telecentres taking a more active role in more socio-economic development programs, projects and activities in their respective communities, like in the areas of health, education, livelihood, employment, commerce, tourism promotion, human rights, environment, indigenous peoples, disabled people, out-of-school youth, elderly, management and coordination of disaster-related efforts.
I'm going to follow the example of others and try to work through the questions, adding my contribution where I think I can. And trying not to repeat myself too much, though of course the question are all interlinked.
Anyway, building on the discussion so far of Q1, I have a few thoughts:
1. I agree with Sulah about the need to relate tc.org 1.0 to tc.org 2.0. We need to make a cool assessment of the achievements of phase 1, and try to learn the lessons both globally and locally, as basis for defining priorities for phase 2. One might find gaps that need prioritising, or things that haven't worked so well and can be improved with a different approach, or achievements that can now give rise to new activities. In this context, I wd say that the question shdn't focus on NEW themes necessarily - it wd be a mistake to assume that everything planned for phase 1 is done and over with - and I get the impression from other contributors that they are also thinking along these lines. It wd really be helpful for me to know more about tc.org's own assessment of where it is and where it might be going so that we cd agree or disagree, enrich, etc. But anyway. My point is that developing a huge development-oriented project such as tc.org may mean keeping the same objectives and just working away at different strategies and tactics for achieving them and I'm kind of assuming that that's what tc.org is also thinking, but not sure. For example, I was talking to a high-powered doctor last night who's working in a big malaria research project in a district of Mozambique, and she was saying that it's taken them 10 years to sort out their relations with the communities they work with and get an understanding of the dynamics and needs - that people are people and not laboratory objects!
2. Therefore tc.org 2.0 must incorporate an ORDERLY TRANSITION FROM 1.0, and not - as the English saying goes - throw the baby out with the bath water!
3. I think one thematic priority is KEEPING THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY TOGETHER. This means, eg: maintaining and developing the platform, introducing more languages (such as Portuguese!), and/or testing new translation softwares to see if any of them are good enough for enabling different language communities to communicate with one another.
4. I agree with those who have proposed a priority for increasing the amount and type of CONTENT on the main website. I think that's been a weakness of tc.org 1.0. I like the idea of Roger's "big 5" themes, plus the crosscutting ones of gender, environment and climate change, though this does begin to sound a bit like a government policy document! The kind of info and documentation and exchanges of experiences that wd be useful to large numbers of telecentres and similar. But not forgetting - and strengthening - a 6th theme, which is ICT info and advice - new products, new research, practical ideas, tips, etc etc. Perhaps a more functional GLOBAL HELPDESK??
5. I get the impression - but may be quite wrong - that the main users of this platform are in fact the tc networks and national coordinators and suchlike, more than the grassroots centres themselves. Is this true? Partly because of connectivity problems, partly because of language... So it cd be an idea to focus more on information etc for the target group of network leaders, and expect them to be taking advantage of the info etc for their national websites?
6. I like the idea of World Telecentre Day - maybe fits better into the Q2 discussion, which I haven't got to yet? And the research centre - which I think cd fit into Q5?
7. Support and capacity-building for national and regional networks, eg in the brokering, negotiating and lobbying roles, and in providing support for the grassroots centres.
8. ( this may belong more to Q5, or may be specific to mozambique) Ensure that tc.org continues to take on board issues of technological convergence, and readiness to go beyond telecentres in its partnerships, eg the CMCs, community radios, etc.
Polly, "I like the idea of World Telecentre Day - maybe fits better into the Q2 discussion, which I haven't got to yet? And the research centre - which I think cd fit into Q5?"
when Selecting a day I would like to suggest to look at First Telecenter day, we would hold. Definitely it has to fall in next year, so that We have time to plan activities.
Since Telecenters has to do everything with community,
We have to find a day convinient to them
It should be a day, people can come to Telecenters but not a day Telecenter Operators can come to Colombo, Delhi or Manila
1. Pl. look at Calender for next 5 years.. What day would it be ?
2. Do we like more weekdays or weekends ?
3. Are there any important national days would that clash with Telecenter day ?
4. Can we share a day (Octorber 1st - World Childrens Day) ?
5. Is it falling on any religious day etc ..
Since this day is concerned with all nations around the globe, best is to make some consultation of the MONTH, Day and Date
Jimmy
Since this is concerned to all of us, I think best is to put this as a proposal to telecentre.org Foundation activities and get more people to endorse it.
Then it will become a de-facto
Es muy interesante esta idea de que los telecentros debe ser subsidiados por el estado sobre todo en paises en desarrollo o yo diria en precario desarrollo, en COLOMBIA estos subsidios se los dan a los empresarios como incentivos para que inviertan…