• communications proposal for WSF 2013 V2

last modified November 14, 2011 by facilitfsm

Back ground

 

COMMUNICATIONS PROPOSAL FOR 2013

version 2  draft proposed by Pierre  based on   version 1 of document Mallory and Thais,

with a few rewording proposal  (in bold and/or starting with @, and above all, with complements  in bold and/or starting with @, taking into account the guiding principles for organizing events and  OE spaces environment  and  document presenting  OE spaces as a new element in wsf facilitation frame

plan

@Context of this proposal ( V2) 1

Mitigating Gaps in Communication ( not sure why to put tis in first place) 1

@1website as main visualization and communication tool during months ( V2) 2

2 Communications for Internal Organization 2

3 Communications for Mobilization 4

4 Communications as Participation 5

Media Production @ about process and event 8

 

 

 -

We intend that this proposal be presented at the WSF IC meeting in Dhaka, Bangladesh in November 2011 for discussion, modification, and subsequent adoption to inform a collective plan towards the 2013 forum. @Initiators of this proposal are the WSF Communications Secretariat in Sao Paulo and a participant in the IC Communications Commission. The larger Communications Commission @ is reviewing it as a contribution to  the local organizing committee concept note  for 2013

 

There are several axes along which to define the work of communications. Relevant to the forum process and activity, there exist various media such as radio, Internet, and independent journalism to consider. Also, there are the ways in which forum organizers, participants, and observers will use communications. We have elected to structure our proposal along the axis of use , rather than medium.

 

We will discuss media within the six sections presented below, which represent the three aspects of communications work for the World Social Forum. The aspects of the implementation of communications are for internal organization, mobilization, and participation.

 

@Context of this proposal

There has been a recomendation stemming out of IC paris to create exchange space between forum organizers- This idea is being given a shape in OE spaces environment

Also many chapters o GPOE Guiding principles for organizing events mention communication related issues  finally the relation between methodology and website is commenterd in a specific document that can be an annex to this

 

Mitigating gaps in communication

( @ not sure why to put this in first place)

Additionally, based on experience we have identified usual gaps in communication between forum organizers at various levels and give recommendations for mitigating these towards the 2013 forum. Below is a list of general recommendations that explicitly address historical gaps in forum communications. The level of detail is uncharacteristic of such a general proposal, yet we feel they must be mentioned explicitly due to the historical difficulty local organizing committees have faced in regards to the listed items:

Publish clearly a statement of online content, privacy policy, and terms of service.

Prioritize communications infrastructure such as Internet well in advance with proper testing and necessary funding for large, secure capacity.

@Secure workshop rooms with Internet for extended activities, enlarged on internet or video chat distance encounters) and also to let self-organized activity organizers know of logistics.

Create an emergency response team for communication and press needs during the forum.

Display dynamic content on main forum site during the forum for updates.

Use other media platforms for updates during the forum.

Aggregate various participant media being produced at the WSF

@Have a communication team in workind order to stimulate memory and evaluation an d promotion of assemblies and outcome after the vent.

@1website as main visualization and communication tool during months

@See document methodo and website and GPOEchapter about website see the OE space website regarding relation between methodology and values in wsf and functionalities

The web site is a key tool reflecting the organizing committee capacities for conveying forum spirit well before and after the event itself

@ A website can be build in Semester 1 2012 by an adhoc committee steered by OC people g and including comcom people office, and OE space participants see space website if started ).

  (replacing : Build a dynamic event website collectively between local organizers, IC committee representatives, and the WSF communications coordinator @( what is this position in “WSF organogram?”)

 

2 Communications for Internal Organization

@Note : (OE spaces about OC organizing and concept and initiative can be relevant to discuss these matter and help emergence of concrete options in OC ) see also GPOE chapter about OC organizing

The structure and specific needs of communications tools for the organization of the forum depend on the adopted methodology proposal @that can incorporate various recommendation made in GPOE  document.

 However, it is possible to comment on the possibilities and recommendations for communications tools. Additionally, we propose a committee or small group of individuals to take on the task of actually centralizing, organizing, translating, and publishing information related to important dates, decisions, and logistics., @ it looks similar to above these people could come from the various areas of wsf preparation)

 

@Enlarged committee .and enlarged meetings practice

Through different mechanisms, remote contributor can appear and can be operationally working remotely, as participants in committee working groups (in many aspects interpretation, website , extension mobilization relation to media…)  

Those working group can develop a practice of enlarging meetings during all preparation phase in order to fully include the remote contributors -the OC can be including effectively contribution long before they eventually come to the forum venue – some might even not come

 

Regular Coordination Mechanisms

There are a few technologies which could be utilized by local, regional, and international organizers to improve communication. These are:

Shared online calendar,

- Conference calls,

Utilization of email lists,

- Production of periodic reports, and

Circulation and shared documentation of meeting notes.

 

@coherence of communication inside “OE spaces”

OC Through different people can be participating in different OE spaces and circulating there and receiving there information.

-Make those spaces effective relay of communication inside wsf process,

-outreach to various part of the world with tens of past events )

-receive ideas and set up possible cooperation and find contributors – a monitoring of this information and the input and ideas received may be relevant – through internal status session

Documentation Committee

This is a proposal to create a documentation committee to handle notes, calendar, decision points, FAQs, contact information and publishing to an online wiki. This committee would satisfy the need for implementing and gathering information from email lists, meetings, and committee chairs. An evolving FAQ could centralize known information for use on the website and in the program. Working languages for the wiki could be unrestricted since readers could use machine translation. However, formal translation for publication on official website could be done as needed. @4 what is the differences between the documentation committee and the group of coordinationg people mentioned – they have less organizing weight)

3 Communications for Mobilization

@Note : (OE spaceabout mobilization and communication, and extension can be relevant to discuss these matter and help emergence of concrete working plan and actors in OC ) see also GPOE chapter about equaliuty of access, exgtension

 

 

Local

Local communications organizers will be involved in the following:

Mobilizing, receiving, and training of volunteers,

Investigating and making available logistical information to be published about local businesses,

Organizing support from university campus employees, students, and administration

Creating advertising and organizing with local radio stations,

Creating a press kit for local journalists,

Securing early articles for publication in local media,

Using social media to mobilize locally,

Creating and posting posters, and

Mobilizing local press.

Coordinating regionally and internationally with other communications organizers on the website,

Developing with local and international communication organizers common messages,

@Explaining what is extension hwo people can participate close to the event venue

 

Regional

Mobilizing regional caravansUsing social media to mobilize regionally,

Producing and circulating regionally-specific newsletters and reports to regional organizations,

Developing with local and international communication organizers common messages,

Coordinating locally and internationally with other communications organizers on the website,

@Explaining what is extension hwo people can participate locally

@Enlarging prelimitnary activities

Global

Directly incorporating the communications projects of the forum: AMARC, WSF TV, Ciranda, E-Joussour, TerraViva, Flamme d'Afrique, Carta Maior,

Sending a monthly (always), weekly (3 months prior), then daily (during event) newsletter,

Creating a decentralized website, fully-controlled by a local and international group of organizers, (give an example ? that is another website )

Integrating social media platforms,

Mobilizing early for expanded and solidarity activities,@( incorporating social forum extended- initiative in the local extension team The good thing about extension teamis that it works mainly on line )

Producing an evolving, online FAQ to centralize known logistical information, and

Developing common messages on stickers and posters to be made available for download.

4 Communications as Participation

@This is the part that is addressed in more detail by the website and methodology document - see also communication chapter of GPOE

Language Access

@Note : (OE space about interpretation  can be relevant to discuss these matter and help emergence of concrete working plan and actors in OC ) see GPOE chapter on translation

 

Translation of main website into all languages,

Translation of program into all languages,

Mutualized funding for interpretation,

Early organization of on-the-ground logistics and equipment procurement,

Presentation of advanced copy of the program for scheduling and complete communication of errata for improvising needs last-minute, and

Organization of and funding for a group of international and local coordinators from Babels of around 10 people was successful.

Forum preparation and event Activities

@Note : (OE space about "activites and culture" can be relevant to discuss these matters and help emergence of concrete facilitating actionsns in OC ) - see culture chapter of GPOE

 

 

Registration /@ announcement

@Utilization of past online registration mechanisms,(@6 registration mechanisms functionnality can be scanned with consideration to recommendation made in the website and methodology document – e-g from past experience Dakar registration mechanism does not seem to comply )

@Registration form can be considered as participation form with a volunteering and a evaluation documentation part

Creation of an online registration process to gather contact informationCentralization of contact data, andCreation of off-line registration process that can be integrated with the online solution.

@Inclusion of volunteering options in the registration form, particularly on line collaboration  in order not to separate sharply volunteers and participants

 

Cultural Events @ and cultural communication inside self organized activities

Full integration of cultural events into the program of events,

Investment funding for projects that might become grassroots fundraisers for the forum, such as CDs, t-shirts, etc.,

Wide publicity for cultural events in the local community and online, and

Live video streaming of cultural events. (@ have a team for ensuring coverage of ""co organized activitei"" and one supporting support to self enlargement of activities)

@Develop use of cultural communication in the self organized activities cooperation with cultural activists

Self-organized Activities @ in the venue and extended

 

@Note : (OE spaceabout "extension" can be relevant to discuss these matters and help emergence of concrete facilitating actionsns in OC )

 

Display these events on the website as they are submitted and scheduled,

Provide contact information, longer descriptions, instructions for online interaction, or outcomes online, and

Ensure clear documentation in program of campus so activities may be well attended.

@Make visible enlarged activity program

@Note that a growing share of activities consider enlarge ment on internet and this requires a good quality dedicated connexion in a appropriate number of rooms

@Extension of the event can bring in the scope local activities , distance encounter activieis that need proper consideration in the website ( registariton program etc)

 

@Online agglutination and preparation of activities

 

@Note : (OE space about agglutination can be relevant to discuss these matters and help emergence of concrete facilitating actionsns in OC ) see GPOE chaptuer about interconnectednes

 

@ See the website and methodology document - this has been a recurring issue –it need to be addressed this is in relation with methodology and a group of volunteers facilitatingagglutination ( see oE space proposal about this where to gather experience of past forums and get new contributions )

 

Bottom up and finalProgram

ñ  Make available, sortable and search-able, an online program with errata,

ñ  Immediate exposure of activity proposals as they are made online,

ñ  Creation of printed program well in advance with full logistical content, and

ñ  Translation only of key information into all official languages.

ñ  @Separate enlarged local distance encounter and estended program for clear reference during the event

 

Opening March, Opening Ceremony

ñ  Development of a platform for live video streaming

ñ  Outreach to the local community to gather large attendance for the march, and

ñ  Development with local and international communication organizers common messages.

ñ  Communication about final assemblies dn

ñ  @Design a extension team that will support self enlargement and suppor distance encounters - It can have alos a sub team for enlargemen t of co-organized activities and march opening

 

Solidarity Events

ñ  Make available information on expanded activities, (why are etended activities mixed with solidarity events – the idea of extended event is more general than this ) and

ñ  Make visible on main website with links to live video streams.

 

@Note : (OE space about assemblies and final moment can be relevant to discuss these matters and help emergence of concrete facilitating actions in OC ) – se GPOE chapter about assemblies and final moments

 

Assemblies @and final moment

ñ  Live video stream presentation of assembly documents, and

ñ  Make available clear directions for organizing assemblies and submitting documents.

 

@communication with other events participants and other event organizers  

@see the chapter “continuity” ofGPOE and the document between events - with a stand during the event and on line relations linked to extenstion and continuity

 

@Documentation promotion evaluation of the forum activities by participants

@see the chapter “evaluation ”and “ communication of GPOE and The forms for announcement may also include allow linkages and shorttexts about thise issues ( see meth and web)

 

@OC neeed to maintain well after the event an activity to stimulate self organized memory editing and to promote outcomes in the forum – this can be done totally on line

 

Media Production @ about process and event

@Note : (OE space about relation with media can be relevant to discuss these matters and help emergence of concrete facilitating actionsns in OC )

 

@Status and communication towards media

Media as participants / activists  and as coverage actors

Define options and policies about registration and inclusion of media in the process – eg- develop cooperation with radios on extension of activities

 

Online Media Center ( @coming first)

ñ  Generation of dynamic logistical announcements,

ñ  Dissemination of media as it is produced on the main event website,

ñ  Aggregation and display of content from various sources, and

ñ  Prioritization of the display of alternative media over mainstream media coverage.

Press Conferences & Press Releases

Press conferences will be held in the area of the Media Center, but in a space with sound-proof rooms and audio equipment such as a table, microphone, and speakers. Similar to the Media Center this space will not be open only to official media. Preferably in the morning, a press conference will be held each day during the forum. Additionally, it's important that conferences be organized one day before and one day after the forum event. During the days of the forum, the space can be used for thematic press conferences by movements, groups, and networks that participate in the forum.

 

Press releases will be made available online, as well as a schedule of conferences. A team of organizers will be dedicated to daily PR work. It will also be possible to live video stream the daily conferences.

 

Media Center

ñ  Must be made open to all participants, and

ñ  Securing fast, dedicated internet for content transfers and expanded events only.