We are developing a set of questions and answers covering planning; community involvement and marketing; partnership; governance/management; technology; project development.

Planning and resources

Initiation/bidding

What will the overall process involve and how long will it take? (See diagram)

Where can I get funding or other resources for pre-bid work?

How can I best identify the groups we aim to serve, and understand their needs? (Network, survey, run workshops)

How can I find out about local resources: people, plant, premises, money? (see audit tool)

Where can I find out about other similar initiatives? (Links)

Where can I get help in developing the initiative? (DirectSupport, links)

Start up

How can I undertake detailed audits and needs assessments? (see tools)

How can I develop a business plan and bid for funds? (see business planning section in centres)

How can I plan plan initial promotion and marketing?

Operation

How can I monitor how far we are on track with our plans? (checklists tool)

Sustainability

How should we plan for sustainability? (develop a business plan)

Community involvement and marketing

Initiation/bidding

How can identify key interests who should be involved (survey, networking)?

How can we run workshops to develop a shared vision for the initiative? (tool)

Start up

What are the best projects and activities to start with? (Run ‘fun’ projects, aim for early successes)

How can we help people understand what is planned (Visit, present, demonstrate)

What issues should we consider to make sure everyone has access to the initiative? (language and other access issues)

How can we plan to keep people motivated (Celebrate any successes,Plan launch)

How can we ensure that the community plays a full part in the initiative? (Offer capacity building for local groups )

Who might volunteer to help? (article)?

Operation

How can we give everyone a chance to play an active part? (Task groups, Personal programmes, Support champions)

Sustainability

How can we sustain people's interest and involvement? (Open days, Work with local groups)

Partnership

Initiation/bidding

Who might the main partners: (e.g. library, FE college)

Who is most likely to offer help?

Are there any national networks we could join?

How can we best engage our partners in the planning process? (Arrange visits, share ideas, Run visioning workshops)

Start up

How can we start working with partners? (Form task groups)

What form should partnerships agreements take?

Operation

Sustainability

How can we ensure that the partnership is sustainable? (business plan)

Governance/management

Initiation/bidding

How do we organise those involved before we have an organisation? (Establish development group and ‘virtual centre/organisation’)

How should we plan development of an organisation? (Address management, governance, staffing issues in business plan )

Start up

Who are the main people needed in the early stages? (Recruit key (funded) person, then volunteers, tutors)

How can we get people actively involved (Identify champions and involve them in workshops)

When is it appropriate to create a formal organisation or network? (Work through projects and resources first)

What help should we be seeking? (Recruit advisers)

What staff planning should we do? (Begin staff and volunteer induction and training )

Operation

What are the key issues we will face in running the initiative? (Help is at Hand site)

How can we maintain effectiveness? (Training, train trainers)

How can we spread the load? (Partners,Volunteer programme)

Sustainability

How can we ensure sustainabitity of the organisation? (Community business? Trust? Network of projects? )

Technology

Initiation/bidding

What level of technical knowledge and skills will we need? (Depends on the projects)

What should we aim to do 'in house' and what can we buy in?

How soon should we start thinking about the technology? (Not before projects, but brief/train development group on technology)

Where can we find out about community technology? (Becta, Lasa Knoweledgebase, Tech soup)

How should we plan for our technical needs? (Develop initial technology requirements)

Start up

What is the first technical development we are likely to need? (get core group online)

How do we relate technology to the ideas we are getting from the community (Develop detailed technology plan to meet project needs)

What help will we need? (Recruit advisers, support)

How can we help people get to grips with the technology? (Awareness raising, initial training )

Operation

Wha are likely to be the main challenges in installing technology?

Sustainability

What issues will we face in the longer term? (Maintain, upgrade)

Project development

Initiation/bidding

Start up

Fun projects for community involvement

Newsletter

Develop acceptable use policy

Get key people online

Operation

Online discussion

Evaluation and monitoring

Free access

Sustainability

Map changing content agenda