[IGFmaglist] Updated Newcomer track proposal

[Wisdom Donkor]

+1 to Madam Chair's suggestion

On Thursday, September 22, 2016, Bianca Ho <bianca at netmission.asia> wrote:

> Thanks Lynn for the suggestion. I agree to add this to the agenda for the
> upcoming MAG virtual meeting.
>
> Thanks!
>
> On Thu, Sep 22, 2016 at 10:32 PM, Lynn St.Amour <Lynn at internet-matters.org
> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','Lynn at internet-matters.org');>> wrote:
>
>> Thank you Bianca, Laura, Anja,
>>
>> this is a very good initiative and key to our inclusiveness aspirations.
>>
>> I would like to see if we can get the comments in earlier and add this to
>> our MAG Virtual meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 27th.  Would that work for you?
>>
>> Best,
>> Lynn
>>
>>
>> > On Sep 21, 2016, at 11:36 PM, Bianca Ho <bianca at netmission.asia
>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','bianca at netmission.asia');>> wrote:
>> >
>> > Dear fellow MAG Members,
>> >
>> > As we have discussed briefly in the call earlier, we have gathered all
>> the feedback and incorporated into the updated version of the IGF 2016
>> Newcomers proposal.
>> >
>> > Your suggestions are added in blue, while ours reflection are made in
>> red.
>> >
>> > Please note that this years' Newcomers Track will have the full
>> assistance and support of the IGF Secretariat, meaning that the
>> coordination of the activities will be conducted directly by the
>> Secretariat.
>> >
>> > We would appreciate your comments by next Weds 28th Sep, 15:00 pm UTC,
>> as it is crucial to have a final decision on this as soon as possible, so
>> that the work activities can take place, due to the short time between now
>> and Meeting dates.
>> >
>> > For any questions, do not hesitate to contact.
>> >
>> >
>> > Best regards,
>> >
>> >
>> > Bianca, Laura and Anja
>> >
>> > ____________________________________________________________
>> ____________________
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > Proposal to the IGF MAG 2016 for establishing the Newcomers Track at
>> the IGF 2016 Meeting
>> >
>> >
>> > About
>> >
>> > As the IGF’s mandate is extended for the next 10 years, participation
>> is critical for developing, enriching and implementing the intersessional
>> work. Bringing newexperts and fresh ideas to the global IGF is equally
>> important to enrich these discussions and to ensure all sectors and regions
>> are well represented.  Alongside implementing the global IGF’s outcomes on
>> a national and regional level, enhancing local discussions are also a
>> crucial aspect. Thus, outreach and people-focused capacity building should
>> be the IGF’s focus.   The communities on all levels need to have a broader
>> understanding of the Internet Governance (IG) processes in order to be
>> fully engaged in the overall IGF work and help spread the message and
>> impact of the IGF. Outreach to different interested stakeholders and
>> communities regarding the IGF intersessional work is key to its continued
>> success.
>> > Historically, the IGF has not gathered data on the number of newcomers
>> who participate each year at its annual meeting. In order to allow these
>> stats to be tracked and improved on, it is recommended to insert an
>> additional field in the online Registration Form for the Newcomers to
>> indicate if it is their first IGF Meeting.
>> > It is also suggested that the Newcomers should also receive a badge
>> with a visible colour mark on it, in order to identify them as Newcomers
>> and encourage more experienced IGF participants to help integrate them into
>> community, and make their first IGF experience as productive and welcoming
>> as possible.
>> >
>> > It was suggested to develop an IGF2016 application that will help in
>> facilitating the Newcomers identification.
>> > Taking into account the current capacity that the MAG and the IGF
>> Secretariat have, as well as the short time period between the present
>> moment and meeting dates, it does not seem feasible to develop an
>> application. However, the Secretariat could adjust the interactive schedule
>> so that it has a section only for the Newcomers to upload their photo,
>> provide a short bio of themselves and indicate their interests. By
>> subscribing to the individual sessions, the organizers can have the
>> pre-session information on who will be attending their sessions and can
>> assist in engaging more the Newcomers.
>> >
>> >
>> > Proposal
>> >
>> > The Proposed activities are aiming for continuous activities over all
>> five days of the IGF, including Day 0, as described below. The intention is
>> to be fully inclusive in this work, thus a series of dedicated sessions
>> will be developed, as explained below. As there are concerns that having
>> only on-site sessions might have an exclusive impact on the participants
>> that will come later to the venue, or more importantly, the interested
>> participants that would like to be involved and informed on this way, but
>> cannot attend in person, a set of pre-meeting briefing packages will be
>> created and shared online with the wider community, two weeks before the
>> meeting dates. These briefing packages might also help the Newcomers to
>> engage better with the IGF and become encouraged to attend, on-site or
>> online, for the future time being.
>> > Online participation should be available within all proposed sessions.
>> >
>> >
>> > Day 0: Mentor Session
>> > This is intended to be a 90-minute session, where representatives of
>> the IGF Secretariat and MAG Members will begin by explaining the history of
>> the IGF, and its main principles and working modalities in order for the
>> newcomers to be able to understand the background, and how the
>> multi-stakeholder model is being implemented in practice.
>> >
>> >
>> > After this introduction segment (of approximately 20 minutes), the rest
>> of the session will be a substantive one, focusing on the overall theme, as
>> well as the thematic workshops, BPFs and other main sessions.
>> > The last segment of the session will be a Q&A section, and will invite
>> the participants to ask questions and express any suggestions and comments
>> they may have.
>> > It was suggested by one MAG member for this session to be shorter, of
>> 60-minutes length. However, as there will be introduction by the MAG and
>> the IGF Secretariat, we are of an opinion that it is better to keep it of
>> 90 minutes length, so that there is enough time for the Participants to ask
>> questions.
>> > It was suggested and supported by some of the MAG Members to invite the
>> facilitators of the IGF2016 main sessions to introduce the objectives of
>> their sessions to the Newcomers.
>> > Full support of this idea, in terms that the facilitators come and
>> present their objectives in a 3 minutes presentation.
>> > It was suggested to contact the partner organizations that have
>> different types of programs for bringing the Newcomers to the IGF (e.g.
>> ISOC, ICANN etc.) The initial idea is for the Secretariat to conduct the
>> outreach and necessary coordination with all organizations that might have
>> these types of programs.
>> > It was suggested to add a mentor matrix. We can leverage the existing
>> resource person to achieve this.
>> >
>> > Meeting Days:  Knowledge Cafe Sessions
>> >
>> > On the regular meeting days, during the lunch period, there will be a
>> 45-60 minute informal session open to all Newcomers. The proposed idea is
>> for the Participants to have close interaction with some of the experienced
>> stakeholders from the IGF community and to discuss the IGF processes,
>> substantive issues and ways of engagement for them. The aim is to create a
>> more intimate and relaxing atmosphere, where networking and sharing
>> experiences will be easier than the large day 0 session.  The knowledge
>> café sessions will also have remote participation.
>> >
>> >
>> > There was one comment that indicated that it would be desirable if
>> Mentors would be the co-facilitators of the IGFs Main/Focus Sessions. If
>> this comment was aiming for the Knowledge Cafes Sessions, we are of an
>> opinion that we need to be fully inclusive in terms of wider IGF expert
>> community. Thus, a plan should be developed about mapping the specific
>> themes that should be covered during the Meeting days. The Secretariat will
>> coordinate with wider community about engaging experts in these activities,
>> aiming to have more mentors from similar thematic expert field to cover one
>> day. These activities will be on English language. We take a good note of
>> having MAG Member already applied to be engaged in these activities
>> (Slobodan and Alejandra).
>> >
>> > One MAG Member already suggested to help coordinating with private
>> sector their engagement in these activities. This is of a great help and
>> the Secretariat will further coordinate on this. It can be an example for
>> other MAG Members to assist in a similar way.
>> >
>> >
>> > We would like to add that it is important to have a set of continuing
>> information activities throughout the whole Meeting, with the aim to bring
>> closer the complex process of the IGF to the Newcomers.
>> >
>> > Newcomers Booth
>> >
>> > The proposed activity would be to collaborate with all booths in the
>> IGF Village (total number: 40) to put a \Welcome Newcomers' signs on their
>> stands.
>> >
>> > Welcoming Material
>> >
>> > A welcoming material for the Newcomers should be developed. A 2-pager
>> information material and online material will have a short overview of  the
>> IGF processes and will address the ways for them to engage and benefit from
>> the IGF.  This could be made available to all (new) participants on
>> registration.
>> > Prior to attending the IGF, a public call for all newcomers will be
>> launched, to send their questions. These will be gathered together into a
>> list of Q&A and shared with all Participants using the mailing list. These
>> Q&A list will be integrated in the welcoming, information material, as
>> well. It is desirable to organize a series of webinars for introduction (or
>> Q&A sessions), prior to the Meeting, to be shared with the participants and
>> wider community. The webinars will be focused on the organizational
>> principles of the global IGF.
>> >
>> > Immediate Action plans:
>> > 1.     Call for formation of Newcomers advocacy/outreach working group
>> > 2.     Creating the email for newcomers
>> > 3.     Pre-event briefing packets: Prepare scenarios for webinars  and
>> content for information materials. Develop all materials, format it and
>> make available to the participants and the community
>> >
>> > It was suggested to coordinate the Outreach activities with the IGF
>> Working Group on Communication and Outreach. After your approval, we will
>> be contacting the WGCO members for further collaboration.
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
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>> <javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','Igfmaglist at intgovforum.org');>
>> > http://intgovforum.org/mailman/listinfo/igfmaglist_intgovforum.org
>>
>>
>

-- 
*WISDOM DONKOR (S/N Eng.)*
E-government and Open Government Data Platforms Specialist
National Information Technology Agency (NITA)/
Ghana Open Data Initiative Project.
ICANN Fellow / Member, UN IGF MAG Member, ISOC Member,
Freedom Online Coalition (FOC) Member, Diplo Foundation Member,
OGP Open Data WG Member, GODAN Memember, ITAG Member
Email: wisdom_dk at hotmail.com
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