A Voice For the Voiceless
MISSION
The Advocacy Project seeks to help community-based advocates produce, disseminate and use information, and so become more effective advocates for human rights and social justice
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Expected outcome: The Fellow and host organization will develop a plan for using ICT. This should be completed within three weeks of arrival.
Service 5: Store and organize essential knowledge
Fellows will help their host to store all of their essential knowledge (passwords, ISP contacts, etc.) in a tech binder. A tech binder contains all of the necessary tech information and documentation in one central and easily accessible location. AP provides a tech binder template.
Expected outcome: Partners have easy access to essential information in the tech binder. The binder should be completed within five weeks of arrival.
Service 6: Tech support – help partners acquire ICT knowledge and skills, within the organization as well as externally.
Expected outcome: The partner will be able to turn to local sources of ICT support.
Service 7: Help partners acquire hardware and software
Service 8: Help partners use and integrate ICT tools
Peace Fellows will help their hosts to develop and integrate a number of ICT tools, dependent on the needs and capacities that emerge during the assessment phase. Fellows will be introduced to these tools during training. AP will supplement this service with the following online modules and tutorials:
Expected outcome: All partners are familiar with, and using these tools, as appropriate. (Two years)
Service 9: Help partners develop and/or maintain an online presence
In this day and age, every advocacy group needs a web presence. But this does not necessarily mean a full-blown website, which requires resources and skills to develop and maintain. AP offers partners support in three different ways:
Expected outcomes: All partners will work on their partner page and wiki page (if they do not have a website) during the first summer. They should aim to have a functioning and regularly updated website after two years.
Service 10: Help partners fundraise generally for ICT needs
AP will help partners raise funds for their ICT needs on a limited basis. This service will be offered when an ICT component is part of a larger proposal, or when the proposal emerges directly from the work of a Peace Fellow. Back
ICT Services Offered by AP
AP’s Information Department offers the following ICT services, which are aimed at helping partners produce, disseminate and use information in their advocacy. Peace fellows are trained to explain these services and help their hosts make an informed decision about what to select. They will provide the services during their deployment in the field. AP and the partner will decide jointly whether a second fellow will be needed in year two.
| Service 1 |
Service 2 | Service 3 | Service4 | Service 5 |
| Find a volunteer | Create demand | Identify an "accidental techie" | Help partners assess ICT needs | Store and organize essential knowledge |
| Service 6 | Service 7 | Service 8 | Service 9 | Service 10 |
| Tech support | Help partners acquire hardware and software | Help partners use and integrate ICT tools | Help partners develop and/or maintain an online presence | Help partners fundraise generally for ICT needs |
Service 1: Find a volunteer
AP recruits a Peace Fellow to help partners use ICT. All Peace Fellows will receive three days of training in Washington, prior to their departure. This will enable them to provide the support described below.
Expected outcome: All fellows leave for their assignments keen to provide ICT support, and trained to a professional level.
Service 2: Create demand
All Peace fellows will meet with their host ED on arrival, explain the rationale behind the work plan, and start generating enthusiasm for the ICT component. They will also develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), working from a template provided by AP.
Expected outcome: An MOU will be drafted within one week setting out the services to be provided and the timeline.
Service 3: Identify an “accidental techie”
Peace fellows will identify an official in their host organization who has a natural flair for ICT, is keen to learn more, and has the blessing of the director. This “accidental techie” will shadow the Fellow through the summer and provide the basis for a new ICT department. This will ensure that any ICT support is sustained after the Fellow leaves.
Expected outcome: An “accidental techie” is identified within a week.
Service 4: Help partners assess ICT needs
Working with their counterparts, Peace Fellows will help their host to assess their ICT strengths and weaknesses, drawing on five online modules and assessments that are listed below.
Often, community-based organizations possess a reservoir of ICT enthusiasm and skills that they may not be aware of. These modules and assessments will help the organization to identify and tap this asset. It is also important that partners have a clear idea of their needs, for planning purposes. This process of assessment can be demanding, and time-consuming but will bring real benefits. It is thus essential that the organization thoroughly understands the benefits it will bring.
AP provides the following modules and assessments:
AP recruits a Peace Fellow to help partners use ICT. All Peace Fellows will receive three days of training in Washington, prior to their departure. This will enable them to provide the support described below.
Expected outcome: All fellows leave for their assignments keen to provide ICT support, and trained to a professional level.
Service 2: Create demand
All Peace fellows will meet with their host ED on arrival, explain the rationale behind the work plan, and start generating enthusiasm for the ICT component. They will also develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), working from a template provided by AP.
Expected outcome: An MOU will be drafted within one week setting out the services to be provided and the timeline.
Service 3: Identify an “accidental techie”
Peace fellows will identify an official in their host organization who has a natural flair for ICT, is keen to learn more, and has the blessing of the director. This “accidental techie” will shadow the Fellow through the summer and provide the basis for a new ICT department. This will ensure that any ICT support is sustained after the Fellow leaves.
Expected outcome: An “accidental techie” is identified within a week.
Service 4: Help partners assess ICT needs
Working with their counterparts, Peace Fellows will help their host to assess their ICT strengths and weaknesses, drawing on five online modules and assessments that are listed below.
Often, community-based organizations possess a reservoir of ICT enthusiasm and skills that they may not be aware of. These modules and assessments will help the organization to identify and tap this asset. It is also important that partners have a clear idea of their needs, for planning purposes. This process of assessment can be demanding, and time-consuming but will bring real benefits. It is thus essential that the organization thoroughly understands the benefits it will bring.
AP provides the following modules and assessments:
- Standard Operating Procedures (covers 13 areas, ranging from the choice of hardware to using Internet cafes).
- Assessment (covers hardware and software)
- Enviroscan (helps to asses the wider content in which the organizations works and identify existing local supporters).
- Using ICT in Information Dissemination (helps the partner to make better use of ICT in putting out its material).
- ICT Plan (helps partners develop a follow-up plan). This will be shared with AP, which will use it to promote the partner’s needs.
Expected outcome: The Fellow and host organization will develop a plan for using ICT. This should be completed within three weeks of arrival.
Service 5: Store and organize essential knowledge
Fellows will help their host to store all of their essential knowledge (passwords, ISP contacts, etc.) in a tech binder. A tech binder contains all of the necessary tech information and documentation in one central and easily accessible location. AP provides a tech binder template.
Expected outcome: Partners have easy access to essential information in the tech binder. The binder should be completed within five weeks of arrival.
Service 6: Tech support – help partners acquire ICT knowledge and skills, within the organization as well as externally.
- Internal tech support: AP offers technical support to partners through Fellows, who will be able to contact AP for advice through a listserv (Techtalk). Online modules will also contain tech advice.
- Training: Fellows can provide limited tech support (for example in building a wiki page). AP may be able to arrange for more sophisticated support (ie through an e-Rider).
- External tech support: Fellows will help partners to identify local ICT experts (NGOs, techies, trainers, the private sector, free hardware suppliers, etc). Over time, these contacts could develop into an eco-network and provide the partner with long-term, sustained back-up. This will help to ensure the partner’s self-sufficiency.
Expected outcome: The partner will be able to turn to local sources of ICT support.
Service 7: Help partners acquire hardware and software
- Hardware – Acquiring hardware and computers. This service will be offered by AP in exceptional circumstances, and as needed. AP has a very limited ability to secure hardware, and is developing a database of organizations that might be able to provide such services. Online modules will also show partners how they can go about acquiring free hardware. Peace Fellows will inform AP through TechTalk if their host has need of hardware.
- Software – AP can on occasions help partners to acquire software programs at discounted rates. Partners will be asked about their software needs once a year. Online modules will also show partners how they can go about acquiring free software.
Service 8: Help partners use and integrate ICT tools
Peace Fellows will help their hosts to develop and integrate a number of ICT tools, dependent on the needs and capacities that emerge during the assessment phase. Fellows will be introduced to these tools during training. AP will supplement this service with the following online modules and tutorials:
- Computer network
- Email Lists
- Blogging
- Photo Editing, Uploading and Dissemination
- Online petitions
- Video
- Promotion Tools
- Database / contact spreadsheet
- Social Networking
- Creation and Maintenance of Website
- Skype
- Other ICT tools
Expected outcome: All partners are familiar with, and using these tools, as appropriate. (Two years)
Service 9: Help partners develop and/or maintain an online presence
In this day and age, every advocacy group needs a web presence. But this does not necessarily mean a full-blown website, which requires resources and skills to develop and maintain. AP offers partners support in three different ways:
- Partner page on the AP site: AP offers all partners a page on the AP website. This allows partners to showcase their information and reach a new and large constituency. It is particularly valuable for groups that do not have their own sites. The partner organization and AP will drive traffic to these pages. (First summer)
- Wiki pages: Peace Fellows help partners, or member organizations of partners, that do not have websites, to develop wiki pages that will evolve naturally into websites within two years. (First summer)
- Website support: Fellows can help their hosts develop and maintain their own websites. This will be facilitated by the assessment and trainings described above, as well as a tutorial devoted to the subject. (Two years)
Expected outcomes: All partners will work on their partner page and wiki page (if they do not have a website) during the first summer. They should aim to have a functioning and regularly updated website after two years.
Service 10: Help partners fundraise generally for ICT needs
AP will help partners raise funds for their ICT needs on a limited basis. This service will be offered when an ICT component is part of a larger proposal, or when the proposal emerges directly from the work of a Peace Fellow. Back
- Dissemination
- Fellows
- Information Communications Technology
- ICT Services Offered by AP
- Building Your ICT House
- Website Support
- Research
- Training
Services
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FIND A PARTNER
The Advocacy Project develops partnerships with advocates on the frontline and with nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). In so doing, we take our cue from partners and tailor any support to their needs.