[UgaBYTES] Recommendation on Staff Exchange issue

Mon Feb 25 08:38:29 GMT 2008

Dear all I congratulate for the good work done.   But  I have something  that I wish to suggest  especially on the issue of developing National websites and mailing lists. it is good to have them but to me I think it  is going to cause more challenges  especially on the side of sustainability. 

  I would recommend that  it is better to have one EAST AFRICAN WEB PORTAL that combines all the proposed networks  such that the information  is accessed easily.  the same to the mailing lists.

  what is going to happen is that information is going to be scattered and  there is a possibility of loosing some people and their experiences because I have a feeling that some people are going to concentrate more on their National Networks and ignore the rest.

  Staff exchange  is also a very brilliant  idea because it will help us to share skills and make the Telecentres more sustainable. But still  there is need to carry out a survey on the  strength of all the staff to be exchanged on the programme. more still the issue of the language should also be put into consideration and above all  who is to facilitate this programme ( staff exchange ) because what I know from experience  all Telecentre are not equal in terms of revenue. unless if the programme is to be facilitated by UgaBytes or done on a voluntary basis. I hope you looked into this matter during your discussion.

  Content development is also another  aspect that we need to discuss further because if  the National networks are not assigned  responsibilities we may end up duplicating content . I propose that  it would have better better  to assign tasks to all networks  eg Tanzania- ICT& Agriculture, Kenya- Education & Gender, Uganda- HIV/AIDS & Entrepreneurship etc

  so we need to discuss more because even the academy has sustainability challenges  anyway am not just opposing the ideas but  you came up with so many activities and You did not  come up with the a programme  calender. 

  Yours  
  Peter Balaba 
  Nakaseke-CMC

NKURUNZIZA Jean Paul <nkurunziza at bytc.bi> wrote:
  Thanks Ogwe,

I will use your text and combine it to my notes in order to produce a
french summary as well.
Sincerely

> Telecentrians
> The telecentres networks staff exchange concluded on Friday at UgaBYTES
> Initiative secretariat in Kampala. The exchange had representation from
> Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya and Uganda.
> The five day intensive programme looked into issues of national
> networks status, creation of a vibrant regional telecentre eco-system,
> website and mailing lists management, introduction of an award system
> for telecentre practitioners in the region, issues of Social
> Enterprises for sustainability of telecentres and networks, the
> telecentre academy, regional exchange programme for network leaders
> and staff as well as partnership issues.
> On the first day the matter of registration/legal status of national
> networks cropped up and it was resolved that all networks pursue the
> matter of registration within three months.
> Some of the resolutions reached were:
> A-Regional online telecentre ecosystem:
> Ø There is a need to post content from national websites onto
> other national websites and international websites. Cross posting should
> only carry a summary of stories posted with a provision of links to
> ensure that readers visit the original website for more information on
> this and other subjects
> Ø RSS Feeds would be up and running once all national sites in the
> website are fully operationally
> Ø We need to establish a team at national network level to ensure
> posting information at national level and cross-posting of regional
> info. Proposed that two persons per network and met on a monthly basis
> Ø All national networks to provide information for newsletters/
> UgaBYTES news updates, to Telecentre.org
> Ø Dynamic websites for each network within three months. Cost for
> the domain to be communicated later.
> Ø Mailing lists for Burundi, Kenya and Rwanda to be created
> at the same time as the websites are being created
> B-BYTES for Development Award
> This would be an annual award which seek to encourage greater online
> sharing among practioners. The categories agreed upon were:
> Ø Best researcher
> Ø Best Blogger
> Ø Best trainer
> Ø Best Story.
> Awards will be given to the winner and two runners in each category.
> Finalists will be shortlisted and invited to attend the East African
> Telecentre Leaders Forum where the announcement of ultimate winner
> and presentations will be made.
> A seven member jury made up of network representatives and UgaBytes will
> shortlist mailing lists, blogs postings on a monthly. The final short
> listing will be held each January.
> C- Community Online Engagement Strategy
> This strategy seeks to encourage community online sharing of
> experiences. The plan had three main components as highligheted below
> i- Community Awareness and Sensitization Training
> The intentions of this Plan Component are:
> Ø Appreciation of community sites
> Ø Quality of stories on site
> Ø Utilization of site
> Ø Gains/user feedback
> ii- Research and Documentation
> Intentions of this component are:
> Ø Have research guidelines
> Ø Have a team of community researchers and reporters
> Ø Tell relevant untold stories
> iii- Dissemination and sharing
> Intentions of this component are:
> Ø Building a community of online collaborators
> Ø Stakeholder engagement in telecentre issues
> D. Website and Mailing List Management
> Participants were taken through the session which entailed:
> Configuring mailing list, how to subscribe/unsubscribe,
> unblocking/blocking members and checking for pending mailings
> Participants were also introduced to the platform which UgaBYTES
> website (www.ugabytes.org is presently running, DRUPAL
> (www.drupal.org). Drupal is free open source content management
> platform and is more user friendly. All networks in the region will
> have new sites within three months which shall be set-up with support
> of UgaBYTES technical team.
> E- Social Enterprises for Sustainability
> This component seeks to address the issue of sustainability. The
> following formed part of the resoutions
> On business Concepts
> Ø Adopting new business concepts and improving
> Ø Copy from other members where applicable
> Ø All concepts need to be formalized on paper
> Remittance and financial management system
> Ø There have to be clear records
> Ø Need for expertise
> Ø Need for clear contracting between telecentres and networks
> Ø Remittance system should be equitable
> Follow-up
> Ø Resolution of this meeting to be presented to network members to
> sell to them the concept of social enterprises
> Ø Networks to work and consult with UgaBYTES
> F- Telecentre Academy
> It was agreed that this academy is needed for purposes of capacity
> building telecentre practitioners
> Ø The telecentre would primarily target telecentre practitioners
> namely network leaders, telecentre managers and staff
> Ø Academy to have both free and reasonably charged would be
> charged for trainings and services.
> Timelines for the Academy.
> Ø Development of guidelines for training needs assessment to be
> completed by end of March
> Ø National representatives of the academy to be in place by end of
> March
> Ø Outcome of needs assessment by end of April
> Ø End of May, develop systems and strategies
> Ø Curriculum development to be done in May -June
> Ø Exploration and development of partnerships to continue e.g.
> seeking of training centres to be gazetted
> Ø Official launch/first intake July
>
> b- Should services be free?
> Ø Some services could be free while others may be charged. This
> would depend on specific
> Ø Commitment fee may be vital. Need to charge a reasonable fee
> which community members can afford.
> Ø Sustainability has to be achieved by the academy hence some fee
> should be
> Ø Academy should be viewed as a capacity building programme and
> also as a sustainable project
> G- Regional Exchange Program for Network Leaders and Telecentre Staff
> This would encourage sharing and exchange of ideas
> Resolutions
> - National networks to work in collaboration with UgaBYTES ttowards
> success of the regional staff exchange
> - The exchange would be promoted through the mailing list, websites and
> the wiki
> - Obligation contracts to be signed by the beneficiaries of the
> programme
> Forr further readings of the staff exchange kinldy view blogs on
> www.ugabytes.org or www.telecentre.org
>
>
> Damas Ogwe
>
>
>
>
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-- 
NKURUNZIZA Jean Paul
Secrétaire Général et Responsable Administratif
du PAJE de l'association BYTC
B.P 7031 BUJUMBURA BURUNDI
Tél: 00257 22 21 96 45
Tél Mob : 00257 76 60 49 46/00257 79 981 459
Fax : 00257 212485 ou 00257 222147
E.Mail : nkurunziza at bytc.bi ou
jnkurunz at hotmail.com
Site web : http://www.bytc.bi

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