Home > About Us > Advisory Group > March 2004 notes

Draft Advisory Group meeting notes, 3 March 2004

Room 104, Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington

Attendees: Kaeti Rigarlsford, Peter Sykes, Georgina Johnson, Ross Bell, Ruth Gardner, Vaine Hosking, Bill Dashfield, Rakiihia Tau and Dana Reddy (recorder).


1. Welcome

Riki opened with prayer at 9:00am.  Dana was welcomed as the new Support Person for the group.

2. Minutes and matters arising

It was suggested that of information on LTCCP and Disability strategy being placed on website.

MOVED: The notes for the 3rd December 2003 meeting were accepted as a true and correct record. (Kaeti/Ruth).

3. Website Developments

Web Performance Highlights

Bill tabled a paper outlining trends since the last meeting. Key points to note are:

  • Visits per month are slightly lower than before upgrades were done.  This may be because the Search Engines have not caught up with the changes and are referring to the old pages. 
  • Some of the graphs of statistics may be slightly skewed by tests that were run on the website, however files downloaded is accurate and on a record high.
  • Traffic is highest in the few days after the Panui is sent out.  The number of subscriptions to Panui is increasing.

Community Sector Taskforce hosting

There has been some progress on some content from this group being put on the site but there have been delays due to lack of forthcoming information.

New website features

  • New search engine is operational
  • Regionalisation capacity is in place
  • “Hot Topics” section is now live on the website. A new editorial policy is required.
  • A schedule performance check test and outsource this work.
  • Feedback from the Advisory Group was that the site was faster and the links to content are easier to navigate. 

Webguide Update

Kaeti attended a meeting of the Webguide group on 27 February. She updated the group on this issue and minutes of the meeting were distributed.  

  • Partners were discussing how to display logos.  The Advisory Group felt all logos should be represented on an equal level.  Clarification is needed.
  • CommunityNet Aotearoa website will be able to be accessed from Webguide and WCN. 
  • Bill provided background on the technical website design.
  • Bill thanked Kaeti and Ross for their work with this group.

Editorial Issues

It was felt this was any issue that needs a lot more work as the issue is being raised in several forums.  Key suggestions were:

  • A How to Guide on information sharing, copyright standards, legal liabilities etc.  This could be applied to the CommunityNet Aotearoa website as well as other community projects.  Knowledge Wave has a lot of information on this subject.
  • There was some review of this on the footer of the panui and there are some disclaimers on the website. 
  • There was concern over content being used in context and in a non-commercial way.  Meets editorial policies – add this material will be available for publication – terms and conditions etc.   
  • It was agreed Bill should come up with some suggestions and should liaise with Stephen and the group he is involved in.  Community Taskforce should also be involved. 

“How-to Guides” progress

Bill made a presentation on this.  Key points to note:

  • Negotiations and discussions are underway with Unitec, NZFVWO and CDG’s Pou Arahi about guides.
  • WCLC is not available to develop the Legal Structures and Employment guides. 
  • Suggestions were made to talk to: Mary Woods about volunteering; Janine Mackintosh at LSA; Nicola Sherlaw at CCLC; local authorities; University of Waikato about policy documentation; the Treaty Office; CEG; and Andrew Scott at CDG.  
  • DIA was asked to ensure consistency between all agreements and that all organisations should receive the same fee, while still monitoring quality and quantity.
  • Advisory Group members wanted to be kept up-to-date about information requests and offers of information sent to the website.
  • Advisory Group members requested that in the future funding be made available for an editor based at DIA who would manage these guides from DIA and to pull existing information together.
  • Advisory Group approved establishment of the Charities Commission, Research, and Campaigning and Advocacy “How-to Guides”. (Ross/Riki – passed unanimously).

Actions

  • Review editorial policy.
  • Input by Advisory Group members into prioritised list of guides.
  • Ruth to contact Mary Woods re Volunteering How to Guide.
  • Ross to contact Janine Mackintosh at LSA.

4. Review of governance structure

Bill tabled a project outline for the review of the governance structure. The approach proposed with input from DIA Research and Victoria University is to work with a postgraduate student.  The student will review the structure, look at tangible evidence of website activity, the goals set for the group with stakeholder feedback. The outcome would be a report containing recommendations to be reviewed at the next Advisory Group meeting.

The Advisory Group noted that:

  • Research needs to be done by someone with a thorough knowledge of the community and voluntary sector. 
  • Key stakeholders list needs to be revised.
  • Conducting a review at the same time as long-term ownership of CommunityNet could complicate things, and it might be preferable to allow for another six more months in the role before reviewing the structure. 
  • The appointment and tenure process, and the transparency of these, were felt to be the main issues.

Agreed that the project outline report should be tabled and the report discussed in August (Ross/Ruth – passed unanimously).

Actions:

  • Revise the stakeholder list.
  • Specify preparation of an interim report. 

5. Communications Plan

A brainstorm on methods to promote Community Net took place (see attachment).

6. Meeting with Cyrus Nielsen, acting Manager Community Information Development Services team

Cyrus Nielsen was welcomed to meeting at 12:30pm.  Cyrus introduced himself, explained his role, which includes responsibility for CommunityNet Aotearoa and Bill and Dana. 

7. Meeting with Nigel Wilson, Community Sector Taskforce

Nigel Wilson, from the Community Sector Taskforce Information and Networking Project, joined the meeting. The following issues were raised:

  • The Taskforce set parameters about what they wanted to achieve, ie creating info network across the sector.  CommunityNet Aotearoa website seemed to suit many of these issues but they had some concerns.  Taskforce is not focussed on news, job vacancies etc but on info on where to go for things.  They want a “clearing house” for organisations, with a strategic outlook, to signpost the way to other relevant sites. 
  • Government involvement has been seen as one of the primary blockers in the uptake of CommunityNet Aotearoa.  There is concern over the sustainability of the current involvement from DIA. If the sector doesn’t own the site it can be shut down or moved at will.  The response was that CommunityNet Aotearoa website has been going since 1998.  DIA has listened to what the Advisory Group wants and has been very responsive and supportive.  If DIA did shut it down there would be a huge outcry. 
  • Taskforce stated another concern was the speed at which items could be put on the site.  Bill outlined that the process involved items submitted going to a holding zone and an independent contractor approves those and they go onto the website provided they meet editorial standards.  Normally all content is approved within three days.  Taskforce information has been going up the day after it comes in.
  • The scope of CommunityNet is also a concern.  Infoxchange in Australia is basically a template for what the Taskforce wants to do.  If CommunityNet Aotearoa website was to go in that direction this would work for the Taskforce.  The reply was that Stephen is over there learning about this at the moment.  The long-term plan, which is fairly comprehensive, covers a lot of these issues and is a realistic plan with a realistic timetable.
  • Nigel convenes the Communication and Information Networking group and said a decision should be made by the end of next week regarding CommunityNet Aotearoa and Taskforce partnership.
  • There was a discussion regarding Taskforce employing an editor who would work in coordination with “How-to Guide” editors.  That person could also be a researcher.  The real ideal is a person doing proactive searching on links.
  • There was also some discussion by the Taskforce of a 0800 number concept, as this would expand the base on the number of people who would be connecting into this.  
  • Nigel will draft an MOU addressing the issues discussed. Possible content for an MOU was discussed (see appendix 2).
  • Information about Taskforce activities will be fed through. Details about the forums, declarations for the sector and discussion papers around a leadership entity in June. 
  • It was suggested CommunityNet Aotearoa and the Taskforce combined marketing around partnership.  Nigel agreed to the idea of a draft-marketing plan.
  • The Taskforce has made complete commitment to Treaty Based processes.

8. Other business

Government and Community ICT Strategy:

  • Document drafted stage
  • Due to be released for Community consultation later this month
  • Advisory Group to be put forward as body for consultation
  • Process being led by the Ministry for Economic Development
  • Local Government NZ involved.

Contracted staff

Concern was expressed that the temporary Project Manager's contract should be extended until at least Stephen Blyth's return and including a handover period.  (It does. Stephen returns on 8th June.)

9. Next meeting date

To be confirmed with Stephen – suggested Wednesday 11 August. (7 August and 28 July unsuitable).

Meeting closed at 3:40pm by Rik with prayer.