General Information
The 2009 SPIN Academy will host dozens of participants on August 26-29th, in Petaluma, California, at the Walker Creek Ranch. This annual event convenes activists from across the country for four days of intensive communications training.
Now in our 11th year, the SPIN Project hosts this annual event to guide participants through the key concepts and core skills in strategic communications, including:
- communications planning
- framing and messaging
- identifying target audiences
- online communications
- writing for public relations
- maximizing media coverage
The SPIN Project selects Academy participants through a competitive application process. Please review our Application Guidelines for more information.
This year's schedule of events is available on our updated Academy calendar (scroll through the weeks until you reach the week of August 24th). Updated Academy information is posted on the Academy blog.
What’s in it for you?
More than 30 communications experts provide instruction and guidance in specialty areas, such as integrating research and polling data in message development, cost-effective uses of new media, the growing significance of ethnic media, and strategies for amplifying new issue frames.
In addition, the Academy provides participants with one-on-one coaching from a communications expert to review their organization’s work, troubleshoot challenges, and gather sound advice.
Participants also engage in valuable peer networking with other progressive communicators. They work for social change organizations representing a wide variety of issues, demographics, geographic areas, experience level with communications work, as well as organizational size, structure and focus.
Every year, SPIN Academy graduates join the illustrious network of SPIN Academy Alumni who stay connected through the SPIN Academy listserve, to share successes and challenges while supporting each other’s work.
The only prerequisite for acceptance to the SPIN Academy is your commitment to using strategic communications tools and techniques to advance your organization’s social change work.
If you have questions about the SPIN Academy, please contact us or call (415) 227-4200 ext 228.
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