About Ken Young and Web Words | Community
Networking | Links on the Web
Various Projects |
Open Source | Contact | Return
to Web Words Homepage
What is Community Networking?
Community Networking is a difficult concept to easily describe and it has different meanings in different contextual situations. For example in french experience the expression «Réseaux Communautaires» would more commonly be called «Réseaux Citoyens». However for me Community Networking is about enriching local communities through the equitable development of accessible on-line technologies.
For me the following values which were established at the first Community Networking - Networking Communities Conference held September 24 1996, are fundamental to my understanding of Community Networking. ( See here for further details ).
Key values integral in my approach to community networking:
- Community networks are not the same at virtual networks or communities. Community networks are grounded in the activity and everyday life of local communities, and are an adjunct to the communication that happens between people.
-
Virtual communities are often more focussed on the idea of electronic community than local community. Coming out of this, local focus, local content and local membership - including democratic decision making processes - are fundamental to a community network.
- Access and Equity in service provision, training and support. This means that a community network functions to get people online who may otherwise never have the opportunity: ethnic minorities, koorie people, people isolated in rural areas. A network does not operate only for tech heads.
- Volunteers are valued. Community networks rely upon the support of volunteers, and their skills and contribution is as valued as that of paid staff.
- Empowerment and Learning. A community window into internet opens new doors for people, and offers them the opportunity to learn new skills.
- Advocacy and Communication. As an interactive medium, the internet allows community networks to talk with those with power and resources in decision-making, including parliamentarians, the bureaucracy and other sectors in the community.
The Global CN Partnership website has other documents and statements about Community Networking.
Back to the top
The URL of this page is http://www.yarranet.net.au/webwords/comnet-main.htm
Copyright Ken Young ©1999 - 2002
This document was prepared by Ken Young March 2002.
Please read disclaimer
before acting on information listed at this site.
For further Information Email
Ken Young.