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Smart community resources
There is a wide range of advice, information and research available on how communities can gain the access, skills and knowledge needed to move online and become smart communities.
The following is a useful selection on Australian and overseas references and resources.
Australian resources
ANTA Learning Communities Project
An 2001-02 National Project by the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) which involved an audit of the learning strategies and capacity of 10 communities as part of their journey towards becoming learning communities. The 10 communities chosen for the study were: Ceduna, Copper Coast, Deniliquin, Launceston, Newcastle, Peel Region, Port Augusta, Port Pirie, Southern Grampians, Toowoomba. The individual reports for each community are available at: http://www.anta.gov.au/pubBundle.asp?qsID=21 (now http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/training_skills/policy_issues_reviews/key_issues/nts/
Centre for Community Networking Research
Centre for Community Networking Research: is a co-operatively funded research centre based at Monash University whose mission is to develop and implement evaluation frameworks within the environment of emerging community uses of ICTs.
http://www.ccnr.net
CommunIT
CommunIT aims to assist South Australian community sector agencies and their clients to address IT-related issues. The site's resources include information and advice on computer assistance, security issues and software and hardware issues, advice on purchasing software and hardware and information on SA IT events.
http://www.communit.info
Communitybuilders.nsw
An interactive electronic clearinghouse funded by the New South Wales Government for everyone involved in community level social, economic and environmental renewal.
http://www.communitybuilders.nsw.gov.au
The Australian Government Community Portal has been developed to assist community groups and not for profit organisations to find relevant and up to date information, services, tools and tips online.
http://www.community.gov.au
CommunityWise is the WA Department of Local Government and Regional Development's package of community economic development programs designed to help communities find opportunities and funding to achieve their goals. The site provides access to a Tool kit for communities featuring case studies, contacts directory and other tools.
http://www.communitywise.wa.gov.au/
E-community Networking Association (ECNA) is a registered Victoria association concerned with developing and supporting electronic community networking in Australia and abroad.
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~ecna/welcome.htm
The Learning Communities Catalyst aims to serve as a repository of information, research, case studies and practical tools to assist communities, government and business become involved in learning communities. Its interactive features also facilitate information exchange; capacity building and the marketing of learning communities.
http://www.lcc.edu.au/
MC2 provides training and online resources to enable Victorian community groups to establish websites, publish online, network with other members, to extend group activities and communicate with other communities of interests.
http://mc2.vicnet.net.au
NetSpots is a searchable national directory of public Internet access facilities such as Internet cafes, public libraries and other sites located throughout Australia. Information on where a local Internet facility is located and what other services are provided such as printing, scanning and videoconferencing is available by calling the Netspots directory hotline on free call 1800 222 797. To add an Internet facility to the Netspots database go to the website at Netspots.
Our Community
Our Community is the national gateway for Australia's not-for-profit community groups and organisations, providing a one-stop-gateway for practical resources, support and linkages between community networks and the general public, business and government. Its aim is to build capacity to strengthen the community in every Australian State and Territory.
http://www.ourcommunity.com.au
tel:info Website
A Government website where you can find out more about telecommunications services, safeguards and developments across rural and regional Australia, and HiBIS (Higher Bandwidth Incentive Scheme). Information from the tel:info website is also available on free call 1800 883 488.
http://www.telinfo.gov.au
Australian projects
Australian Learning Communities Network
The Australian Learning Communities Network is a group of committees, and organisations committed to the systematic fostering of lifelong learning for individuals and groups to enhance the social, economic, cultural and environmental conditions of their community. The Network provides an opportunity to access good ideas, support, advocacy, and advice. The Network can be contacted through Jim Saleeba at Jim_Saleeba@cow.mav.asn.au or on Ph: 02 6055 9218; Fax 02 60559346.
Ballarat: A Learning City
Ballarat became a Learning City to provide a vision for the community and to recognise the importance of learning as the major driving force for the future prosperity, stability and well being of Ballarat. As a Learning City, Ballarat aims to develop productive partnerships, contribute to the Ballarat community's quality of life, encourage economic revival and make available information and forums for discussion.
http://www.ballaratlearningcity.com.au
e-ACE
electronic - Atherton Community Enterprise (e-ACE) is a dynamic and active Intranet community connecting the four towers and 800 apartments of a high-rise estate in inner city Melbourne, acting as the model for similar such development throughout Victoria. e-ACE is a partnership with the residents, Infoxchange Australia and several community-based organizations and the Victorian Government (through its Neighbourhood Renewal program) has the opportunity to transform the way it provides services through better use of ICT to improve the health and well-being of residents of a public housing high rise estate.
http://www.highrise.infoxchange.net.au
E-communities
The NSW Department of Housing (DOH), through its Community Renewal strategy, and the NSW Office of Information and Communications Technology (OICT) formed a partnership in 2001 to develop an 'E-community' Demonstration Project. The project provides access to the Internet, on-line information and e-mail to DOH tenants through television set-top boxes, rather than through a computer. Projects were set up in the Cranebrook and Tongabbie social housing estates. A website (http://www.progressway.org) was established for residents. The Demonstration Project is supporting and developing the use of ICT by social housing tenants to address the 'information gap' created by lack of access to the Internet. Potentially, the benefits derived from this project can be applied to more than 130,000 DOH households across NSW.
http://www.communitybuilders.nsw.gov.au/sync/ent2-e-communities.pdf
Learning City: Albury-Wodonga
The City of Albury-Wodonga, as a Learning City, recognises that learning is central to meeting the challenges of today's societies. Albury-Wodonga's Learning City Program promotes and celebrates learning, makes learning opportunities available to all and supports and motivates individuals and employers to participate in learning.
http://www.learningcityalburywodonga.com
Networked Neighbourhoods
Networked Neighbourhoods is a trial project located in Picton Waters in regional WA, designed to bring together the best of the "old days" and new technology to create friendly and supportive neighbourhoods where people feel comfortable and included in their community. Every person in the new development at Picton Waters has "always on" Internet access with high quality computers in each home, with access designed to work all the time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The project is sponsored by the State Government, the Pindan Group, Microsoft and Beacon Technology.
http://www.computerworld.com.au/index.php?id=1591706818&fp=16&fpid=0
OurBrisbane.com
This Brisbane City Council sponsored community initiative aims to provide Brisbane's residents and visitors with an accessible and friendly Internet experience that supports individuals and communities. The eight distinct ourbrisbane.com projects offer local information and services to support communities online, businesses online, electronic government, affordable access and learning and development throughout the community.
http://www.ourbrisbane.com
Smart Geelong: The Learning City
'Smart Geelong - The Learning City' was declared by the City of Greater Geelong in December 2000 and aims to:
- Strengthen the skills and knowledge of the workforce;
- Build strong partnerships between industry and local educational providers;
- Extend affordable access to education; and
- Develop information and communication technology skills across the community.
http://www.geelonglearningcity.vic.edu.au
Australian Conferences & Reports
Building A Community Technology Strategy
A Learning Guide produced by Global Learning Services (GSL) that provides information and advice to communities on developing a comprehensive community ICT strategy.
http://www.gls.canberra.net.au/lguides/gls_lg6.pdf
Building Learning Cities/Communities
A Learning Guide produced by Global Learning Services (GSL) that provides information and advice for communities seeking to develop as learning communities, including a self-assessment instrument and planning guide.
http://www.gls.canberra.net.au/lguides/gls_lg7.pdf
Community Electronic Networks - Building Community:
5th Community Networking Conference 3-5 July 2002.
Papers, presentations and workshops from practitioners, academics & policy makers around Australia, NZ, and other countries, on a wide range of topics about use of the Internet including advocacy and activism, ageing, diversity issues, community building, small business online, community education, government/community relationships, rural and regional online issues, technical issues.
http://ccnr.webstylus.net/2002/
Communities in Control: Giving Voice and Support to grass roots community groups
Proceedings of the Communities in Control conference, held in Melbourne 7-8 April 2003.
The conference drew more than 1300 people who explored the growing evidence that a community being "in control" is a decisive factor in improving community wellbeing.
http://www.ourcommunity.com.au/control/control_main.jsp
Creating Rural Connections: Communication, Diversity, New Technology and Community Development (2001)
Report on connectivity and community networking projects in rural areas by The Communication Centre, Queensland University of Technology.
http://www.bus.qut.edu.au/connections
Learning Cities: Building 21st Century Communities through Lifelong Learning.
Wong, Shanti (April 2002). Report on the Travelling Scholarship from the Victorian Government to study learning cities in Europe. Shanti is the co-ordinator of Smart Geelong, and has completed a PhD on her research into smart cities.
http://www.statvoks.no/focal/learningcities.doc
OECD Learning Cities and Regions Conference
14-15 October 2002, Melbourne
The OECD, in conjunction with Victoria, hosted an invitational two-day conference, Learning Cities and Regions, in Melbourne on 14 and 15 October 2002. The purpose of the conference was to bring together decision makers, planners, academics, politicians and business leaders to investigate the place of learning, innovation and other factors in creating sustainable, productive and cohesive cities and regions. The aim was to identify a range of strategies for creating and sustaining urban and regional learning economies.
http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/38/25/1937981.pdf
Report of the Evaluation of the Family and Community Network Initiative, June 2002
A report for the Department of Family and Community Services that evaluated the FCNI and found that the program had successfully improved the capacity of communities and families through better access to information and services and improved cooperation and coordination of existing services. The report also shows how community builders and government agencies can work together to strengthen their communities.
http://www.facs.gov.au/internet/facsinternet.nsf/VIA/fcni/$File/finalevaluation.pdf
Save@Home (2001)
A report into the financial, communication and time saving benefits of home Internet access. Five typical family groups are analysed in the report and the differing benefits each group experiences from home Internet access are quantified.
Sociodemographic Barriers to Utilisation and Participation in Telecommunications Services and Their Regional Distribution: A Quantitative Analysis
A report commissioned by Telstra - Hellwig, O. and Lloyd, R. NATSEM -- 21 August 2000 into the social and economic characteristics of Australians with different levels of access to and usage of traditional and new telecommunications services.
http://www.natsem.canberra.edu.au/publication.jsp?titleID=OP0001
Strengthening Communities: People, Place, Partnerships Conference
The Conference was held in Sydney, 29-30 April 2003. Information, ideas and learnings were exchanged on partnerships with communities, community renewal and capacity building.
http://www.communitybuilders.nsw.gov.au/building_stronger/place/p1.html
Overseas references
Canada
Lifelong Learning Communities
Website providing links to research and reports on lifelong learning strategies, with a focus on community capacity-building via the OECD/UK learning community model.
http://members.shaw.ca/rfaris/LC.htm
Netville
Netville" (a pseudonym) is located in suburban Toronto. It was one of the world's first residential developments to be equipped with a broadband local network. This research addresses recent interest in the effects of Internet use on relationships with friends, relatives and neighbours. Unlike these other studies that looked only at life online, researchers Hampton and Wellman looked at the totality of people's relationships- in-person, by telephone, as well as on the Internet. This gives a clearer picture of how the Internet fits into everyday life. Their study of the use of leading-edge broadband technology forecasts how growing use of high-speed Internet will affect people's lives in the near future. They compared "wired" residents on the high-speed network with other "non-wired" residents living in the same neighbourhood.
http://web.mit.edu/knh/www/downloads/HamptonWellman2.pdf
Smart Communities - Broadband
A website that aims to act as a clearing house of resources that help support the creation of Smart Communities across Canada as well as provide information on related best practices, applications and technologies. It will also provide resources related to broadband technologies, research studies, and funding programs as well as information on current broadband use and trends in Canada.
http://smartcommunities.ic.gc.ca
Smart Capital, Ottawa
A Smart Community project in the Canadian national capital that has an orientation to accelerating the development of online services for all sectors of Ottawa.
http://www.smartcapital.ca
Smart Communities Resources
Selection of links to projects, reports and research on smart communities in Canada and other countries.
http://www.rdpl.org/partnerships/smart-communities/index.html
Vibrant Communities
The Vibrant Communities project seeks to promote learning within and between communities in Quebec on local solutions to reduce poverty.
http://www.tamarackcommunity.ca/index.html
New Zealand
Smart Newtown
The vision for the Smart Newtown project is to create a community where all residents have the skills and access to become active participants in today's on-line world. Wellington City Council, Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency (WREDA) and the Wellington Regional 2020 Communications Trust recognised that this is a critical success factor in Wellington's development as a "Smart City", and are working together and with other partners to achieve this. The lead role in managing the project is taken by 2020, a volunteer Trust that works on "e-Enabling the Community". http://www.smartnewtown.org.nz/
Smart Wellington
Wellington is the most wired area in New Zealand. It has won international awards for its innovative endeavours in promoting empowerment, participation and access for all in the knowledge society. Like most cities, however, there are sections of the community where participation in the digital world is not as high as it could be. In the Wellington Region, though, work is underway to ensure that all sections of the community are given the skills needed to compete in the global economy.
www.smartwellington.co.nz
United Kingdom
Communities Channel: Promoting ICT in Communities - Scotland
This 'channel'website aims to provide information and support for those promoting the use of ICT in the community.
http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/communities/
Communities Online - UK
Communities Online aims to address issues of sustainability, regeneration, social inclusion and healthier economies by focusing on the use of new communications technologies in communities and neighbourhoods.
http://www.communities.org.uk
Ennis Information Age Town
In 1997 the town of Ennis in Ireland was selected to receive an investment of £15m to create an 'urban test bed' for the implementation and successful integration of existing and new information technologies. The project is committed to ensuring that a high standard of training, knowledge, support and innovation is consistently provided to all sectors of the community.
http://www.ennis.ie
Redbricks, Manchester
Redbricks claims to be Manchester's best connected community and has a lively portal with a good deal of local community information presented in an interesting manner.
http://www.redbricks.org.uk/main.php
Smart Cities
Smart Cities is aiming at designing a dynamic smart card and multi-application management architecture to allow targeted markets (middle size cities) to benefit from the numerous advantages of smart card environment without being tied to a unique, proprietary applicative model. Smart Cities is also aiming at proving technical and commercial feasibility of exploiting multi-owner data sources gathered from the use of the smart card scheme.
http://www.southampton.gov.uk/leisure/smartcities/
The Local Regional Economic Development (LED) Toolkit
This LED portal is designed to assist communities to develop local autonomous economies and to reinforcing local infrastructures such as community leadership, investment, and jobs.
http://www.wiram.de/toolkit/index.html
Toolkit for Online Communities
Website developed to provide links to articles and other resources for those who are interested in developing and running online communities, particularly those which relate to localities, towns, cities, neighbourhoods and villages.
http://www.partnerships.org.uk/internet
Wired Up Communities Initiative
The Wired up Communities initiative is investing £10 million from the UK Capital Modernisation Fund to pilot connecting homes in seven disadvantaged communities (eg inner city and suburban estates, rural communities and villages) to the Internet. The objective is to assess how individual access to the Internet can transform opportunities for people living in these communities by developing new ways of accessing learning, work and leisure services.
http://www.dfes.gov.uk/wired/over.shtml
United States
A Nation Online - How Americans Are Expanding Their Use of the Internet
Washington D.C., February 2002, NITA
A report discussing the increasing use of new information technologies across all demographic groups and geographic regions in America. It examines computer and Internet use according to demographic factors and their effects on people's online activities and discusses issues and problems faced by certain social groups when going online.
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/dn/index.html
Blacksburg Electronic Village
The Blacksburg Electronic Village (BEV) serves as a testbed and platform for faculty and students at Virginia Tech and researchers outside the university to carry out research. One of the primary goals of the Blacksburg Electronic Village project is to evaluate and document the use and impact of community networking. Moreover, the project seeks to help foster research in collaboration with other faculty and students interested in the social, educative, political, economic and technical aspects of networking.
http://www.bev.net/project/research/index.html
'Building Online Communities: Transforming Assumptions Into Success'
This article discusses common assumptions about online communities that non-profit organisations can overcome and then lists resources for delving further into what it takes to build and maintain effective online communities.
http://www.benton.org/publibrary/practice/community/assumptions.html
Camfield Estates/MIT Creating Community Connections Project
The Camfield Estates/MIT Creating Community Connections (C3) Project was conceived of as an online resource for building social capital in the estate, comprised of mainly African-American single mothers.
http://xenia.media.mit.edu/~rpinkett/papers/camfield-mit.pdf
http://www.camfieldestates.net/
Cities Online: Urban Development and the Internet
November 20, 2001 Pew Internet & American Life Research Project
This report examines how institutions in five cities are adapting to the Internet. Its main focus is on economic and community development organisations in those cities that have used the Internet to improve performance and to broadly benefit the community. The cities include: Austin, Texas; Cleveland, Ohio; Nashville, Tennessee; Portland, Oregon and Washington.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Cities_Online_Report.pdf
'Community Building On The Web: Secret Strategies for Successful Online Communities'
A resource on how to build a Community Online.
by Amy Jo Kim (Peachpit Press, Berkeley, California). See her online summary at:
http://www.naima.com/community/
Community Connections: Preserving Local Values in the Information Age
National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Department of Commerce, September 2000. This report discusses how access to information technologies can help create new opportunities for local communities to ignite local development efforts. The report illustrates how eleven communities sought to ensure that powerful new information technologies strengthened, not weakened, community bonds.
http://search.ntia.doc.gov/pdf/community_connections.pdf
Community Connectivity Toolkit
A toolkit for rural leaders and officials interested in securing high-speed telecommunications services essential for economic development, education and health care in their communities.
http://www.lonestarbroadband.org
Community ContentBank
Contentbank.org is a website designed to help disadvantaged communities obtain the information and resources to get online. The site collects, highlights, and develops online content created for and by low-income and underserved communities.
http://www.contentbank.org//AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home3
Community Information Technology Institute
A resource on the understanding and sustainability of smart communities.
http://www.citismart.net
Digital Rivers
The Digital Rivers project is about providing universal access to an affordable, high-speed digital broadband network that is available to every person and business in the Pittsburgh region. Report only recently released at:
http://www.3rc.org/projects/project5.html
Making the Net Work (MTNW) Toolbox
The MTNW Toolbox offers a collection of tools that support a people-centred, realistic approach to Community Technology. An optimal planning process or "route map" is provided that can be applied in any of the five typical situations in which Community Technology is used and featured in the 'help for' section: centres, organisations, projects, networks, and whole communities. These tools are designed to support that process.
http://www.makingthenetwork.org/tools
Smart Communities Network
A website maintained by the US Department of Energy aimed at offering a menu of information and services on how communities can adopt sustainable development as a strategy for well-being.
http://www.smartcommunities.ncat.org/
Smart Communities Project
A research project looking to:
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Develop a common language and models for understanding the needs and opportunities to become a "smart community";
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Analyse best-of-practice "smart community" case examples and extrapolate lessons from other communities;
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Develop tools for self-assessment and benchmarking;
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Articulate a methodology that outlines a systematic approach that economic developers can use to guide their community's leadership into the future;
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Outline approaches to achieve the appropriate community-wide infrastructure including: computer and communication networks, basic education and continuous learning programs and working environments that respond to current needs, potentials and visions of the future; and
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Provide scenario developing tools and analytic frameworks to help guide stakeholders in forging necessary partnerships and alliances.
http://www.lajollainstitute.org/projects/idrcsmart.html
Smart Region
Smart Region Hampton Roads, or Smart Region, is dedicated to improving the quality of life and economic competitiveness of Hampton Roads by applying information technology in new and innovative ways to how we live, work, learn, and even play. Smart Region envisions Hampton Roads as a "virtual region" in which borders and distance pose no barriers to the flow of ideas, information, and commerce, and where sharing, collaboration, and the promotion and use of best practices is common among the governmental, educational, and business organisations in Hampton Roads.
http://www.smartregion.org
'Sustaining Civic Networks: A Blueprint for Community Use of Technology'
A resource exploring the community network and its various components.
By Andrew Michael Cohill
http://www.bev.net/about/research/digital_library/docs/CN_sustn.pdf
The Broadband Difference: How online Americans' behaviour changes with high-speed Internet connections at home
June 23, 2002 Pew Internet & American Life Research Project
A report focusing on the nature of broadband use in American homes.
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Broadband_Report.pdf
International
Intelligent Community Forum
The Intelligent Community Forum (ICF) is a special interest group within the World Teleport Association that focuses on the uses of broadband technology for economic development by communities large and small in both the developed and developing world. Because real estate is a critical part of urban development, ICF also addresses the development of intelligent buildings, Internet hosting centres and similar facilities.
http://www.intelligentcommunity.org
'Learning cities: the new recipe in regional development'
Article on the concept of a "learning" city or region is at the core of a growing number of regional development strategies. It explores what exactly a learning city is and how it works. By Kurt Larsen OECD Observer, August 01, 1999
http://www.oecdobserver.org/news/archivestory.php/aid/57/
Learning_cities:_the_new_recipe_in_regional_development.html
World Foundation for Smart Communities
A non-profit educational organisation founded to promote the concept and facilitate the implementation of "smart communities" - communities using information technology as a catalyst for transforming life and work to meet the challenge of the new millennium.
http://www.smartcommunities.org
Prepared by NOIE in February 2003. Information current as at February 2003.