Flaxroots Technology - Conference 2002

Iwi, hapu whanau and community organisations are not only using the Internet and other new information and communications technology (ICT) to enhance the effectiveness of their work, but they’re beginning to use it to address broader social challenges.

More and more initiatives are springing up throughout Aotearoa. Organisations are providing Internet access to the public, setting up local websites, developing training programmes and using email to get active. A diverse range of communities are establishing projects including rural, Pacific peoples, Maori, and urban neighbourhoods.

The second Flaxroots Technology conference will bring people together from around the country to learn from each other, to provide mutual support, and to set a community agenda for future ICT developments.

As well as workshops, seminars, case studies, practical training and keynote presentations, an important part of the conference will be time set aside for people to meet informally to exchange their ideas and experiences.

While the content of the conference will be largely locally focussed, an international speaker will provide a connection to global ICT developments.

Satellite events
One-day satellite conferences are also being organised to ensure lots of people round the country can participate in the flaxroots kaupapa. On April 11th mini-conferences will be held in Christchurch and Dunedin. Each programme is being designed to meet regional needs, with practical workshops and lots of time to build connections between people in each area. Teleconference technology will be used to link the two-day national event in Auckland with the one-day events in Christchurch and Dunedin.

Conference themes
The conference will focus on:

Who should attend?
We are expecting people from iwi, hapu and whanau, Pacific Island groups, all sorts of community groups including social services, local employment, health and education groups, public watchdogs and a few from local and central government.