From Access to Adoption: Transforming Community ICT

Summary

The Nova Scotia CAP Association wishes to thank the Minister of Industry for this opportunity to submit a way forward for community access to ICTs. As you move forward in advancing Canada's digital advantage we strongly urge Industry Canada to build on a solid foundation. The Community Access Program has significant ICT infrastructure in place across this country and has deep roots in communities. We look forward to working together in making Canada a proud and innovative ICT leader worldwide.

Submission

A new strategy for community technology

The Nova Scotia CAP Association, through its strong community based approach, has adapted to rapid changes in user needs. It is an established piece of community ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) infrastructure that is flexible enough to take on a variety of projects, take advantage of opportunities and respond to community identified needs. It has built a strong reputation for youth employment and skills development.

We recommend Industry Canada make the Community Access Program (CAP) a long term part of Canada's Digital Advantage strategy. Specifically we recommend the re–design of the Community Access Program as a new initiative that does the following:

• Complements the existing infrastructure to focus on elements that use new and innovative ICT's. This will continue basic access but promote the use of new technologies, especially in the area of "green computing".
• Builds a project driven program that responds to community determined needs and showcases new ICT practices to individuals, businesses, and organizations.
• Creates a more strategic Youth Initiative that can roll out year long. Use a mentor based approach where more experienced youth can transfer their learned skills to less experienced youth. Focus the initiative on supporting projects and providing "just in time learning" for the community and small businesses.
• Design a comprehensive and meaningful evaluation framework that not only takes into account usage but qualitative measurement of results that impact the community.
• Makes Canada a worldwide leader in the innovative use of community ICT's through a multi–year partnership with established community networks.

As part of this new mandate the Association recommends that those who participate fully understand their commitment to these goals and formally agree to participate in the evaluation of the new program.

We also recommend the program take on a new brand, making use of the best part of the old but clearly identifying the new strategic direction.

Background

The Nova Scotia Community Access Program Association (NSCAP) is a non–profit group with representation from twelve regional CAP networks across Nova Scotia with one Francophone network representing the ten Acadian regions. The Association includes membership from two lead community access provincial departments, Economic and Rural Development and Education. Our mission is to support and build stronger communities through the innovative use of ICTs. Membership is comprised of people with diverse backgrounds but all believe in the power of technology to transform our communities.

The Community Access Program (CAP) has provided an important service to Nova Scotians for over 17 years. CAP's importance to communities was clearly stated by the public on several occasions as government sought to end its involvement in the Program. The assumption from government was that since broadband is becoming more available the demand for public access should decrease. The public expression of concern counters this argument. This concern over the future of the Program is due to three key factors:

• There is still a need for public access to technology. Many citizens still do not have the financial means or technical knowledge to use ICTs. At the same time government, businesses, and services are all transitioning to a digital world. Also, while broadband access is increasing it is still unavailable in many rural and remote areas and will not be for the foreseeable future. Add to this the shift to mobile connected devices. Many expect to stay connected while travelling for work and pleasure, making use of wireless broadband available through CAP sites. As a result, demand at CAP sites in Nova Scotia has grown steadily and in areas such as wireless, demand is growing rapidly.
• CAP at the local level changed while the official program kept the same mandate. Several years ago, the Nova Scotia CAP Association moved from basic access to the Internet and the provision of computers to a project driven focus. The concept was simple: for ICT's to be readily adopted by citizens they had to see what it could do for them and their community. Networks and individual sites brought forward projects in partnership with local champions such as libraries, development authorities, municipalities, and others, highlighting the positive aspects of ICTs. These included one–on–one training, digital content creation, skills development, e–commerce, broadband adoption, and much more.
• The Program took on a youth employment and skills development focus. The CAP Youth Initiative (YI) has succeeded in employing youth in a well supervised and managed way, allowing them to gain skills in ICTs plus make a meaningful and long–lasting contribution to their local community. Youth have provided training for all ages, created important local digital content, assisted small business learn new skills, and much more. In Nova Scotia alone over 120 youth are employed each year, many in rural communities that have little else to offer in employment.

To underline the impact at the community level in Nova Scotia, for each $1 invested by Industry Canada in the Program, over $10 more are invested by partners. These partners include the Province of Nova Scotia, municipalities, public libraries, schools, development authorities, businesses, and community agencies. But it is that $1 that keeps the program together.

How CAP contributes to the five themes outlined in "Improving Canada's Digital Advantage".

Innovation using digital technologies

CAP sites in Nova Scotia are by their very nature ICT innovators. This is a result of the many partners that CAP has brought together over the years, each sharing their expertise and resources. The partnership of networks and sites includes several provincial and federal government departments (Community and Rural Development, Education, Tourism and Culture, Service Canada), all of the regional public libraries, municipalities, regional development authorities, schools, local businesses, and many more.

These partnerships have enabled CAP to be a recognized leader in promoting the experimentation and adoption of new technologies, creation of award–winning digital content, piloting of innovative approaches to service delivery, and delivery of skills to individuals, business and organizations.

Digital infrastructure

Through the partnerships established by the CAP Association a major piece of public ICT infrastructure has been developed across Nova Scotia This infrastructure includes broadband connections to rural and remote communities, site workstations with leading edge software and peripherals, shared printing and scanning facilities, specialized equipment and software for digital content creation, shared community web serving capability, adaptive technology deployment, 24/7 public wireless, computer labs, and more. This entire infrastructure is technically supported through the partnerships and includes capital costs as well. This infrastructure has been branded across the province through extensive promotion including everything from highway signs that alert travelers to Internet access to promotion in provincial and local tourism guides.

CAP Nova Scotia has also led the way in piloting green ICT's. Initial tests with thin and zero based clients have shown themselves reliable and enabled sites to "green" their operations. CAP is an ideal venue to promote this growing ICT sector.

Growing the ICT Industry

CAP was a key player in broadband initiatives across the province, supporting fibre builds, promoting the advantages of high speed connectivity, conducting user surveys, planning skills development projects and more. Currently there are four projects underway that support the pick–up of broadband in rural areas as the provincial broadband initiative rolls out.

Canada's Digital Content

CAP has been a major catalyst in ensuring Canadians tell their stories and sell their products to the world. CAP sites have been instrumental in helping small businesses go online by providing the infrastructure and skills to get started and develop their presence further. Sites have also brought small businesses together to enable them to support one another.

In the area of digital content creation the networks and sites have undertaken small and large initiatives, including digital interpretation of local history and culture, community and municipal websites (many of which provide access to BizPal), and specialized applications promoting the cultural economy. A recent initiative is the establishment of common digital content management software to be used by any CAP, public library, or local community organization. This would create content to nationally accepted standards and contribute to the national Canadiana.org initiative.

Building Digital Skills

CAP sites in Nova Scotia provide a first point of contact for many new technologies and the public has come to see these places as learning centres where they can quickly adopt a new skill.

By providing access to new software and technologies CAP plays a role in helping individuals and small businesses experiment and adapt to constantly changing ICT's. Sites provide presentation equipment, offer VOIP, graphics software and more.

CAP sites also excel in the one area that formal education programs fall short, "just in time" learning. Most individuals and small businesses do not learn new skills by taking extensive courses on a subject. For example, if you require converting documents into PDF or preparing promotional materials for commercial printers, you will not take an eight week course. You need a locally available resource that can show you how to accomplish your task quickly and accurately. CAP does this through training opportunities provided by the Youth Initiative.

For further information, please contact:

Eric Stackhouse, Chair
Nova Scotia CAP Association
PO Box 276, New Glasgow, NS, B2H 5E3
Telephone: (902) 755–6031
Email: Eric Stackhouse
Website: Nova Scotia Community Access Program