During these three online sessions we explored key questions with researchers, community organisations and public engagement practitioners who have experience with digital projects:

• How do I design, run and evaluate digital public engagement projects?
• How can I engage communities around me?
• What makes digital content compelling?
• How do I ensure that my project is as accessible and inclusive as possible?

In each session, we asked speakers to share case studies about their work and then invited an experienced professional to deliver an introductory training session.

The recordings of the sessions are now available to watch online, you can follow the links below to access these videos.

Please note that all videos are BSL interpreted and captions are available (here’s how to activate them).

Running Digital Engagement Projects
During this first session, we explored how to design, run and evaluate digital public engagement projects.

Case studies (click here to watch the video):

1. Eva Sprecher and Dr Eleanor Armstrong (Zine but not Heard)
2. Dr Alexandre Heazell (Each Egg a World)
3. Katharine Cresswell (Planet DIVOC-91)

Training (click here to access the video): The Vocal team delivered a workshop introducing to project design, delivery, evalutation and diversity and inclusion for digital projects.

Creating Digital Content for Engagement
This session looked at how to create different types of digital content to engage different audiences with research and similar topics.

Case studies (click here to watch the video):

1. Sam Langford (Freelance Science Communicator) talked about his experience developing and delivering the Global Science Show, a social media event that showcases the work of researchers across the globe.
2. Jemma Naumann (Presenter) gave us an insight into videomaking, drawing her experience working on the Royal Institution’s Christmas Lectures and making her own YouTube videos.
3. Dr Oz Ismail (researcher and podcaster) discussed his experience co-hosting ‘Why Aren’t You A Doctor Yet’, which tells compelling and diverse stories, combining science and tech with popular culture and comedy.

Training (no recording available): During this training session, Dr Jamie Gallagher helped us navigate how we can create content that shines online. Jamie created a series of short videos and resources on this topic, which you can find on his YouTube channel and website.

Changing Contexts: Engagement with Communities
In this session we invited community leaders who have been continuing their work throughout the pandemic to tell more about their work and how they adapted to working with people in their communities.

Case studies (click here to watch the video):

1. Emily McChrystal (Comics Youth)
2. Najma Khalid (Women’s CHAI Project)
3. Adil Mohammed Javed (Alchemy Arts)

Roundtable discussion (click here to watch the video): In this informal discussion, Circle Steele (Wai Yin Society), Ehinor Otaigbe-Amedu (Wonderfully Made Woman) and Najma Khalid (Women’s CHAI Project) share their thoughts on engaging and working with local communities.

Looking for more resources on digital engagement?

General resources on online engagement:

• A guide to creating and running virtual meetings and events, NCCPE
• ‘What Works’ Engaging the public through social media, NCCPE
• How to work with digital media, NCCPE

Videomaking:

• How to make pro videos with your phone during a pandemic

Social media-specific:

• Top tips on using Facebook from the Parenting Science Gang

Accessibility and inclusion:

• How to create accessible PowerPoint presentations, UK Gov
• Tips for creating accessible social media channels, Hootsuite
• Accessibility for virtual meetings (different platforms), NYC Mayor’s Office (please note that this document refers to American Sign Language or ASL. However, the same principles can be applied to British Sign Language.)
• Good Things Foundation, working to help digitally and socially excluded people across the UK.

An in-depth read:
Digital engagement in culture, heritage and the arts, SUMO