform to tell their stories. Hear first hand from people who are using their experiences to change perceptions in the media and wider systems within society.
What you’ll get out of it:
- Discover how a Church Action on Poverty have been developing long term relationships to involve people with direct experience of poverty into their work
- Look at how other charities are telling authentic stories by giving a platform to the people they support
- Explore the barriers that charities might face to working in this way and explore solutions
- Share ideas and experiences with other SMEX20 delegates
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Mobile Video
Do you need some inspiration and fresh ideas to help you develop your organisation’s mobile video and vlogging? In this session you’ll get an insight into how to the make the most of mobile video to help your stories come alive. Focusing on video capturing and editing on mobile devices you will be taken through a whistle-stop tour through the production process exploring basic shooting tips, learning about structuring video and getting an overview of editing.
What you’ll get out of it:
- Learn mobile phone video shooting tips
- Learn how to structure and shoot a vlog
- Learn ways to optimise the quality and clarity of capturing mobile video
- Learn how to engage and build your audience
- Come away with confidence to create and share video stories
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Exploring Narratives through Photography
Tips on creative photography, shooting, storytelling and sharing
Each picture tells a story – how can we use photographs to share the stories of our communities? How can we do this in an ethical way, while empowering people to reflect their own lived experiences? Learn how to use photography to support genuine sharing and connection. Paul Alexander Knox will be discussing the AmberSide Collective’s approach to integrated community-based photography. He will be exploring different ways to work with communities including commissioning photographers, documenting projects and sharing skills with people to tell their own stories.
What you’ll get out of it:
• Learn basic composition and photographic techniques
• Understand how to use photography to empower people to share their own stories
• Learn practical approaches to community-based photography -
Social Media
How to get the most out of your social media content and channels
Do you struggle to know how to best use your social media platforms? Katie Bryson will share her insights from working in Action Foundation’s digital team. If you’re the only comms person at your organisation, or maybe you don’t even have a comms person, this workshop help give you the tools and tricks to plan and share great content on social media.
What you’ll get out of it:
- Learn how to build an audience and engage them with your stories
- Learn what platforms are right for your organisation
- Learn about different types of content, and where to gather it from
- How to plan ahead
- Explore which tools are available to help
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Crowdfunding for your Cause
Come in for funding, leave with so much more.
Crowdfunding isn’t only an efficient way to raise money for your project, it’s also an extremely good way to share your message, reach new audiences, market your organisation, gain new advocates and develop social validation.
In this masterclass, you will learn what the 6 key steps to crowdfunding are, which platforms are best for you, and get invaluable advice on how to use your stories to create solid and emotive content that gets results. There will also be the chance to brainstorm ideas you might have in development and take a look at previous successful campaigns.
What you’ll get out of it:
- Learn what makes a successful crowdfunding campaign
- Know how to use good storytelling to craft a compelling crowdfunding campaign
- Get the skills to promote a campaign effectively
- Learn how to keep supporters engaged after the campaign
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Going Digital, in the Real World
It may seem like taking the work of your charity online requires huge budgets and technical know-how. This isn’t always the case! Matt’s masterclass follows a design sprint format to extract ideas for how to better engage people with lived experience and supporters, using digital. Forget flashy tech – we want to think about where your
audience spends time online. From WhatsApp to email, we’ll talk about cheap/free tools that can be used to support your users and bring your charity and services into the digital age.
What you’ll get out of it:
- Learn from real world examples of charities using simple methods to digitise services.
- Participate in design sprint exercises which can be taken back to your charity to help extract ideas and draw out new ways of thinking
- Consider how you can use free/cheap digital tools to better communicate with your audiences