Just how smart IS your rural community?

Just How Smart IS Your Rural Community?

Creating People-Centered Community Knowledge Networks
http://lone-eagles.com/smart.htm
To survive in a world of accelerating change, all communities must quickly learn how to effectively create community learning programs to keep as many citizens as possible up-to-date on that new knowledge which creates new opportunities - on an ongoing basis. Community learning programs can start with something as simple as "live" online presentations of the best replicable innovations from other communities. As more new knowledge is put online for convenient access by the community, common sense use of appropriate knowledge sharing tools can have a dramatic impact by providing a means for everyone to contribute to keeping the whole community informed. In the knowledge age, fueled by an innovation economy, the quality of our community knowledge networks will determine the adaptability and survivability of our rural communities.

Inexpensive community knowledge networks are one easy way that everyone can work together to gather and share that new knowledge which creates new opportunities. Below are recommended first steps that do not require outside funding. As citizens and community leaders become aware of the replicable innovations already working in other communities, as included in the self-quiz and web tour below, the benefits for supporting ongoing community learning will become clearer. At issue is nothing less than preservation of our cherished rural lifestyle.

The following very short non-technical self-quiz on community "smartness" is recommended as a first group activity for community leaders. Consider "What’s the best your rural community can do for itself based on new knowledge of the best successful innovations already working for other communities?" As you review the suggested innovations below, make a list of which innovations make sense for your community and consider the potential benefits of routinely gathering and sharing the best innovations from other communities as they emerge, on an ongoing basis. At the very least your community can save hundreds of hours by simply borrowing the gathered links from other community sites.

Following the quiz is a short web tour of examples of great community knowledge networking innovations, and a recommended reading list to better understand what your community can create, even without grant funds. You'll find extensive community planning resources such as community action plans written as grant templates, K12 community service projects, and many more useful resources. Lone Eagle Consulting provides all the following resources for unrestricted use to support creation of more lone eagles and sustainable rural communities.
Creating community learning programs is everyone's responsibility and our challenge is that we have so many diverse communities within each community that could, and should, be players: K12, Higher Education, elected community leaders, unofficial community leaders, business leaders, parents, youth, disabled, faith-based organizations, non-profit organizations, etc. Each "community within the community" has their own agenda and typically none of them are yet focused on Internet empowerment or community learning. Each such community needs to understand how they will benefit by supporting a community knowledge network that integrates knowledge sharing across our "community of communities."

Quiz:

1. ___Y/N Do You Already Have Local Web Business Directories?
Are all local business web sites listed on one web page to support local online shopping and to generate awareness as to which local businesses are now doing business on the Internet?

Bethel, Alaska Business Directory
http://www.deltadiscovery.com/Shopping/shoppingalpha.html
An elegantly functional business directory to facilitate local online shopping. All local businesses are displayed on one page with all businesses with web sites easily identified by their names as blue hyperlinks.

Joseph, Oregon business directory
http://www.josephoregon.com/business_directory.htm
A database is one way of presenting a business directory but this model doesn't lend itself to convenient browsing and it can be tedious to shop around town.

2. ___Y/N Do You Already Have Your Local Media Engaged Raising Ecommerce
Awareness?

Does your local media regularly celebrate local Ecommerce success stories,
- or are they ignored?

Bethel, Alaska
http://www.deltadiscovery.com
Citizens regularly share their news on this regional community network. One can quickly see than many citizens are directly involved in regularly generating local news for this community information site.

Caithness, Scotland
http://www.caithness.org
An exceptional model of a community web site that is well maintained. This community makes sure all local businesses receive help establishing an ecommerce web page and that new information appears daily. A review of the diverse array of information reveals that this community truly "owns" the responsibility to make this site a true reflection of the community's spirit and citizenry.

3. ___Y/N Do You Already Have Local Peer Mentoring Programs?
Are local experts and community mentors celebrated for the value they bring to the community and engaged in local peer mentoring programs?

Ask A+ Mentoring Roster
www.vrd.org/locator/alphalist.shtml
A simple model for a local mentors roster. While this national mentors site is dedicated to K12 students and educators, this serves as a simple mentoring model any community could easily use to connect those with specific skills with those needing friendly mentorship to attain new skills. Mentors should be listed both by topic and by name, and by free mentoring offered and/or for-profit mentoring services. A mentoring program is described at
http://lone-eagles.com/mentoring-mission.htm

4. ___Y/N Do You Already Have An Integrated Ecommerce Incubator?
Are all local Ecommerce support businesses listed on one web page so anyone can easily find the expertise they need to bring their business online?

Lone Eagle Self-Employment Incubator
http://lone-eagles.knet.ca Inexpensive open source content management systems (CMSs) can streamline the flow of essential information in communities and serve as the public hub for skills mentoring and the proliferation of fast-track web-based self-employment businesses. Offering robust content and peer-training resources, this incubator was created to support peer mentoring for the “Montana Choice” five-year demonstration project funded by the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment policy as described at http://lone-eagles.com/montana-choice.htm One innovation for emphasizing the people-centered focus of this project is demonstrated through the photogallery slideshows of co-op crafters in Idaho, aboriginal artists in Australia, Jamaican visionaries, Alaskan Natives and soon, many others.

5.___Y/N Do You Already Provide Accessible Ecommerce Training?
Are entry-level Ecommerce education training opportunities (such as eBay) and peer mentoring programs readily available online in your community?

A Beginner's Guide to Profiting from the Internet
http://lone-eagles.com/ecom.htm
A train-the-trainers program to support local peer mentoring programs with ten two-hour hands-on lessons to raise awareness on "what's working for others like you." Lesson one includes an overview listing of many other Ecommerce online courses and resources. Provided through the Idaho State University College of Technology Workforce Training Office, this course is being used in Idaho and for the "Montana Choice" project described at http://lone-eagles.com/montana-choice.htm.

6. ___Y/N Do You Already Have Ongoing Access to the Best Innovations as They Emerge?

Are successful innovations from other rural communities readily gathered
and shared locally by any means?

Association for Community Networking http://www.afcn.org If you have innovations to share, please feel specifically invited to do so, and join the Association for Community Networking for $25. Register online.

Lone Eagle Consulting http://lone-eagles.com/articles/articles.htm
A regular short newsletter focused on rural knowledge network innovations is planned for 2005.