International Awards Program for Telecentres and Telecentre Knowledge Workers

[Jimmy L. Calata]

If we were to implement an international awards program for telecentres and telecentre knowledge workers:
(a) what should its title be?
(b) what should its award categories be?
(c) what kind of prizes should we give?
(d) how should we implement it?
(e) should there be any relation between the awards programs of participating countries with the international awards program that we are thinking about (like the case between national and international beauty contests)?

[Niranjan Meegammana]

Known to me, There are two specific awards in Telecenter field given in e-India conference.

1. Telecenter of the year
2. Best Civil Society Organization Telecenter Initiative

As I have witnessed the number of entries had been least in this categories compared to other categories.

The Telecenter echo system consist both Operating Telecenters and Development Organizations with other entities who provide services. I agree that "social innovation" should be the bench mark where big or small all Telecenter Projects can compete for their innovation in projects.

At the same time we need to recognise individuals who make telecenters innovate, it should be Telecenter Leadership award.

One draw back would be make telecenters who has little resources to compete with development organizations. In this sense the e-india model like two categories should be used. So bigs compete with bigs and small with smalls.

Another area is consideration of Women in Telecenter field,
The Women Empowerment, Rural Lively hood development categories need to be added.
Usually in any award ceremony we see less women representation.

In my experience many woman lead Telecenters face cultural and feminine barriers in innovation due ti But they do a good job in Telecenters. Until now men lead TCs are economically, Technically and morally in front. I thinks we need a special focus on women lead telecenters to make Women Empowerment a reality.

Can we have Women Lead Telecenter Theme and Categories ?
Can we have Disability Theme and Categories ?

There is already Women 100 m and para Olympics?
I wonder if we can be brave enough?

As we are a global movement, one global award will not really be effective. We need competitions in District/ Provincial Level. Local Language communications is a must to make all take part.

As well as we have to clearly define what each category mean, how we evaluate before we invite people to do projects, so that the award will lead to more development. After 6 months we can hold Provincial Competitions, in 9 months National competitions, and finally Global.

One area we should keep notice is M & E of projects. The projects submitted need to be evaluated on ground. There must be an evaluation report at Provincial level, National and global level, unless the best would not come.

Innovation, ICT component, Implementation, and Impact and replicability should be among the evaluation criteria

The main price is recognition of effort. Many awards in the world does not have cash awards. But cash awards increases participation and impact. Lien I3 Challange recently gave S$ 1 million to 8 competitors from 648 participated. Microsoft and Intel gives US$ 1M , and Green Gloabl Challange is GBP1M.

I am not sure Telecenter field is such rich, but some sponsorship to winners to cover their expenses of travel and accommodation is needed.

Since we plan to engage a large number of people, a good project submission and evaluation system should be placed, I would like people to avoid email entries. The evaluation and judging need to be online.
This means we need a good software system on web.

I think as we select projects, we must improve them providing mentoring and advice so that the process it self improves whole participants. Then there is something for all..

Finally the National and Global Winners need to be given some assistance to upscale their innovation. This could be internships, fellowships and funding for projects.

Our Project Shilpa Sayura has won 7 Global awards, The finest was Singapore's Lien I3 , because it provides us funding to initiate a new project.

So Award should be recognition of efforts at least
and it can upscale to provide funding to start a new project.

Niranjan Meegammana
Shilpa Saytura Foundation
http://www.shilpasayura.org

[Jimmy L. Calata]

How will we establish and manage the awards program at all levels (e.g., national, regional, and international)? How often and when are we going to grant the awards?

[Jimmy L. Calata]

Who’ll finance or sponsor the awards program? And how will we be able to sustain it?

[Jimmy L. Calata]

How can we use the awards program as a tool or a strategy in accelerating the development and expansion of our telecentres, and in promoting ICT4D programs and projects across the globe in general?

[Niranjan Meegammana]

Hi Jimmy
One way to award what's already done, the other way to give a fair start to all calling for a start day, end day and a reporting day. Definitely we need an online tool for submition and evalution.

Funding of course always an issue! You need a good proposal, then someone could be interested, Unless there is a good reward people might be less interested.

Niranjan Meegammana
Shilpa Sayura Foundation
http://www.shilpasayura.org

[Jimmy L. Calata]

Yes, I agree with you Niranjan. Funding is indeed a big issue here. Can we raise this proposed Awards Program as one of the talking points in the Online Consultation 2009 that has just been started by Sir Floro of the IDRC? What do you think?

[Niranjan Meegammana]

Good Idea jimmy!
telecentre.org would be the best host for a program like this, it will increase inclusion, and purpose of telecentre.org to induce telecenter workers around the globe.
Thank You!
Niranjan Meegammana
Shilpa Sayura Foundation
http://www.shilpasayura.org

[Polly Gaster]

My suggestion is that the TCF should initiate an annual international awards system, for 2 or 3 categories, eg:
Telecentre (or community multimedia centre or radio?) of the year
Innovation of the year
tc.org woman of the year (and/or man/ operator/activist/volunteer...)
Telecentre story of the year (a challenge, a success, disaster, whatever)

Basic criteria/indicators for assessing candidates shd be produced by TCF on the basis of inputs from an international working group, aiming to clarify the parameters and the intention of the award in a way that is both comparable and has room for individual country conditions.

Then do like a beauty competition: start at national level, and the winners there go on to compete at regional/continental level and then to an international final.

The national networks could apply to TCF to be included in the competition (so TCF can be sure that it has enough funding for prizes in all the countries!).

The national networks will run the national competitions with the help of a jury, and while promoting the competitions will also get publicity for the whole movement, and for individual success stories, awareness-raising, etc.

The whole process wd take 6-9 months.

But I agree, the award isn't trying to say "best" or compare the non-comparable, and must make every effort to enable all kinds of different telecentres etc to take part and feel valued.