Over the last while I have been extolling the virtues of agencies having a social media presence and using technology to improve our services. There are TV commercials that highlight an App to solve almost anydilemma. In my opinion, technology and social media are part of a strategy to creat multiple contact points with community members. However, I believe that there are limits to the use of technology for communication. Is there an App for working with others?
I am concerned that our society, and individuals within it, might lose (are losing?) the ability to connect on a face-to-face basis. Texting each other while walking side by side and Facebooking your family member in different rooms of the same house may sound like innocent activities, but I wonder about the long term change in interpersonal dynamics. Are we all going to struggle when the vast majority of people are fired from employment due to an inability to get along with other people? (i.e. those at the desk next to yours, or the customer at the counter)
The key factor in all of this, both virtual and real, is the ability to develop positive relationships with others. At the Open Door we see some youth struggle with the ability to develop positive relationships often leading to inappropriate coping mechanisms.
As we near the end of 2010, I'd like to thank the Open Door staff who show a patience and caring attitude towards the youth who we come into contact with. Thank you to those in our community who invest in people. As someone said to me once, "You might forget what someone says or does to you, but you will never forget how someone makes you feel."
Is there an App for that?
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