Presentation for the Technology and Civil Society Speaker Series event at IREX with Matyas Gaspar, June 5, 2007.

1. Telecentres in Hungary
*
The story – examples – lessons
Mátyás Gáspár
*
Gaspar.matyas@t-online.hu

2. Hungary in Europe

3. Most of Hungarian settlements are small
Capital city is Budapest 2 Million.
3145 municipalities (settlements)
2361 (75 %) are small villages with a poulation below
2000.
1420 has a population below 1000, 17 % of the total
population 2-2.5 Milion.
1000 small settlements do not have a local municipal
office or other public institutions or services in place

4. Csákberény Village
1300 residents
First Hungarian
telecottage
http://www.csakbereny.hu/

5. First Hungarian Telecottage Program
supported by the USAID – 1997 -1999
Videofilm and eLearning telecottage course
http://www.telecottage.mimoza.hu/mss/alpha

6. The expansion of the telecottages and PIAPs
into small communities (under 2500 population)
Community telecentres’ „era” Mixed „era”
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
2 2 5 20 90 170 230 350 500 520 550 500 450 425
eHungary public Internet access points:* 200 500 800 800
*Additionaly 300 telecottages are declared as eHungary public Internet access points, the
program finished in 31 December 2006.
About 1500 small settlements (50 %) haven’t community
access place in Hungary which way to go, community or
public access?

7. Public vs. community access places
All community access is public in the same
Not all public access is community
time
access
Service provider is primarily motivated by
The service provider is primarily
community goals and values
motivated by business goals and values
It is operated and overseen by an
The provider is not an organization
organization dependent on the local
linked to the local community, has no
community and socially “embedded”
embedding in the society
In addition to Internet use, the service aims
The objective of the service is merely
to make people capable of this use, and to
the shared use of computers and
pass on network services
Internet
Service is also targeted at those who are
Targeted at those who use and are
not yet users
acquainted with the equipment and
services
Focuses on encouraging and directing
Focused on satisfying existing needs
needs
There are no additional services (“extra Provides additional assistance and services
help”)
No social or solidarity calling in the basic A social cause and sense of solidarity
conception embodied in the basic conception
Private (business) arena, structured Community arena, and tailored to
according to business needs community needs

8. Hungarian Telecottage Association
The seating
of the
Telecottage
Association
Presidency
The General Assembly
of the Association,
regional centers work in
7 regions

9. Telecottage organisational choices,
the optimal line
Role performed
Organization
type Owner Host Operator
Guarantees local social If building is his property, this Wider range of volunteers,
Advantage embedding, civic strengthens identity and the opportunities for direct grant
control organizational culture applications
Civil
Does not generally have a Demand for professional
Disadvan- Troublesome ownership
building, maintenance is operation, lack of financial
control as association
tage difficult interest
Existing infrastructure is
more comprehensive,
Easier supervision of the Financial security of
Advantage public interest reserves are
use of state funds institutions
used
State/
council Possible conflict of functions
Complete or partial use of Inflexible, hands are tied by
Disadvan- performed in same building,
equipment for other state tasks to be performed,
functions bothering one
tage public tasks not service-oriented
another
Vested interest in
Professional operation,
Use and maintenance of
renewing equipment,
Advantage financial and market
shared infrastructure (e.g.
provision of resources for
Commer- interest in maintenance
post office)
this
cial/
private Dominance of Other use – business, private Squeezing non-profit
Disadvan-
commercial interests in – can limit community services into the
tage the use of equipment functions background, higher costs

10. Telecottage services
Telecottage Handbook, UNDP,
2006.
http://europeandcis.undp.org/?ws
pc=practice-14_h_3

11. Csákberény –Local WI-FI Internet Provider

12. The
Village
WI-FI
network
Sept. 2004. Nov. 2004. April 2005. Oct. 2005. Jan 2006.
12
www.csakbereny.hu

13. riszentpéter –
Local tourism and
culture
www.orsegitelehaz.hu

14. Bihar
Communities’
Local Area
Telecottage and
Resource
Centre
Disabled
web.telehaz.hu/bujfalu/index1024768.html
Elderly Unemployed

15. Kajdacs – Public services and e-gov assistance
web.telehaz.hu/kajdacs/telehaz.htm, ifjusag.itmentor.hu

16. Alsomocsolád – Civilhouse Community
www.alsomocsolad.hu
Development Centre

17. István Kocsis – social
entrepreneur
Sárszentl rinc Cultural, Care and Employment
Centre

18. Esztergom –
„Our house” -
roma telecottage
www.amihazunk.hu/

19. Budaörs – IS-mentor, and digital equal
opportunity service www.telekucko.hu/, itmentor.hu

20. IS-mentor public service
en.itmentor.hu
Profession – role, culture, standards, certification …
Education – knowledge, curricula, elearning …
Activity – practice, process, workflow, method …
Service – governmental, business, civil
Occupation – employment, contracts, SME
Organisation – local, national, regional, global
Technology – cw, hw, sw, ow, content …
Network – cooperating, excahnging, sharing …

21. Information Society Mentor Logic

22. Community Service Centre Related New
Professions
IS-mentor*
Community Telecentre Manager*
Community Learning Service Provider*
Community Informatician
Community Developer*/Manager
Social Helper*/Worker*/Enterpreneur
Sociocultural Animator*
Village Warden/Caretaker*
*State accepted, unified and certified profession in Hungary

23. IS-mentor service
by the Mobile
Telecentre

24. Telecottage
Community
Radio
Community Radio Manual
Mártély
http://erdokertes.telehaz.hu/
Telecottage Radio telehazmagazin.hu
Zámoly

25. http://telefalu.hu/
Telefalu – Community Informatics in Practice

26. European Union of Telecottage Associations

27. Telecenters of the Americas

28. Global Telecentre Alliance