Social media hands-on toolbox
Looking for a template on which to base your social media policy? The NZ Government Web Standards website has created a toolbox for public servants with limited experience of using social media. It is available to download as a PDF or Word document. A companion ‘High-level guidance’ document is also available from the same site. This is designed for managers who are trying to decide if their organisation should use social media. Although both these documents are obviously aimed at government agencies, they would make a good starting place for your organisation’s decision-making in this area. The documents were published in November 2011, so are fairly up-to-date.

New employee details template
Talking about social media, AdminCorp Ltd  has created a ‘New employee details’ template that includes spaces for the new staff member’s social media IDs (Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin), in addition to the other normal contact and next-of-kin details. A true sign of the times! The template includes a space where your organisation’s logo can be included.

Home maintenance – easy guide for older people
Cost may not be the only reason why older people often put off house maintenance. Often it is because they are not sure what they should be checking for, or who to contact to fix things. CRESA (Centre for Research, Evaluation and Social Assessment) has created three practical checklist tools to help people assess what repairs and maintenance work needs to be done and who the best person is to do it. These tools are now available online and can be downloaded for free from the Good Homes website. One guide is for residents, another for those who care for elderly people, and the third is for property managers or landlords.