What’s a hashtag? Well, if you’re attending an upcoming social media workshop to advance the inclusion of people who have a disability, it’s not only a valid question but a tagline that will allow you to follow the events remotely via Twitter.

The Spectrum Society for Community Living is hosting Social Media for Social Innovation in Vancouver Feb. 8. The day-long event aims to bring together the many organizations supporting people who have a disability to explore whose using social media and how collaboration can help the agencies achieve shared goals.

Spectrum Society’s director of research, training and development Aaron Johannes says 13 organizations have registered to attend the social media day, underscoring the potential many people see in a group approach.

“The responsiveness to it has just been really amazing and it just shows how interested people are in the whole idea — partly in the idea of social media but partly in the idea of getting together and figuring out better ways to network” says Aaron.

The event will also explore how to support people who have a disability in joining social media. Aaron says social media can be challenging for people who have a disability, as it involves literacy and technological skills. Yet the massive shift to online communication makes it an important space for people who have a disability to contribute.

“It’s another way for them to get messages and images out that are positive,” he says.

Events run from noon to 8 p.m. starting with a leader’s lunch for agency representatives to explore the viability of creating an inter-agency social media plan or shared milestones.

From 1:30 on, all presentations are open to community members. Some of the highlights include a presentation by Rivera Design creative director Elena Rivera MacGregor, who designed the 2010 Olympics logo. Elena will be leading a session on the importance of branding.

Co-founders of Broadreach Training and Resources Norman Kunc and Emma Van der Klift will be sharing ways their organization, which supports individuals with disabilities and their families, is using social media for education and training.

An evening session will introduce families and individuals to social media, and discuss ways they can interact using Spectrum Society’s new website.

To learn more about Social Media for Social Innovation, click here.

You can follow event sessions on Twitter, by entering the hashtag #whatsahashtag.

If you have feedback on this article, please contact the newsroom at 800-294-0051, or e-mail camille(at)axiomnews.ca.