Telecentre.org Foundation (TCF), in partnership with Intel, is launching the Technology, Innovation and Sustainability Talks, or TIS Talks, a series of webinars that will run from July to November 2012and will bring together telecentres, networks and partner organizations to learn about successful telecentre sustainability models and entrepreneurs as well as identify opportunities for partnership and involvement.

During the webinars, participants will have the opportunity to exchange ideas, forge collaborations, and build collective action towards social enterprise innovation and partnership-based sustainability across the telecentre movement.

To launch TIS Talks, Miguel Raimilla, TCF Executive Director, and Florencio Ceballos, former Managing Director of telecentre.org and now Senior Program Specialist for the International Development Research Centre, will conduct the first webinar on July 23, 05:00 a.m. GMT in English and 4:00 p.m. GMT in Spanish. This webinar will provide an overview of telecentres, lessons learned since their establishment, and the challenges and great opportunities ahead. An overview of TIS Talks will likewise be provided.

To join the webinar, simply access http://engageteachers.adobeconnect.com/telecentre on the scheduled date. Be sure to join at least 10 minutes early to test your connectivity.

Immediately following the first webinar are the second and third TIS Talks on July 24 and July 30, respectively. This time, models for sustainable development will be featured:

TIS Talks Webinar 2 - Syrian Telecentre Project: The Case of Salamieh Telecentre
Presenters: Ahmed Shaban, Community Development Coordinator for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ICT Trust Fund; Jimena Betancourt, TIS Talks Coordinator
Date and Time:  July 24, 2012 - English: 8:00am GMT*, Spanish: 4:00pm GMT*, Arabic: 10:00am GMT*

TIS Talks Webinar 3 - Sustainability at ATN (Associação Telecentro de Informação e Negócios), Brazil
Presenters:  José Avando Souza Sales, ATN General Director; Valter Cegal, ATN Director of Operations

Date and Time:  July 30, 2012 - English: 9:00am GMT*, Spanish: 4:00pm GMT*

*To convert webinar schedule to your local time, visit: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/meeting.html

Below is an overview of the TIS Talks areas we plan to cover in the next couple of months:

Phase 1: (July – August)

• Introduces successful sustainability models and telecentre entrepreneurs.
• Builds knowledge on innovation, social innovation and social enterprise.
• Explores the potential forms, opportunities and challenges of social innovation and social enterprise in telecentres and telecentres networks as means for sustainability.

Phase 2: (September – October)

• Presents service and products providers and partners with potential to work with telecentres and telecentres networks.
• Identifies opportunities for adding value to telecentres and users.

Phase 3: (November)

• Introduces planning, management, communications, and resource mobilization tools for telecentre sustainability
• Generates action plans on opportunities for collaboration and partnerships among telecentres, networks, and providers of ICT innovations and services.

For further information, download the Frequently Asked Questions or contact Jimena Betancourt, TIS Talks Coordinator, at jbetancourt@telecentre.org.