By Fr. Peter Hoang SDB, AUL-PAC

Photographs: Fr. Ambrose Pereira, SDB

       EAO ZOOM, 1 December, 2022 -- After almost two years of attending zoom sessions of the School of Formation, many Delegates in the Region were able to meet one another at the recent joint Regional Social Communications and Formation Departments at Hua Hin, Thailand. It was a good, happy and productive gathering for both groups.

       Back in our Provinces and amidst our different ministries we were happy to connect online. The 10th School of Formation for the EAO Region was held on 1 December 2022. It focused on ‘Developing a Social Media Policy’, a relevant and important area. There is the insistence to be well-informed and acquire the necessary knowledge and skills as we continue to use electronic and digital means to communicate among ourselves, our people, especially young people and with the wider community.

       Our session focused on a number of areas, among them: the Purpose of developing this policy; the Definition and Coverage of people within our working environment or setting such as Salesians, lay mission partners and volunteers. We looked at a number of guiding principles, which set out the scope of the policy and identified certain necessary and concrete contents of contributions to social media platforms. We covered directives for interactions on social media platforms. We recognise that social media and all digital communications cannot and should not replace the real, concrete and personal, physical communications among our people, particularly our young people. We also discussed some of the possible consequences for breaches of contracts or requirements stated in the policy.

       This session was fairly informative to a number of Delegates as their Provinces have completed such policies pertaining to their contexts. For others, it was somewhat formative, which would assist them in putting together some basic provisions in responding to the needs of their contexts. This policy, as we all agree, is subject to periodical revision and review as the needs arise by the ever-changing and developing digital technologies.

       May what we share, learn and put into practice bring much intended benefits to our mission and ministries.

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