eRider Project in Azerbaijan
"Common Informational Environment for NGO in Azerbaijan"
Background
During
the last several years Open Society - Assistance Foundation was actively
supporting Azerbaijan NGOs in getting basic knowledge of using Internet.
The multilevel preparation of local NGO staff, including basic, intermediate
and advanced levels of trainings is carried out within the framework of
the Internet trainings program, conducted by Internet department of OSI-AF/Azerbaijan.
Special courses directed on illumination of spheres of NGO activity are
also carried out besides regular trainings. Also work on activization
of humanitarian information exchange in the Internet is conducted. NGO
representatives have an opportunity to exchange the information via Internet
by publishing of information on the largest NGO portal in Azerbaijan AzerWeb
(http://www.azerweb.com), on forum and by creation own web pages hosted
on OSI-AF's web server.
Goals and objectives
Goal:
- Providing tools and assistance to improve work standards, staff
skill on management and performance of local NGOs that will be tailored
to their aims, mission and goals.
Objective:
- Provide on a one-to-one basis and online (via web site and phone)
consultancy for NGOs about theirs daily-occurred problems in ICT.
Provide trainings on specific topics for particular NGO staff.
- By the end of the first 4-month we will be able to provide an online
and published manuals for NGOs about solving frequently occurred problems.
This will be used for "old" client/NGOs, as well as for "new" client/NGOs.
Goal:
- Improve computer knowledge of NGO staff.
Objective:
- Development of training materials for NGO on different topics of
ICT knowledge. By the end of first 6 month we are planning to publish
textbooks (about 1000) on different ICT topics (Word, Excel, Windows,
Networking, etc.) in Azeri for NGOs attending eRider project and for
those who not. Books will be distributed among regional community
information centers. All training materials will be published on eRider
web site.
- We planning to conduct offline trainings about different topics
of ICT knowledge for NGO staff.
Goal:
- Maintenance of intensity of an information exchange in NGO sphere.
Objective:
- Development of common standards for information exchange among NGOs.
One-to-one and online consultancy, publishing of manuals and conducting
trainings for selected pilot group of NGOs about:
- communication tools available for locals (in azeri) on the
Net,
- switching from non-standard fonts to known standard fonts,
- tools required in order to use standard fonts on old versions
of Windows.
- Consolidation of all bodies and organizations, working with NGOs.
Approach
Goals mentioned
above will be achieved through providing ICT consultations and trainings
to non-profits and through creation of a web resource for non-profits.
There are several
ways to approach to NGOs with ICT consultancy. One is to gather selected
NGOs and conduct trainings/seminars. This approach was used by OSG-AF
and it is used now by some development organizations as well.
This project will
be implemented with use of the approach and concept first was piloted
in USA - Circuit Riders. The idea of Circuit Riders is that, the Circuit
Rider (also called eRider) is a roving consultant, who works on one-to-one
basis with many NGOs, helping organizations to develop and implement information
and communication technology strategy designed especially for organization's
needs and specificity. The circuit rider may also provide advice and guidance
on standards and organizational policies relating to technology, fundraising
for technology, development and usage of customized databases, development
of effective website and other uses of the internet, allocation of staff
resources, finding and hiring technical support staff and outsourcing
services, particular issues such as picking the right internet service
and protecting data.
Implementation stages
eRider Project
will be executed within the framework of tripartite AZNET Project started
by OSI-AF, UNDP and AzRENA. This will allow the eRider Project to use
of the technical basis of AZNET project. Taking into consideration the
new legal conditions the Project will be implemented in following stages:
1. Selection of eRiders
Selection criteria:
- IT experience,
- Ability to train people and to be trained,
- NGO experience,
- Good Azerbaijani and English.
2. Training for eRiders
Selected eRiders
participated on 4 day training about the purposes and goals of the project.
3. Selection of "client" NGOs for participation
in the project
Open call via newspapers
and web. We will select pilot NGO group (10 NGOs). All interested NGO
will be asked to fill survey form about their e-needs and e-readiness.
Answers to survey will be used as criteria for selection. Less IT prepared
NGOs will be prioritized. This big pilot group will be divided into 2-3
smaller groups depending on their activity sector. This division will
help us to work with real problems of specific group of NGOs. The number
of NGOs will be increased to 30 after 2 month of activity. Client NGOs
will be selected from most active organizations, for this purpose consultations
with National Foundation programs will be held. Also materials of AzerWeb
portal and the researches conducted within the framework of other projects
will be used in selection of NGOs.
4. Main stage: eRiders work
eRiders together
with project management will develop visiting schedule. Needs and locations
of "clients" will be considered for this time.
5. Development of NGO Resource Website
We are planning
to attract client NGO to active information exchange through AzerWeb and
also create web sites on the basis of technical toolkit of AzerWeb Within
the framework of the project. Online consultancy for NGOs will be created
as a part of AzerWeb, which will cover comparative and factor analysis
of the services, works and production market in Azerbaijan.
Activities:
- Assessment of IT needs
Will be done in two steps. First assessment will be done during selection
process. All interested NGO will have to fill assessment form and
the results of this will be measured as criteria. More detailed assessment
will be done after selection of pilot group of NGO.
- Development of training resources
Working group will prepare training materials for NGO staff depending
on needs of NGO in trainings. All training will be held in OSIs Internet
Resource Training Center (IRTC). Trainings on different topics will
be organized upon requests from NGOs. All training materials will
be available online on eRiders web site.
- Development of common environmental standards for information
exchange
eRiders will assess tools used to communicate in smaller NGO group.
eRiders will develop ready-to-use solutions regarding whole range
of tools and technologies used by NGOs taking into consideration needs
and requirements for information exchange among NGOs in group.
- Development of basic information security recommendations
Number of seminars on basic information security will be held in IRTC.
Expected Project Impact
- Common rules of standardization of use of ICT, directed on increase
of overall performance in NGO sphere will be developed based on results
of pilot stage of the project (serving 10 NGOs). Web site containing
ready-to-use manuals and ICT solutions will be developed taking into
consideration these rules. It will allow eRiders assist and provide
online consultation to bigger number of organizations of nongovernmental
sector without any additional investments. Expected number of clients
of web site is 100-150 NGOs.
- eRiders in cooperation with other projects (GIPI, AzerWeb, Internet
News, Development GateWay, etc.) will be able to create an effective
network of active participants of nongovernmental sphere.
- Development of effective methodological base for creation and carrying
out of the general and specialized trainings using offline and online
trainings.
Sustainability
eRiders consulting
services will be provided for NGOs from different sectors of activity
and also for the state and educational institutions in the future. It
will allow organizations with various financial sources involve to the
project. Successful development of the project will open opportunities
for implementation of the mixed model of financing.
