Measuring your community's capacity
An important part of the Planning for a High Speed Future workshop is a section where people examine their community's "capacity" in four areas relating to high speed Internet, and agree on how well the community is doing in each area:Leadership
Collaboration
Skills and learning opportunities
Internet applications
When we talk about a community capacity - we are describing the ability of a community to define and solve its own problems.
This important discussion takes place among groups of community members with the help of a facilitator. Agreeing on how well a community is doing in these areas is not an exact science, but the workshop is designed to help groups to reach a decision.
Some of the things that you can consider when discussing your community's capacity include:
- community experience
- actions the community has taken in the past
- individual and organizational skills and activities
- community strengths and opportunities
Leadership
Planning for a High Speed Future looks at leadership in the community in the area of high speed. In particular, the workshop looks at the following issues:- Is there at least one Internet or high-speed champion in the community - a person or an organization who
- knows the Internet or high speed
- works towards getting high speed to the community
- teaches the community how the Internet and high speed can make the community better
- People may have trouble using high speed because
- they do not own computers and can't afford to buy them
- they have trouble reading and writing
- they have trouble seeing or typing because they have poor vision or arthritis
- How good is the community at recognizing and removing barriers to high-speed.
- Has the community already set goals for a high-speed future, such as:
- supporting businesses to opertate online
- improving local skills
- providing municipal services online
Collaboration
Planning for a High Speed Future looks at collaboration in the community around high-speed. In particular, the workshop looks at the following issues:- Have people worked together in the past to make your community better
- Do people bring together the community's expertise, resources, and skills so that they work towards the same goal
- Do people listen to different points of view and come to an agreement
Skills and learning opportunities
Planning for a High Speed Future looks at skills and learning in the community in the area of high speed. In particular, the workshop looks at the following issues:- What people already know about the Internet and high speed and how much they need to learn
- Where people can go in your community to learn more about the Internet and high speed
- Whether people in your community can take advantage of opportunities to try new online-based activities (e.g. digital photography, geo-caching)
Internet applications
Planning for a High Speed Future looks at Internet applications in the community and how widely different applications are being used. In particular, the workshop looks at the following issues:- Whether the community is helping local businesses to use online tools to
- advertise
- buy and sell goods and services
- stay in touch with clients and suppliers
- Whether the municipal government or community groups are using websites to
- promote the community online
- help people in the community to stay in touch
- promote local businesses and tourism
- Whether people in the community can use online tools to get municipal government services such as
- information on municipal meetings and decisions
- renewing vehicle permits
- paying municipal taxes
