Virtual NPWW How-To Guide
National Public Works Week (NPWW), held May 21-27, is almost here! Let’s take this week to celebrate the amazing work of public works personnel throughout North America. Now more than ever, it is critical to energize and educate the public about the importance of public works—planning, building, managing, and operating at the heart of local communities to improve quality of life each day.
We know there will be many in-person events (finally!) this year, and we encourage you to seek NPWW proclamations from your elected officials that you can share on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Be sure to add the #NPWWProclamation hashtag to be added to the APWA NPWW website.
We're excited to share our "Virtual NPWW How-To Guide," full of ideas that you can use to celebrate remotely with your communities. Don't forget to join in the fun on social media using the hashtag #NPWW and this year’s theme, #ConnectingTheWorld!
2023 NPWW Social Media Toolkit
Within the 2023 NPWW Social Media Toolkit, you’ll find open-ended ideas to get you started, suggested posts you can use on social media, information on #NPWW Spirit Week, and downloadable images that you can use. A little prep work goes a long way, so schedule some posts ahead of time and enjoy NPWW!
#NPWW Social Media Spirit Week (Monday-Friday)
Get yourselves and your community in the spirit of National Public Works Week by celebrating on social media the following:
Monday – Ready and Resilient. Post a picture of your department doing
what they do best. Public workers are always ready and always resilient!
This is the time to show off! #NPWW #readyandresilient
Tuesday – Made Ya Look! Park a snowplow at the park, put up a sign
outside your workplace celebrating public works, decorate the side of a
garbage truck, the sky’s the limit! Do something a bit out of the
ordinary to make us look and tell us about it! #NPWW #madeyalook
Wednesday – Whatcha Wearing? EMS uniform, check! Safety vest, check! Hard
hat? Check! Show us what you wear to work on a regular basis, brag about
it on social media. #NPWW #whatchawearing
Thursday – Throwback Thursday. Got a cool picture of the first building
built for your agency? How about an old picture showing workers doing
road work? Or a picture from any previous year’s #NPWW? Post them and
tell us about it! #NPWW #TBT
Friday – Future Friday. What’s the future look like for your agency? Are
you figuring out a way to regulate traffic from flying cars? Are you
putting up a new building, or renovating an old one? Tell us what’s
coming up, or what you envision.
Be sure to tag all posts #NPWW and #ReadyAndResilient
Community Social Media Contests
Looking for a fun way to engage with your community? Try a social media contest! We’ve provided a few ideas below, but feel free to use these as a starting point to come up with your own contests. Just put your ideas out on social media and ask your community to respond and include the #NPWW hashtag.
- Video Contests – Ask people to film themselves answering a question (e.g., What do you love about your city/community?) or thanking public works employees for everything they do to keep communities safe. When they’re finished, they can post the video online using the #NPWW hashtag.
- DIY Contest – Come up with your own idea to have a little fun. Examples: City Trivia; Dress Like a Public Works Employee Photo Contest; Share your favorite Public Works First Responder gear, etc.
First Responder “Thank You’s”
The community often doesn't think about how public workers are first responders. This past winter was brutal in many parts of the country and public workers rose to the occasion by clearing streets of heavy snow, restoring electricity promptly when it was affected by storms, clearing up storm debris, or just continuing their regular duties taking care of things that people take for granted.
- Post your “thank you” message to your favorite social media platform with the #NPWW hashtag.
- Record a video of you and your family thanking your fellow public works professionals and/or essential workers. Post the video to social media using #NPWW hashtag.
2023 Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year Award
Each year during National Public Works Week, the public works community celebrates APWA’s Top Ten Public Works Leaders of the Year. Traditionally, APWA Regional Directors attend a City Council ceremony in each of the recipients’ home cities to present their award. Check out some of the ways we’ll be honoring them (and how you can honor them!):
- Individual Interviews/Social Media Spotlights
- Each recipient will get their share of the spotlight during National Public Works Week. Throughout the week, we’ll be posting photos and bios of each award recipient on social media.
- Get to know the recipients, and make sure to like, comment, and share on your favorite social media platform! #NPWW
- Social Media Shoutouts
- Post a message to one or all of the 2023 Top Ten Leaders to social media using the official #NPWW hashtag.
- Record your own video thanking/acknowledging one or all the 2023 recipients. Make sure to use the official #NPWW hashtag in your video description and/or post.
- APWA Chapter Social Media Posts/Videos
- We’re encouraging each APWA Chapter to film a video or post to social media recognizing its Top Ten award recipient.
- Chapter Leaders and Chapter Members can use what you have available—smartphones, kids, pets—it’s all fair game! Let them know how proud you are of their accomplishment. Once you’re done, post it to social media with the #NPWW hashtag.
Community Outreach
Run a contest during Spirit Week by involving your community. Have them make posts matching each day's theme, and pick out the post with the most likes, comments and shares as the winner. Or get the community involved by creating other social media contests during the week.
Follow APWA’s social media accounts, and look out for pictures and videos to share with your community.