These pages aim to help those planning local online centres - initiatives which provide some or all of Internet access, training, support, online content and support for local community-building.

Workshop materials

These materials including a card 'game' which helps those developing networks discuss and plan what might be involved.

• Here's a general introduction to our planning games (you may have come from this page)
• The cards for starting online centres (pdf download 108 K). Right click and download the link (Windows) or option/alt click (Mac) otherwise Acrobat may load as a plug in and show the file on screen instead of downloading.
• Review general instructions for using the cards, plus other materials (or download a Word document 250K)
• Cards about developing 'fun' content for centres.

Online resources

This site contains a lot of resources for those developing community networks, with links to other sites.

• General information about online centres here.
• How to use the game in the development process for a local initiative.
• Key topics in the development process
• A toolbox of articles, tools and checklists

See also the Guide to Getting Communities Connected, developed by the Making the Network team.

We would really welcome feedback and ideas on developing the games further.
Please mail David Wilcox david@makingthenetwork.org