366 ERider Starter Kit v.1 3006 Web

8/20/2019 366 ERider Starter Kit v.1 3006 Web

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eRider Starter Kit

Created by Teresa Crawford &

the Tactical Technology Collective

with support from the

global eRider community

Version 1.0


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Table of Contents

I. Introduction 5

II. The eRider Concept a! "#$-Centered Technology %b! The eRider&s Role as Consultant 'c! The eRiding (rocess) *n $verview +d! The ,alue of .change 10e! /pecifics 12

III. The eRider Process 15a! ntroduction 15b! ey Factors 15c! (hase $ne) (reparation 1%

1! #eneral "eeds *ssessment

2! *ssess /ector "eeds! *ssess 3ocal nvironment

d! #eneral /trategy 4evelopment 1'1! 4evelop the Concept2! /elect the anagement $rgani6ation! /elect Clients7! 8udget

e! eRider Recruitment9 /election and Training 251! 4escribe the (osition2! Recruit and /elect eRiders! eRider Training

f! (hase Two) :or;ing with Clients 11! ntroductions2! *ssess the "eeds of ach Client! 4evelop a Client-specific /trategy7! mplementing the /trategy

5! Client Resistanceg! (hase Three) aintenance %h! (hase Four) valuation '

IV. Management and Support +a! anaging eRidersb! /upporting eRiders

V. Glossary 71 Case /tudies and eRider (rofiles3in;s and Resources

VI. Templates and Samples

see filesa! /ample 8udget 7b! /ample 8udget 77c! /ample Circuit Rider


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c!no"ledgements

/pecial than;s to Marek Tuszynski and Stephanie Hankey with Tactical Technology Collaborative for their input andsupport that made the development of this /tarter it possible! /pecial than;s also go to #reg Callman for his

early wor; bringing together and structuring all the resources in this document!

This document was read9 edited and commented on by a diverse group of eRiders and eRider supporters fromaround the world! Than;s go to)

Toni Eliasz Ryan JacobsTaya Kharitonashvili Bill Lester Aba MaisonMaria Metodieva Jonathan eizer

!ladi"ir etkov #an RuencklesTo"asz Rusiecki $viad Shulaberidze%irk Slater Katrin !erclasRudi von Staden&olin 'ilson

The development of this ;it was funded by the nformation (rogram of the $pen /ociety nstitute!

#icense

This wor; is licensed under the Creative Commons *ttribution-"onCommercial-/hare*li;e 3icense! To view a copyof this license9 visit http)>>creativecommons!org>licenses>by-nc-sa>2!0> or send a letter to Creative Commons955+ "athan *bbott :ay9 /tanford9 California +7059 ?/*!

For more on this license visit - http)>>creativecommons!org


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bout the authors

Teresa &ra()ord* #ndependent &onsultant* +e( ,ork -teresa.speakeasy/net0

Teresa has spent the last years supporting non governmental organi6ations to ma;e better use of in-formation and information technology! n addition to supporting and mentoring various circuit riderpro=ects she currently manages the global eRider community website @ http)>> www!eriders!net and theglobal eRider community discussion list!

From 1++' - 2007 Teresa was the technical director of The *dvocacy (ro=ect9 a ?/ based organi6ation9that supports community campaigners for peace and human rights to use CTs in their advocacy wor;!:ith *( she has wor;ed in over 20 countries on over 0 pro=ects! n 1+++ Teresa co-founded the firstpost war nternet /ervice (rovider in osovo! n 2007 she helped to found the first Roma led indepen-dent consulting organi6ation providing services to Roma organi6ations in Central9 astern and /outh-eastern urope!

Teresa has often been accused by other eRiders of being online all the time! t is most li;ely becauseshe wor;s from home in 8roo;lyn9 "A9 ?/* and to the chagrin of her husband is usually found in herpa=amas in front of the computer!

Tactical Technolo1y &ollective 2 A"sterda"* Holland

The Tactical Technology CollectiveBs aim is to advance the use of new technologies as a tactical tool for civil-society in developing and transition countries! :e are a not-for-profit stichting foundationDbased in *msterdam!

The Tactical Technology Collective Tactical TechD aims to strengthen social technology movementsand networ;s in developing and transition countries9 as well as promote civil societyBs effective9 con-scious and creative use of new technologies!

Tactical Tech stands at the crossroads of the civil society and technology sectors! Through buildinglin;s between them9 we aim to help establish an accessible baseline of nformation CommunicationTechnologies CTsD needed by all civil society organi6ations and their integration beyond rudimentaryusage into an integrated strategic tool for planning9 advocacy E campaigning!


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! ntroduction

This starter ;it is designed to help organi6ationsunderstand9 design9 implement9 maintain and sustain an

eRider pro=ect or program! This document is not the onlyway to go about developing a pro=ect but outlines atested process that has been implemented by a variety of different initiatives throughout the world!

$hat is eRiding%

eRiding is a model for providing mission-driventechnology support for the civil society sector! /ervicesare provided by roving consultants with a wide range of s;ills including planning9 training and technology

troubleshooting! The eRider model is designed to deliverpersonal9 fle.ible and mission-driven e.pertise at arelatively low cost to the nongovernmental organi6ation"#$D!

eRiding is a holistic approach to technology support which includes an in-depth understanding of theway the organi6ation wor;s9 how it integrates CTs information and communication technologiesDinto its programs and the steps needed to use technology as a tool in its wor;!

eRiding is based on the circuit riding& model pio-neered in the ?nited /tates! Circuit riding beganmore than seven years ago as an effort by several foundations to provide technology assistance totheir grantees! :ithin these few years9 the commu-nity has grown to include more than 00 circuitriders and several national and community founda-tions provide eRiding services to their granteesthroughout the ?nited /tates! eRiding9 the global brand of circuit riding9 began to spread outside the

?nited /tates in 1++%!

eRiding is in contrast to isolated or fragmented programs that would provide eGuipment to a group butno training or train a group but develop no plan for how to use the technology in their wor; or woulddevelop a plan but would not help the group to implement the plan! n developing the eRider model in the ?/ and abroad9 donors and "#$ supporters9 recogni6ed that groups would benefit from an ap-proach that focused on training9 planning9 pro=ect development and implementation!

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$hy &o eRiders Ride%

3ro" eRider veteran %irk Slater4 eRide because couldnBt figure out anyother =ob where could use my interest intechnology to really have an impact andcontribute to real change in policies thatimpact negatively in low-income commu-nities! believe that the only way real change will happen is if the fol;s who areaffected have a say in what those policiesshould be! /o through supporting the or-gani6ing wor; in low-income communitiesand helping community-led organi6ationsthere9 feel that am doing the best wor;towards change that can! also have a

severe problem-solving addiction anyonewant to form a support group for thatHD!

4ir; is an eRider with the 3"C (ro=ect of the :elfare 3aw Center based in "ew Aor;9?/* @ http)>> www!lincpro=ect!org

To"* eRider )ro" oland helps an +56 recycle ne( co"7 puters )ro" old co"puter parts/


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! The eRider Concept

eRiders are roving consultants who wor; on a one-to-one basis with a group of "#$s9 helping each or-gani6ation to develop and implement an information and communications technology CTD strategy

tailored to its uniGue aims9 needs and conte.t!

The eRider&s primary aims are to help organi6ations

• ?nderstand the potential value of information and communication technologies CTsD• ntegrate CTs into their programmatic wor;• nhance the CT component of their management!

8ecause eRiders primarily local consultants from the country9 region or city in which they arewor;ingD who have both significant "#$ e.perience and substantial technical e.pertise9 they are able

to thin; about technology from the "#$&s perspective! *s local individuals9 they are aware of the "#$&scultural conte.t and are sincerely dedicated to improving the society in which they wor;!

eRiders often wor; in small teams coordinated by alocal leader! $ther eRiders wor; as part of a largerteam or networ;9 coordinated by an outsidemanager or capacity building organi6ation! Theseteams deliver one-to-one consulting services andhands-on technical support! *lthough much eRiderwor; is technology related9 eRiders also are adeptat diagnosing management9 fundraising9accounting and personnel problems!

The e.act nature of the services they provide depends on whether their interventions are technologyspecific Free and $pen /ource /oftwareD or sector specific minority rights groupsD!The ultimate aim of eRiders is to raise the "#$&s level of ;nowledge and e.pertise to a point that ren-ders eRider services unnecessary! The eRider may then move on to wor; with other organi6ations!

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The 8ob o) eRiders is to help their clients navi1ate theco"ple9 (orld o) co"puters/


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. 'G()Centered Technology

n general9 "#$s in developing and transitional countries have =ust begun to e.plore the ways inwhich new technologies can ma.imi6e the impact of their programs! /ome organi6ations are strugglingto acGuire computer eGuipment9 while others already actively use e-mail and the :orld :ide :eb! 8utvery few have fully integrated CTs into their programs and pro=ects! eRiders help these organi6ationsto understand the value of integrating information and communication technologies into their wor; byfocusing on pro=ects and missions9 and not solely upon computer systems! eRiders wor; with "#$s tohelp design and e.ecute an CT strategy specifically tailored to their specific aims9 needs and conte.t!n fact9 the first step in the eRiding process is for the "#$ staff and the eRider to assess and developa strategic overview of the "#$&s aims! They as; and answer Guestions such as)

• :hat does the organi6ation want to achieve or changeH• :hat resources are availableH• :hat additional resources are necessaryH

• :hat tools would be most usefulH

The eRider approach is not about transforming civil-society "#$s into technology-driven organi6a-tions9 but rather about supplying the "#$s with the hardware9 software and e.pertise that is mostrelevant to their uniGue aims! n summary9 the eRider model is designed to deliver personal9 fle.ibleand mission-driven e.pertise at a relatively low cost to the "#$!

*. The eRider+s Role as Consultant

*s a consultant9 an eRider&s success depends upon thelevel of trust and mutual respect e.hibited in the pro-

fessional relationship with the client organi6ation! Thisrelationship is of particular importance to eRiders fortwo reasons! First9 eRiding is a client-centered approachin which the client is e.pected to play an active role!/econd9 most eRider clients are not accustomed to sucha relationship!

$ften9 client organi6ations e.pect the eRider to act asan e.pert or doctor who simply arrives9 diagnosis aproblem9 fi.es it and then leaves! $r9 the eRider isviewed as an e.tra employee and is e.pected to helpwith the wor; that is already being implemented!

n reality9 the tas;s of an eRider may be summari6ed insi. steps)

• 4iscuss client needs and potential wor;ing relation-ship

• *gree on wor; products9 possible wor; activities andwor;ing relationship

• #ather and present data regarding needs or problems

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Practice Ma!es Perfect,n eRider+s -irst &ay

*fter wee;s of eRider training on technologyand consulting issues9 an optimistic eRiderwent to her first "#$9 e.pecting her s;illsand the Technology *ssessment Form T*FDto get her through the initial interview! /hewas confident and ready to build the capaci-ty of any "#$! ?pon entering the office9however9 she reali6ed there was not even ades; at which to sit! The emptiness of theroom closed in on her e.pectations! /he hadbeen taught not to present herself as an e.-pert9 but her Guic;ly diminishing self-confi-dence made everyone a bit confused! n-

stead of wor;ing through the T*F on herlap9 she sat in the office and read a boo; ontips for consultants! (ractice ma;es perfect!

*n eRider story from the #eorgian eRiderpro=ect @ http)>>www!osgf!ge


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• Review possible solutions and actions

• mplement agreed-upon activities to address problems or needs

• Review and evaluate the wor;ing relationship

eRiders are not magicians or doctors! *s a facilita-tor9 the eRider may help the client define a prob-lem and generate a solution9 but the client must beinvolved in implementing the solution! *s a trainer9the eRider may offer s;ills9 best practices and>ortheoretical framewor;s! $ften9 the eRider and theclient have a long-term relationship9 and both areinvolved intimately in the implementation process!eRiding always aims to build the internal capacityof the client organi6ation so that it can ta;e on itsown technology needs competently and strategical-ly in the future!

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Riders consistently look )or(ays to apply ne( technolo1iesin their (ork/ This out door lab (as set up at a trainin1 on co""unity (ireless/


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C. The eRiding Process, n (erie"

+56 +eeds Assess"ent

:or;ing in tandem9 the "#$ staff and eRider develop and complete a customi6ed needs assess-ment of the "#$&s goals9 resources and activities! Conclusions drawn from the assessment becomethe foundation for the development of the organi6ation&s technology strategy! The eRider needsassessment is a thorough and collaborative effort9 distinguishing it from the standardi6ed Gues-tionnaires that other consultants may use!

Strate1y %evelop"ent

The eRider wor;s with the "#$ staff to design a technology strategy specific to the "#$&s needs!The strategy will consider the "#$&s primary aims9 the results of the needs assessment and thelarger conte.t of the organi6ation&s wor;ing environment9 among other factors! * strategy may in-

clude the use of wireless technology9 //9 fa. and video in addition to more traditional CTs suchas e-mail and the nternet! * complete implementation plan and timeline are included in thestrategy!

Training

/taff and volunteer training often happens in parallel with strategy development and provides atangible benefit to the organi6ation while it goes through the planning process which has bene-fits less visible to the "#$D! This initial training often encompasses current technologies9 and isnot limited to new technologies that might be part of the planning process!

mplementation

4uring implementation the "#$ management9 staff and the eRider wor; together! The first phase of their wor; may be to acGuire the necessary toolsand>or resources! f so9 this wor; may include pro-posal writing for technology eGuipment and up-grades9 purchasing and installing hardware and in-stalling software! Iuite often this period involvesan intensive round of training to get staff s;ills upto a competent level!

The eRider&s activities and level of involvement will vary depending upon the needs of the organi6ation9as will the freGuency of visits and the duration of the relationship between the eRider and the organi-6ation! n some cases9 the eRider may provide high-ly technical assistance for an organi6ation every si.months for several years9 while in other cases theeRider may guide an organi6ation9 step-by-step9through an entire pro=ect!

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Positie Side /ffects,

CTs have been an attractive force for "#$shoping to attract volunteers! $ne of *stana&s "#$s was having a particularly dif-ficult time recruiting volunteers! The eRiderorgani6ed a meeting and made a presenta-tion to prospective volunteers! Je stressedthe opportunity for the volunteers to devel-op CT s;ills while wor;ing with the "#$!$ne individual e.pressed interest in devel-

oping database s;ills and currently wor;s ona pro=ect with the eRider! /ince the meet-ing9 two more volunteers have =oined the or-gani6ation and have initiated pro=ects underthe eRider&s supervision!

*n eRider story from thea6a;h eRider pro=ect - http)>>www!soros!;6


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valuation

4uring the strategy development phase9 the "#$ staff and eRider decide upon criteria for evaluat-ing both the eRider program and the "#$&s progress! The evaluation measures outputs9 outcomesand impacts and may employ both Gualitative and Guantitative methods!

&. The Value of /0change

The fle.ible nature of the eRider model creates many secondary benefits for the "#$s involved! The thematic focus of each pro=ect is often its driving force! any eRider pro=ects focus on a particu-lar theme9 such as social service in (oland or Free and $pen /ource /oftware in 8ulgaria! $ther eRiderpro=ects entail wor;ing with a certain sector of groups such as public J,>*4/ clinics in /outhern*frica! This focus allows the eRiders to have a cross-pollinating9 or Kbumblebee9K effect) they pic; up

good ideas and best practices from one organi6ation and introduce them to others! /uch thematic fo-cus also helps the eRiders to gain e.pertise in the field9 enhancing their capacity to act as ;nowledge-able consultants! "ot all eRiding pro=ects have a thematic focus nor does a thematic focus preventthem from wor;ing with other groups!

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+56 +et(orks

/ince eRiders often wor; with a group of related orga-ni6ations9 they are ideally positioned to help these

"#$s build effective networ;s! For e.ample9 an eRiderwor;ing with several civil society organi6ations in(oland can help clients to identify others wor;ing onsimilar campaigns! These organi6ations may then wor;together9 sharing valuable e.periences and resources9and creating the ;ind of organi6ational LcommunityMthat generates both confidence and political influence!n addition9 training materials and resources may beused at multiple organi6ation thereby spreading devel-opment costs among multiple organi6ations!

eRiders themselves are part of a growing communitydedicated to the free sharing of ideas9 resources andtools! Therefore9 wor;ing with an eRider is eGuivalent towor;ing with a global networ; of technology consul-tants!

The e.change of ;nowledge within the buddinginternational eRider networ; sets it apart from its cor-porate counterparts! /tories are shared how an "#$networ; developed an information campaignD9 tipse.changed how to wor; with a power generatorD9 toolsreviewed pros and cons of online content management

systemsD and Guestions answered such as whichcomputer>fa. system or Free and $pen /ource operatingsystem distribution to recommendD!

To enhance this e.change9 the eRider networ;incorporates various ways for eRiders to share ;nowl-edge9 enthusiasm and e.perience including acommunity website9 regular newsletter and publicdiscussion list and when possible Kround-upsK or s;ill-share events where eRiders can meet9 networ; and col-

laborate with one another! The eRider model is unli;ecorporate consultancy models where ;nowledge isproprietary! The commitment to sharing resources andmaterials supports ongoing Blow-touchB low-intensityand therefore low-costD support for "#$s!

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Customi1e 2our eRider Pro3ect

docacy eRider, :or;s with groups to bet-

ter use CT tools to advance their public lob-bying9 campaigning and advocacy efforts onbehalf of disadvantaged individuals andcommunities!

-ree and (pen Source Soft"are eRider,:or;s with groups to implement F$// solu-tions ranging from the des;top to servers tocontent management systems!

iRider, Focuses their wor; on helpinggroups better access online information andtools for their wor;!

4ealth eRider, :or;s with service deliveryorgani6ations to integrate technology intotheir wor; providing essential health ser-vices to their community!

Telecentre eRider, :or;s to improve thefunctions of telecentres by upgrading soft-ware9 hardware9 staff s;ills! *ids in stream-lining e.isting services9 e.panding servicesand better managing operations!

/ducation eRider, :or;s with schools withcomputer labs or institutions incorporatingCTs into their teaching and training!

Security eRider, Focuses on improving thesecurity and integrity of "#$ data and com-munications! specially for those groupswor;ing on dangerous or ris;y issues!

Gender eRider, Focuses efforts on support-ing women&s groups especially those orga-ni6ed in coalitions or wor;ing on =oint cam-paigns!

Media eRider, :or;s with media organi6a-tions to integrate technology into theirwor;9 streamline their operations and bettermanage their technology! Can includenewspapers9 radio and television with bothan offline and an online component!


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/. Specifics

The eRider model is fle.ible and may be adapted to suit a variety of conte.ts! For e.ample9 eRidersmay)

• :or; with advocacy or service "#$sN• (rovide short-term interventions or long-term supportN• :or; with e.isting networ;s or foster new onesN• #enerate new pro=ects or strengthen those already underway!

eRider programs often focus narrowly on a given sector9 which enhances the eRiders& ability to act ase.perts and networ; builders! eRider pro=ects may be focused by)

• #eographical area a particular city or regionDN• ssueN• Type of organi6ationN• /upporting members of a networ; or clients of an e.isting intermediary organi6ation!

eRiders are chosen carefully for their capacity to bridge the "#$-technology gap! (referably eRiders)

• *re from the country9 region or town in which they will wor;N• Jave civil society e.perienceN• Jave technical s;ills and CT ;nowledgeN• Jave strong consultancy s;illsN• :or; with a group of "#$sN• Jave strong interpersonal s;ills and the ability to communicate in plain languageN• :or; well in a team9 are self-directed and able to wor; well independently!

t is not always possible for every eRider in a teamto have all of the above s;ills! 8ut teams of eRid-ers allow you to create a group that has all of theabove s;ills within it! /ome eRider pro=ects havechosen to focus on hiring new graduates and thentraining them in many of the above s;ills! 8ut theessential aspects of openness9 motivation9 creativi-ty and curiosity distinguish a successful eRiders

from others!

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Bul1arian eRiders help +56 sta)) use 3ree and 6penSource so)t(are in their (ork/


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The team should have a)

• /trong networ;• (rioriti6ed information and ;nowledge e.change• 4etermined9 motivated and enthusiastic members• :ell documented processes and procedures• Ta;e a holistic>strategic approachN• Focus on ;nowledge and s;ill transferN

f =ust one or two eRiders wor; on a pro=ect9 the goals and e.pectations should be clear and realistic!The wor; to be done should be manageable given the s;ills of the eRiders!

eRiders often provide a variety of services and may act as)

• Trainers• (lanners• Trouble shooters• (roblem solvers• $ne-to-one consultants• #roup facilitators• Contact points• nformation bro;ers• Content aggregators• "egotiators• "etwor;ers• Cross-pollinators bring best practices9 e.amples and tools from other clientsD

8ut9 the eRider will focus upon the services specifically outlined in the individual strategy developedfor their clients! For e.ample9 one organi6ation may need the eRider to wor; primarily as a trainer9while another may need more e.tensive pro=ect-management assistance! The range of services provid-ed also will hinge on whether the pro=ect is sector specific or technology specific! *n e.ample wouldbe an eRider pro=ect wor;ing with environmental organi6ations or a pro=ect spreading Free and $pen/ource /oftware use!

n a diverse group of pro=ects9 which have already been implemented9 eRiders have been trained to aidorgani6ations with the following tools and activities prioriti6ed depending on the specific aims of thepro=ect)

• anagement• (ro=ect design• (roposal writing• nternet and website use>security• *llocating staff resources• /trategic planning• /taff training• Technology troubleshooting

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eRiders also have provided regular technical assistance to help maintain the organi6ation&s computersystems9 to include)

• "etwor; services• /ystem configuration management• 8ac;up and recovery assistance• *ntivirusing• #eneral system maintenance• Guipment troubleshooting and basic system repairs• Jardware and software selection and installation

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III. The eRider Process

There is no universally proven process for delivering eRid-er services! Rather9 the eRider approach is inherentlyfle.ible9 allowing managers to tailor the model to a vari-ety of conte.tual factors! 3i;ewise9 there is no universal timeline for an eRider program9 although this section of-fers appro.imations for each phase! n general9 these du-rations assume that the clients share common features9but that they are new to the eRider model! The timelinemay be condensed for more e.perienced parties!Conversely9 more time may be necessary to organi6e aprogram for organi6ations with very little in common!

This section presents a general framewor; for the eRider

process! t begins with a discussion of ;ey factors thatshould be considered when conceiving an eRider pro=ect!t then presents each phase9 offering alternative methodsand recommendations for each!

8! ey Factors

*usiness5-inancial Models

eRider services may be delivered via a variety of models9each of which permits a different financial9 managerial

and operational dynamic! * few sample models are pre-sented below but are in no way representative of all theways eRiding can be supported! To date9 only the fundedmodel has been used with pro=ects outside the ?nited/tates! This should be made clear to funders who shouldprepare for a long term investment in the eRiding model or only commit to a one off9 short term intervention!/everal global eRider pro=ects are currently e.perimentingwith earned income strategies!

-unded

n this model9 a donor or group of donors subsidi6es aneRider program for one or more "#$s! The donor may cov-er the entire cost of the eRider program or partially subsi-di6e the cost! $ften9 services are provided for a limitedperiod in order to render immediate aid to the "#$ with-out burdening the donor with a long-term commitment! *donor may choose to manage the program in-house or toimplement the program via an intermediary organi6ation!embership

n this structure9 a group of "#$s receives services from a

capacity building or other service-providing entity in

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Gender eRider Tac!les a $omen+s 'et"or!in Kosoo

The osova :omen&s "etwor; was formed in

1++'9 with its primary focus being to providehumanitarian assistance to refugees and dis-placed people uprooted by the conflict inosovo! 8y 1+++9 with the end of the war andthe international intervention9 there weremore than 0 members struggling to coordi-nate their activities and strengthen their net-wor;! They also were struggling to build thecapacity of their newer9 younger member orga-ni6ations!

n 20019 in partnership with The *dvocacy(ro=ect9 an international organi6ation9 theyimplemented an eRider pro=ect to provide

training and support for their members9 helpdevelop a website and launch an e-mail newsletter! The eRider traveled the provinceproviding training9 troubleshooting and gener-al technology support to the members! Thesupport was well received and this was one of the first pro=ects to build the capacity of thenetwor; as a whole!

There were ma=or challenges with the pro=ect!The "etwor; hired =ust one eRider who haddifficulty traveling on poor roads especially inwinterN the phone company was undergoingma=or upgrades and changesN the funding en-

vironment was contracting and donor fundsdrying upN the "etwor; did not have any paidstaff or an office and struggled to coordinateits wor; and provide support to the eRider!

(roducing regular content for the newsletterand website proved beyond its ability duringthe pro=ect&s duration!n 2007 the networ; hasestablished an office9 is ma;ing use of thewebsite9 is issuing a regular e.pandednewsletter and points to the eRider pro=ect asthe ;ey for improving the input and communi-cations with their members!

The docacy Pro3ecthttp)>> www!advocacynet!org

Kosoa $omen+s 'et"or! http)>> www!wom -ensnetwor;!org


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return for fi.ed membership fees! The membership fees are then pooled and managed by theintermediary organi6ation local or nonlocalD in order to finance the eRider program! The intermediaryorgani6ation may e.ist before the eRider program is set up or it may be created specifically to facili-tate the eRider program! This model lets a group of "#$s obtain services that no single organi6ation

could afford! embership in the service networ; may include benefits and>or costs in addition to eRid-er services!

Shared Cost

This model is similar to the membership structure described above! Jowever9 a group or networ; of "#$s assumes the role of the intermediary "#$! This networ; of "#$s must organi6e and manage theeRider program9 collecting funds from the participating "#$s and allocating these funds accordingly!

-ee)for)serices

n this model9 a single "#$ participates in an eRider program in e.change for a set fee! t is importantto note that this is not a single fee-for-service model9 but a fee-for- services model! The eRider ta;esthe "#$ through the entire strategy and technology development process in e.change for a predeter-mined fee! Iuite often the fees are determined on a sliding scale with an organi6ation with a largerbudget paying more for services then one with a smaller budget but still below mar;et prices for asimilar service from a for-profit technology support company!

Mi0ed

*ny combination of the above models may accommodate the real and current needs of the "#$s in-volved! Consider9 for e.ample9 a networ; of human rights "#$s running an eRider program under the

membership model! This networ; may have an interest in forming a partnership with a group of envi-ronmental "#$s in another region! Therefore9 the human rights organi6ations may help the environ-mental organi6ations to obtain funding from a donor in order to participate in the eRider program9sharing eRiders and other resources! This may be described as a mi.ed embership>Funded model9where the costs of the eRider program are shared uneGually among the participating organi6ations!

Management Team and /0pertise

*lthough other parties may be involved9 most eRider pro=ects include several of the following) donor9eRider leader9 eRiders9 lead "#$9 client "#$s9 partners9 trainers and technology services providers! Theprocess will be affected by the nature of the organi6ations and individuals involved at the start of the

eRiding program and by their collective ;nowledge and e.pertise! These factors are Guite relevant dur-ing the preparation phase of the eRider process9 discussed later in this section!

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The Client Group and /nironment

The process also will be affected by the e.tent to which the client organi6ations share aims and bene-ficiaries and whether or not they wor; within the same networ; or sector! n general9 the process runsmore smoothly when the clients already are connected by some ;ey factor! Further9 the richness of thesurrounding civil society and CT sector will influence the process! * thriving CT9 business and devel-opment environment tends to enhance the eRider services!

t is vital to note that the above factors are interdependent! Throughout the description below9 refer-ence is made to these factors and how they may effect a particular phase of the eRider process!

C! (hase $ne) (lanning an eRiding (ro=ect

6. ssess Sector 'eeds

The eRider model is essentially a needs-based approach! Therefore9 it is essential for the managingparties to understand the basic needs of the "#$ sector and client organi6ations before progressing!$ften9 a donor9 a capacity-building organi6ation9 a networ; hub or a board of local e.perts is able toidentify these needs! f the managing parties do not already possess substantial ;nowledge of the sec-tor9 then a preliminary needs assessment is essential! Iuestionnaires9 interviews9 site visits9 researchconsultants and>or other methods may be employed! f the team has already identified its eRider lead-er9 this individual will be essential in the assessment process!

7. ssess the #ocal /nironment

eRider services thrive in some environments and struggle in others! Therefore9 it is important to have

a strong sense of the greater "#$ and CT community so that the eRider team is prepared for li;elychallenges! $nce again9 this e.pertise already may e.ist within the management team9 or an inde-pendent environmental scan may be necessary!

The following elements often enhance eRider services)

• *ccess to a pool of developers• /mall business owners providing technical services such as web design9 database development or

networ; maintenance• ultiple nternet service providers /(D operating in a competitive environment• Favorable government regulations related to telecommunications9 "#$ governance and registration

and liberal information9 copyright and trademar; laws• (ool of volunteers and>or educated young people• ature and accountable organi6ations• ultiple sources of funding• *vailability of strong and motivated potential eRiders• Critical mass of "#$s• $ther capacity building>training "#$s• * degree of personal security• ffective public transportation

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8. Recommendations and !ey issues

The managing team should contact the larger eRider community during this stage in order to begindiscussing their general strategy and to learn more about the strategies of other eRiding pro=ects!

4! #eneral /trategy 4evelopment one-two monthsD

6. &eelop the Concept

The management team must determine the realistic and measurable aims of the pro=ect and how re-sources will be allocated to achieve these goals! n addition9 it must ma;e several determinations withregard to the programs basic structure! For e.ample9 will the pro=ect)

· ReGuire a single eRider or a team· ReGuire the eRider to have special s;ills· 8e regional or local · 8e issue or sector based or focus on a particular technology solution· 8e managed by an e.isting organi6ation9 networ;9 donor9 informal group

* managing organi6ation may be anD)

· 3ocal capacity building or intermediary organi6ation· eRiding or technical assistance organi6ation· nternational "#$ or other outside organi6ation· "etwor; hub· 3ocal organi6ation· 4onor

4eciding which organi6ation will manage thepro=ect reGuires an open and fran; discussion of power dynamics9 a thorough understanding of the"#$ environment and insight into the pro=ect&s ob-

=ectives! :ill choosing one organi6ation ma;e itdifficult to wor; with some clientsH :ill choosinganother organi6ation reGuire compromises on au-tonomy and managementH

*t this stage9 the method and structure for how thepro=ect will be evaluated should be determined andintegrated into the planning!

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Anna and Taya* (o"en eRiders )ro" 5eor1ia* are e"po(7ered to use technolo1y to i"prove the (ork o) +56s intheir country/


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Recommendations and ;ey issuesTo avoid conflict dur-ing implementation9 there should be discussion andagreement regarding the roles and responsibilities of the players involved!

f a ;ey secondary aim of the pro=ect is to create eRid-ing capacity that continues after the pro=ect ends9 thenit may be advantageous for a local capacity-building or-gani6ation to manage the pro=ect!

f a ;ey secondary aim is to strengthen or create an or-gani6ational networ;9 then it may be advantageous for anetwor; hub to manage the pro=ect!

f a ;ey aim is to improve collaboration among "#$s

wor;ing on a specific issue9 then it may be advanta-geous to place management responsibilities with a local "#$>international "#$ that has e.pertise in this field!f the region has very little e.perience with eRider ser-vices and there is no neutral and Gualified organi6ationthat can manage the pro=ect9 then it may be advanta-geous for the donor to manage the program! *lthough adonor may manage the overall pro=ect9 it is often advan-tageous for the actual provision of services to be man-aged by a lead eRider or eRider manager!

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(utlines of an (pen Source eRider Pro3ect

(ro=ect *ims

• To promote the advantages of open-source software within the "#$ sector in8ulgaria

• To assist selected "#$s in switching toopen- source software

• To raise public awareness of open-sourcesoftware usage

8y helping "#$s to switch to open-sourcesoftware9 the pro=ect will help "#$s savemoney on commercial software! These fundsthen may be used for other activities!

Target #roups

• 8ulgarian "#$s active in all fields9 in-cluding policy institutes9 health supportorgani6ations9 cultural "#$s and grassroot organi6ations!

• The 8ulgarian public

(ro=ect Framewor;

The pro=ect has several phases) • Creating a team of five eRiders9 who will

train and offer continuous support to"#$s switching to open-source softwareN

• $rgani6ing a public presentation of thepro=ect accompanied by lectures andpublic debates to raise the awareness of open-source softwareN

• $rgani6ing a competition for "#$s toswitch to open-source softwareN

• *ssisting "#$s to convert to opensource software through in-house train-ings9 general group trainings and

continuous supportN• Creating a website with information ma-

terials about the pro=ect and downloadsof open source software as well as tipsfor solving open source software prob-lems!

From nterspace9 8ulgaria @http)>> www!i-space!org


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Georgia, eRider Pro3ect Phases

The pro=ect was divided into several stages)

eRidersB preparation for the pro=ect train-ing9 preparing materials such as applicationforms for "#$s9 training materials9 softwarepac;ages9 etc!D9 "#$ selection9 "#$ evalua-tion technical and organi6ationalD9 wor;ingwith "#$s and the final stage--coming upwith the recommendations on the reGuiredupgrade of technology for the future ad-vancement of the "#$ activities!

The hardest and the most important part of the pro=ect was "#$ selection! The criteriawere) permanent office9 at least one com-

puter9 at least one running pro=ect! Frommore than 100 "#$s that filled up the appli-cation form to participate in the pro=ect 71were chosen! "#$s were divided into fivegroups depending on their field of activitiesculture and educationN health and the dis-ablesN human rightsN law and anti corrup-tionN womenD! ach eRider wor;ed with onegroup of "#$s9 although often eRiderswor;ed in teams9 since each was an e.pertin a specific field and had to apply his>here.perience and ;nowledge at the "#$s out-side of the original wor;ing group!

The #eorgian eRider pro=ecthttp)>> www!osf!ge


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8. Select Clients

t is important to identify the participating client organi6ations as early as possible! /ometimes9 with-in a funded model9 these organi6ations are preselected based upon their status as grantees! $r9 theclients may have preselected themselves as participants in a membership model!

#enerally9 eRiders wor; well with e.isting networ;s9 whether connected by a common mission or issue9or by common geography and beneficiaries! For e.ample9 eRiders may wor; with a networ; of environ-mental organi6ations or with a group of "#$s in a particular city! They may service groups wor;ingwith the homeless or groups focused on advancing human rights!

f9 however9 the specific clients have not yet been identified9 then there are several ways to identifyinterested organi6ations9 to assess them and to select clients from among this pool! /everal methodsand modes are listed below!

Identify potential clients

• /olicit the recommendations of foundations9 local leaders and others!• a;e an open call via radio9 print and>or television to submit an application or to attend a public

meeting!• (romote and present the pro=ect at an informal meeting of networ; members or conference!• Contact "#$s directly9 by telephone9 e-mail or post!

ssess Clients

• Create a formal application9 paper-based or online!•

$rgani6e interviews• ,isit each organi6ation!

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5abi Hrabanova* eRider )ro" &zech Republic* introducesRo"a activists to co"puters )or the )irst ti"e


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$rgani6ations that benefit most from eRider services often have many of the following componentsand characteristics!

• * capable9 committed and interested staff • *n engaged and committed leadership• * basic technology infrastructure• *n open attitude toward the use of CTs in their activities• * sustainable funding stream and a trac; record of implementing pro=ects9 even if on a small scale• (articipation in other capacity-building pro=ects• anagement committee>trustee>board interest and support

:ith smaller9 younger and less e.perienced organi6ations9 an eRider also can provide valuable supportbut the eRider and the staff must be realistic about what types of pro=ects and initiatives they can un-derta;e! Iuite often the focus with these groups is on staff training and the development of simpleprocesses and systems rather then larger-scale pro=ects!

Recommendations and !ey issues

/olicit broadly to ensure that all potential clients can participate! f a donor is managing the eRidingprogram9 then the donor should introduce the eRider services to his>her grantees!

The selection process should be transparent and somewhat standardi6ed9 particularly if the person whowill eventually evaluate the success of the pro=ect is part of the managing team! t is important tobalance empowerment of the eRiding team with transparency!

The organi6ations involved should be made fully aware of the nature of their commitment and involve-

ment! t may be worth developing LcontractsM which set out what is e.pected on both sides!

Thorough and intelligent promotion is important! t will increase both the number of applications re-ceived and the speed of the selection process!

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9. *udget

ost eRider program budgets may be divided into two parts) initial costs and ongoing costs! $ften theinitial costs are Guite high because of training and eGuipment costs but ongoing costs and the coststo provide assistance per "#$ are Guite low compared to similar initiatives!

/ample budget items are listed below!

nitial costs

1! "eeds assessment2! (ro=ect design! eRider training and pro=ect development wor;shop7! Guipment for eRiders9 which may include one or more of the following)

a! 3aptopb! obile phonec! (ersonal 4igital *ssitant (alm (ilot or (oc;et (CDd! *ppropriate software preferably Free and $pen /ource /oftware which reduces ongo-

ing costs and ensures the pro=ect is complying with relevant software licensingD5! anagement tools9 including website9 domain9 server space9 chat9 blog9 etc!! (romotion9 including brochures9 business cards9 advertising9 etc!%! valuation'! :arranty and insurance

$ngoing Costs

1! *dministration2! eRider salaries! nternet access7! /ubsidi6ed cell phone5! Transportation! Guipment maintenance%! (ublic relations'! *dditional training+! Trips9 events9 etc10! (ublishing

11! ini grants to client "#$s12! /pecialist support e!g!9 technical wor; not handled by the circuit riderD

f launching a new organi6ation or setting up an independent office9 the following additional costsmust be considered) rent9 communications phoneD and ban;ing costs!

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Recommendations and ;ey issues

.pect the initial eGuipment allocation to be significant! eRiders almost always need a laptop! f theeRiding is a time-limited pro=ect the laptop may be donated to a client at the end of the pro=ect or

;ept by the managing organi6ation!

The eRiders& travel budget should be fle.ible and9 if possible9 should not entail spending an inordinateamount of time collecting and organi6ing receipts for e.penses such as five-dollar train rides or four-dollar meals! /ome organi6ations managing eRiders will reGuire receipts but a system should be inplace to simply and effectively manage this so the eRider is not overburdened with reporting!

To avoid purchasing mobile phones9 many eRiders use their own mobile phones9 along with a budgetallocation reimbursing them a fi.ed amount of their monthly bill!

* s;illed eRider team can save costs by using Free and $pen /ource /oftware tools or by creating their

own tools! For e.ample9 some teams have designed their own interactive websites with free software!

The managing organi6ation should not earn a great deal of money from the pro=ect! 3arge earningsmay motivate or legitimati6e a degree of influence that disrupts the client>eRider relationship!

f eGuipment costs are a limiting factor9 then it may be cost effective to wor; with a small team of full-time eRiders rather than a large team of part-time eRiders!

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In Their ("n $ords

'hat eRider To" Rusiecki thinks it takes tobe a 1ood eRider

*n effective eRider in (oland must be morethan =ust a good techie! :hile technical ;nowledge is important9 it is only one as-pect of an eRiderBs wor;! *n eRider alsoneeds an understanding of theorgani6ation&s fundraising9 program develop-ment9 and relationship management! /ome-one who is only a techie would have a hardtime helping an organi6ation with its finan-cial systems or with pro=ect management9for e.ample!

Tomas6 Rusiec;i of 4a ,inci *ssociation9:roclaw9 (oland

eRiders (ork hard to i"prove their skillsand share kno(led1e/


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! eRider Recruitment9 /election and Training

The needs of the client organi6ations and the general framewor; of the particular eRider pro=ectshould direct the eRider team&s formation! *fter training9 the eRider team should possess most of the;nowledge and s;ills reGuired to serve clients effectively! ,arious factors may influence the number of eRiders reGuired to deliver services! $n average9 an eRider can wor; with ten to fifteen organi6ationsduring a given period! f the clients already are part of a networ; that cooperates9 communicatesfreGuently and shares resources9 then the eRider may be able to wor; with a greater number of clients!$f course9 geographically dispersed clients will reGuire a larger eRider team!

6. &escribe the Position

:hen creating the eRider =ob description9 it is vital to consider which s;ills the eRiders should have atthe time of hiring9 which s;ills they can teach one another and which s;ills they will acGuire as theytrain! Clearly9 team si6e determines the necessary Gualifications of the applicants! For e.ample9 if

there is only one eRider or small team9 then the program may reGuire individuals who have)

· Relevant "#$ e.perience· 8asic technology e.perience as a user and planner· anagement e.perience· nglish>other foreign-language communication s;ills· *bility to manage his>her own wor;· Capacity building or development wor; e.perience

$f course9 a larger team creates the opportunity to recruit an e.perienced team leader and severalLe.pertsM who can deliver services that complement one another!


t is e.tremely important to consider where the team resideson the technical>nontechnical spectrum! That is9 thin; care-fully about the clients& needs and the greater "#$ and CTconte.t before deciding what ;ind of team to recruit!

$rgani6ers should be conscious of several issues or Guestionswhen soliciting) :ould you li;e to create a professional eRider who does this wor; for life or to harness the energy of

a s;illed e.pert for a short period of timeH 4o you aim to luresomeone away from his>her current =obH :hat if the applic-ant plans to study and wor; as an eRider at the same timeH

eRiding9 or providing consulting services to the "#$ sector9 isa potential career! This may be stressed in order to attractpotential eRiders and to motivate novice eRiders to developtheir s;ills! anagers should not e.pect all eRiders to ma;e acareer of eRiding! 8ut9 eRiders should be e.pected to staycommitted long enough to ma;e investment in trainingworthwhile! t is often relevant to consider age9 gender andethnicity>religion when selecting a team of eRiders!

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So That is $hat I 4ae *een &oing llThis Time

4uring the process of interviewing withpotential eRiders we discovered a veryinteresting tendency of the people in-volved in the T bac;ground of "#$ de-velopment in *6erbai=an! ost of themalready were eRiders9 but they didn&t;now about that yet!

:e hope the trusted relations estab-lished between selected eRiders andmost of the local and regional "#$s will be the positive basis for the future of eRider pro=ect implementation9 effective-ness and fundraising!

From the *6eri eRiderpro=ect - http)>>www!osi-a6!org


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any "#$ directors are middle-aged men9 who may be resistant to advice offered by younger men9 fe-males or members of a different ethnicity or religion! This does not imply that young people or womenshould not be hired! 8ut it may mean that these individuals may reGuire additional support in order todeal with such resistance! f the pro=ect is set up as an independent organi6ation or plans to become

independent9 then the team should also have financial management9 fundraising and mar;eting s;ills!*lso important are training s;ills9 especially training-program design and implementation!

2! Recruit and /elect eRiders

There are many of ways to identify and select the eRiders! $ften9 a member of the organi6ing team9 aprospective client or other local party can recommend individuals who already provide LeRiderM-li;eservices within one or more organi6ations or who have e.hibited the capacity to do so! *dditional prospective eRiders may then be identified through a formal9 competition-based application process!


/olicit broadly to ensure that all interested and capable individuals have the opportunity to apply! ?seboth a paper application form and interviews! nsure that the process is transparent! Recent graduatesfrom technology programs may constitute a good pool of applicants! $ften9 these individuals havesome "#$ e.perience9 either with volunteer or student organi6ations! *n e.perienced eRider leadermay offset their relative lac; of "#$ e.perience!

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8. eRider Training

The training and teambuilding process begins after theteam has been selected!! The initial eRider trainingshould include both technical and non-technical s;ills!*lthough professional instructors will teach some s;illsin a formal wor;shop environment9 it is essential for theeRiders to train one another so that personal e.pertiseis dispersed throughout the team!

Formal training usually occurs in a wor;shopenvironment that brings together a select group of local e.perts and e.perienced eRider trainers! $ften9 theeRiders contribute to the organi6ation of the wor;shop9helping to decide which s;ill building should be

addressed by an outside trainer and which s;ills theycan teach one another!

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Training to Improe eRider Impact,

#abi Jrabanova =oined Roma nformation

(ro=ect R(D in "ovember 20029 bringingwith her diverse e.periences in politics andcomputer technology! #abi firmly believesthat technology training for Roma womenis one way to empower members of theRoma community to effect national reforms! #abi herself feels empowered byher technology training with R(9 whichshe transmits to Roma "#$s in the C6echRepublic) K came bac; from our R(training in the ?/ full of ideas andenergy9K she remembers! K*lso9 learnedhow to be an effective trainer9 which helps

people get the most out of my classes!KRoma "#$s9 in turn9 bring this ;nowledgebac; to their communities! #abi saysKa;ing Roma "#$s more effective givesRoma a better chance in all regards! This iswhy do this wor;!M

From Roma nformation (ro=ect -http)>>www!riptech!org

Miro* eRider )ro" Slovakia* helps his or1ani7 zations "ake decisions about (hich tech7nolo1ies best "eet their needs/


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Training topics may include)

eRiding -rame"or!

- introduction to eRiding what it is9 where it comes from9 different modelsD- eRiding logistics necessary conditions9 potential coverageD- eRider support channels international eRiding9 eRider specific resourcesD- business models funded9 membership9 shared cost9 fee9 sponsored9 mi.edD- cooperative eRiding communication9 resource sharing9 gatheringsD- eRider management finances9 remote administration9 wor; reporting9 motivation9 evaluationD- promotion advertising products and channelsD- overview of eRiding client relationship management9 assessment9 technology planning9 implementa-tion9 training9 evaluationD

Consulting S!ills

- consulting stages tie in to eRiding processesD- self-analysis personal sources of motivationD- effective facilitation consultant roles9 guidelines9 managing resistance9 group facilitationD

eRiding Processes

- introduction assessing change readiness9 preliminary communication9 contractingD- assessment benchmar;s9 data gathering techniGues9 technical E s;ills assessment9 data presenta-tionD- technology planning technology planning process outline9 incorporating assessment outputs9 role of strategic plan and benchmar;sD- implementation considerations and potential obstacles9 endingD- client relationship management communication9 clear e.pectationsD- effective training methods9 pitfalls and resourcesD- evaluation measuring impactD- website planning planning process9 hosting options9 roles and responsibilitiesD

/nironment

- nonprofit environment characteristics9 how to deal with9 levels of interventionD- relevant policies differ for different regionsN telecommunications9 freedom of e.pressionD

eRiding Issues

- Free and $pen /ource /oftware vs! proprietary software- refurbished computers- advocacy campaign development- issue networ; support- intellectual property

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4ands)on

- communication tools uses and limitations of) fa.9 telephone9 //9 RC9 email9 web log blogD9 in-stant message9 intranetD

- eRider tools Tech/urveyor9 8elarc9 artus!!!D- connectivity options dialup9 /4"9 4/39 wireless9 nternet cafes9 creative solutionsD- practical intro to Free and $pen /ource 3inu.9 $pen$ffice!org9 mail clients9 #impD- online information resources eriders!net9 techsoup9 ;abissa9 trainingpoint9 itrainonline9 npower9*(C9 bridges!org9 onenwD- advanced email discussion lists9 newsletters9 contact management9 webmail9 ($(>*(9 hosting op-tions9 spam9 virusesD- networ; wiring wired>wireless9 routers9 hubs9 switches9 firewallsD- networ;ing configuration documentation9 different $/9 universal networ;ing concepts and proce-duresD- "#$-relevant software office apps9 browsers9 fi-

nancial E specialty softwareD- end-user fundamentals email9 file management9security9 bac;ups - how to get the message acrossD- databases database planningD- security E virus protection security policies9bac;up practices9 antivirus softwareD- content management systems introduction to9potential and limitations9 resourcesD- researching the nternet search engines9methodologiesD- $nline collaboration tools web log blogD9 wi;i9distribution and discussion listsD


n the past9 eRider training sessions have been most effective when they)

· 3ast five-ten days· nclude five-ten eRiders· nclude only one eRider team or a mi. of eRiders wor;ing on similar or related pro=ects to aid

in cohesiveness and team building efforts· *re conducted in a comfortable room with few distractions i!e!9 no computersD· nclude access to a computer lab· nclude instruction from local e.perts and e.perienced eRiding trainers· $ffer follow-up opportunities for additional learning on specific sub=ects

8y the end of the wor;shop9 the eRiders should be able to articulate clearly what an eRider does andhow groups can benefit from eRider services!

This is a good time for the eRiders to begin wor;ing on materials that will actually be used in thepro=ect9 such as calls for client applications9 assessment forms9 reporting procedures9 timelines9 a web-

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%irk Slater and Ryan Jacobs 7 eRider )ro" South A)rica 7 share e9periences and net(ork to i"prove their (ork/


30/92

site and brochures! This allows the eRiders to teach one another and use their new s;ills in a problem-solving manner!This is also a good time to introduce the eRiders to the global eRiding community and its resources9models and concepts so that they feel comfortable using this support networ;!

The wor;shop should include social activities9 such as outings and group dinners! *s they will be rely-ing on one another heavily during the implementation of the pro=ect9 it is important to offer the eRid-ers opportunities to get to ;now one another and to develop a sense of community!

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F! (hase Two) :or;ing with Clients

6. Introductions$ften9 the "#$&s director will gather the staff and put aside a few hours for a formal introductionmeeting with the eRider! This visit may involve an informal needs assessment and a brief overviewand>or demonstration of technology tools that the "#$ may find useful such as instant messaging9groupware or more advanced features of programs they use on an every day basis such as word proces-sors or spreadsheets! This meeting also offers the eRider the opportunity to establish his>her creden-tials with the staff! t is important that the eRider learn as much as possible about the "#$&s pro-grams and aims9 and that he>she identifies which staff members will serve as internal e.perts for vari-ous topics! t is helpful for the eRider to wor; closely with a designated contact person within eachorgani6ation! deally9 this would be the staff member possessing the most CT ;nowledge!

*fter this meeting9 the eRider often opens a research file for the organi6ation in order to begin devel-oping an organi6ed assessment! This may be accomplished using Tech*tlas and>or Tech/urveyor! *noffline version this tool is now available!

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7. ssess the 'eeds of /ach Client

*fter the introductory meeting9 the eRiders createand conduct a customi6ed needs assessment witheach of the clients! There are several standardi6edforms that may be modified to meet a particularreality! This process typically involves an initial paper assessment9 an onsite visit and an interviewwith one or more of the "#$ staff!


$ften9 the client is interested in elevating thestaff&s s;ills as Guic;ly as possible9 even thoughother needs may seem more important to the

eRider! *s a result9 eRiders must balance theclient&s perceived needs with their plan for theclient&s overall progress!

t is helpful for the eRiders to do the initial meet-ings and interviews in small groups! ach eRidercan see how the others wor; and the team leadercan observe the eRiders Lin action!M

- 2 -

Changing /0pectations for the *etter,

KThe most important thing Bve learned during my

wor; with the Roma nformation (ro=ect R(D9Ksays /lova; eRider iroslav $lah iroD9 Kis whennot to laugh!K $ne of the first times he conducteda computer training session9 a member of the"#$Bs staff held the mouse up to the computerscreen and fingered the buttons as if it were theremote control to a television!

Kt was a bit of surprise at first9K remembers iro9who =oined the R( team in late 2002 as a recentcollege graduate with a degree in engineering! Khad no idea that the organi6ations would be atthis level with technology9 and had to Guic;ly

change tactics!K Je spent the whole morningteaching mouse-ing s;ills to the group! *s domany of his eRider colleagues9 iro describesthese incidents with a sense of bemusement! Aet itis also clear that he has discovered one of themost essential parts of his =ob--to ma;e his Kstu-dentsK at Roma "#$s9 most of whom are mucholder than he9 more comfortable with technology!This includes learning when not to laugh and of-fering encouragement to those =ust beginning towor; with computers!

From Roma nformation(ro=ect - http)>>www!riptech!org


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eRiders should not collect more data then neces-sary9 as this only will overwhelm the organi6ationand the eRider! Thus9 if the eRider is not going towor; with the organi6ation&s phone system9 then no

phone data should be collected!

:hen wor;ing with small organi6ations having verylittle technology e.perience9 it may be best to beginwith basic s;ills and ;nowledge training! $nce thestaff becomes more adept at using technology andmore aware of its possibilities9 then it will be betterable to participate in long- term technology plan-ning!

* set of technology benchmar;s or best practices document is useful at this stage! 8enchmar;s allowthe eRider to compare where an organi6ation is now the assessmentD to where it would li;e to be thebenchmar;D! They are helpful for getting an "#$ to understand the complete picture9 and benchmar;scan give it some options to thin; about when actually going through the strategic planning process!8enchmar;s are particularly useful when wor;ing in a specific sector9 where generali6ations are li;elyto be more universal!

n this phase some eRiders have found it useful to give each staff member a s;ills survey and then in-terview each person individually to find out what he>she really does! This was useful to get an idea of the general s;ill levels within the organi6ation as well as to get to ;now the people within the organi-

6ation! The initial period wor;ing with the organi6ation is generally the most challenging as relation-ships are being establishedN this process helps brea; the ice!

8. &eelop a Client)Specific Strategy

The eRider and the staff develop a strategy tailored to the client&s particular mission and needs! Thisstrategy may include planning sessions9 staff trainings9 installations and other services9 all situatedwithin a detailed timeline!

This is an important step and can ta;e longer than anticipated! t is very useful if the organi6ation hasundergone a strategic-planning process9 as the technology then can be discussed as a complement tothe "#$&s wor; and the e.isting organi6ational strategy! f discussions are purely technology focused9you can end up with technology solutions that may not be particularly in line with the organi6ation&smission and pro=ects! eRiders need to be aware of this and ;eep discussions focused on what the orga-ni6ation does& and not what technologies can be implemented!

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eRidin1 helps Ro"a brid1e the 1ap a"on1 their distant co""unities in Slovakia* Bul1aria* Hun1ary* &zech Re7 public and Macedonia/


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9. Implementing the Strategy

The strategy includes a clear implementation plan that sets goals and deadlines and that identifieswho is responsible for each tas;! $ften9 this implementation plan is developed by the eRider using apro=ect management tool such as a detailed spreadsheet9 icrosoft (ro=ect or the advanced functionsof Tech *tlas>Tech /urveyor! These programs can generate charts that are useful for both the eRiderand the "#$! f necessary9 the eRider will act as a liaison between other technology consultants anddevelopers whose s;ills may be reGuired to implement the strategy!

/taff Training Recommendations

/mall groups fewer than eightD are best for basics;ills training!

$ne-on-one instruction that focuses on specific tas;s

is often best for advanced training in s;ills such asphoto editing9 design and layout and website devel-opment!

$ne of the greatest difficulties to group training is thewide range of technology s;ills usually found within anygroup! t is often advantageous to organi6e a pre-trainingsession that will prepare those trainees with very littletechnology e.perience for the pace of the actual trainingsession!

f the clients have networ; meetings with computer access9

then the eRider should consider attending these meetings9helping with planning or other issues and offering individu-al technical training after the meeting!

t can beneficial to hold the training sessions outsidethe "#$ office9 so that the staff is not distracted byits day-to-day wor;! This is especially true for small group trainings!

f training occurs within the organi6ation9 it is impor-tant to lay down the training agreements at the out-set! (lan the training far enough in advance that the

staff has no e.cuse for wor; it has to do! Cell phonesshould stay switched off and participants should notbe called out for phone calls!

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4elping Groups to Ma!e:se of Their /0isting Technology)

As part o) their (ork (ith a client Lasa eRiders pro7vided the" trainin1 in 6utlook/ A)ter the trainin1 the 1roup assessed (hat the trainin1 helped the"

to acco"plish 7 *lthough our initial incentive tohave the $utloo; training was to become more co-ordinated with staff timetables9 meetings and ap-pointments other aspects of the training have beene.tremely helpful! /taff ;nows now how to ;eeptheir inbo. tidy9 creating folders to ;eep importantinformation and adding addresses to their contactlists! * list of ob=ectives for the day can be inputinto the tas; application and reminder notes canbe placed on the des; top! /ending and receivinge-mails has become more sophisticated9 automaticout of the office& messages are now being sent andstaff have a much better understanding of the tool

bar in general! $verall the training has proved bothuseful and effective and was definitely worth ta;-ing the time to ensure staff members attended9 al-though no training can be considered a completesuccess unless the trainees ta;e the opportunity toput it into everyday practice!

3ro" the Lasa &ircuit Rider pro8ect 7http)>>www!lasa!org!u;


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,isit Recommendations

The number of times an eRider visits a group depends on several factors) what type of wor; the orga-ni6ation and eRider are implementingN the capacity of the group to handle multiple visits>trainingsNwhether or not the eRider pro=ect is bringing them together for other events and training! The num-ber of visits can range from Guarterly to two-three times per month!

(lanning Recommendations

inutes should be ta;en at each meeting and a follow up e-mail sent that recaps the conversation9commitments and ne.t steps! The conclusion of each meeting should include setting the date andagenda for the ne.t meeting!

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Too Good to *e True%

3ro" Ro"a #n)or"ation ro8ect eRider Miro 6lah4

Jere is little story about how technical ;nowledge canhelp an eRider understand a resistant e.ecutive director)

agreed to an appointment with the director of an orga-ni6ation! began by e.plaining our mission9 and shestopped me and said9 K:e have everythingN we areeGuipped with computers9 a fa. machine9 and printers9and we are connected to the nternet! n addition9 Bmwor;ing on a web site for us! $ur systems of wor; are ef-fective! Jow can you help usHK

was a little bit concerned about whether the organi6a-

tion really was as technologically competent as she said!$nce she made this short speech9 tried to use moretechnical language9 and as;ed detailed Guestions abouttheir systems! $n every Guestion she answered Kyes!K decided to use a tric;9 and as;ed9 K4o you have a net-wor; card in your computerHK /he answered Kyes!K as;edher9 K4o you have a switch cardK there is no such thingD9and she also answered Kyes!K /he was simply answeringyes to everything9 whether or not the technology evene.isted! From our e.change understood that she wasnot very technically oriented and she understood that actually did;now what was tal;ing about!

Technical s;ills can help eRiders understand their wor;9but convincing an e.ecutive director to cooperate in apro=ect reGuires another set of s;ills! * deep understand-ing of an organi6ationBs programmatic9 staffing9 and bud-geting needs is essential!

3ro" Ro"a #n)or"ation ro8ect 7 http)>>www!riptech!org


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;. Potential Challenges "ith Client Interactions

ncorporating new eGuipment and new operations into one&s daily wor; is difficultN resistance is natu-ral! Therefore9 it is important for the eRider and clients to e.press their mutual e.pectations! anag-ing these e.pectations often diminishes resistance!

* few common misconceptions are)

• The eRider&s =ob is to do office wor; for the staff!• The eRider is =ust a technology troubleshooter and is not competent to advise on planning or

strategy issues!• Female eRiders do not have sufficient technology e.pertise to instruct males!• The eRider will implement the action plan on behalf of the organi6ation i!e!9 do all the wor;OD


f the client is e.tremely resistant9 then it is best to discontinue services! $ften9 after witnessing thebenefits of eRider services for other organi6ations9 this client will reGuest to resume participation!

*void as;ing the donor to tal; with a resistant organi6ation! This creates a situation in which theeRider becomes a LspyM with the power to affect essential funding!

eRiders must be patient! Clients need time to understand the importance of the eRider services!

#! (hase Three) aintenance

There are two levels of maintenance necessary for effective eRider pro=ects! /ustaining your wor; overtime with a client and sustaining your eRiding pro=ect after the pro=ect finishes!

The wor; of eRiding does not end with a successful intervention with a client! eRider pro=ects contin-ue to evolve! /ome eRider pro=ects grow into independent technology assistance organi6ations! $th-ers partner with other organi6ations to continue to provide services! (artners can include) funders9 in-ternational "#$s9 "#$ networ;s! (artnering may mean providing services for their grantees9 theirpartner&s partners9 and members of a networ;! t might also include wor;ing with an nternet serviceprovider to provide discounted rates to clients or with a web design firm to provide small9 low costweb design and hosting!

*s pro=ects evolve and grow9 it becomes crucial that they be mar;eted and publici6ed effectively! ostpro=ects develop their own promotional materials such as websites9 brochures and business cards! /ev-eral pro=ects have launched tech tal;& discussion series open to the public and touch on a variety of technology topics! $ther pro=ects have hosted conferences on the information society9 free and open-source software and technology for development! /till other groups hold antivirus days& where theyaim to inoculate the computers of any organi6ation in their area that as;s for help!

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J! (hase Four) valuation

6. /aluation

* program of integrated evaluation is ;ey to the con-tinued development of eRider pro=ects! *n evaluationplan should be built into both the eRider program asa whole and the plan for each client! *lthough aclear set of criteria should be developed early9 man-agers should resist evaluating too freGuently or let-ting the donor drive evaluations!

nstead9 evaluations should be conducted when itma;es sense to measure progress! valuation of the

entire eRider program should include input from eachof the sta;eholders! Therefore9 it is important toestablish consensus regarding what LsuccessM will loo; li;e and how it will be measured!

The eRider and the client may evaluate the eRider&s wor; at that particular organi6ation! The basic aimof this evaluation is to 1D measure the difference between the organi6ation&s capacities before andafter the eRider intervention and 2D measure the impact of the eRider&s services upon the organi6a-tions capacities! t is ;ey that thorough pre- and post- assessments are done at the beginning andend of the intervention even if there are few notes ta;en in between!

8oth parts of the evaluation should distinguish between three distinct categories of data! ach of these data sets may be measured in both Gualitative and Guantitative terms! The timelines given be-low generally are accepted among evaluators!

valuations may incorporate a variety of data-collection methods9 including pre and post staff-trainingtests9 phone9 print and>or e-mail client surveys and>or interviews with clients and eRiders!

Reco""endations and key issues

Tech /urveyor is a useful tool for gathering data9 producing an assessment and trac;ing improvementsover time! This tool allows the eRider to gather data from the very first visit and to measure the "#$sprogress over time! The offline version of Tech/urveyor is convenient to use and ma;es evaluation

simpler and more efficient!

For more on evaluation in the sector see 8ridges!org @ Real *ccess>Real mpact ;ey determining fac-tors for the success of CT enabled pro=ects!

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Riders rely on each other )or support and e9pertise/eRiders )ro" Kazakstan* Hun1ary and Macedonia (ork

to1ether/


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IV. Management and Support

. Managing eRiders

There are several challenges to managing a team of eRiders! 8ecause eRiders spend a great deal of time in the field9 it is essential that the managers develop a fle.ible reporting system that the eRidersare willing and able to use! The development challenge will differ if the eRider team is dispersedacross a wide region with little face-to-face time or if the team wor;s from a shared office and is faceto face on a regular basis!

eRider managers should see; a balance between formal and informal feedbac;! :ith both types of teams9 a combination of chat9 instant messaging9 e-mail and ;eeping an online web log can aid man-agers and often enhances both individual performance and team building! Capturing both e.periencesand wor; processes also guards against wor; stoppages and ma=or losses if an eRider leaves or gets

sic; for an e.tended period of time!

The series of recommendations below primarily is aim managing a dispersed team of eRiders who donot meet regularly with each other and their management! *lthough geared this way9 these tool rec-ommendations are useful in other types of eRiding pro=ects as they promote accountability9 trans-parency and allow for simplified trac;ing of interventions and impact! n urban areas or where eRidersare wor;ing in a small geographic area it is preferable that they meet face to face on a regular basis!


• $rgani6e mandatory9 wee;ly team chats concerning a specific issue!

• ncourage among eRiders and between eRiders and the manager! /et guaranteed times whenthe manager is available to chat! veryone should use the same client and be able to whentraveling!

• stablish a discussion list and a policy that e-mail must be answered within 7' hours!anager>eRiders should copy one another on e-mails to groups>donors>possible collaborators!

• ach eRider should have a ($( e-mail account with a large capacity that can be chec;ed via the n-ternet or be able to access their e-mail remotely!

• ach eRider should establish a web log blogD and blog regularly about their wor;! The team shouldcome up with an outline of a sufficient blog entry to provide structure and continuity! The manag-er should blog on ma=or issues!

• eRiders should submit a general wor; plan for the coming month9 to include vacation and travel plans!

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*. Supporting eRiders

*lthough the eRider may have access to a fully eGuipped office9 their wor;ing and traveling schedulemay not permit freGuent visits to this office! They must be prepared to provide technical services inremote areas9 to access the nternet from the field for research purposes9 to communicate with clientsand to troubleshoot while away from the central office! Therefore9 an eRider needs certain tools9 whichmay include a laptop9 roaming nternet access9 a cell phone9 a travel fund and a small eGuipmentfund! They also benefit from a fle.ible and adaptable manager and from the use of e-mail9 instantmessaging9 chat and web logs to document and manage a portfolio of wor;!

Current eRider pro=ects ma;e use of the eRiders!net website9 the #lobal eRiders discussion list9 #lobe-trotter @ the global eRider newsletter and the ?/ based Riders discussion list!

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V. Glossary

nformation and Communications Technologies CTsD @

CT information and communications technology - or technologiesD is an umbrella term that includesany communication device or application9 encompassing) radio9 television9 cellular phones9 computerand networ; hardware and software9 satellite systems and so on9 as well as the various services andapplications associated with them9 such as videoconferencing and distance learning! CTs are oftenspo;en of in a particular conte.t9 such as CTs in education9 health care9 or libraries! *ccording to theuropean Commission9 the importance of CTs lies less in the technology itself than in its ability tocreate greater access to information and communication in underserved populations!

Free and $pen /ource /oftware F$//D @

Free software is a matter of the usersB freedom to run9 copy9 distribute9 study9 change and improve the software!

ore precisely9 it refers to four ;inds of freedom9 for the users of the software)

• The freedom to run the program9 for any purpose freedom 0D!

• The freedom to study how the program wor;s9 and adapt it to your needs freedom 1D! *ccess tothe source code is a precondition for this!

• The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor freedom 2D!

• The freedom to improve the program9 and release your improvements to the public9 so that thewhole community benefits freedom D! *ccess to the source code is a precondition for this!

From -http)>>www!gnu!org>philosophy>free-sw!html

"ongovernmental $rgani6ation "#$D @

There is no generally accepted definition of an "#$ and the term carries different connotations in different cir-cumstances! "evertheless9 there are some fundamental features! Clearly an "#$ must be independent from the di-rect control of any government! n addition9 there are three other generally accepted characteristics that e.cludeparticular types of bodies from consideration! *n "#$ will not be constituted as a political partyN it will be non-profit-ma;ing and it will be not be a criminal group9 in particular it will be non-violent!

/hort essage /ervice //D @

*vailable on digital #/ networ;s allowing te.t messages of up to 10 characters to be sent and re-ceived via the networ; operatorBs message center to your mobile phone9 or from the nternet9 using aso-called K// gatewayK website! f the phone is powered off or out of range9 messages are stored inthe networ; and are delivered at the ne.t opportunity!

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:ireless @

?sing the radio-freGuency spectrum for transmitting and receiving voice9 data and video signals forcommunications!:eb 3og blogD @

* blog is basically a =ournal that is available on the web! The activity of updating a blog is KbloggingKand someone who ;eeps a blog is a Kblogger!K 8logs are typically updated daily using software that al-lows people with little or no technical bac;ground to update and maintain the blog! (ostings on ablog are almost always arranged in cronological order with the most recent additions featured mostprominantly!

(ersonal 4igital *ssistant (4*D @

* small hand-held computer that in the most basic form9 allows you to store names and addresses9

prepare to-do lists9 schedule appointments9 ;eep trac; of pro=ects9 trac; e.penditures9 ta;e notes9 anddo calculations! 4epending on the model9 you also may be able to send or receive e-mailN do word pro-cessingN play ( music filesN get news9 entertainment and stoc; Guotes from the nternetN play videogamesN and have an integrated digital camera or #(/ receiver!

nternet Relay Chat RCD @

* chat system that enables people connected anywhere on the nternet to =oin in live discussions! To =oin an RC discussion9 you need an RC client and nternet access!

nstant essage D @

Technology similar to that of chat rooms9 which involves software that notifies a user when a friend isonline9 allowing them to KconverseK by e.changing real time te.t messages!

ntegrated /ervices 4igital "etwor; /4"D @

Jigh-speed telephone line designed for transmitting digital signals and voice at the same time! /omebusinesses use /4" lines for high-speed computer access!

4igital /ubscriber 3ine 4/3D @

This is technology that uses ordinary copper telephone lines to provide nternet speeds ranging from1!5 to + bps--speeds that are 0 to 50 times faster than a regular 5-;bps dial-up modem! 4/3 alsoallows users to receive voice and data simultaneously9 since the signal is carried on a higher freGuencythan normal telephone communications!

:i;i @

:i;i is a piece of server software that allows users to freely create and edit :eb page content usingany :eb browser! :i;i supports hyperlin;s and has a simple te.t synta. for creating new pages andcrosslin;s between internal pages on the fly!

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VI Templates and Samples

*ppendi. * - Sample *udget3ro" Lasa 2 :nited Kin1do";Report on &ircuit Riders )or 6)) the Streets and into 'ork


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*ppendi. 8 ) Sample *udget

$pen /ociety Foundation @ #eorgia

Note: This pro=ect included 5 eRiders with one eRider helping to manage the wor; of the team!*s this pro=ect was implemented by the foundation overhead and management costs are not in-cluded! *ll design9 layout and development was done in house by the eRider team!

№ 4escription Cost Ity $/#F>$/ $ther Total 1! Trainings1!1 /ending one person to

(ristina1200 1 1200 - 1200900

1!2 Trainers 000 - 000 - 000900Trainings Total %200 - %200900

2! /alaries2!1 3eader&s salary 50 1.11 '50900 - '509002!2 $ther eRider&s salary 00 7.11 1200900 - 12009002! Ta.es on salary 6 +1'09%% - +1'09%%

/alaries Total 2209%% - 2209%%

! (ther Costs!1 Communication Costs 0 5.11 150 - 150900!2 Transport Costs 0 5.11 150 - 150900! /tationery 7++92 1 7++92 - 7++!2

!7 *dmin .penses 00 1 00 - 00900$ther Costs Total 7++92 - 7++92

7! /mall Guipment Fund 000 1 000 - 000900

#rand Total 70'0 - 70'0900

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*ppendi. C - Sample Circuit Rider


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%! To assist in the moderation the T discussion forums on the web site!

(ther &uties

1! (romote the wor; of the Circuit Rider movement9 nformation /ystems Team and 3asa!

2! To meet agreed income targets associated with the post!

! (articipate in team meetings and contribute to 3asa-wide activities as appropriate!

7! (rovide reports as necessary to the Circuit Rider (ro=ect anager!

5! :or; within the provisions of 3asa policies9 including abiding by and implementing 3asa&s Gual $pportunities policy!

! :or; within agreed wor; plans9 manage own wor;load and be self-servicing!

%! 8e prepared to travel as necessary!

'! Carry out any other duties appropriate to the post as agreed by the Circuit Rider (ro=ect anager!

+! This =ob description will be sub=ect to periodic review9 in consultation with the post holder!

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*ppendi. 4 - Sample eRider


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of mechanisms9 including listservs and collaborative websitesN

gD :or; with our team of eRiders and technical e.perts to developinnovative resources and tools to e.tend the eriderBs reach in the

participating communityN

hD :or; with other eRiders9 troubleshooting9 sharing ;nowledge andtechnology strategies9 and avoiding duplication of efforts in theadvocate community!

I?*3FC*T$"/

366 ERider Starter Kit v.1 3006 Web

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Transcript of 366 ERider Starter Kit v.1 3006 Web