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Civic Networking
Definition
Civic networking (also referred to as "community networking") is defined
as follows:
". . . a process (our emphasis), facilitated by the tools of electronic
communications and information, that improves and magnifies human
communication and interaction in a [local] community by:
- Bringing together people within local communities and focusing their
attention on key issues within the community for debate, deliberation and
resolution
- Organizing human communication and information relevant to the
communities' needs and problems on a timely basis
- Requiring, engaging, and involving - on an ongoing basis - the
participation of a broad base of citizens, including community activists,
leaders, sponsors, and service providers
- Striving to include people in low-income neighborhoods, those with
disabilities or limited mobility, and the struggling middle class
- Making basic services available at a fair and reasonable cost - or, as
many espouse, at no cost - for broad-based access within the community
- Most importantly, doing what commercial [Internet service] providers
find difficult to do well: represent local culture, local relevance, local
pride, and a strong sense of community ownership
[from "Assessment and Evolution of Community Networking", The Morino
Institute]
Successful civic networks are driven by a broad set of social ideals and
goals - including how modern information and communications technologies
can be used for collective community purposes. Just as with the modern
public library, civic networks exist - not because of technology nor
because of commercial viability - but, rather, because of the greater
public good resulting from their availability and use.
Required Components
A functioning civic network will be comprised of at least the following
elements:
- Board of Directors
Composed of community leaders drawn from education, government, health
care, social service agencies, non-governmental organizations, and the
private sector, the Board of Directors is charged with providing
leadership, management, and financial sustainability of the civic
network. It is important that the civic network not be "owned" or
controlled by any one group. Organizationally, many civic networks create
a non-profit foundation to serve as a representative, legal body.
- Committee Structure
Most of the work involved with organizing and sustaining a civic network
will result from the work of various committees - with members drawn from
all sectors of the local community. Example committees used in existing
civic networks include organizing committee, user steering committee,
finance committee, policy and bylaws committee, technical committee,
science and health committee, etc. The committees meet on a regular
basis (generally, monthly or quarterly) and are charged primarily with
liaising with the general public to ensure that the civic network is
meeting the real needs of the community.
- Volunteer Corps
While many community networks do maintain a minimal paid staff (generally
two individuals - one technical; the other organizational - their
responsibilities often hinge on managing volunteer resources), most rely
on a corps of volunteers who assist with such tasks as user training, user
support, information service maintenance, and administrative tasks.
Volunteers generally include technology enthusiasts, university students
and, oftentimes, senior citizens.
- Information/Communications Server
In most cases, information and communications services for civic networks
are housed on inexpensive Unix servers (costing between $2,000 and
$15,000) using public domain (and free) software developed for community
networking by enthusiasts across the world.
- Telecommunications Access
With only a very few exceptions, civic networks always provide a gateway
to the Internet (this is often through a local university connection).
Also, most maintain a modem pool to allow dial-in access to the network
server.
- Public Access Sites
Perhaps the most important element of a civic network are public access
sites - located in public places convenient for anyone in the local
community to use. The public access sites include one or more computers
which, through hardwired connection (often, ethernet) or modem-based
connection, provide direct access to all services on the civic network and
on the greater Internet.
- Regular programs of training and support
Associated with the committee activities and volunteer corps mentioned
above, are planned programs of training and support for users - and
marketing of services throughout the local community. Only through
programs of training and support can civic networks meet their objectives
of education, broadening access to information services, and increasing
the quantity and quality of local community information.
- Information and Communications Services
It is the information and communications services developed by the
community for the community that comprise a tangible "product" of a civic
network. It is important that there is broad-based capability for
publishing information and communications services - and that users can
themselves manage their own services (i.e., not go through a central
control).
Interestingly, while information and communications services (as well as
access to services on the larger Internet) are the primary product of a
civic network , the experience of many civic networks relates that the
real value of such enterprises is their requirement for broad-based
community participation in creating and managing those services.
It is easier to love humanity than to love one's neighbor. - Eric Hoffer
[English]
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