You’ve heard of egregious examples of waste, fraud, and abuse at all levels of government. But we can no longer afford to sit by and wait for the government or mainstream media to fully inform the public about what’s really going on behind closed doors.

The time has come for citizen watchdogs to stand up and take action.

Please join us in Henderson on Saturday, January 14^th, from 10am to 4pm, at the Green Valley Ranch Hotel to learn how you can get involved and hold our elected officials accountable.  

The Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity will provide a full day of in-depth training to equip you with the tools and skills to become a more effective activist and citizen watchdog.  You will learn how to use investigative reporting skills, how to impact the state and local government budgeting process, and how to advance your message through social media.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

10:00 – 10:45am – Introduction to Franklin Center and Citizen Watchdog Program
Franklin Center strives to promote the education of the public about waste, corruption, incompetence, fraud and taxpayer abuse by public officials at all levels of government. We identify, train, and support citizens and investigative journalists working to detect and expose corruption and incompetence in government at the state and local levels. As a citizen watchdog, you can find inconsistencies and half-truths in your local government and expose them for the lies they are.

10:45am– 12:00pm – Getting Started: Becoming an Information Activist
Learn step-by-step how to become an effective information activist by attending public meetings and examining your state open records law. You will also learn how to secure and conduct a successful interview and develop a reliable network of sources. We will demonstrate techniques on getting sources to talk on tough issues, and how to use on and off the record to your advantage.

12:00pm– 1:00pm – Lunch (provided by Franklin Center)
                                 Lunch Speaker

1:00-2:30pm – Investigative Reporting Tools and Skills
Learn to think like an investigative reporter, identify potential leads, analyze budget reports and numbers, and expose backdoor deals at the municipal and state levels. You will find out how to access FBI files, Inspector General reports, Federal agency records, and union disclosure amounts from the Department of Labor.

2:30-2:45pm – Break

2:45– 4:00pm – How to Use the Internet to Make a HUGE Difference in Politics & Public Policy
The mainstream media is no longer the only outlet for news. The power of the Internet allows tweets, blog posts, and videos to reach an audience across the globe within seconds. Now you can harness the power of social media to hold elected officials accountable. You will learn how to pitch your events, stories, and videos so media outlets will take notice. You will also learn the skills to monitor your web traffic, increase your search engine optimization, and increase your followers.