ICT Volunteering and Human Development Evolution and Trends Conference on Volunteering and ICTs World Summit on the Information Society 7-8 December 2003 Manuel Acevedo

2 Contents of the presentation ICT Volunteering and Human Development Mainstreaming ICT into Development Organizations Volunteer Networking Volunteering in the Information Society : WSIS

3 What is ICT Volunteering?  Range of volunteer action whose common characteristic is the targeted use of ICTs (particularly digital technologies)  Actions by volunteers resulting in the practical use by development actors of relevant ICTs – supporting a community telecenter  Use of ICT (particularly the Internet) to enable and facilitate volunteer collaboration – eg. Online Volunteering  Volunteering’s niche in ICT4D: capacity building on the uses (ie. applications) and opportunities (ie. outreach, awareness) of ICT across development areas

4 Why ICT Volunteering?  Massive needs around the world  Many people willing to contribute  Mechanisms already exist:  UNITeS, NetCorps Canada, VITA, PeaceCorps, Red Cross, etc.  Volunteer added-value:  they accompany a specific development process  “powered by solidarity”  youth as a under-utilized development asset  Internet‘s culture is (still) a culture of solidarity and volunteering Volunteering are essential to respond to capacity- building needs in the Information Society

5 Mainstreaming ICT into Development Organizations  Development orgs. as catalyzers for wider absorption of ICT in overall developmental processes  Need to lead by example !  The main challenge is to achieve the proper levels of internal capacity in an agengy  ICT Volunteers can be instrumental in mainstreaming ICT into development orgs.  They can assist in both aspects of mainstreaming:  Internal: integration of ICT into administrative and operational processes  External: widespread application of ICT in field projects and initiatives supported by an agency

6 Networking Development Cooperation  Development cooperation practices need to adjust to the new context and dynamics of the Network Society  Connected development nodes  individuals, projects, organizations  Knowledge generation from connection rather than rather than collection  New project architecture  establishing/managing networks to maximize generation and application of knowledge for development  Enabling involvement of the “global citizen” to achieve the Millennium Development Goals

7 Types of Volunteer-based Networks A.“Action” networks connecting individual volunteers to development orgs. & stakeholders (eg. NetAid/UNV Online Volunteering service) B.Knowledge network created within a Volunteer- involving org. (eg. UNV or the Red Cross) C.Institutional networks formed by volunteer organizations (eg. IAVE, NetCorps Canada Coalition) D.Volunteer-to-Volunteer networks (independent or institutional) E.The “Open-Source” approach to development (eg. Linux) F.Virtual Communities of Practice G.Human Metadata Networks

8 A project network, “Powered-by-Volunteers” projec t community (virtual, physical) company NGO another project dev agency university online Volunteers other universities other NGOs other volunteers

9 Ten key types of ICT Volunteering functions (I) Across development themes 1.Provision of basic technological literacy 2.Information brokering – the “human last miles” of connectivity 3.Creation of local digital content 4.Inclusion of marginalized and disadvantaged groups into the Information Society 5.Awareness raising of decision-makers on the possibilities of ICT4D

10 Ten key types of ICT Volunteering functions (II) In specific thematic areas of development 1.Integration of ICT into the educational system 2.Involvement in community telecenters 3.Use of ICT and networking by local human civil rights organizations 4.Incorporation of ICT into the battle against HIV- AIDS 5.Application of ICT to disaster management and post- conflict situations

11 Volunteering and WSIS Basic message: the role of Volunteering must be included in analysis and policies of the Information Society  Volunteering has already shaped the Information Society  The Information Society is impacting volunteer action  WSIS Plan of Action: ICT Volunteering needed for success  From Geneva to Tunisia: making ICT Volunteering a more visible actor

12 A Volunteer Plan of Action for WSIS (I) Development-wide proposals  Support to national and international university volunteer networks in ICT for Develoment  Creation, expansion and support of national/regional online volunteering services  Coordination under UN of a “Hackers Without Frontiers” programme  Support to ICT Volunteering programmes (UNITeS, NetCorps Canada, etc.  Support to Diaspora volunteers networks in ICT4D  Promotion of corporate volunteering initiatives on ICT4D  An international “Telecenter Volunteer Exchange” facility  Establishment of/support to of basic computer literacy training programmes.  Support to volunteer-involving orgs, like NGOs, that are involved in the social appropriation of ICTs.

13 A Volunteer Plan of Action for WSIS (II) Thematic proposals  Establishment of national "University ICT-for-education Volunteering" schemes  to build teacher capacity (secondary schools) for ICT integration  ICT Volunteering initiatives for digital inclusion of people with disabilities  ICT Volunteering support to HIV/AIDS initiatives, like the programme underway in Southern Africa  Promotion of networks to assist people affected  Creation of telework and e-learning opportunities  Teacher-to-teacher, doctor-to-doctor mentoring  Volunteer initiatives in telemedicine  Facilities for ICT volunteers in disaster situations  ICT Volunteer programmes in refugee camps

14 United Nations Information Technology Service: UNITeS  Special UNV initiative aimed at reducing digital divides  One of the “Digital Bridge” programmes of Kofi Annan (Millennium Report)  Volunteers building human and institutional capacity on uses/opportunities of ICT for human development  Global programme (65% of vols from South, intl. and natl. volunteers)  Close to 200 volunteers onsite, about 100 online, in over 50 countries.  Involves volunteers from other organizations (not only UNV), also online  UNITeS Community Network, Knowledge Base

15 Online Volunteering  Innovative modality of volunteering for development cooperation  Translations, content editing, proposal writing, web-site programming, online research, graphics design, technical assistance mentoring, e-moderating...  The Net is the medium  Flexibility, adaptability  Interesting possibilities of online/on-site collaboration among volunteers  Facilitates continued engagement by former “on-site” vols  Online Volunteer service through NetAid (  Partnership between NetAid Foundation and UNV  Largest listing of OV opportunities for development cooperation  In 3 yrs., 14,000 OV applicants, 5,000 OV assignments, 270 host institutions

16 Conclusions  ICT Volunteering is a powerful new resource for Human Development  Started with basic ICT skills training  Moved on to capacity building and awareness raising  ICT Volunteering to enable ICT mainstreaming in development  Harnessing power of networking to generate increased added value – “network capital”  Make ICT Volunteering an important element for WSIS Plan of Action  Raise visibility of ICT Volunteering in the process to Tunisia 2005