In SA they want to ‘Change the World with Technology – the Digital Means to the Social End’

In September 2005, a Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Community Business Partnerships acknowledged the long-term partnership between Vectra Corporation, an Australian company that provides IT infrastructure and security services, and Community Information Strategies Australia (CISA), a community organisation that aims to provide information and technology services to other community organisations. The two work together on the CommunlT project, which is designed to help community organisations increase their ICT knowledge and capacity.

Currently CISA is gearing up for its third national conference ‘Connecting Up 06 Conference’ May 1-2 at Adelaide’s Hyatt Regency. People are being invited to tell their organisation’s story, or share their skills and knowledge on the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the community.

CISA wants as many people as possible to submit proposals to present papers and workshops AND to attend their third national conference. Expressions of interest in presenting close on Friday 17 February and Conference Bookings are now open at www.communIT.info/conference.

‘CHANGING THE WORLD WITH TECHNOLOGY – THE DIGITAL MEANS TO THE SOCIAL END’ is the 2006 theme. Information and communications technologies (ICT) are impacting strongly on communities and the organisations that work with them. Speakers from Australia, the UK, US, South Africa and New Zealand will demonstrate what you can do to help change your ‘world’, whether it’s a neighbourhood or a nation, with the technologies of today and tomorrow.
Highlights will include practical workshops, a special consultation on the proposed National Nonprofit ICT Coalition, and some great examples of ICT in the community.

CONFERENCE STREAMS:

1)Planning an ICT strategy – consulting, researching and thinking about where ICT fits with where you want to be in the future;

2)Resourcing your ICT plan – the right hardware and software for your plan, funding, liaison with donors and businesses, business opportunities in the not-for-profit market, proprietary products vs open source, wireless vs cable;

3)Supporting your ICT Plan – staff training, managing ongoing support, measuring performance, environmental responsibility strategies;

4)Communicating through ICT – email, websites, e-newsletters, online advocacy, fund-raising, blogs, VoIP (internet phone calls), SMS, instant messaging, podcasting, challenges in reaching specific groups (e.g. Aboriginal people, people from Non-English Speaking Backgrounds, people with disabilities) etc.

PRESENTER GUIDELINES
Available for download at www.communIT.info/conference.

ALREADY CONFIRMED TO SPEAK AND/OR RUN WORKSHOPS:
– Hon Jay Weatherill, SA Minister for Families and Communities
– Nicola Thompson, General Manager, ICT Hub, UK
– David Barnard, CEO, SANGONet, South Africa
– Amith Nagarajan, CEO, Aptify Corporation, USA
– Terry Stokes, Technology Manager, Lasa, UK
– Dr Simon Davey, Managing Director, Alpha-Omega, UK
– Jordan Lefman and Bernie Davis, Independent Living Centre, South Australia
– Gail Plowman, pigswillfly.com.au Melbourne, Victoria
– Jo Stewart-Rattray, Vectra Corporation, South Australia
– Cheryl Lewis-Fitzgerald, RMIT, Victoria
– Mike Seyfang (consultant), David Wallace (DIRC SA) and James Farmer (Deakin University, Victoria)
– Warwick Quinton, Octapod Association, Newcastle, NSW
– Vince Holt, Technical Aid for the Disabled, WA
– Steve Lawrence and Doug Taylor, WorkVentures, NSW

FOE MORE INFO CONTACT Doug Jacquier, CISA CEO
EMAIL: dj@cisa.asn.au