The "Villes Internet" initiative
Introduction
Nowadays, internet access and usage is deemed to be « universal ». In fact less than 20% of the population has real access, both in physical and cultural terms. While the internet, by nature, is international and transcends borders, few countries has deployed the level of infrastructure required for real democratic access to the internet.
In fact, the so-called « internet era » is revealing new lines of social fracture between those who have access to the benefits of the Information Society, and those who don’t. Because the internet is taking such a exploding place in everyday’s life, the “digital divide” is actually growing into a huge gap, and threatening social cohesion, both at micro and macro level.
Therefore it is mandatory that the public community, whatever its organizational form and at all level, undertakes the mission to deploy services and initiatives allowing full and open access to internet-based public and general interest services, to all segments of the population.
« Small is beautiful » : we believe that the most operational level for deployment of such services is the one closest to citizens. Local communities, councils, boroughs, cities, local non-profit organizations: every country has their own social and political structure, inherited from a long and complex history. This is where inhabitants become citizens, this is where social cohesion roots. This is where practices of ICT settle. This is where things should happen.
Clear Commitments toward Internet Citizenship
Local elected representatives, public servants or NPO animators are natural actors of these policies . Villes-Internet is dedicated to providing a networking platform for these players, whose political vision and will is critical to the success of local initiatives.
Every city, every local government body or local group can subscribe to Villes internet. In doing so they also commit to contribute to the whole network :
Commitments to joining the Villes Internet Network :
- to foster the deployment of existing internet access spots and to host local meetings on non-profit internet applications.
- to authorize and facilitate deployment of such applications by local non-profit groups, companies and citizen communities
- To open discussions on local public services, and usages of internet to improve local community life.
- to promote local democracy through new innovative internet-based services.
- To push local elected representatives to apply to the Villes Internet Label.
- To observe and analyse the practices at a social level : succes and fails
- To introduce at a local politic level the feeling of being in a “turn of society” tell as “revolution copernicienne” for most of the observers. Changing life in terms of organization, mutual information and education, expression of democracy, and relationship between economical level and governance. All consediring that ict modify as local life as worlwide life.
Villes Internet short backgrounder
Since 1998, Villes-Internet is a network of local elected representatives, public servants and NPO players, who have decided to join forces and share knowledge and experience about the usage of internet and information technology.
Villes Internet is a not-for-profit registered organisation with full time employees, which operates a set of online and offline services dedicated to facilitating networking between local players.
Villes Internet operates a set of services
1. a content-rich transactive portal : www.villes-internet.net to facilitate online exchanges and sharing of experience between members
2. a weekly detailed electronic newsletter "le courrier de l'internet citoyen", with readership of over 15000 targeted decision-makers and influencers;
3. Monthly regional seminars, attracting on average 50 to 100 local decision makers and players;
4. An official labelization process (more than 500 Cities have received the label to date), with a very visible annual event;
5. Growing international influence through the promotion of i-Jumelages (70) between cities in Europe and across the francophone community.
6. « Réseaux de la création » to enhance citizens to exprim their ideas and feelings on local life by the way of web-video
7. Centre ressource juridique « Droit de l’internet et collectivités locales »
Villes Internet since 1999 :
- more than 900 Cities registrered,
- more than 500 Cities have received the label,
- more than 3000 documented initiatives from cities
- 17.000 unique visitors per month on the website,
- 21 Regional seminars held since 2000
- 3000 suscribers to the weekly newsletter « Courrier de l’Internet citoyen », over 15000 readers,
- numerous speaking opportunities and panels on the topic,
- 70 international i-jumelages
The Ville Internet Label
The Ville Internet Label rewards cities which have taken a proactive approach in developing and deploying local public internet uses, therefore fighting the « digital divide ». The Label has become a well recognized and valuable communication asset for local groups and politicians from communities of all size and geography
The Jury is composed of a selected set of reputable experts : social researchers, politicians, or journalists. They drive a formal evaluation process to deliver the AROBASE valued label. The award ceremony, held every year in October, raises significant public media attention on the nominees and on the initiatives.
The orientation committee is in charge of defining the methodology, the evolution grid and communication policy. This Committee is composed of the Jury plus former Label members and field experts.
The jury uses 3 sets of documents
- An exhaustive questionnaire designed and exploited by doctorate level students from the Diplôme d’Etudes Supérieures Spécialisées (DESS) "Techniques d’Information et de Communication dans le Développement Territorial" of Toulouse University
- Self declared « Initiatives » registered by the applicant on the Villes Internet website. These intitiatives fall into 9 possible Usage Categories. This database is used a side-information by the jury and the orientation committee.
- A independent review and evaluation of the applicant’s website, based on a detailed set of criteria and methodology.
Evaluation Criteria focus on :
- Accessibility to internet within the city : number of public access points, multimedia centers, schools equipement…number of people dedicated to the services, formations,
- Access to local public services via internet : e -administration, ways for local citzen to participate into local public activities, access to public services, availability of general information, e-relationship between elected persons and citizens, tools for evaluations of public policy (type “baromètre de la vie locale”)
- Proactive networking of local players : number of community portals, city and councils websites, social services, cultural services, schools, local businesses.
- Monitoring of local usage : discussion groups and research with local users on potentiel needs, evaluation of current services, monitoring of usability and measures of usage….
- Proactive support of self-initiatives from local players and citizens and local innovation from npo
Key Facts :
- 1998-1999 : The « Ville-Internet » label concept tested with 40 municipalities,
- 2000 : 87 municipalities enter the contest,
- 2001 : 140 municipalities enter the contest,
- 2002 : 162 municipalities enter the contest
- 2003 : 254 municipalities enter the contest,
- 2004 : 411 municipalities enter the contest,
- 2005, more than 500 municipalities carry the Label.
The " Centre Ressource Center " : www.villes-internet.net
An online platform for sharing knowledge and experience
Based on its invaluable field experience, Villes Internet has launched and is operating a large website entirely dedicated to the sharing of knowledge and experience between players in the field. Called the “resource center”, this highly consulted website is used on a daily basis by all players to learn about success (or failures) in implementing local services.
More than 900 communities have registered on this website, sharing over 3000 experiences. Moreover, this is a living tool : information is checked by our team, and communities tend to actualized their information on a regular basis, reflecting service updates, evaluations, etc… Communities can choose to publish information broadly, or to members only.
The Resource Center is then :
- a place to search and learn about other people’s experience, with numerous entry-points (geography, topics, etc…)
- a place to promote one’s initiative to a targeted community
A collaborative workplace for players, to meet colleagues, and to share knowledge and experience , with interactive services (forums, lists, chat rooms,etc…)
Easy to use
This highly interactive Website is based on opensource software. It is open to all and its access is free.
A community goes through a self-registration process while creating a first information sharing report. The user gets a login and password and can then browse the site freely.
Overtime the communities fill in more Experience Sharing Reports. ESRs are indexed by themes and geography, and are accessible through a full-test research engine.
To date over 900 cities have registered on the platform, which over 3000 ESRs.
The « Internet Citizen » Newsletter
Villes-Internet’s weekly electronic newsletter is a relay to the whole community : individuals, elected representatives, local or national politicians, non-profit organisations, etc…
Far more than a simple information bulletin, it is a real monitoring tool, a “beacon” on the activities of the domain. Every week, it compiles the most relevant links towards general interest or specific websites. It points out relevant issues for the development of a citizen-centric internet, in a number of domains : local democracy, eGovernement, regulation, community life, culture, international initiatives and issues….
We issue special reports in connexion with other Villes-Internet events, such as the Regional Seminars, or the annual Award Event.
“Citizen internet” counts 3000 subscribers and reaches over 15000 readers.
The Villes Internet Events
Democracy is about physical presence and communication : Villes Internet creates the dynamics of communication and exchange through a series of events.
Regional Meetings
Villes internet acts as a catalyst to create an opportunity for local players to meet, and discuss and share local experiences.
Once a month, Region after region, local players are invited to gather and discuss core topics and local implementation : local democracy, inclusion, local citizenship, local business issues. Applications are being demonstrated, round tables held, and fun lunches shared.
The regional meetings are also a place to build long lasting connexions between players which not otherwise meet. Villes Internet provides it organizational and editorial support to the inviting city. To date 20 Regional Meetings have taken place, with average attendance between 50 to 100 local actors from all origins (public, private, business, non-profit, local, central, elected, non-elected, press etc…)
National Events
Because it is the focal point of a large network of local players, Villes Internet plays also a strong representative role at national level :
Villes internet is natural contributor to national lawmakers and governments for issues related to internet citizenship, social policies and aménagement du territoire
Villes-internet is a key player of major national or international conferences and forums, such as (in France) : Hourtin, or Glabl Cn (Montreal). It also allows the academic world to connect with the real world of social experimentation et everydays’ life.
Thematic Events : example “Networks of Creation” a digital video festival
Villes internet has been chosen to organize the first online digital video cultural festival in France. Through this festival, the goal is to identify and create networking opportunities between the numerous emerging players of this new “newmedia” expression, and spurr discussion on how it can be best used as an additional tool for local expression and social linkage.
International i-twin towns
Many international francophone cities have approached Villes Internet to leverage their twin-city initiatives into the internet dimension. On this basis Villes internet has created with the help of the Ministère des affaires étrangères the I-Jumelages program (“I-TwinCities”) which now gathers over 70 specifics projects.
This twining can be between cities themselves or between schools or npo’s. It is not especialy link to the historical city-twinings of after war.
In its current definition the goal is both to facilitate the creation and dissemination of French content on the web, and also to facilitate exchange of experiences between very different cultures, and populations, at various stage of social and economic development.
Based on this experience, Villes internet is convinced of the value of its mission to cross-fertilize the internet and put it at work for the People.
