Leveraging Social Media for Effective Disaster Management: Insights from The AHA Centre Training
Group photo: the speakers and participants
Social media can play an important role in the disaster response cycle, from mitigation, preparation, response, to recovery. Therefore, social media can be used to inform the public of important information that can save lives and lessen the impact of disasters.
Dr. Ika Idris giving lecture about crisis communication and social media utilization for disaster management
Co-directors of Monash Data & Democracy Research Hub (MDDRH), Dr. Ika Idris and Dr. Derry Wijaya, contributed as trainers at the Training on Crisis Communication and Social Media Utilization for Disaster Management, which was held by the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre) in Bangkok on 4-8 June 2024.
The training program had 34 participants from ASEAN Member States, Timor-Leste, the ASEAN Secretariat, and the AHA Centre, and it was designed with the combined concepts of interactive seminars, practical case studies, and practical simulations. The goal of the program is to enhance the capacity of crisis communications and the utilization of social media for disaster management by providing theoretical and hands-on knowledge. The participants were provided with interactive seminars and practical case studies.
The participants having group discussion
Five modules were delivered to the participants: Crisis, Crisis Communication, Introduction to Social Media in Disaster Management, Platform Proficiency, and Mitigation Strategies on Social Media. Besides MDDRH’s team, the other trainers involved in the program and in creating the modules are as follows:
- Dr. Nuurrianti Jalli, Assistant Professor, Strategic Communication Program, Oklahoma State University
- Dr. Dyah Pitaloka, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Science and Communication, Monash University Malaysia
- Gratia Pitaloka, M.A., TV Producer of SEA Today
Phase 1 of the training program is scheduled to be followed by phase 2 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, around October 2024. This training is expected to expand the capacity of the trainees to develop good communication plans and strategies during a crisis, as well as maximize social media platforms as tools for knowledge sharing in disaster management.