ICT Leadership Training

In Baan Nato, Chiang Rai, Thailand, children identified their most important challenge as their lack of knowledge about ICT use (particularly computers and internet). After carefully considering the root causes of this challenge, the children identified specific actions or strategies they could take to address the challenge by drawing a strategy tree on the issue.

 
The strategy tree below identifies these proposed strategies. They include:
1. Conduct a workshop on basic computer and internet use and safety
2. Conduct an English language training workshop
3. Seek financial support for computers for the schools and the community
4. Finding manuals on how to use computers and the internet safely
5. Create a computer laboratory or internet café in the community
6. Allow the students to surf the Internet
7. Find volunteers to provide basic information on computer use after school
8. Change all menu screens into Thai
9. Install protective system to block inappropriate websites
10. Use computer monitors that prevent computer eye strain
11. Install anti-virus software
12. Explain the usefulness of computer to the parents
13. Finding teacher volunteers to teach
 
From all of the strategies, the children decided to conduct a workshop. The implementing organization worked together with the children to develop an action plan to support this vision. The Circle of Rights child-led action plan focused on increasing children’s awareness of ICT safety. 
 
Specifically, the children identified a need for regular workshops on ICT use (e.g. how to use word processing applications, how to search the Internet) and safety (e.g. how to protect self from online dangers and use ICT safely).
 
To launch their action plan, two 2.5 day workshops were organized for 25 children aged 8-10 and 25 children aged 11-15. These workshops were conducted by youth from a local college with the intent that children who participate will be ICT safety ambassadors and will teach other children and community members about ICT safety.
 
Additional workshops have been scheduled for the future to further increase the children’s knowledge and capacity of safe ICT use and the children’s committee has approached the Department of Local Administration and Plan Thailand to seek additional support for the initiative.