Summary of EATLF online discussion on management issues for telecentres

Created By: Esther on 28-May-2007 12:00 AM

Telecentre practitioners highlighted need for proper identification of community needs, strategic planning and capacity building as some of the solutions to the management challenges facing telecentres today.
This was during the second week of the East Africa Telecentre Leaders Forum (EATLF) online session discussing management issues of telecentres on the ugabytes maling list.
Pete Cranston kick starting the discussion comparing cyber cafes and telecentres in terms of customer care, content management and services, noted that it is challenging to balance trying to offer a professional service to users and being an open community resource centre.
Planning of telecentres was one of the key issues highlighted affecting telecentre management. One telecentre practitioner wrote that, “One thing has to be clear, business and strategic planning has to lead to an action plan, some people have all the skills to make the perfect strategic or business plan but they lack the tactical skills to go out there and do it. Therefore training and sharing should also focus on tactics that have worked and that could be replicated or adapted.”
Another practitioner added that, “Issues involving information needs assessment, community needs, target groups, equipment and services, setting up the structure, location, budgeting and running a sustainable telecentre are important in management because if initial survey and planning is poorly conducted then the management will carry them along.”

Telecentre.org’s senior programme officer for Africa, Meddie Mayanja underscored the importance of planning in the success of the telecentre, saying that the importance of good management planning is key in the process of searching for needs and matching services with needs.

“This means working with other organisations within or outside the community. It is all about things telecentre staff do or ignore to do everyday. If the staff will be effective in marketing and mobilising the community, then they must understand what the community needs and how these needs change from time to time,” Mayanja added.

Peter Burgess highlighted that its important to understand the community if the telecentre is to succeed. “What are the community needs? Do they have enough value for the community and are they worth paying for? Are these needs affordable to the potential customers?”
However the issue of affordability remains contentious. Some practitioners’ agued that, many telecentres have services that the community needs but is not able to pay for.

However, Florence Etta noted that capacity building of telecentre leaders in management is imperative.
“The movement possibly through the support of telecentre.org can distill knowledge and skills in financial management, technical management, Customer relations, community relations/outreach, information management (capturing, packaging and repackaging),” she wrote.

Sarah Mpagi also added that, “It would be best to give elementary training to the managers and also to facilitate them attend workshops and seminars which also act as additional knowledge which would give them some skills to begin with.”

Resounding the issues of capacity building, Mayanja revealed that telecentre.org will soon launch the World Telecentre Academy (GTA) aimed at helping telecentres gain access to accredited and certified training services.

“The GTA will also provide a framework for sharing resources, curricula and best practices as well as world-class accreditation and certification standards. Practitioners will be able to gain skills online or by distance learning through support of telecentre networks,” he wrote.


Other practitioners accentuated the need to diversify and make alliances with NGOs or agencies that wish to share information, or train people in their sector as a key strategy.
Though the online session is officially over, you can still post your ideas on the ugabytes mailing list.

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