There are many online resources by other organizations that offer
suggestions especially tailored to setting up and maintaining community
ICT and networking projects, including community telecenters/community
technology centers. Some sites also offer tips for activities at such
centers, such as how to work with diverse populations and how to teach
certain classes. Most of these resources are for onsite staff, but the
materials can help online volunteers support community technology center
staff via the Internet. This list was compiled with Volunteers affiliated
with Volunteers affiliated with
in mind in particular!
Technology Access Community
Centers (TACCs) in Egypt
This is an Executive Summary of an Evaluation Mission Report about
the United Nations Volunteers TACCs project in Egypt. It was prepared
by Vikas Nath in June - July 2001.
Prepared by the United Nations Non-Governmental Liaison Service (UN-NGLS)
and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (New York office). Explains basic
terms and concepts, offers advice and contacts, lists existing computer
communications networks and local e-mail service providers in developing
countries, and suggests ways to benefit from these communication tools.
Presented in question and answer form ("How can NGOs improve their
chances of getting access to Internet connected networks?"). Great
resources to help volunteers teach communities in developing countries
the value of the Internet. This handbook is available offline in French
and Spanish (visit the web site and contact UN-NGLS for information).
Includes Educational Materials and Curricula, Running a Community
Technology Center, Appropriate Technology Guides, E-Readiness Assessment
Tools, information about “E-Democracy, ” and a listing of Regional
Digital Divide Resources.
Although Canadian in focus, many of these resources are applicable
to community networks anywhere. Resources include suggestions for
community network sustainability, universal access discussions, concerns
for rural communities, planning a community center, human resources
management tips, suggestions for technology equipment (hardware, software,
network components), and suggestions for documentation (manuals, FAQ's,
newsletters, etc.).
Links to on-line courses and Internet resources in Spanish and English,
how to use a mouse, how to choose the right computer, E-mail basics,
and more. Compiled by the Association of Computer Networking.
Community empowerment, management and development resources to support
volunteers of Seattle Community Network (SCN) in Washington state,
USA. Includes:
- Handbook for Mobilizers (principles and methods for strengthening
a community)
- Handbook for Generating Wealth (principles and a method for fighting
causes of poverty, including tips for starting and sustaining a
micro-enterprise)
- Handbook of Monitoring (sample forms, tips for writing reports,
measuring success, etc.)
- Training modules in community empowerment, community mobilization,
project management and design, obtaining group decisions, awareness
raising and gender balance, identifying community resources, and
more. The entire Community Management and Development (CMP) Training
Curriculum
This section of the CompuMentor web site is to support its tech volunteers
working with nonprofits and schools, primarily in the greater San Francisco,
California Bay Area (USA). Their resources for volunteers are divided
up into these sections; much of the information is regional-specific,
but much of it would be helpful to any tech volunteer:
- How to Help Someone Use a Computer
- Structuring Volunteer Projects
- Volunteering in Nonprofits
- Volunteers in Schools
- Intro to Databases
- Database Development Plan
- Networking Concepts
- Planning Networks
- Installing Networks
- Administering Networks
- Using Donated Computers
- Computer Hardware Recycling
- Planning a Web site
- Web Development Resources
Includes "Digital Dividend Case Studies" (Education for the E-economy,
Expanding Microfinance, Internet Commerce for Development, Precision
Agriculture, Rural Connectivity, Digital Community Centers, and much
more) and "Background Articles" (From the Global Digital Divide to
the Global Digital Opportunity, IT and the Environment, 10 Ways E-Commerce
Could Affect the Environment, and more).
Includes pieces on Evaluation of Online Access Centres: Promoting
Micro E-Business Activity in Small, Isolated Communities; Comparing
Urban and Rural Telecenters Costs; Comparing Approaches: Telecentre
Evaluation Experiences in Asia Latin America; Building a Knowledge
Infrastructure for Learning Communities; and True Stories: Telecentres
in Latin America and the Caribbean.
This Guide sets out practical approaches to building a "smart community",
one that can "compete in the global economy" without community leaders
"losing control of the economic destiny of their respective communities."
This guide is designed for communities to use ICT to enhance the administration
of municipal government and delivery of services; local business and
economic development; tourism development; access to information;
learning, training and education; preservation of cultural heritage;
and development of the arts. The guide includes suggestions for determining
community needs and opportunities, determining iInfrastructure and
other technology needs, preparing a budget, finding funding, finalizing
a business plan for a community, and many more resources. This is
part of a three-year federal program by Industry Canada.
Facilitating networking among community telecentres worldwide, through
the sharing of information, experiences and resources related to practical
telecentre implementation and management is the objective of a website
UNESCO website. The site contains an annotated and classified inventory
of resources of potential use to community telecentres, multimedia
centres and other local information and informatics initiatives.
By the . This web site was developed in large part
by online volunteers themselves and organizations that have involved
online volunteers. It offers extensive suggestions for using web search
engines, doing online research, finding useful shareware and freeware,
researching funding resources (grants), preventing computer viruses,
learning .html, web design resources, finding news articles on a particular
subject, translating documents from one language to another, creating
databases, moderating online discussion groups, and many, many other
resources and tools to help a volunteer undertake an online assignment
successfully.
and
These two guides provide excellent information applicable to a variety
of settings. Resources include: a guide to the basics of getting connected;
how to promote awareness and access to a community networking project;
a guide to providing training and support to the community; details
on creating online communities in towns, villages and virtual spaces;
and resources to help establish community partnerships and participation.
Coverage and resource material on community technology developments
in the international arena, and related developments since the Community
Networking Global 2000 conference in Barcelona last year. GlobalCN2001
will take place December 5-7 in Buenos Aires.
Includes a page of links to ;("Developing Women: How technology can help" by Ashima
Goyal; "Beyond Connectivity: New Information and Communication Technologies
for Social Development" by Ricardo Gómez, Juliana Martínez
and Fundación Acceso; and much more); , a collection of free-of-cost, freeware or shareware oftwares/tools
which enable communities, NGOs and individuals to create interactive
websites without incurring any monetary cost; and ,
a remote website-based as well as e-mail administered web designing
course for individuals, organisations and communities working towards
sustainable development.
Internet tutorials available in English, Español, Français,
Deutsch and Italiano.
An online educational program designed to train volunteers to help
other people in their communities with the Internet and related technical
issues. The program was created by the University of Minnesota (USA)
Extension Service as a way to educate community volunteers in the
concepts and applications of the Internet, and the web site helps
train these volunteers to provide this assistance. These community
volunteers are then able to more effectively assist others with applications
of the Internet. Master Internet VolunteersSM work with University
of Minnesota Extension Service county offices and directly with community
organizations to help others learn and make effective use of the Internet.
The University of Minnesota Extension Service provides this training
in exchange for volunteer time, including:
- Staffing public access Internet computers at University of Minnesota
Extension Service offices, libraries and other locations.
- Developing web pages for community organizations.
- Giving demonstrations for the public.
- Writing articles for local newspapers.
- Teaching community education classes.
- Working with youth, seniors, or special interest groups to help
them use the Internet.
NSRC is a training and technical assistance provider to programs funded
by the Corporation for National Service (AmeriCorps, VISTA, SeniorCorps,
etc.) in the USA. Its web site supports these volunteers in their
work, and includes a database for effective practices (Epicenter),
and an extensive online resource library that includes volunteer support
materials for its volunteers, such as
- Growing and Sustaining a School-Wide Tutoring Program
- Making an Impact on Out-of-School Time
- Seniors for Schools: Effective Practices Guidebook
- Students Teaching Students: A Handbook for Cross-Age Tutoring
NetDay sponsors one-day, all-volunteer efforts in the USA to build
appropriate wiring infrastructure in schools so they can access the
Internet. The NetDay How-To Guide provides everything volunteers need
to undertake these one-day events successfully
- Tips for Local Organizing
- State and Local Support: Getting Partners on Board
- Planning for NetDay
- Marketing NetDay to Businesses and Other Sponsors
- What NetDay Sponsors Can Do
- Sample NetDay Advertisements
- NetDay Public Relations Essentials
- Technical Issues
- The NetDay Kit
- Site Survey and Wiring Plan
- Cable Installation and Sample Wiring Plan
- Checklist for Technicians
- Non-Technical Volunteers
- Suggested Tools and Supplies
Numerous Checklists
VITA places volunteers in developing countries to provide access to
information and knowledge, strengthen local institutions and introduce
improved technologies. Its areas of assistance include (but is not
limited to) agriculture, business and industry, energy, environment,
food processing and management, health and medicine, housing, information
and communication, transportation, water supply and sanitation. VITA
technical papers are used by volunteers as guidelines in selecting
technologies suitable to specific situations. Charts, diagrams, graphs,
and the like are not included in these online, text-only versions.
The World Links for Development (WorLD) program provides Internet
connectivity and training for teachers, teacher trainers and students
in developing countries in the use of technology in education. WorLD
then links students and teachers in secondary schools in developing
countries with schools in industrialized countries for collaborative
learning via the Internet. The WorLD training materials help familiarize
volunteers and other participants with how the Internet to enhance
education programs, and includes
- building a collaborative web project
- reference library
- a guide to conducting research on the Internet
- technology resources (Internet basics, using e-mail and browsers,
- school technology planning, wiring/cabling a school, evaluating
- donations, Internet tools, connectivity, networking, Year 2000
- issues, a list of free stuff and other technical advice and support.
