This document discusses the differences between a local digital agenda and a community digital agenda when implementing information and communication technologies (ICT) to support development in small rural communities. A community digital agenda takes a broader, more strategic approach that involves mobilizing all community partners and resources through multi-sector partnerships to develop ICT strategies. In contrast, a local digital agenda focuses narrowly on ICT supporting local authority services and skills for accessing those services. The document provides steps for implementing a community digital agenda, including developing ICT strategies through partnerships, conducting ICT audits, selecting and funding ICT solutions, and evaluating outcomes.

1. Local Digital Agenda
or Community Digital
Agenda?

2. Library Development Program in Poland
$28 million BMGF grant + $4,5 million PAFF’s commitment
2008 - 2015 – implementation
3,808 libraries from 1,256 small communities
(c. 60% of the target group)
training courses
grant programs
hardware deliveries
capacity building for library system
outreach/promotion activities
The Polish-American Freedom Foundation is the partner of the Bill and
Melinda Gates Foundation in a project aimed at giving Polish public
libraries better access to computers, the Internet and training. The
Library Development Program in Poland is implemented by the
Information Society Development Foundation.

3. Participating libraries

4. Experiences from the LDP
 ICT should boost local development supporting
policies and strategies.
 ICT supported local development is too complex
to be left only for local authorities.
 For small rural communities mobilisation of all
partners and resources is essential for
development.
 Communities need “new type of local leadership”:
providing vision, involving all partners in to
strategy planning and implementation through
multi-sectorial partnerships.

5. Local Digital Agenda versus
Community Digital Agenda
Responsibility of the
community with local
authorities providing
“new type of
leadership”.
Focus on community.
Responsibility of the local
authorities.
Focus on the local
authority.
Social consultation of
the strategies
developed by local
authorities.
Strategy as exclusively
LA/expert issue.
Strategies developed
and implemented by
community leaders,
local institutions,
organisations, informal
groups – preferably
organised in different
types of partnerships.
Strategy as community
issue.

6. Local Digital Agenda versus
Community Digital Agenda
ICT supporting services
provided by local
authorities (e-government).
ICT as “tactical” issue
supporting selected
services provided by LA.
ICT supporting local
development, all types
of policies and
strategies developed in
above mentioned way.
ICT as “strategic” issue
involving all community
members and
resources.

7. Local Digital Agenda versus
Community Digital Agenda
LA supporting ICT skills
enabling access to the e-services.
Focus on “digitally
excluded” to help them to
use e-services.
Local partnerships support
ICT skills important for local
development (needs
assessment, innovations,
communication, cooperation,
project development and
implementation).
ICT skills for all community
members contributing to
local development.

8. Example
Problem: Low level of ICT skills among adult
community members.
LDA solution: Schools and
other institutions
subordinated to local
authority equipped with
computers and pushed to
offer courses for adults.
CDA solution: LA mobilise all
local partners to develop
educational strategy
combining all resources and
involving all sectors (public,
NGO, business) through
partnerships.

9. Implementation of the Community Digital Agenda –
key steps
Encourage local authorities to the new – more strategic -
approach to ICT.
Local authority selects one local policy or strategy to pilot the
whole approach.
Presentations and workshops by experts for community
members on “how ICT may be used by institutions and
organisations to support implementation of the local policies
and strategies”.

10. Implementation of the Community Digital Agenda –
key steps
Setting up of the partnerships covering three areas:
1)Infrastructure: common planning of purchase and
maintenance, efficiency of the help-desk etc.
2)Digital education: combining all educational resources
available locally, provided by local institutions and
organisations to all community members (not only e.g.
“senior citizens”).
3)Innovations: group of local “ICT freaks” ready to adapt ICT
tools to local conditions, supported by FRSI screening “global
knowledge”.

11. Implementation of the Community Digital Agenda –
key steps
ICT audit of the selected policy or strategy by experts. Report
with recommendations on ICT solutions that could be
considered to boost policy or strategy implementation.
Partnerships in cooperation with FRSI experts select ICT
solutions taking in to consideration local resources and
conditions.
Development of the “digital agenda” (plan how to boost given
policy or strategy using selected ICT solutions) by the
partnerships supported by FRSI experts.

12. Implementation of the Community Digital Agenda –
key steps
“Digital agenda” includes division of responsibilities among
local partners and budget.
Implementation of the “digital agenda” by partnerships with
support of FRSI (inspirations, experts, grants, networking).
Evaluation / feed back

13. Thank You!
Jacek Królikowski
jacek.krolikowski@frsi.org.pl