EMFA: T3E1 - Intl Community Networking Guide - Wilcox

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Theme: Networking Communities - Essay 1
Author: David Wilcox, Partnerships Online, UK
E-mail: david@partnerships.org.uk


WRITING AN INTERNATIONAL GUIDE TO COMMUNITY NETWORKING TOGETHER

Have we now reached the point where there is enough experience of
community networking around the world to create a more structured
way of sharing the nitty-gritty "how to"?

I think there is, and suggest that one way to do that would be to
work together to write an International Guide to Community
Networking.

Two years ago a group of 20 people at a larger community
networking conference in Taos, New Mexico, met to discuss with
great enthusiasm the idea of an International Association for
Community Networking, originally proposed by Steve Snow of
Charlotte's Web.

By the end of the conference the group had agreed an action plan
and a smaller group to take plans forward (see
http://www.partnerships.org.uk/iacn/IACN.html for the original
proposal).

In the event, IACN didn't happen as an organisation.... though
lots of other things did.  Once we got back home, it became clear
we should build networks of networkers in our own countries
before we could easier work internationally. The Canadians
already had an organisation, Telecommunities Canada. In the US
the American Association for Community Networking formed
(http://bcn.boulder.co.us/afcn/), and in the UK we developed
Communities Online (http://www.communities.org.uk) and
Partnerships Online.

Now that organisation-building is nearly complete, I suggest it
is time to go back to the original IACN aim - helping those
running networks, or planning to start them, to learn from each
other across national boundaries. 

Of course there are already some good resources and discussion
oportunities, like the University of Michigan School of
Information Community Networking Initiative
http://www.sils.umich.edu/Community/, and lists like communet
(see http://www.communities.org.uk/internet/lists.html for this
list and others).

However, there are three main problems, as I see it, in making
currently available community networking content relevant and
easily usable internationally. First, most is US-based and
difficult for others to interpret.... it *seems* relevant to
other English-speakers, but often the political and cultural
context means it doesn't transfer simply.

Second, when written by network enthusiasts, for other
enthusiasts,  it can seem rather techy and cliquey for newcomers.
Third, most of the good stuff on lists gets lost because it isn't
captured into any editorial framework.

Back in 1996, after Taos, I did a modest exercise in
multi-authoring some basic content about community networking.
Some 40 people, working through a mailing list, contributed
articles to create the beginnings of 'How you can use IT in the
community'. Put into context, UK readers found US articles and
references really useful.

Over the past month, I've canvassed the idea of a guide with a
few contacts around the world, and people have offered to join in
co-editing and developing content on linked Web sites. There is a
first, very tentative, outline of the guide at
http://www.partnerships.org.uk/iguide. 

I'll shortly create a mailing list for those interested in
developing the guide, and also have access to a FirstClass
conferencing system. Meanwhile, if you are interested, please
contact me by mailto:david@partnerships.org.uk.

I have some starter funds for work in the UK, and I hope that
together we will be able to raise more.

If anyone else is already planning a similar venture, I'll
happily swing in with them. If it also involves another trip to
Taos, Seattle, Cupertino and scenes of other fine conferences
.... even better! 

David Wilcox, Brighton, UK
http://www.partnerships.org.uk





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