Social Impact Committee Report to Council 23/03/01
Participation in the Waitakere Economic Development Summit
ISOCNZ is one of the three sponsors of the Waitakere Economic Development Summit to be held in Henderson on April 27 at Waitakere City Council Chambers. Our contribution to the event is $5,000 and pays for most of the the event organiser, Diana Goulding, whom Cr Northover interviewed and hired, and for Cr Mason's travel to the event. Councillors Northover, Mason and Frederick will speak. ISOCNZ will have one of the three exhibit tables at the event and will have one of the rooms named the "Internet Society Room". (We need a banner and printed materials). Our key objectives are: to increase awareness and image of ISOCNZ in the wider community; to communicate the core objectives and activities of ISOCNZ ; to increase membership.
SmartManukau Reference Group
Crs Northover and Frederick have participated in the activities of the SmartManukau Reference Group, appointed by His Worship Sir Barry Curtis to implement digital city strategies for Manukau City. Frederick is on the Infrastructure, Innovation, Learning Society, and Collaboration working groups. Northover is on the Innovation working group. The proposal that we submitted is still under consideration.
Possible Tauranga event
The Chamber of Commerce Tauranga Region Ltd. is considering an approach by Cr Frederick to allow ISOCNZ to sponsor a three-hour workshop on the Internet Economy.
Government Warrant of Fitness project
Under direction from the Chair, the Social Impact Committee contact Victoria University senior lecturer Rowena Cullen about supporting her local government website evaluation research project. The "problem" is, it's already funded and she cannot finish it before the AGM. However, it turns out that the number of local authority sites is mushrooming, and she could definitely use another research assistant. Although we couldn't get the "publicity value" before the AGM, the SI Committee chair feels this is worthy of our support. If the "branding" can include ISOCNZ, I suggest we fund it.
Rowena's proposed research will assess the effectiveness of websites of New Zealand local authorities in providing equitable and appropriate access to local government official information to all citizens. The research will make an important contribution to the formulation of policy for local government websites by judging them according to internationally recognised criteria and giving user feedback.
The objectives of the proposed research are to: assess the effectiveness of websites of New Zealand local authorities in providing information about local government services and activities; ascertain whether there is equitable and appropriate access to local government official information to all citizens.
Rowena has already received $12,500 from the Trustees of the National Library, which allowed for 500 hours for a research assistant and $500 for focus group interviews. However, the number of sites is larger than expected and more than 500 hours of evaluation and analysis will be needed to cover all 61 local government sites that are online. Additional funds are sought to enable all sites to be covered, and the work to be expedited.
An additional $5000 would permit the employment of a further research assistant to be trained and carry out the evaluation for up to 30 hours per week for ten weeks ( $3000) plus additional funding needed to upgrade the analytical software, and cover expenses of the focus groups.
