Telecentre-Europe Recommendations, June 2008

2 Review of our vision/purpose: Vision: By 2010, Telecentres.Europe will be a viable network of telecentres and practioners in Europe helping them to collaborate and share experiences with their counterparts within and outside the continent. It will be a recognized competent organization to advise decision makers on their e-strategies including e-Inclusion, e-Skills, and IT social business. By impact, it will be a leading European authority on developing citizens’ e-Skills, employing large scale information technologies for e-Inclusion, quality of life and social business. Mission: To establish an effective communication and operational environment for national telecentre projects to collaborate, partner and integrate resources toward achieving the European strategic goals for building the European Information Society. Telecentres.Europe will follow a project-driven approach in its development based on recognizing leadership in different telecentre areas of competence. Proposed Services: Increase capacity and impact and outcomes of telecentres via Knowledge Sharing Advocacy

3 Telecentre-Europe Success Indicators: Future picture of the organization:  Autonomous and sustainable organization able to deliver real change through its network of telecentres.  It would support knowledge and resource sharing, influence the funding and policy environment and provide funding to centres to deliver activities in line with its mission.  The organization would employ experts in their field, and be widely known as the delivery organization who effects change, and is the ‘first call’ for telecentre practitioners and professionals across Europe and beyond. Success indicators: We will be successful if we are seen by the EU, industry and governments across and beyond Europe as: 1.a thought leader in the field of digital inclusion, 2.a partner of choice for any project in this field, 3.a channel for delivery to ‘hard-to-reach’ ‘digitally excluded’ citizens, and 4.a source of knowledge in this field.

4 Telecentres.Europe - Current State Summary Interest and need among prospective members Opportunities and need exist in larger, external environment Steering Committee Formed Strategic direction established (vision, mission, member benefits) Seed funding and support identified Resources allocated to develop web presence & create online knowledge sharing among telecentres (via Esplai.) Identify and recruit network staff to help spearhead the coordination and development of the network? Create a strategic roadmap for the network with associated services, governing and organizational details outlined. Secure operational and project funding. In Place Still Needed

5 European Commission National Governments Local Governments Industry Stakeholders Telecentres.Europe Organization Network Funders Others Snapshot of Proposed Structure:

6 Forming and Running Networks Lessons Learned & Best Practices For Reference Only

7 Working Definition of Networks Many definitions of networks, with most sharing the following common characteristics 1 :  Groups of individuals and/or organizations…  With a shared concern or interest…  Who voluntarily contribute knowledge, experience and/or resources for shared learning, joint action and/or to achieve a shred purpose or goal…  And who rely on the network to support their own objectives. 1: Definition taken from “Networks and Capacity” Suzanne Taschereau and Joe Bolger, September 2006 “A network can be defined as an association of independent individuals or institutions with a shared purpose or goal, whose members contribute resources and participation in two-way exchanges or communications.” “Networks occur when organizations or individuals begin to embrace a collaborative process, engage in joint decision making and begin to act as a coherent entity.”

8 Most Common Benefits of Networks Increase access to information, expertise and financial resources Increase capacity and efficiencies Increase visibility of issues Develop shared practices, foster innovation Mitigate risks Reduce isolation and increase credibility Share learning Strengthen advocacy capacity and influence policy Respond more effectively to complex realities and scale up impact.

9 Common Forms of Networks Taken from “Networks and Capacity” Most similar to direction of Telecentres.Europe

10 Success Criteria - Network Capabilities Informal Leadership:  Leadership that is active and committed, gives space to others, is a “leader of the cause” the network stands for, makes connections and facilitates relationships and makes good use of the resources in the network.  Successful networks rely on a core group of leaders with complementary skills. Usually includes: a secretariat, tasks groups and governing committee. Legitimacy and Collective Identity:  Good at connecting individuals across organization, sectoral and geographic boundaries and create a legitimate “third space for knowledge sharing, innovation and development of joint practice.  Foster a collective identity among members.  Legitimacy is earned, not declared: Networks that meet member expectations for effectiveness and efficiency are seen as legitimate: Technical Expertise and Resources:  Able to tap into people’s technical expertise and sense of professionalism and connect them with a higher purpose that motivates them.  Offer possibilities for individuals to use their knowledge outside of their own organizations to create new knowledge and “spark” energy for change that potentially can be used by others.  Looked to, and recognized, by other stakeholders (I.e policy makers) as a place to go for deep expertise.

11 Success Criteria - Network Capabilities Managing and Serving the Network:  Focus first and foremost on serving network members. Earn and maintain the commitment of members by ensuring that the network responds to explicit needs -- not constructed ones.  Facilitate connections and encourage activity among members of the network and with external actions;  Provide technical advice and coaching and constantly scan the environment for opportunities to advance the networks purpose and benefit its members. Communications & Management Systems:  Have significant capability to use ICT to facilitate rapid and broad-based interaction among members and with key stakeholders.  Have the capacity to strengthen and supplement online interactions with face-to-face interactions. Adaptive Capacity:  Have leaders with strong analytical and adaptive capabilities who effectively anticipate and respond to a changing environment.  Invest in communication channels and rely on information exchanges to gather intelligence from a range of sources and establish spaces for sharing and processing this information;  Have the ability to reinvent their “working forms” as needed.

12 Typical Network Life-cycle (Adapted from “Knowledge Networks: Guidelines for Assessment” Heather Creech) Telecentres.Europe Life Stage