The Hungarian Telecottage Movement
The Hungarian Telecottage movement is based on development led by communities, and on building linkages between NGO's, government and local business. The movement is supported by the Hungarian Telecottage Association (HTA), which acts as a network amongst the Telecottages and as a bridge for collaboration with government and outside funders.
The HTA defines a Telecottage as 'a unique infrastructure-intelligence base serving the local community with the following components':
Services are based on local needs and tailored to local culture and are especially focused on disadvantaged communities where the gap between modern information technology and local culture hinders development.
A Telecottage is also a community centre where local people can meet with each other and organise events. They provide relevant tools for community development programmes and through their services, work to develop and strengthen local communities from the ground up.
The movement and the HTA are designed to allow individual Telecottages to link to wider national, regional and global networks and sources of information and support.
The HTA defines a Telecottage as 'a unique infrastructure-intelligence base serving the local community with the following components':
- modern communication technology,
- office equipment, computational and educational technology,
- community space,
- organisational capability and capacity,
- accessible expert knowledge, know-how, and information.
Services are based on local needs and tailored to local culture and are especially focused on disadvantaged communities where the gap between modern information technology and local culture hinders development.
A Telecottage is also a community centre where local people can meet with each other and organise events. They provide relevant tools for community development programmes and through their services, work to develop and strengthen local communities from the ground up.
The movement and the HTA are designed to allow individual Telecottages to link to wider national, regional and global networks and sources of information and support.
Communication Strategies
The core of the Telecottage movement is civic and based on successful NGOs, which are seen by the movement as fundamental building blocks of civil society. Telecottages strategically benefit local NGO's by aiding NGO - Local Government - Local Business cooperation in information delivery, local economic development and more efficient local government services. Better trilateral local relations are believed to increase NGO capacity to survive, communicate, and deliver services, hence enhancing their credibility and ability to ‘advocate'.
The Telecottage movement is seen as a part of a process for building democracy, strengthening community and rural development, and providing new opportunities for local people, organisations and communities. Individual Telecottages in combination with the HTA provide:
The Telecottage movement is seen as a part of a process for building democracy, strengthening community and rural development, and providing new opportunities for local people, organisations and communities. Individual Telecottages in combination with the HTA provide:
- Access to sources of independent information.
- Information dissemination to local residents about their communities and themselves.
- Creation of a community space where local initiatives can be established and fostered.
- Linkages to connect local communities to regional and/or worldwide movements and processes.
- And empowerment of local residents to develop their communities based on local resources and skills.
Development Issues
Education, Political Development, Economic Development, Technology.
Key Points
The Hungarian Telecottage movement began as a grassroots initiative in the early 1990's. The first operating Telecottage was founded in 1994; the HTA was established in 1995 with the objective of nurturing the concept and creating a network.
Between 1997 and 1998 31 new Telecottages were established after The Foundation for Development of Democratic Rights in Hungary launched a USAID-supported grant competition for establishing Telecottages. The Hungarian government also began to cooperate with the HTA and now supports the movement with significant funding. There are currently 203 Telecottages in operation across the country and this number is expected to double within the year.
The Telecottage movement also seeks to embrace other regional initiatives with similar goals and feels 'that the Hungarian model can be a milestone in the development of a larger, regional Telecottage network, not constrained by international boundaries'.
The Foundation for Development of Democratic Rights is a Hungarian non-governmental, non-profit organisation that serves democratic civil society development in Central and Eastern Europe through design and management of innovative programs that strengthen nonprofit sector sustainability and improve social institutional structures.
Between 1997 and 1998 31 new Telecottages were established after The Foundation for Development of Democratic Rights in Hungary launched a USAID-supported grant competition for establishing Telecottages. The Hungarian government also began to cooperate with the HTA and now supports the movement with significant funding. There are currently 203 Telecottages in operation across the country and this number is expected to double within the year.
The Telecottage movement also seeks to embrace other regional initiatives with similar goals and feels 'that the Hungarian model can be a milestone in the development of a larger, regional Telecottage network, not constrained by international boundaries'.
The Foundation for Development of Democratic Rights is a Hungarian non-governmental, non-profit organisation that serves democratic civil society development in Central and Eastern Europe through design and management of innovative programs that strengthen nonprofit sector sustainability and improve social institutional structures.
Sources
Presentation prepared for the UNESCO Regional Seminar on
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