telecentre-europe members shortlisted for the eInclusion Awards!

[Lize De Clercq]

Two of our community members are now among the medal winners of the European eInclusion Awards initiative launched by the European Commission!

Shortlisted applications
"Association Langas i ateiti" from Loreta Krizinauskiene and Edvaldas Baltrunas is shortlisted as a finalist in the Digital Literacy category and "Youth Association for Habitat" from Basak Saral and Seda Atabay is among the winners of the Geographic Inclusion category:

* Medal winning application from Youth Association for Habitat shared with us by Basak Saral
* Medal winning application from Association Langas i ateiti shared with us by Loreta Krizinauskiene

By reaching this stage these community members could go on and win the individual category award that will be presented at the e-Inclusion Awards ceremony at the European Ministerial e-Inclusion Conference in Vienna on 1 December 2008..

Non-shortlisted applications
Above shortlisted members were of course not the only ones who participated into the competition. Following member organizations have shared their project applications with us:
* Community Computer Education Centers (Poland) shared by Pawel Makowiecki
* EOS - Education for Open Society (Romania) shared by Gabi Barna
* Project Development Rural Internet Access Points Network and RIAPs ... (Lithuania) shared by Laura Grineviciute
* Computerwijk (The Netherlands) shared by Wilma Borgt
* UK Online Centres (UK) shared by Ian Clifford
* Interface3 - DO IT project (Belgium) shared by Christophe Devolder
* Association Maria (Romania) shared by Mariana Pavel
* Foundation Supporting Physically Disabled Mathematicians and It Spe... (Poland) shared by Weronika Pielas
* i-centres: application for the Digital Literacy category & application for the Geographic Inclusion category (Bulgaria) shared by Spass Kostov

If other members have applied and didn't yet share their application with us, please do so by clicking the with paper symbol in the comment function underneath this blogpost!

Reactions from community members
Some 'off-line' (email-list) reactions of community members:

Melissa Pailthorp, Community Affairs Manager for Central and Eastern Europe, Microsoft: "Although it’s always a disappointment that every great effort cannot get the recognition that it deserves, I think it is really great news for the network – we have several of those who are being shortlisted among our membership and/or some other way engaged. To me, that adds further legitimacy to the network and what it’s trying to accomplish – connecting great efforts with one another so that all learn and progress."

Florencio Ceballos, Program Manager telecentre.org: "I totally agree with Melissa. Just the fact that we are building an organization that can now compete in this league is such an achievement in a short time! And I think the fact that some of those shortlisted are among our members not only brings legitimacy, it is a starting point to bring more organizations in in a more institutional way. Congratulations for the great work you are all putting together!"

Capturing stories and community engagement
Now, as suggested by Meddie Mayanja, as Community Content Facilitator, it's my job to reach out to the finalists to interview and capture their story back into this website, as I suppose there are interesting aspects that helped each of them to win the respective awards, and these stories could be very helpful to other members.

So please Loreta Krizinauskiene or Edvaldas Baltrunas, and Basak Saral or Seda Atabay can you answer us shortly (at least some of) the following questions - used by the eInclusion jury - about your winning project?

* Impact on the community – What positive impact has your project made on the community it serves and how has that impact been measured?
* Innovative use of technology – How has your project been innovative? Is it the technology used, route to market, method of engagement or another element?
* Embracing all users – How has your project encouraged greater accessibility or improved the user friendliness of digital technology for the community it serves?
* Working with others – How has your project created partnerships with other organisations to improve the experience for all those involved and what are the benefits?
* Sharing the learning and knowledge – How have the lessons you have learnt and knowledge gained been shared with other organisations to benefit the communities served?
* Long term sustainability – What is the duration of your project and how does the funding model meet those commitments and obligations?
* WOW factor – Why is your project amazing? Could it be the way it has come together, the people involved, the outcomes it has achieved, or something else?

Medal winners: congratulations again and we are looking forward for your answers in the comments underneath!

regards,
lize

[telecentre-europe]

Reply by Basak Saral on 6 October 2008 at 5:34am Hello everyone,
I'm sorry for replying so late, but you know we all have busy lives:)
I partipated at the European M-Life / M-Society Conferences at the beggining of September. There, I met the organizer of the Ministerial Conference. He told me that they will try to include as much applicants as poosible of the einclusion awards to the programme, at least there will be a project presented from each country.
And then I was in Strasbourg last week, for the meeting of the Joint Council of Youth of the Council of Europe. At this meeting, we discussed the working priorities of the youth sector of CoE for the upcoming years. Working priorities determine the areas of projects funded by the European Youth Foundation of CoE. Under the Human Rights and Participation working priority, we can find "information and counselling" as a subtitled. Now I am advocating to include e-inclusion as well.
The working priorities will be overall adopted at the Miniterial Conference on Youth in Kiev at the end of this week, so I'm going to Ukraine tommorrow:)
Anyways, just a short report that might interest you as well...
Basak

[telecentre-europe]

Shared by Basak Saral:
Youth_Association_for_Habitat_Turkey_e_inclusion.pdf

[telecentre-europe]

Shared by Weronika Pielas:
1949_eInclusionAwards_EntryForm_ostateczny.doc

[telecentre-europe]

Shared by Mariana Pavel:
Entry_fromMariaAssociation_Romania.doc

[telecentre-europe]

Shared by Christophe Devolder:
DoITproject_English_final.doc

[telecentre-europe]

Shared by Ian Clifford:
2187_einclusion_entry_form040808UKonlinecentresandmyguide.doc

[telecentre-europe]

Shared by Wilma Borgt:
Computerwijkfor_einclusion_awards_2008.pdf

[telecentre-europe]

Shared by Laura Grineviciute:
2008Entry_form_final_VRM080911signed.doc

[telecentre-europe]

Shared by Gabi Barna:
Entry_form_EOSRomania.doc

[telecentre-europe]

Shared by Pawel Makowiecki:
080912Community_Computer_Education_Centers_PolandeInslusionAwards.pdf