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.