Community Media/Caribbean/Workshop Outline

Caribbean Network of Community Multimedia Centres -- 2nd Regional Workshop/Conference: Creating Content, Facilitating Learning, Building Networks

Overview An engaging four-day community media workshop for Caribbean community media practitioners; sponsored by UNESCO and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) as a follow-up to workshops held in Suriname (2005) and Jamaica (2008).

Dates: 19-22 November 2008

Location: St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Objectives

1. Strengthen the regional community media network, especially online exchanges, content portals
2. Build capacities to design and develop effective learning programmes for community radio
3. Improve participants’ practical skills, in online journalism and the use of content portals, effective facilitation and collaborative Web 2.0 skills

Long term outcomes (3-5 years)

• Vibrant, dynamic network of community media using media and ICTs locally and regionally to promote and facilitate equitable, sustainable development
• Widespread access in the region to effective learning programmes via local community media and telecentres
• Stronger regional networks linking media with development and education providers

Short term outputs

• Greater familiarity, sharing of experience and ideas, etc. among Caribbean community media
• Increased use of regional networking tools, especially the Caribbean Internet Radio Portal
• New online skills, e.g. writing for the web, blogging, wiki, etc. developed
• New training and facilitation skills
• Promising ”media for learning” programme formats – good practices – identified
• Concrete plans to develop educational community radio programmes for at least six stations

Approach

• Build from existing community media processes and programmes in the region
• An inclusive, engaging, highly participatory workshop focused on sharing experience, practical group work, skills training
• Pre-workshop discussions with participating stations in an online forum; pre-workshop online wiki skills training
• Site visit to a community media outlet in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Structure

• One day skills training; ½ day session on using the Caribbean Internet Radio Portal; ½ day in which participants will choose a skill set from among different streams, e.g. wiki, blogging, etc.
• One day focus on networking; participants will identify priorities and strategies for networking community media in the Caribbean
• Two days on vision, good practices and strategies for educational content on community radio, including links to education and content providers, e.g. health or agricultural groups
• Facilitators will meet one day in advance as a group to plan the detailed format for the workshop

Participation

• 20 Caribbean community media practitioners, especially programme directors, producers
• 4+ community media trainer-facilitators
• 3+ local partner observers, e.g. farmers’ group, educational institutes
• 3+ regional partner observers, e.g. regional agricultural association, health programmes, etc.