Cyber-volunteering

In a globalised world, the impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) cannot be underestimated. Young people today have the ability and the possibility of changing the shape of societies through ICT skills and can take part in the development of projects that have a global impact and meaning.

In the context of the Youth and ICTs Forum organised by the GAID (Global Alliance for ICT for Development) and the ITU (International Telecommunication Union), on 25th September 2007, ICVolunteers organized a workshop on cyber-volunteering and development projects lead and implemented by young Africans. The aim of the workshop was to encourage discussions and exchanges between young people and a panel of experts in the field of ICTs. It was a timely opportunity for participants to consider what ingredients can make a project successful and to look at future initiatives concerning meaningful use of technology in Africa.

A number of topics were covered including:

• The role of young people in volunteer computing
• School projects worldwide which are involved in development initiatives
• Youth and ICT in Mali
• Self-sustainability, agriculture and ICTs

The workshop was organized by ICVolunteers, an international non-profit organization specialized in the field of communications, in particular languages, conference support and cyber-volunteerism.

Details about the GAID Conference can be found at www.un-gaid.org/en/gfyouth.

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PowerPoint Presentations

• icv_roundtable_1.pdf: ICVolunteers (CyberVolunteers), Africa@home, Youth and ICTs_Mali, Projet Ecoles, Azur Développement, ICV-Desk South Africa
• icv_roundtable_4.pdf: Uniswa, Swaziland