iCan - United Kingdom
This initiative by the BBC uses an interactive website to engage UK citizens in local activism. BBC hopes to support the creation of grassroots online campaigns by providing information and guidance, and by creating means for people to connect with fellow community members who are concerned about - and wish to take action on - the same issues.
Communication Strategies
The iCan initiative is an effort to create an online community of persons concerned about the similar social or environmental problems. It is based on the notion that, through sharing experiences and visions for local change, community members can act collectively to resolve problems that impact their lives and the lives of their neighbours.
The Internet is used to enable this process. Visitors to the iCan website (beta version) are invited to use the site in three broad ways: find info, find people, and take action. With regard to the first option, BBC purports to provide impartial information sorted into around 2,000 issues, each with its own dedicated page. Visitors can search within a list of topics divided into categories such as "crime & justice", "environment & planning", and "welfare & society". Anyone can access these links and resources. Once users have clicked on the issue they are most interested in, an 'Issue page' provides listings of articles, campaigns, and organisations related to that issue (provided by either the BBC or fellow iCan users).
People who become iCan members may engage in the more interactive sections of the site. It is here that the sense of a fully participating online community comes to the fore. Specifically, iCan members may read about, post, and publicise events on the local noticeboard. Members may also find ways to contact people living near them who are concerned about similar issues (by entering their postal code), such as traffic in their neighbourhood. They are urged to post a notice on what's bothering them - in essence, to open a dialogue designed to find out whether others share their concerns and wish to collaborate for action. The idea here is to help people connect with each other to the end of creating a network of citizens who collaborate in the process of coming up with ideas, working out goals, and figuring out strategies.
A third section enables members to work with others to create their own campaign. iCan members are urged to write articles, case studies, or guides on various issues (or comment on existing resources), for posting on the site. The online guides provide advice on addressing problems or running a campaign; examples include "How to deal with nuisance neighbours" and "Help with taking action". iCan members can comment on the topic of the week by responding to a series of questions like this: "What are your views on reducing crime? Have you got some useful experiences or stories to share with iCan users? Help write our definitive article by adding a comment now." The case studies section features iCan users' initiatives and experiences - from their perspective. One such case study is entitled "How we took the 'stench' out of Scotland's sewage works".
The Internet is used to enable this process. Visitors to the iCan website (beta version) are invited to use the site in three broad ways: find info, find people, and take action. With regard to the first option, BBC purports to provide impartial information sorted into around 2,000 issues, each with its own dedicated page. Visitors can search within a list of topics divided into categories such as "crime & justice", "environment & planning", and "welfare & society". Anyone can access these links and resources. Once users have clicked on the issue they are most interested in, an 'Issue page' provides listings of articles, campaigns, and organisations related to that issue (provided by either the BBC or fellow iCan users).
People who become iCan members may engage in the more interactive sections of the site. It is here that the sense of a fully participating online community comes to the fore. Specifically, iCan members may read about, post, and publicise events on the local noticeboard. Members may also find ways to contact people living near them who are concerned about similar issues (by entering their postal code), such as traffic in their neighbourhood. They are urged to post a notice on what's bothering them - in essence, to open a dialogue designed to find out whether others share their concerns and wish to collaborate for action. The idea here is to help people connect with each other to the end of creating a network of citizens who collaborate in the process of coming up with ideas, working out goals, and figuring out strategies.
A third section enables members to work with others to create their own campaign. iCan members are urged to write articles, case studies, or guides on various issues (or comment on existing resources), for posting on the site. The online guides provide advice on addressing problems or running a campaign; examples include "How to deal with nuisance neighbours" and "Help with taking action". iCan members can comment on the topic of the week by responding to a series of questions like this: "What are your views on reducing crime? Have you got some useful experiences or stories to share with iCan users? Help write our definitive article by adding a comment now." The case studies section features iCan users' initiatives and experiences - from their perspective. One such case study is entitled "How we took the 'stench' out of Scotland's sewage works".
Development Issues
Community Action.
Key Points
As of this writing, the website is still being trialled; BBC welcomes feedback.
Sources
Ethical Media newsletter, forwarded by Marco Kuntze to The Communication Initiative on November 11 2003.
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