1.0PhoneLive Bloghttps://phonelive.io/blogHugh Plapperthttps://phonelive.io/blog/author/hughphonelive-io/rich600338<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="tGO4DtMSAx"><a href="https://phonelive.io/blog/gfg_ep48/">The Power of Storytelling in Civic Engagement (with Sam Toles) | Ground Floor Government Ep. 48</a></blockquote><iframe sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" src="https://phonelive.io/blog/gfg_ep48/embed/#?secret=tGO4DtMSAx" width="600" height="338" title="“The Power of Storytelling in Civic Engagement (with Sam Toles) | Ground Floor Government Ep. 48” — PhoneLive Blog" data-secret="tGO4DtMSAx" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" class="wp-embedded-content"></iframe><script> /*! This file is auto-generated */ !function(d,l){"use strict";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&"undefined"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!/[^a-zA-Z0-9]/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret="'+t.secret+'"]'),c=new RegExp("^https?:$","i"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display="none";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute("style"),"height"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):"link"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute("src")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener("message",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll("iframe.wp-embedded-content"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute("data-secret"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+="#?secret="+t,e.setAttribute("data-secret",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:"ready",secret:t},"*")},!1)))}(window,document); //# sourceURL=https://phonelive.io/blog/wp-includes/js/wp-embed.min.js </script> Sam Toles discusses the critical role of communication in local government and civic engagement. He shares his unique career journey from Hollywood to local government, emphasizing the importance of social media in connecting with communities. Toles highlights the challenges local governments face in communication, particularly the negativity associated with platforms like Facebook. He advocates for storytelling as a powerful tool to engage the community and improve perceptions of public service roles. Toles also provides insights on how local governments can effectively use social media to share their narratives and connect with younger audiences. In this conversation, Sam Toles discusses the importance of effective communication in local government, emphasizing the need for storytelling to engage the community and rebuild trust. He shares strategies for transforming budget narratives into relatable stories, harnessing community stories to foster connection, and empowering new voices in local government through social media. Toles highlights the critical role of trust in democracy and the potential of local government to serve as a trusted source of information.https://phonelive.io/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/PL_Site.png1200630