Telecentre networks remain the core of the entire telecentre ecosystem. Since Telecentre.org Foundation’s inception, the network pillar has been strategically consistent, both in terms of activities and as understood by most stakeholders.

There has been a consensus in the community that telecentres cannot survive while isolated and can only be socially and financially sustainable through networking.

Networking provides opportunities for peer-to-peer learning and support, facilitates access to technical support, and expands telecentres’ social supply chain function.

Benefits of Networking

If we retrieve the potential benefits of networking as listed in the Guidebook for Managing Telecentre Networks, there is evidence that:

• Networks were able to pool financial and technological resources, both at the national and international levels.
  • There are many examples where networks could lobby and partner with governments or international organisations that were once out of reach;
• There are more distribution channels for content and services, as shown by an increased number of websites and events.
• Due to networking and/or knowledge sharing activities, enhanced collaboration has continuously been taking place in the form of joint projects.
• Many network administrators stated more effective representation, stemming from a stronger capacity to interact with higher order entities such as governments, which quite often ended up in new joint projects or strengthened pro-telecentre policies.

A common purpose

The efforts made and generated by Telecentre.org Foundation have helped many telecentre networks to emerge and others to grow stronger. Networks have been established in over 40 nations, 15 of which are highly vibrant and dynamic.

These networks were established through core grants offered to implementing organisations. Networks working in French, English, Arabic, Spanish, Russian, and Thai have established relationships across continents and developed concrete activities that strengthen their respective programmes.

Networks have engaged with each other to share knowledge, develop new products and services, develop institutional capacities, address operational challenges, mobilise resources, and promote telecentres. Networking has created a sense of common purpose that binds networks together and offers higher aspirations for the global telecentre movement.

Network sustainability

While a few of these networks have developed robust sustainable models, a number of them have yet to find funding mechanisms to continue their operation. It is therefore important for the foundation to strengthen these networks, while helping to establish new ones.

The Foundation will not stop at merely offering core grants to national telecentre networks. Rather, Telecentre.org Foundation will strive to help these networks become channels of services, products, and goods for telecentre users.

The following strategies will be adopted to establish, strengthen and deepen telecentre networks:

1. Enumerating telecentres and telecentre networks on a global scale that would create a global mapping of telecentres;
2. Enabling existing networks to become channels for pro-poor services and content;
3. Developing new regional network collaborations or strengthen ties with partners in Latin America, Francophone and Anglophone Africa, Middle East and North Africa, Central Asia, Europe and the Asia-Pacific;
4. Developing the Indian Telecentre Network where a third of the world’s telecentres are;
5. Expanding stakeholder numbers through Telecentre.org Foundation membership and associate-ship programmes;
6. Organising and co-organising regional and global events.

If you manage a telecentre, or a telecentre network, consider joining the global network of telecentres! We’d love to hear from you. Contact the Director of Operations or the Regional Focal Point in your area to learn more.

 

Regional Networks