Developing Smarter Communities

A 2020 Trust Perspective on Sustainable ICT development

Ian Thompson

ithomson@lycos.com

2020 Communications Trust

To facilitate social and economic inclusion in the Knowledge Economy through: -

• Public Awareness.
• Public Participation.
• Public Policy.

2020 Communications Trust

• 30 Volunteer Trustees, 1 full time Director.
• Set up by Wellington City Council in ’94.
• National and Regional action.
• Core funding $85,000, Budget $500,000.
• Working with Ministry of Education, Ministry of Economic Development, Industry New Zealand, Department of Internal Affairs, TPK, Dept of Labour.

Partners/Sponsors

• Telecom, Ericsson, Nortel, Unisys, Sun, EDS, WestpacTrust, Auckland Uni, Vic Uni, Massey, Infotech, Tyco, MasterTrade.

2020 Communications Trust

• Specialises in piloting new ICT initiatives.
• Brings together community, specialists and sponsors.
• Strong components of training, support and research.

2020 Initiatives

e Citizen development.

• Training, drivers license, free e-mails, e democracy.

e Centres development.

• Community centres, homework centers, libraries, telecentres, cyber cafes, Marae nets.

e Forums

• Breakfast sessions, video conferencing etc.

Safe Computing

• Training and tools for families and centers.

NFP use of ICT

• Pilots and trials of S/W.
• More than Web Pages.
• Enhancing human networking.

Broadband

• Using Broadband in the community.

2020 Projects

Computer Recycling.

• Cheap quality computers.

Computers in Homes.

• Training and support of a computer in the home.

Netday.

• Volunteers installing networks in schools.

Marae Net.

• Installation and support of computers in Marae.

Community Net.

• Training and support for community groups on the Internet.

Safe Computing.

• Training for families to use the Internet safely.

Living Heritage.

• Hosting local heritage projects on Internet.

Volunteer Net.

• Matching volunteers with community needs on the Internet.

Computers in homes

Project - 6 months.

• A partnership.

Parents

• Pay $50, 5 training sessions, train another, supervise children on net, get to keep computer.

School.

• Trains parents, homework by e-mail, publishes school work, reports, attendance etc.

Training.

• By Polytech, local expert etc.

Start small and grow.

• Start with 20 families.

Research on impacts and value.

• Before and after.

Costs.

• $3,000 or “in kind”.

Values and outcomes

• Evidence of improved self-esteem, new jobs and promotions.
• Enthusiasm for learning.
• Stronger cultural ties and sense of community.
• Closer family contact.

Available Research

Computers in Homes.

• Cannons Creek 1-year report available, 2 year shortly.
• Smart Newtown preliminary report available.

Wellington Community Net.

• User Survey on needs.

What is a “Smarter Community”?

• A Smarter Community is a community with a vision of the future that involves the use of information and communication technologies in new and innovative ways to empower its citizens.

Smart Community Goals

Social, economic, political and/or cultural growth through.

• Economic development.
• Enabling participation.
• Enhancing innovation.
• Equalizing access.

Smarter Communities Developments

• Some enlightened communities have grasped the nettle, e.g. Wairoadotcom, Tuhoe, Flaxmere, Smart Newtown, Wellington Community Net, Senior Net etc, etc.
• Many are seriously thinking about it, e.g. Smart Manukau, Far North, Southland, Taranaki, Wairarapa etc etc.

Key Issues for a Project’s Success

• Need an ICT evangelist or champion.
• Need a local project manager.
• Need local training.
• Need local computer support.
• Need local researcher.
• PLUS MONEY!!!

Critical Elements of a Successful ICT Community project

Local Organisation.

• A Vision to change, local ICT champion and project manager.

Training.

• In homes, Marea’s, cafes, schools, libraries by local expert.

Support.

• Friendly local contact to fix computer problems.

Access to Computers, phone lines and Internet.

• Do not need broadband to start OR $3,000 computers.

Research.

• Benefits of project (social and economic).

The Future of Smarter Communities

Typically many excellent “once off” projects and initiatives but: -

• Difficult to repeat.
• No ongoing funding so no secure future.
• Not researched.
• Not documented.
• I.e. NOT SUSTAINABLE

What is “Sustainable”?

• Wellington City (7 years old).
• CANZ (5 Years old).
• Netday (5 years old).
• Senior Net (7 years old).
• Core funding + partnership.
• National body + standards + core funding.
• National body + standards + core funding.
• National Model, ongoing funding.

What about the money?

$3,000 per home????????

• 1/3 for equipment - computer, Internet, phones.
• Fixed costs.
• 1/3 Training and support.
• Can be voluntary or in kind.
• 1/3 project costs. Can minimize with volunteers, or in kind.

How can the Trust help?

• Assist in starting up many more Trusts Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston Nth.
• Partner with existing community groups.
• Provide ideas, advice, and resource kits.
• Start new pilots, grow existing projects.
• Help find sponsors.
• Lobby the Government.

2020 Trust Partnership

The Trust provides:

• Practical ideas for projects and how to start.
• Assistance with sponsorship.
• Planning and Assessment.
• Strategic plans, project plans, projects reports etc.
• Project Management.
• Training and training for trainers.
• Research, measurement, impacts.

How to create sustainability

• Create “sustainable” funding.
• ICT projects are the poor cousin.
• Raise profile to “compete” with other projects in existing funding steams.
• Coordinated approach from all Govt. agencies.
• Research on outcomes and benefits to support funding applications.
• We have E Government and E commerce.
• We need E Communities.

We need a Smarter Communities Center

• Partnership with Government, Industry, Academia and Communities.

Centers Goals

• Support and promote Community ICT projects.
• Drive a “best practice” approach.
• Consolidate and present research.
• Facilitate funding to ICT projects.
• Influence policy development.

Center to Provide

• Project Resource kits.
• Research templates.
• Channels to funding.
• National training and support framework.
• National Partnership program.
• Overseas and local best practice.
• Project plans and funding proposals.
• National reporting.
• Advice to government.