We’ve had a bit of a redesign in the hope of making the site a bit easier for you to use and navigate.

Feel free to let us know if there’s anything you can’t find; itango@infoxchange.net.au

iTaNGO is a project presented by the Victorian Department of Human Services,  the Victorian Department of Planning and Community Development and Infoxchange Australia to give Victorian community sector organisations the knowledge and resources to get the most out of their information communication technology (ICT) setup.

This CoPs site is designed to assist this by allowing you to setup your own group, discuss problems, solutions and ideas with other people in the not-for-profit and community space.

Start by registering on the site so you can take full advantage of the site functionality.

What are Communities of Practice?

Communities of Practice (CoP) are groups of people who share a passion around a certain area and want to work together collaboratively to learn how to do it better. They are based around a particular domain of shared interest.
In the context of the iTaNGO project, the communities of practice will be focused around the domain of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

CoPs are organic groups who self-manage and drive their own learning through: interaction; action learning and research; collaborative projects and shared practice.

How do they work?

• The key to successful CoPs is getting people participating, engaging and talking about the use of ICT within the context of the sector.
• Each community of practice is different, by the very nature of the concept. They are designed to meet the needs of the members, by the members themselves. Some may be more an online community, developing their shared interest mainly through online discussion and learning. Others may be more focused on face-to-face meetings to share practice and address their goals.
• Each CoP in the iTaNGO project will be supported with a technology platform that will allow all members to participate in online discussion. It will also enable the different iTaNGOCoPs to collaborate together if appropriate and increase the opportunity for learning within the sector.
• Areas of focus within the domain of ICT are identified by the CoP members to be of interest to the group. The group then commits to engage in collective learning about the area. Thiscan create a range of outcomes for the group.
• Some elements are defined by iTaNGO project requirements. This is discussed in a later section.

Benefits

• People with shared interest are able to collectively learn and address key issues within the ICT domain
• Creates an environment of sharing practice, cross-pollination and enabling in the area of ICT across the sector
• Provides opportunity for support for organisations in an area often seen as isolated, complex and difficult – ICT
• Introduces collaborative processes to encourage the free flow of ideas and exchange of information
• Captures and diffuses new knowledge and information
• Connects people together
• Explores new possibilities, solves challenging problems and creates opportunities

iTaNGO Project Requirements and Supports

• In conjunction with the iTaNGO team, a volunteer lead agency and coordinator will be identified to bring together people interested in creating the CoP. This process will occur during the iTaNGO workshops.
• An initial meeting of the CoP will be facilitated by an iTaNGO team member. This session will set purpose, goals and vision for the community and define the activities, technologies, group processes and roles that will support the group’s work.
• A technology platform has been created for the iTaNGOCoPs. This collaborative Web 2.0 tool allows CoPs to interact and engage with each other in an online environment to ensure learning is optimized.
• Participation and presentation at a Case Study Forum to be held mid-December 2011