European Information, collaboration network and collaboration among networks:

Which future?

Web EuroPA 2006 V National Meeting of the Community Information Officers

Open Space Technology

Cagliari – 16 and 17 june 2005

Final report

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Methodology used A recent English handbook devoted to Community Planning has presented 53 methods for the management of Participated processes. In the most recents years there are always more opportunities during which it is necessary the constructive interaction of big groups. It happens frequently of being obliged to summon some 10 or 100 persons and to make them talk constructively end thus lead to some concrete solution in reasonable time. These techniques have been developing mainly in the context of integrated public policies. Tools such as Agenda 21, Integrated Territorial Projects, Community Initiative Programs such as Leader, Equal, or Interreg, the Twon Strategic Plans, all need methodologies in order to make participation easier. These methodologies have have been applied with great success within the “Community of Practice” which have been deleped mainly on-line and which thus need periodically activity groups in presence. Open Space Technology can make easier these work meetings which in most cases foresee the participation of many people. Open Space Technology was created in the mid-1980s by organizational consultant Harrison Owen when he discovered that people attending his conferences loved the coffee breaks better than the formal presentations and plenary sessions. Combining that insight with his experience of life in an African village, Owen created a totally new form of conferencing. Open Space conferences have no keynote speakers, no pre-announced schedules of workshops, no panel discussions, no organizational booths. Instead, sitting in a large circle, participants learn in the first hour how they are going to create their own conference. Almost before they realize it, they become each other's teachers and leaders. Anyone who wants to initiate a discussion or activity, writes it down on a large sheet of paper in big letters and then stands up and announces it to the group. After selecting one of the many pre-established times and places, they post their proposed workshop on a wall. When everyone who wants to has announced and posted their initial offerings, it is time for what Owen calls "the village marketplace": Participants mill around the wall, putting together their personal schedules for the remainder of the conference. The first meetings begin immediately. Open Space is, as Owen likes to say, more highly organized than the best planning committee could possibly manage. It is also chaotic, productive and fun. No one is in control. A whirlwind of activity is guided from within by a handful of simple Open Space principles.

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The most basic principle is that everyone who comes to an Open Space conference must be passionate about the topic and willing to take some responsibility for creating things out of that passion. Four other key principles are: 1) Whoever comes is the right people. 2) Whatever happens is the only thing that could have. 3) Whenever it starts is the right time. 4) When it is over it is over. My favorite Open Space principle is The Law of Two Feet: "If you find yourself in a situation where you aren't learning or contributing, go somewhere else." (To me, this includes the possibility of moving to another level of awareness and participation, as well as the more obvious one of moving to another activity.) This law causes some participants to flit from activity to activity. Owen rejoices in such people, calling them bumblebees because they cross-pollinate all the workshops. He also celebrates participants who use The Law of Two Feet to go off and sit by themselves. He dubs them butterflies, because they create quiet centers of non-action for stillness, beauty, novelty or random conversations to be born. Open space conferences can be done in one day, but the most powerful go on for two or three days, or longer. Participants gather together briefly in the morning and the evening to share experiences and announce any new workshops they have concocted. The rest of the day is spent in intense conversation. Even meals are come-when-you-can affairs that go on for hours, filled with bustling dialogue. After a few days of this, an intense spirit of community usually develops that is all the more remarkable considering that participants are all doing exactly what they want. Open Space conferences are particularly effective when a large, complex operation needs to be thoroughly reconceptualized and reorganized -- when the task is just too big and complicated to be sorted out "from the top." On the assumption that such a system contains within it the seeds of everything that needs to happen with it, Open Space provides it with an opportunity to self-organize into its new configuration. For this to work, however, the system's leaders must let go of control so that true self-organization can take place. Open Space Technology is also a delightful, useful tool for any group of people who are really interested in exploring something that they all care deeply about. I look forward to its broad use in organizing communities and exploring public issues. Open Space is one of the simplest, most brilliant combinations of order and chaos that I have yet found. It has been applied in thousands of meetings around the world with between five and one thousand participants. It can be effectively used by virtually anybody.

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Subject: Local Authority: Which kind of information? Group proposed by: Luigi Suarato, Pierluigi Ferrenti, Marisa Deias Participants: Luigi Sparato, Giovanni Consolino, M. Stella, Lodovichetti, M. Antonietta Tucceri, Pier Luigi Ferrenti, Gianfranco Caddemi, Marisa Deias, Ciro Lo Piccolo, Maria Formoso, Alessandra Boero, Massimo Piras, Giada Monaco, Anna Prada, Gaetano Sorcinaro, Giampiero Diligu. The most relevant topics of discussion:

1) need of selecting and providing documentation and information to the final users, according to their needs (planning and objectives); opportunity for the Local Authority and values foe their territories

2) need of involving/coordinating all the different Department of the Local Authority– politicians, managers, and bureaucracy

3) Central role of the Community Information Officer and professionalisation of the information activity (he must be able to implement the what has been discusses above); recognition of the work of the community planner.

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Groups Reports

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Subject: What can we do to make network work? Group proposed by: Elena Catte, Fulvio Obici, Giuseppe Sabia Participants: Fulvio Obici, Nino Sutera, Anna Maria Linsalata, Francesco Iovine, Maria Elisabetta Todde, Pier Franca Girau, Paolo Barbiero, Barbara Piotrowska, Alessandra Tuzza, Loredana Panetta, Silvia Fracchia, Giuseppe Sabia, Andrea de Natale SG, Rosa Tamburo, Elena Poggio, Anna Paola Iacuzzi, Elena Catte, Daniele Casu, Claudia Salvi The most relevant topics of discussion: Given for granted that the network works only if the information reaches the reference target, the following issues have been discussed: It is necessary:

- the network recognition by EU - a stronger role of the network in the planning activity of the European

Commission - the precise will of the institution (local or national) to participate to the

network formalized upon issue of a resolution - collaboration among the different networks at central and local level - availability of financial resources to make the network function (expenses

related to the staff devoted to make the network work/ travel expenses, etc.)

- coordination among the information sources (to avoid to duplicate the information on the territory) realization of a registry office of the communicators at local level (with the list of organizations and people involved)

- to organize exchange of best practices - to start a bi-directional relationship with the network users (citizens and

network members) to try to focus on their real needs (for example methodologies of participated planning/facilitator)

- to develop a common planning activity - to have the possibility to exchange information (restricted web

area/meetings finalized to the co-sharing of the objectives and of the network initiatives)

- to acquire competences in the communication , local development and planning sector.

Work Group conclusions: “National Network Project” recognition of Formez National Network of Community Officers by European Commission to guarantee the financial resources through the Community programs (for examples through the Innovating Actions such is the case of Basilicata Region) The main aims is to ensure the information dissemination among the Community Officers and to improve the activities which have the citizen as their main target/potential final beneficiary/final beneficiary.

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Subject: Local Authority: How to overcome Self-referentiality to make information more efficacious Group proposed by: Mario Silvestri Participants: Noemi Frabregue, Giuliano Frau, Maria Grazie Dentoni, Stefania Sollai, Barbara Urgu

The most relevant topics of discussion: Weaknesses:

- poor connection between the centre and the suburb in the communication sector

- chaotic competencies of the information desks operating on the territory - lack of knowledge on what the other information desks are doing - lack of identity of the professional skills which are in charge of the sector - first level information not always sufficient to provide precise answers to

users’ requests Proposals:

- More dialogue between centre and suburb so that the centre knows better the real suburb needs

- Identification of strategies and competencies of the territorial information desks

- Territorial information co-ordination through the creation of an information chart about the tasks of the different information desks in order to know better what the others are doing

- Specialization of the community officer with the identification of the professional skill

- Guidance role in addition to information role of the Community Officer - Verification of the information so as it is perceived by the territory which

allows an analysis of the real needs and monitoring activity of the information dissemination.

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Subject: Public Communication and community information; which interaction for the training and professionalization of the officers Group proposed by: Claudia Onnis Participants: Paola De Miedo, Emanuela Attori, Chiara Cantarella, Marco Tornambé, Bernardo Notarangelo, Magda Sanna, Marco Cozzolino, Gianluca Orlando, Laura Comelli. The most relevant topics of discussion:

- The great variety of existing situations compared to the forecasts of 150/2000 Law in the information desks which refer to the Community Information networks in Italy has led to a deep discussion on the need of making clear the further relation between the public communicator and the Community Information Officer.

- The second part of the discussion was focused on the collaboration need

between the different community information networks, Public Communication Association e FEACP for the surveying of the training and professionalization demand on the methods and communication practices and of dialogue with the citizens

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Subject: What can we do after the information? After the information of the European Funding, how can we turn information in real projects? Group proposed by: Luigi Suarato Participants: Luigi Suarato, Maria Formoso, Ciro Lo Piccolo, Giuliano Frau, Enzo Cataruzzi, Gaetano Torcinaro, P. Franca Girau, Alessandra Boero, Massimo Roghima, Marisa Deias The most relevant topics of discussion:

- The need of resources and of an adequate training activity of the persons in charge of providing information to the Public

- The internal staff is more reliable than the external consultants - The administration must guarantee a process which goes from

information to project planning - The information towards schools and the citizen and information within

the administration: two different kind of information - European Information is highly specialized and it cannot be included in

the “Organisation Communication” Department - Project Works Team: it is necessary to create it - The Region should be the promoter of sub-provincial information desks - It can be useful to start stages with university students - Information must be linked to training - It is important to create a twosome practice between “the Technician”

and the “Politician” to provide good quality information - To provide the information for target groups: productive categories,

special categories, gender - To make the group grow and evolve - full immersion planning - It is necessary to organize training sessions on the EU funded

programmes with practical excercises (and the participation of evaluation experts of Community and Regional Programs)

- It could be useful to organize specific training activities aimed at the “community of practice”

- Formez should be in charge of organizing these training modules for the Community Information Officers

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Subject: European Information decetralisation. Tools and collaboration forms among the existing networks at different levels Group proposed by: Loredana Panetta - Gioiosa Ionica Calabria Participants: Paolo Barberio – Europe Direct Bolzano, Laura Pomelli – Region Friuli Venezia Giulia Managing Authority, Marisa Deias – Cuglieri Municipalità, Noemi Fabregue – Province of Varese Europe Office, Maria Lodovichetti – Rimini Municipalità, Massimo Piras – Europe Direct Cagliari, Anna Prada Province of Varese Europe Office, Maria Antonietta Tucceri Avezzano Municipalità, Alessandra Tuzza – Europe Direct Calabria, Salvatore Boeddu – Europe Direct Nuoro. The most relevant topics of discussion: Considering the simplification of the information networks on Europe wanted by the EU Commission, and from the current Formez initiative, it is necessary that “regional tables and groups” of the European information Officer community of practice of the different kind (which in addition will allow the dissemination of the results of the specific meeting organized by Formez) It deals with drawing to attention of the Presidency of the different Regions the need of a recognition proposal of the regional network which as a matter of fact operate on the territory. The example of the Sardinian brochure “Easy Europe” which underlines all the information desks active in the Region of Sardinia is a good example in this direction. It is important to establish a link and a co-sharing activity among the different territorial operators, not only at “Europe Direct” level, in order to provide a better information to the citizen. The “top of the class” logic must not win nor the logic of the prizes awarded by the representation of European Commissions in the different Member States, also because the information need on Europe is strong both at citizens level and at information officers of Local Authorities levels. In fact, in different realities episodes of incommunicability have already happened among the different work levels on community information for the citizenship have meant waste of resources among databases and sometimes interventions have been superimposing one another. With this in mind we should examine the collaboration possibilities at local level through the operational tools and existing institutions (agreement among the different Europe Direct desks, EIC, and other EU information desks and Local Authorities, agreement protocol, co-sharing of existing databases) Such collaboration is not easy to reach as the different institutional structures in charge of “European information” are different and sometimes they work in competition as they must affirm their role within their institution – being

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supported by the European Commission the competition role among the different co-existing authorities in providing European Information. The different authorities operating in different local contests have also underlined apart from a co-ordination need, also a specialization need according to the different interventions areas. It is also important to be still part of Formez “Community of Practice” to get a “from the top” recognition of the Community Information Officer” professional skill o in some way to try to connect not only the different realities at local level, but to get an official recognition like from example from the Ministry, Commission. The information decentralization on Europe is possible only if there is a collaboration between the centre and the suburbs, and it must go in parallel with the official recognition.

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Subject: Which role can have the Commission to help the Regional Public Officers? Group proposed by: Barbara Piotrowska – European Commission Participants: Giuseppe Sabia, Marco Tornambé, Elena Catte, Gianfranco Caddemi, Nino Sutera, Mario Silvestri, Barbara Piotrowska, Pierluigi Ferrenti, Elena Poggio, Marco Cozzolino, Francesco Iovine, Tiziana Sforza, Anna Maria Linsalata, Andrea De Natale, Marisa Deias, Fulvio Obici, Chiara Cantarella. The most relevant topics of discussion: Which intervention possibilities do the Regions have for amendments or integration to the new Draft Regulation on Information and Communication about Structural Funds? Barbara Piotrowska says that there are not great possibilities of amendments, but she will try to do her best to keep everybody informed about the document progress. What the Commission can do about the recognition of the “European Information Officer” with a possibilities of funding the network expenses? It seems that it does not seem possible that there will be a formal recognition of the network. The communication system implemented by the Commission foresees a top-down approach starting from the Commission and spread to National Authorities. The possibility of giving birth to a Community Information Officer Professional skill which in some ways is recognized by EU can be supported within a Best Practice project funded by community programs, (Interreg for example) to be exported in other European countries. That in some ways should imply an implicit recognition by the community institution. The real possibilities of support to the EU information Officer can be implemented at the very best through SFIT group. With this in mind we asked Piotrowska to improve the tools used by the team (database) in terms of translation of tools and documents. To facilitate the information dissemination through a mailing list and eventually through other more dynamic communication ways.

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Subject: Communicating Europe to Young people Group proposed by: Ravenna Municipality, Livorno Municipality, Cagliari Province, Cagliari Province Europe Direct, Vittoria Municipality, Montiferru Mountain Community, Torino University Participants: Graziella Ricci, Eleonora Commone, Paola Pasqui, Giada Monaco, Mariaelisabetta Todde, Mariagrazie Dentoni, Stefania Sollai, Giovanni Consolino, Gian Piero Diligu, Rosa Tamburro. The most relevant topics of discussion:

1) How to communicate Europe to different students groups? Different proposals and experiences have emerged from the discussion which can also be transferred. The message in this case is to spread more easily thanks to the biggest attention of students and teachers to this issue. In some secondary schools a “Referent for Europe” has been official appointed with whom local authorities can get in touch for dissemination activities. We would like to underline PEG experience – Youth European Parliament and the fairy tale for children whose title is: “The European Bear” (Ravenna Municipality): the idea- born within the group – is that to submit a project proposal of experiences exchange among schools of different European Towns, starting fro Ravenna Municipality experience. The suggested methodology is that to involve directly the youth and to use the products created on the basis of their creativity as a way to reach the young people who have abandoned the school.

2) How to communicate Europe to Young People who have

abandoned and/or to weak categories? In situation of high school dropout, and with a high rate of unemployment and of social disadvantage, we have tried to find a solution to the problem on how to reach the biggest amount of young people. The identified solutions are the following:

- To use the current law and regulations at national level (328 Law, Area Plans)

- To submit project proposals on training – through the Regional Operational Plans – aimed at disadvantaged people, through the minimum guaranteed support, also through the involvement of Universities, associations in general, The Equal Opportunities Department, etc.

- To submit project proposals within Civil Voluntary Service - To use exchange Programs at European Level (Youth for example) to

provide an opportunity to Young people of professional and personal growth

- To use media- mainly TV and radio with specific programs created and implemented by Young people (for example TG Students, radio programs which disseminate information about studying and working opportunities)

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- To draw particular attention to the girls who if from one side are most of the time highly discriminated, on the other hand can exercise a big influence within well defined social contests.

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Subject: Mediterrenean= trans-national planning: how and with whom to enter in network Group proposed by: Bernardo Notarangelo Participants: Mario Silvestri, Marisa Deias, Massimo Rocchitta, Elena Poggio, Elena Catte, Fulvio Obici, Nino Sutera, Anna Maria Linsalata, Enzo Cattaruzzi, Claudia Salvi The most relevant topics of discussion: Mediterrenean crosses all the cohesion policies. In reality the Research and University Ministry Representative has proposed an institutional Protocol to Puglia Region open also to other authorities to reply to the demand of making a planning synergy towards the Operational Programs. Other experiences of existing collaborations have been indicated; in particular as regards the fishing sector among Emilia Romagna, Veneto, Friuli venezia Giulia and Crotia, In addition, Ancona Municipality is the lead partner of an Adratic-Ionian network which includes the following Regions: Veneto, Abruzzo e Puglia. Another project is the one on the Mediterranean rural nature whose Lead partner is Campania Region. Claudia Salvi has reported that Formez has received a funding from Foreign Office within CIPE to make a survey on the activities implemented by the Italian Region on the issue of International Cooperation. The aim is that to create an “Italian System”. Besides Claudia has reminded the participants that within WEBEuroPA 2006 project it is still operating the Partner Search Service which will be increased on the Mediterrenean Countries. From the debate the following idea has come out: the creation of a specific network within the restricted area of EU Information Office rcommunity of practice named “Mediterrenean Cooperation” which has as a main aim to work together on concrete projects. Nino Sutera from the Region of Sicily will be the coordinator of this on-line environment which will be created within WEBEuroPA 2006 platform. The people interested in participating to such a platform can get in touch with Nino Sutera at the following internet address: ninosutera@regione.sicilia.it

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Subject: Information effectiveness: Contents, media, target. Which are the priorities? Group proposed by: Massimo Piras Participants: Alessandra Boero, Piera Franca Girau, Maria Grazia Dentoni, Paolo Barbiero, Stefania Solai, Barbara Urgu, Luigi Sparato, Giuliano Frau, Giada Monaco, Gianfranco caddemi, Salvatore Boeddu. The most relevant topics of discussion:

- The need to specify the contents characteristics with a particular attention paid to tenders and information

- Users must be educated to interact with the contents - Target and contents must be developed at the same time within the

actions proposed by the Community authorities - The contact with the users must necessarily be on time and as much as

possible linked to their real needs - It was strongly underlined the specificity of the Information Officer

Role and of the importance of his ability of communicator, of being a users needs translator.

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About Open Space:

www.openspaceworld.com

www.openspaceworld.org

www. openspaceworldmap.org

www.scuoladifacilitazione.it

www.avventuraurbana.it

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List of participants at 16 and 17 june OST sessions Surname Name Administration e-mail Atzori Emanuela Com. Mont. IX Nuorese eatzori.soc@tiscali.i Barbiero Paolo Provincia di Bolzano paolo.barbiero@provincia.bz.it Boeddu Salvatore Com. Mont. IX Nuorese info@carrefoursardegna.org Boero Alessandra Provincia di Cagliari aboero@provincia.cagliari.it Caddemi Gianfranco Comune di Cagliari gf.caddemi@comune.cagliari.it Cantarella Chiara Università di Catania chcantarella@lex.unict.it Casu Daniele GIT Oristano d.casu@imc-it.org Cattaruzzi Enzo Regione Friuli V.G. enzo.cattaruzzi@regione.fvg.it Catte Elena Regione Sardegna ecatte@regione.sardegna.it Caverzasi Alberto Provincia di Varese acaverzasi@provincia.va.it Comelli Laura Regione Friuli V.G. laura.comelli@regione.fvh.it Commone Eleonora Comune di Livorno repris@comune.livorno.it Consolino Giovanni Comune Vittoria cooperazione@comune.vittoria.rg.it Cozzolino Marco Eurosport. CCIAA NA m.cozzolino@eurosportello.na.camcom.it Cubeddu Tiziana Università di Cagliari tcubeddu@amm.unica.it De Miedo Paola de Natale Sifola G. Andrea Ist. Promoz. Industriale denatale@ipi.it De Nicolò Paolina Regione Puglia p.denicolo@regione.puglia.it Deias Marisa Comune di Cuglieri marisadeias@tiscali.it Dentoni Maria Grazia Provincia di Cagliari mgdentoni@provincia.cagliari.it Diligu Gianpiero Com. Mont. XIV arkdilly@tiscali.it Fabreque Noemie Provincia di Varese nfabreque@provincia.va.it

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Ferrenti Pier Luigi Comune di Lucca fin-comunitari@comune.lucca.it Formoso Maria Provincia di Palermo ipe@provincia.palermo.it Fracchia Silvia Formez sfracchia@formez.it Frau Giuliano Ersat formazione@ersat.rupa.it Gessa Bruna PLD Eurodesk Cagliari IT020@eurodesk.org Girau Piera Franca Provincia di Cagliari pgirau@provincia.cagliari.it Iacuzzi Anna Paola Provincia di Oristano Iovine Francesco Saverio Comune di V. Equense vicoeuropa@libero.it Linsalata Annamaria Regione Emilia Romagna alinsalata@regione.emilia-romagna.it Lo Piccolo Ciro Provincia di Palermo ipe@provincia.palermo.it Lodovichetti Maria Comune di Rimini urp@comune.rimini.it Marchetti Riccardo Comune di Avezzano rmarchetti@comuneavezzano.it Monaco Giada Provincia di Cagliari gmonaco@provincia.cagliari.it Nitoglia Sestilio Comune di Avezzano snitoglia@comuneavezzano.it Notarangelo Bernardo Regione Puglia b.notarangelo@regione.puglia.it Obici Fulvio MIUR fulvio.obici@miur.it Orlando Gianluca Regione Campania Panetta Loredana Comune di Gerace loripanetta@tiscali.it Pasqui Paola Comune di Livorno fincom@comune.livorno.it Pennone Domenico Regione Campania d.pennone@regione.campania.it Piotrowska Barbara Commissione Europea barbara.piotrowska@cec.eu.int Piras Massimo Provincia di Cagliari maximpiras@yahoo.it Poggio Elena Regione Piemonte - IRES poggio@ires.piemonte.it Prada Annamaria Provincia di Varese amprada@provincia.va.it Ricci Graziella Comune di Ravenna gricci@comune.ravenna.it Rocchitta Massimo Francesco Ersat formazione@ersat.rupa.it

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Sabia Giuseppe Regione Basilicata giuseppe.sabia@regione.basilicata.it Salvi Claudia Formez smameli@formez.it Sanna Magda Paola Università di Sassari magsanna@uniss.it Silvestri Mario Comune di Ravenna msilvestri@comune.ravenna.it Sollai Stefania Provincia di Cagliari SSollai@provincia.cagliari.it Sorcinaro Gaetano Consorzio ASSE Avellino asse@virgilio.it Suarato Luigi Comune di S.G. a Cremano d.sviluppoeconomico@e-cremano.it Sutera Nino Regione Siciliana ninosutera@regione.sicilia.it Todde Elisabetta Provincia di Cagliari mtodde@provincia.cagliari.it Tornambé Marco Regione Siciliana marco.tornambe@regione.sicilia.it Tamburro Rosa Università di Torino rosa.tamburro@unito.it Tucceri Mariantonietta Comune di Avezzano europa@comuneavezzano.it Tuzza Alessandra Antenna Europe Direct Calabria sandra.tuzza@libero.it Urgu Barbara Provincia di Cagliari barbarau77@hotmail.com