Social Media Strategy for Policy Workshop

Kaylee Byers and Kshitij (KJ) Sharan will lead an 80-minute online workshop on social media strategies and their role in policy communications and advocacy. A social media strategy is often essential for both advocacy campaigns and for policy consultations and outreach. We will discuss how to create and implement effective, inclusive, and powerful social media strategies. The workshop is open to students, faculty, and staff at UBC.

Topics will include:

• How social media influences public policy
• Designing and implementing a social media strategy
• Different platforms and their purposes
• Foundations of effective science communication
• Social media management
• Content tips

Other workshops in this series:

• Feb 27: Communications Strategy for Policy
• Feb 29: Presentations for Policy

Facilitators

Dr. Kaylee Byers is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences and Senior Scientist in the Pacific Institute on Pathogens, Pandemics and Society at Simon Fraser University, where she explores ways to improve health communications and knowledge mobilization. She is also the deputy director of the British Columbia node of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative where she leads One Health initiatives that seeks to improve the health of people, animals, and the environment. Her work is centered around community-engaged approaches to solving complex issues. Kaylee has over a decade of experience in science communication. Her research has been featured in film, podcasts, books, and numerous media channels and publications including The Conversation. She hosts Genome British Columbia’s podcast Nice Genes, which explores how genomics is being applied to novel and exciting questions. She is also the co-founder of Nerd Nite Vancouver, a monthly science seminar series.

Kshitij Sharan is the Head of Strategy and Operations at the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions (CSDI) at UBC. He has a Masters in Public Policy and Global Affairs from UBC and a BA in Economics and Political Science from McGill University. His work has ranged across sectors of education, water and sanitation, menstrual hygiene, gender equity, child protection and social entrepreneurship. He has been a founding member of medium to large scale non-profits and social enterprises in India, which has allowed him to engage deeply with decision-makers including ministers, parliamentarians, CEOs and communities. He was a founding member of one of India’s largest digital advocacy organizations, Global Citizen India, which  uses the collective voice of the youth to hold decision-makers accountable and accelerate the achievement of the SDGs. Kshitij has also managed a political campaign during the 2019 Indian National Election and led strategy for an anti-trafficking organization in India. He is a Khemka Fellow, a StartingBloc School of Social Innovation Fellow and a Fellow at the Global Social Change Leadership Institute at the Wagner School of Public Service, New York University. For more, see https://www.linkedin.com/in/kshitij-sharan-229ab9104/.