Three out of four people on the internet are part of an online group. These online experiences shape their perspectives, skills, and relationships – for good and for bad. But what if we could prevent harm and build social cohesion in online groups? This training curriculum aims to equip digital community stewards who host online groups to do just that.
In this 10-module curriculum created by Search for Common Ground, digital community stewards learn how to build inclusive, engaging, and safe digital experiences in their online groups. Whether they are hosting a WhatsApp, Facebook, Discord, or any other group, either public or private, these modules equip the digital community stewards to protect members from misinformation and harmful content and drive more inclusive and collaborative online experiences for group members. The training also strengthens the stewards’ leadership skills in growing member engagement while keeping members safe.
Each module is hooked on a ‘dilemma’ faced by many digital community stewards. Because these stewards often act as first-line responders for their group members, they have enormous opportunities to grow in each of these areas. Click the Featured Resources below to access the facilitator’s guide, participant handouts, and supporting materials for each module.
Our Training Modules
Featured Resources
Community Stewards and Social Cohesion in Digital Spaces
The amount of users and time spent on social media is continuing to increase worldwide. Nearly 5 billion people accessed social media platforms in 2022 and the average user is spending 147 minutes on social...
About the Digital Community Stewards Training
This training package for Digital Community Stewards to Build Social Cohesion in Online Communities is a truly collaborative product. It began with lessons learned from Search’s Sri Lanka ‘Cyberguardians’ project, which in 2019, demonstrated the...
Participant Booklets – Digital Community Stewards
“Digital community stewards” are defined as individuals who review user-generated content to ensure members adhere to the rules, regulations, and community standards of social media platforms. They act, in a sense, as first-line responders who...
Digital Community Stewards Training – Supplementary Resources
The supplementary resources available on this page include materials and content for training activities, participant recruitment, and further reading. Trainers are encouraged to use and adapt these resources according to their specific training requirements. Application...
Facilitator Guides – Digital Community Stewards: Building Social Cohesion in Online Communities
“Digital community stewards” are defined as individuals who review user-generated content to ensure members adhere to the rules, regulations, and community standards of social media platforms. They act, in a sense, as first-line responders who...
Presentations – Digital Community Stewards
“Digital community stewards” are defined as individuals who review user-generated content to ensure members adhere to the rules, regulations, and community standards of social media platforms. They act, in a sense, as first-line responders who...