Document(s) 6 de 6

Community: Province-wide in Saskatchewan

Project Participants: Saskatchewan Network of Regional Economic Development Authorities (27), Community Colleges (4 community & 8 regional), Libraries, Associations, Computer Retailers and Information service providers.

Description

SACN was formed in the spring of 1996 when it became evident, vis-à-vis an initial community partnership of regions, that a province-wide organization could provide leadership and co-ordination for Community Internet Access sites and networks in Saskatchewan.

SACN could then demonstrate this leadership by striving to provide public access to information and to bring full advantage of advanced communications technology to communities with a primary, but not restricted, emphasis on community economic development.

SACN is a membership based organization that has developed a wide range of member services to assist communities in achieving their goals of community presence, information literacy, and equality of access to information resources to complement the economic development focus.

Through its open partnership approach, and in co-operation with the provincial network of Regional Economic Development Authorities (27) and the Community Colleges, (4 community and 8 regional), SACN will provide a continuing education program that will develop local and regional expertise in all areas of communications technologies.

Currently, SACN is exercising Internet-based applications and has its web site managed by the Saskatoon FreeNet.

The genesis of the initiative and its funding was prompted by the national Information Highway policy and Industry Canada’s - Access Canada program. Several communities took advantage of the above to form the nucleus of what today is formally identified as SACN. With the advent of formalization of the network and an open partnership theme, provincial libraries, associations, computer retailers and information service providers have been added to the core body.

Today, there are thirty (30) partnerships in place and a current proposal is anticipated to add 30-50 additional members for 1997. For the year 1998, the total is expected to increase by another third.

It is appropriate to highlight the goals of SCAN to put in perspective the present and future power and benefit of this provincially coordinated network for community development partners.

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Policy Observations

The Saskatchewan Association of Community Networks to provide a province-wide structure to support the development of Community Internet Access Sites. As such, the goals and functions of the SACN include:

• <U>Technology Diffusion</U> - to provide a coordinated and on-going program of broad-based technical education and liaison to enhance the development of new communications technologies in its member communities.

• <U>Skills Transfer</U> - through co-operation with the Regional Economic Development Authorities and Community Colleges, SACN will provide a continuing education program that will ensure the relevant expertise in ICT’s. A provincial pool of expertise will be readily available for utilization by the member network.

• <U>Institutional Liaison</U> - community networks need open and continuing channels of communications to the corporate, educational, governmental and other relevant provincial and national bodies with whom they have common interests and objectives. SACN aims to facilitate this communication and the development of joint programs, projects and activities.

• <U>Policy Development</U> - SACN serves as a voice for its member organizations in the development of communications policies by provincial and federal governments and agencies. Additionally, through its advocacy role, SACN also provides leadership to non-member communities and bodies.

• <U>Member Services</U> - SACN has and will continue to develop a wide range of services to assist local communities. Such services include: workshops, conferences, events, referrals, electronic and paper forums for issue discussion. It also publishes a monthly newsletter service to members and non-members to assist in marketing the network model.

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Document(s) 6 de 6