ICT in Remote Communities – It’s about people not technology
As part of my PhD research I have looked at several communities and ICT projects in Cape York and the relative importance of technical resources, access to funding , and social capital in their sustainability. I have also evaluated their contribution to well-being as defined by the communities themselves. My observations are specific to the communities and projects studied and are not necessarily applicable in all cases however I put them forward as they may help others identify avenues to improve outcomes in their communities and projects. The key takeaways from my research in terms of what works are:
•    The most successful cases are those in which the community is able to come together in a place which serves a purpose in sharing and preserving  their knowledge, not just accessing other knowledge through the Internet.
•    Local committed agents who can draw on social capital existing in their relationships within the community are most effective in drawing  people  in from a wide cross-section of ages and interests.
•    Where young people are drawn to the place of knowledge by the technology it is essential that they participate in structured learning as well as play even though play may be a strong initial incentive.
•    External actors such as Government and the non-profit sector can make a significant contribution if they make a long term commitment tied to social, not just economic outcomes.
•    External actors must also be careful not to compromise in any way the relationships which local agents have in their community as this can create negative social capital which undermines projects.
By contrast, what does not work is:
•    Providing computers and Internet access alone with no applications relevant to the community.
•    Expecting Councils to carry the cost of centres after the initial setup funding and donations run out when they are not resourced by Government to do so.
•    Insisting on financial self-sufficiency within a year of start-up as is often the case or providing funding for a limited time with no guarantee of continuance simply wastes valuable resources.
•    Failing to recognise the social impact of such projects and judging them by commercial criteria alone.

The projects I have researched in Cape York are Traditional Knowledge Revival Pathways (TKRP), Indigenous Knowledge Centres (IKC), and Cape York Digital Network (CYDN). For a thriving success story see the Hope Vale IKC .

Donna Vaughan

Vice President – Partners in Micro-development (www.microdevpartners.org )

PhD Candidate – ICT and Development, UNSW