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The projects below are a long list
gathered from WuCs and other initiatives
around the UK. At this stage this
list is illustrative and needs refinement. The
aim is to add to this so that the
project ideas can be the basis for
a revised set of cards for the WuC
game. Meanwhile use this list to add
ideas to the game by writing sticky
notes.
Those marked ** have been
developed in WuCs
Projects are grouped according to themes:
- Access and infrastructure
covers connections (cables, wireless);
equipment (computers, TVs); technical
services (ISP/ASP); and point of access
(home, public, community)
- Awareness and involvement
includes any activities to show people
what is possible and how technology could
be relevant to their lives.
- Skills and support
includes programme's to help people
develop not just basic technology
skills, but also those needed to
operate in the online environment.
- Confidence and
commitment covers the way in which
people will see the relevance of technology,
engage with it, and gain commitment. Some
of the awareness, support and content
projects cover this too.
- Content development
may be content created by existing groups
and agencies, or by users themselves.
It may range from emails to web pages
on the local portal, from projects developed
in centres, to online learning materials.
Some projects in access and infrastructure
could be developed on their own –
but there would be little point without
awareness, skills, confidence and content.
Similarly content projects cannot be undertaken
without connected, confident and skilled
users.
We have indicated some of these linkages,
and also what administration, staffing etc
will be needed. Projects are numbered so
that in discussion the linkages could be
specified.
Access
and infrastructure
1 Subsidised dial up**
All homes are eligible for a low-cost,
always-on dial up facility using existing
phone lines (or new line if needed).
Good for email and basic web use. Poor
for video, large files.
Needs: administration,
equipment for users, support, commitment,
content.
2 Broadband for all**
All homes, centres and offices have access
to broadband connections enabling video
as well as email and web applications when
these are developed.
Good for all online activities, including
content development.
Needs: Tech team
and systems, cable or other service provider.
Equipment for users, support, commitment,
content.
3 Local ISP/ASP**
The initiative becomes an Internet service
and /or applications provider in order to
provide/sell a variety of online services
to residents, organisations, and businesses.
Good for tailored services to all users
including hosting the local portal.
Needs: Technical
and business development staff.
4 Free/low cost equipment**
All residents can apply for a computer.
May be important if there is to be wide-spread
usage.
Needs: Admin,
upgrade plan, tech support, training, commitment,
content, ISP accounts
5 Laptop lending **
Community groups qualify for laptops on
loan, so they can develop computer and online
projects with their members.
Extends projects through community with
groups acting as a focus. May be security
issues.
Needs: Laptops
and maintenance plan.
6 Public access**
Public access points are established within
easy walking distance of all homes.
Poor for frequent use of email, learning,
content creation, but good for casual and
first time exploration
Needs: premises,
equipment, supervision, content.
7 Community access **
The initiative develops and supports local
centres - in community centres, libraries
and other places - providing access and
training for residents and business.
Good for confidence and skills development,
online learning, community ICT projects.
Needs: Premises,
staff, long-term funding.
8 Mobile access
Fully equipped bus provides access and
demonstration.
Good for awareness-raising, occasional
access.
Needs: funding,
equipment, staff, follow-through.
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Awareness
and involvement
9 Planning workshops **
The development team runs a series of workshops
with key interests and citizens to engage
them in development of the system.
Important in gaining commitment, ensuring
plans meet needs, recruiting champions.
Needs: Commitment
to participative process and relevant skills.
10 Demonstrations and other events
**
The project runs hands-on demonstrations
and workshops to help residents and groups
understand the potential of a WuC.
Important to help people understand possible
benefits of Net use, and recruiting champions.
Needs: equipment,
staff or champions and volunteers
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Skills
and support
11 Helpline and technical support
**
Users can call upon a technical team to
deal with problems at home or in their offices.
Essential if there is widespread usage.
Needs: tech team
and base.
12 Support for disabilities
**
Special software, and adapted hardware,
is designed to provide people who have disabilities
with easy access and a supportive environment.
Essential for inclusive access.
Needs: Access,
appropriate hardware, software and tutor
13 Champions/mentors **
Volunteers work in support of the project
itself, mentor users with technical knowledge
and training, run local events to raise
awareness and engagement in the project,
and work to develop content and applications
with small groups of local people.Good for
user confidence and development, community
projects.
Needs: access,
co-ordinators, affiliated online mentoring
programme
14 Courses **
Centres are contracted to provide training
for users in literacy, computer use and
content development.
Essential for wide-spread and effective
use of equipment and access.
Needs: Centres
funding, partners and staff.
15 Community support **
The initiative provides funding, services
and support to enable community groups and
nonprofits to get online and serve their
clients
Important if local groups are to play a
full part in the initiative, including developing
relevant content.
Needs: tech and
training staff.
16 Agencies development
The initiative works with agencies to train
and support staff who will develop online
services
Essential if agencies are to have any significant
online presence
Needs: Agency
commitment, training and support programme.
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Confidence
and commitment
17 User surveys and co-design**
The initiative finds out what people are
looking for online, and designs services
and content to match those needs.
Really important if the initiative aims
to avoid top-down, technology-driven strategies.
Needs: commitment
to user participation, a process and appropriate
methods.
18 Digital champions **
The initiative recruits, trains and supports
a network of people prepared to champion
the use of ICTs in their neighbourhoods
and organisations.
Good for building interest and commitment
– ‘I could do that’
Needs: Training
and support programme, equipment.
19 Technical jobs**
The technical support and content programmes
are designed to give users and learners
a pathway to employment.
Good for building interest and commitment,
and a longer-term strategy for the initiative.
Needs: partnerships,
well-conceived programmes, training staff.
19a Web authors**
The project recruits and trains local ‘web-masters’
or authors.
Attributes of these are that they need
to available motivated and active, and have
local or special knowledge.
Needs: people
with good contacts, imagination and some
technical ability.
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Content
development
20 Community content **
The project works with residents to develop
‘fun’ activities and content
relevant to people’s lives.
Good for confidence and commitment, and
making investment in access and equipment
worthwhile.
Needs: Content
manager, volunteers,
…. of which the following are some
examples of content
21 Local history and genealogy
projects
The project runs workshops to introduce
people to the scope for tracing family histories,
and researching and publishing local history.
Likely to be popular
Needs: tutors,
online workshop facilities.
22 Arts project
Users have access to multi-media facilities
to develop their own projects. Libraries
and national agencies also provide digitised
content
Scope for creating more visual online environments
Needs: tutor/volunteers
and media facilities
23 Web-based community story telling
Local people can use audio, video and web
pages to raise issues of personal and community
interest in their own words.
Can also be a tool to reach policy-makers
Needs: mentors,
equipment, workshop space
24 E-government projects **
The project works with public agencies
to develop co-ordinated information services
for the local communities.
Important for partnership working
Needs: partnership,
manager, tech skills and facilities
25 E-commerce for SMEs
The WuC provides training, systems and
support for small firms to develop their
e-commerce capabilities
Could generate revenue for the WuC
Needs: e-commerce
partner or project
26 Inter-generational projects
Mothers and daughters, fathers and sons
- and grandparents - learn together through
projects where they have shared interests
A good way for raising awareness as well
as developing skills
Needs: tutors,
online workshop space
27 ESL support projects
Workshops are run for ethnic minority groups
to help develop written and verbal language
skills using computers.
Helps WuC reach all groups
Needs: tutors,
workshop space.
28 Online neighbourhood watch
Local neighbourhood watch volunteers have
email, web and webcams to support their
work.
Builds on existing initiative
Needs: training
for volunteers, systems
29 Parishes online **
Each parish has a tailored set of web pages
and other online services to support groups
and other activities
Important for rural areas
Needs: workshops,
support, systems
30 Volunteers online
The project develops a local volunteer
matching system
Good partnerships project with local community
colours
Needs: work with
local volunteering and community organisations.
31 Online LETS scheme
The project works with the local LETS scheme
to enable members to offer and seek opportunities.
Adds value to a local project
Needs: development
work with LETS project.
32 Online shopping
Workshops are run providing advice on how
to shop online, and how to avoid possible
problems
Another way to show how the Net is useful
Needs: tutor,
workshop space.
33 Faith-based activities
Local faith groups are engaged through
online study and web sites that provide
a religious perspective on child-raising,
marriage, politics etc
Scope for engaging with a wide range of
local groups and communities
Needs: outreach
and menu of sites
34 Lifestyle and hobby sites
A wide range of well-researched links to
web sites covering hobby interests, family
and personal problems and opportunities
are available online.
Provides opportunities to start with people’s
interests – rather than the technology
Needs: research,
community web site
35 E-learning **
Schools, colleges and universities create
access and training for students, and develop
online learning programmes.
Good for meeting local learning targets,
demonstrating the usefulness of the initiative.
Needs: Major
development programme and commitment from
institutions. Home access, skilled users.
36 Participation online **
Discussion lists/forums are created so
that different interests in the community
can air their views. Volunteers learn new
skills by facilitating.
Good for building on local networks and
interest groups.
Needs: Confident
users, committed agencies, facilitators,
appropriate system.
36a e-Democracy **
The project runs a number of online debates
and voting on local issues
Good for engaging people in local affairs
Needs: support
from local councils
37 Local broadcast channel**
A studio and broadcast facilities enable
residents to create their own audio and
video programmes for local broadcast of
the Net.
Good in providing for opportunities for
enthusiasts, skills development, and content
for the portal.
Needs: Facilities,
project manager, training.
38 Agency services online **
Locally based agencies (e.g. health, jobs,
benefits) commit to making information and
services available online, and responding
to enquiries.
Essential if users are to see relevance
in going online, and the system is to serve
the community.
Needs: Agency
commitment, appropriate systems, access,
staff training.
39 Local portal **
The initiative develops a website of local
information with links to all key local
projects. It acts as a portal to forums
and other applications
Essential as a hub for the initiative,
but will not fulfil all content and communication
needs on its own.
Needs: Robust
technology, content management systems and
policies, maintenance.
40 Community intranet **
Homes with computers or digital TV are
able to use an internal system for newsletters,
discussions, online services, and personal
Home Pages. Could be private element of
the portal.
Important in fulfilling the communication
needs of residents and groups.
Needs: Tech and
content team. Access provision.
41 Youth projects **
The project works with young people and
agencies to produce special web content
Good for engaging young people.
Needs: events,
authors, agency support, manager
42 ICT audit
Project researches ICT provision in the
locality
Essential to discover what technical and
human resources are available
Needs: staff,
methods, support from agencies
43 Literacy Programme
Email to relatives, web searching, letter
writing and other activities are used to
develop basic literacy skills with users.
Needs: tutor/volunteers,
programme development.
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