This Getting Started section covers how you can brief yourself and others about the the Net, and how to take the first steps in developing a community technology initiative like those covered in our Help for... section. It will be made up of articles on this site, and links to others, mainly at The Guide to Getting Communities Connected. Briefing yourself and others Terry explains how to learn about the Net, the key benefits of getting online: information, communication, collaboration, visibility and managing effectively... ... and then describes the main Net tools you can use to achieve these. Starting an initiative See the section on planning, and our suggested process Some other favourite sites...in the UK BBC Webwise http://www.bbc.co.uk/webwise There's a terrific range of material at the BBC, from basics to more advanced, and a Becoming Webwise course you can sign up for. BBC Online is the most popular content site in Europe. Getting Connected http://www.partnerships.org.uk/connect Back in 1997 a group of organisations, funded by the UK Home Office, developed some demonstration material which has since been updated and which helped form the basis for Making The Net Work. Sussex Community Internet Project http://www.scip.org.uk/mtnw SCIP provides a welcome to visitors from this site and shows how they help local groups and communities on the South Coast. A good list of links plus their own material tailored to local needs. IT resources for UK Charities and Non-profits http://www.itforcharities.co.uk/ This site offers more specialist information on technical resources for nonprofits. ... in the US Learn the Net http://www.learnthenet.com/english/index.html Terry Grunwald writes: This is my favorite Intro to the Net web site for beginners. It's comprehensive, easy-to-follow, and provides just the right amount of information for new users to master at one seating. Their new animated tutorials (needs the Flash plug-in) are fun way to learn the Net. Helping.org http://www.helping.org/nonprofit/ Helping.org is a collaboration between AOL Foundation and the Benton Foundation, whose Best Practices Toolkit has long been an source of information for community networkers. See the nonprofit section in helping.org.