Content

Source Camp agendas are built around a few core themes (called tracks), which are tailored to the needs of a specific region. In the past these have included migration to Free/Open Source Software; alternative ways to provide access; information handling and advocacy. In addition to the tracks, Source Camps have a range of events and sessions that cover smaller topics and encourage skills-sharing between participants. Spaces in which debate and exchange around FLOSSophy are also created and especially encouraged.

Practical sessions cover issues ranging from "How to set up a NGO office using free/open source software and provide on-going maintenance and support", to specific "screwdriver sessions": hands-on, practical sessions where participants build something together. For example, constructing wireless antennas or setting up thin-client open labs. Conceptual sessions look at issues ranging from the benefits and intricacies of localisation, to discussions about the challenges of FOSS implementation and advocacy.

Further topics are added depending on participants' needs and regionally relevant issues. For example, during Asia Source, extra sessions were added on FOSS and disaster relief in response to the recent Tsunami, and a whole track was designed on free and open source video and audio for those working with community projects, independent media and advocacy groups.

In their application forms, participants pick a track around which core learning is organised. They follow these tracks in morning sessions throughout the week. In the afternoons, participants choose from a range of sessions according to their interests.

Additional information:

• See the Running the Programme page for more background on the different types of sessions and how to structure the content.

Roles and responsibilities

While Campers usually cringe at the thought of hierarchical
organisation, there are very different roles and responsibilities that individuals take on during Source Camps. It is interesting to observe how over the course of a Camp the roles shift, as participants are taking on more and more of the facilitation and organisers have to work less and less (just kidding!).

• Participants - Undoubtedly the most important group of each Camp. Previous events have brought together more than 100 participants with diverse background and interests.
  

• Facilitators - Finding the right facilitators is crucial. Please have a look at Facilitation Source Camp-Style for more information on their role. A typical Source Camp will have about 4-6 facilitators for each content track and a few other experts. All in all, Africa Source 2 had about 25 facilitators for roughly 120 participants. At the end of the Camp it was more like 50 facilitators as many participants were starting to teach and share their skills. Facilitators also take on different roles:
• Content track leaders - Each content track needs one or two individuals who are responsible for compiling a draft outline and working with the other facilitators in their track to plan and implement the track.
• Afternoon session facilitators - Usually afternoon sessions are facilitated by about 10-15 people, often these are also facilitating content tracks, but they might include participants with special expertise.

• Camp leader - The role of the camp leader is above all to create a sense and spirit of community. This is a difficult task and requires a unique individual. At previous events, Allen 'Gunner' Gunn has fulfilled this role with bravado. He has worked with other facilitators to pass on some of his skills and expertise. The Camp leader runs most of the sessions that happen in the whole group, and in the case of Allen, takes responsibility for the important wake-up call routing.

• Organisers - This has in the past been the role of the Tactical Tech crew. Responsibilities include managing finances and logistics during the camp, dealing with emergencies, keeping overall direction. Usually 3-4 organisers are at the Camp and split responsibilities

What is the right size of a Source Camp?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer. The size of a Source Camp is determined by:

• The number of participants your organisation has the capacity to manage and organise
• The number of people the venue can hold
• The available budget
• The number of facilitators available

It is useful to keep in mind that smaller-scale events are easier to implement for organisations with less experience in workshop design and management. Smaller groups develop community spirit more easily and the logistics of managing a large Camp are very demanding. Camps of 100 - 120 people have worked well in the past - they are small enough to have a real sense of community, yet large enough to be very diverse and bring together different groups of participants who benefit from interacting with each other.

Strong partnerships

Source Camps are usually organised collaboratively by a small number of organisations. Generally, it is best to form partnerships with organisations that share a history of working on the ground to promote and realise the use of new technologies within the non-profit sector. A good mix of partners usually bring together diverse experiences, perspectives, skills and regional contacts, as well as complimentary expertise and interests. In a way, these collaborations are like friendships and it is just as difficult to describe what makes a good partner organisations, as it is to answer how one chooses friends.

Difficulties of implementing and replicating Source Camps

The challenges or funning a Source Camp are always surprising. Things that can go wrong, will go wrong, but somehow the difficulties are mastered and in the process community spirit and confidence emerge.

Some of Marek's horror stories on what can happen at Source Camps:

Asia Source - Running the Camp in Bangalore during the dry season (no history of rain for decades at that period of the year) we encounter heavy one hour rain that destroys the bazaar structure, which we spent almost two days building.

Foss road - The most dramatic so far, we had to change the venue few days before the event ... the ceiling in the computer lab collapsed from heavy rain fall, flooding the lab ... etc.

Africa Source 2 - A month and a half before the Camp we find out that one of the donors is not able to contribute. All of a sudden, we have a 35% hole in the budget and realistically 2 weeks for fixing it ... which we managed, but then the bank transfer from Europe gets lost for 5 weeks in between banking wires ... the expected four hours of travel from Kampala to the Camp on Kalangala island takes in some cases up to 12 hours of uncomfortable travel.

In addition, there are a number of challenges that apply in particular to organisations aiming to replicate Source Camps. Some of these are listed on the Replication Challenges and Solutions page, which will hopefully become a place to exchange experiences and support.

Source Camps got attitude!

"Source Camps teach an attitude. A different way of looking at technology. Geek-culture!"

Source Camps aim to demistify technology by bringing members of civil society together for hands-on sharing and learning. Technology is a tool (not a master). Source Camps deal with FOSS not so much in the context of software, but in the context of a different mind-set that emphasises sharing, and collaboration.

"After seven days everyone emerged as one familiy. Even today people still keep in touch." Fred Noronha (speaking about AsiaSource)

Source Camps have a unique open source / peer-to-peer approach to learning and teaching. They are designed to maximise opportunities for peer learning, as opposed to teaching by experts. The success of Source Camps ultimately depends on the right mix of people. Participants are carefully selected to ensure high levels of motivation and a mix of backgrounds. The facilitators set the stage for each event without dominating.

How Source Camps came about

Source Camps were developed to connect the open source software community and non-profit organisations in developing countries. Tactical Technology Collective identified the lack of development and use of FOSS by NGOs and decided to bring people together to do something about it in their regions.

"[T]he main gap we see is that there is a lot of talk between technology and NGOs but very little work [is being done] at the practical level. Conferences take place, but nobody on the ground knows how to implement it." Stephanie Hankey

In order to change that, Source Camps are practical, hands-on workshops at the grassroots level. They address three key obstacles to FOSS adoption:

1. The need for local support,
2. The lack of awareness and marketing of FOSS, and
3. the lack of a self-supported local community of practitioners.
   

Additional Information:

• Interview with Stephanie Hankey (Tactical Technology Collective co-founder) http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/8184

Previous Source Camps

The first Source Camp was held in Croatia, in September 2003. Since then, Camps have taken place in Namibia, India, Tajikistan and Uganda. Future Source Camps are planned to take place in Middle East/North Africa, South/East Asia.

The best way to learn about Source Camps is to read about previous ones, and browse through the wikis created by participants and facilitators during the camps (wikis are not available for the first two camps).

• Summer Source - Croatia, September 2003
  
• Africa Source 1 - Namibia,March 2004
  
• Asia Source - India, February 2005 - wiki and page created by participants
• FOSS Road - Tajikistan, 2005 - wiki
• Africa Source 2 - Uganda, January 2006 - wiki

If you would like to read more about source camps please follow those links

The philosophy behind Source Camp teaching and learning

"The most powerful tool you brought to this event is your voice. Use it often. It is not ok to be a spectator!" Gunner

The workshops focus on learning by doing, rather than just listening. The aim is to create more of a "workshop vibe" as opposed to a "conference vibe". The location (in the countryside or on an Island), shared housing, and nature of the sessions ensure high energy levels and strong, active participation. Source Camps create an atmosphere conducive to learning and fostering longer-term relationships. They are specifically designed to foster community building.

The participatory approach to training is challenging for those used to more traditional workshops, in which experts present knowledge to an audience. At Source Camps there is no distinction of experts and audience: everyone is part of the community of peers who are sharing experience and expertise, and learning from each other. It is crucial to invite facilitators (our term for trainers) who understand and can support these kinds of self-organised learning networks.

"While it is difficult for some people to let go of the idea of 'experts', there will never be an 'expert panel' discussion at Source events." Marek

The workshops are lead by a core group of facilitators that has emerged over the course of the last few years, together with a range of facilitators from the respective region. All facilitators have strong experience of working in the non-profit sector and deploying free and open source solutions.

"These are not the hard-core geek types that scare users away when they earnestly and helpfully try to explain why Asynchronous JavaScript And XML is really going to rock their world; rather, these are the peacemakers who spend much of their professional (and often personal) lives brokering a gentle understanding between entirely non-technical end users and the technology tools that they either need to use to get their jobs done, or the technology tools they should use to do their jobs better." Janet Haven on her blog

Although facilitators are specifically invited, there is no clear division between participants and facilitators. This approach softly encourages a culture in which expertise is exchanged and people learn from each other. Through this, participants come to realise that there is enough experience in the field, and peer communities are strengthened and built.

"I learned a lot about the needs of NGO's from around the world, and even more about the key issues that make Free Software and Open standards so important everywhere in the world. In a sense, the inspiration to take one more step away from running a company and towards starting an NGO for real, came from the Summer Source camp." Tomas Krag, head of the Danish NGO wire.less.dk and facilitator guru

More information:

Good facilitation is the key to Source Camp success. Please have a look at Facilitation Source Camp-Style for more information on our approach to teaching and learning and some practical guidelines on how to implement it at your event, including notes on finding the right facilitators.

Source Camp outcomes

"Africa Source 2 was a spectacular event that has ever happened in my life. It was amazing meeting so many people willing to share out knowledge with others at absolutely no cost. One of the biggest inspiration for me in Africa Source II was making friends and networking with lots of people, 'the geeks'. I was a techie volunteer and i was among the guys who set up and managed the network at the source camp." Evelyn Namara on her blog

The focus on community building is a conscious move to encourage the formation of new ideas and relationships during events. Source Camps are catalysts for future projects and partnerships between participants and event partners. This is demonstrated by the high level of self-organised post-event follow-up and collaboration between participants. The development of local networks supporting each other can be seen on the mailing lists, and concrete outcomes range from a suite of FOSS projects in Tajikistan (four training events, a roundtable, a Tajik version of linux, a FOSS resource centre and now a regional Central Asian FOSS training and networking event is in planning) through to new partnerships between software developers, technical support groups and school networking organisations (this was the case in Uganda when three organisations collaborated to successfully set up 250 refurbished computers in schools, implementing a Norwegian educational distribution called Skolelinux).

"First, I believe we succeeded in strengthening the social network of FOSS practitioners in Africa. This is essential for building FOSS capacity in Africa; participants now have relationships and contact
information for those who can help them to move forward in their migration to FOSS technologies. Second, more than 120 participants left AS II with practical, hands-on experience and know-how about migrating NGOs and schools to FOSS. These skills include assessment, planning, deployment, configuration, training, and support." Allen 'Gunner' Gunn

Volunteerism

Source Camps are characterised by a willingness to share and participate - among organisers, facilitators and participants. Volunteering to work together to make the workshop a success helps foster group integration and creates a sense of responsbility. Some examples include:

• As facilitators arrive at the Camp on the day before the workshop begins, they get a tour and introduction by the small group that set up the Camp. They are then expected to welcome the next group of arrivers, and so on.
• If possible, participants help in the kitchen and make sure the Camp is clean from rubbish. This is not always feasible as it depends on the agreement with caterers and the venue.
• Participants help prepare the venue for sessions, copy and compile the Welcome Pack, and are encouraged to involve themselves as much as possible.

* Create pdf version of the entire guide

* Create Gannt chart / template for the work plan

* Add tips from participants and organisers

Aims and Objectives

The primary goal of [Name of Camp] is to increase the awareness, integration and adoption of free and open source software (FOSS) tools amongst the voluntary sector in [Name of region]. The emphasis is on building the capacity of non-profit practitioners to use FOSS.

More specifically it aims to:

• Create a venue for intensive peer learning, skill share and knowledge transfer.
• Provide an opportunity for NGOs and intermediaries working at the grass-roots level to expand their practical expertise in [Number] specific areas; media, data, services and crisis management [Include others].
  
• Diversify and broaden the connections between actors working with FOSS and non-profits in the region.
• Identiy and bring together a core of people who can act as champions and resource people within the region.
• Act as a catalyst for sub-regional and national NGO technology Source events, and train up a core of actors to run similar events.
• Seed connections and future partnerships across a wider spectrum, between developers, intermediaries and NGOs/activists.
• [Add specific objectives]
  

The event will bring together regional non-profit professionals from both the technical and content ends of the spectrum. Our aim is to use this - and subsequent activities - as an opportunity to broaden expertise, forge new ideas and connections, and encourage the creative use of FOSS within the projects and initiatives of NGOs in the region.

Participants

Source Camps build the skills and networks of actors in a particular region who are already working with non-profits and focusing on technology. They are designed to bring together a diverse group of people: from those primarily focused on technology to those more concerned with content. Bringing NGOs together with technologists and conceptual thinkers, in an intensive skill-sharing environment, lays the path for mutual understanding and collaboration.

Previous Source Camps have proven the effectiveness of bringing together the people who are creating and administering software, with those that are implementing and using it. On a general level this serves to raise awareness and build confidence in each others' needs and practices. On a more specific level, it can facilitate NGO practitioners' building practical expertise and enable technologists to better understand the working practices they are designing solutions for. It is for this reason that Source Camp organisers encourage non-technical hierarchies, and promote an “everyone is an expert” ethos.

In the case of [Name of Camp], applications will be solicited from [Number of countries] countries across the [Name of region]. This will be done with the help of members of the advisory group, key existing networks like [Name some networks], mailing lists, websites and on-line communities, as well as through collaborating with funding partners to target specific sectors or countries. The organising team has both an outreach plan and a publicity target list. The organisers would especially like to encourage applications from women and will work with [Name of organisation] and other women's networks in the region to promote the event.

The application process will be competitive. Applicants will be asked to fill in a form providing their biographies, details of their work as well as their reason for wanting to attend. Particular attention will be paid to potential participants' ability to use and apply the skills and contacts within their existing work and projects. Participants will be selected for their experience in implementing technology within the voluntary sector, their potential to contribute to the group, their possibilities for implementing solutions and sharing knowledge on their return home, and their interest in alternative technology solutions. These factors will be balanced out with other concerns such as overall mix of expertise and interests, multi-country representation and gender balance.

Applicants should be proficient in the desktop use of technology and have been involved in technology projects before. Disparities in technical skills wil be addressed through agenda design (streaming) and session formats (one-on-one training slots). The working language of the event is [Language]. Proficient [Language] communication skills are thus required.

The advisory group, togetherwith the organisers, will evaluate the applications. All members of the selection committee will be asked to view a pool of applications, automatically excepting some and placing others in a second review pool. This process will continue until agreement is reached on borderline applicants and a final pool of applicants is agreed upon. This is a highly competitive process, in [Name of previous event] we received over [Number of] applications for just [Number of] places. We would hope that [Name of Camp] will attract a similar, if not higher, number of applications.

Participants will be charged a registration fee (USD [Amount], to be confirmed) and will be asked to cover their own travel. There will be travel and participation subsidies available to participants, which can be applied for along with the Camp application. In [Name of previous event] roughly 10-15% of the participants paid for themselves and others received full 'scholarships' covering travel and registration fees. Any proceeds left over from fees or travel subsidies are used to provide extra materials, resources, equipment, or facilitators during the Camp if necessary, or alternatively for follow-up activities.

Sessions Overview

The agenda provides participants with a range of hands-on and conceptual sessions to choose from. Throughout the seven days, participants are challenged to both learn from others and share their skills.

Morning sessions are structured and formalised, and focus on a particular content track. The late afternoons are for informal skill share and peer-to-peer learning. These sessions are interspersed with opportunities for free-form learning and socialising.

Previous Source Camps have shown that people perform and engage particularly well if they are able to decide for themselves how to utilise an early afternoon session. This may include continuing a conversation, experimenting with a particular tool, benefiting from one-on-one learning or time for reflection. In some instances, this slot has been used to meet for requests to repeat or extend a session. In others, participants have used this time to catch up on pressing work issues.

The evening sessions are a mixture of themed documentaries, lectures and discussions, screwdriver sessions and light entertainment. Screwdriver sessions are opportunities for participants to get their hands on the inner workings, wirings and practical mechanics of technology. Whilst some screwdriver sessions take place as part of the main agenda, others (e.g. a women-only hardware workshop) are slotted in as extra sessions. The majority of the evening activities take place in around the Bazaar, weather permitting.

In the middle of the week, participants are invited to take part in a half-day outing. This will give participants an opportunity to see local information and communications technology (ICT) projects and efforts in [Name of country].

Facilitators

Facilitators will be from a variety of backgrounds and organisations, and are selected by the organisers, advisory group and agenda teams. They will predominantly selected for their previous experience, complimentary expertise, relevant knowledge, and patience and ability to share and promote learning in others.

They will be drawn from three pools:

(i) Active FOSS implementers and advocates, technology/NGO practitioners and researchers in the region. This will include hackers, trainers, technical support professionals, programmers, support professionals, writers and theorists.

(ii) Previously identified trainers, who have developed experience through previous Source Camps. These trainers are from Africa, Europe, North America, Central and South East Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. They will be selected in accordance with the regional needs and the unique expertise they will bring to the event.

(iii) New facilitators will be identified from the application pool. This has been found to be the best way to ensure the identification of new expertise. In addition to holding their own sessions, all facilitators are expected to participate in the entire event.

NGO-in-a-box

All participants will be given a special edition, region specific, version of NGO-in-a-box. NGO-in-a-box is a set of peer-reviewed and selected software, materials and documentation aimed at NGOs. The box set comprises a hand-picked selection of tried and tested tools and materials for NGO use.

This edition of NGO-in-a-box will include the full range of software tools and materials that participants have been exposed to during the week. It will also include thematic editions of NGO-in-a-box that are designed for use as stand-alone toolkits, in the areas of, for example, audio and video, open publishing and security.

FOSS for non profits

The organisers' approach to free and open source software (FOSS) education for non-profits is not framed in opposition to proprietary software. Rather, we believe that true freedom is an understanding of the choice, and an ability to implement one or the other depending on the needs at hand. In some cases, a combination of both may be necessary. Our belief is that FOSS has great potential for social software development and for the non-profit sector. We view the Source Camps as opportunities to help create options and choice for low-resourced organisations with low levels of income, that are challenged by their immediate infrastructure.

FOSS solutions enable non-profits to work with legal and secure software that can be integrated with legacy systems. They can provide models of technology implementation for low-resourced organisations using old or outdated equipment and refurbished computers. They can provide access to software that is localised, both in terms of language and specific contexts. They can also be adapted to specific organisational or project needs. Whilst uptake has its challenges in the short term, these factors may in the long-term make FOSS a more sustainable and economically viable option for non-profits in the [Name of region] context.

Within the voluntary sector it is still extremely important to raise leaders' and decision makers' awareness as to the reality and potential of FOSS. However, experience shows that the lack of local technical expertise is the immediate stumbling block for progressive and experimental voluntary sector organisations who want to implement FOSS. We strongly believe that the longer-term challenge in widespread adoption of FOSS is the development of local practical implementation capacity. Without this, the use of FOSS, whatever the reason -- be it economic, linguistic, ethical, concerned with security or for customisation purposes -- will inevitably remain restricted. A crucial catalyst is the growth of peer exchange and on-going learning amongst technology implementers working with non-profits across the region. We believe that more work is needed in [Name of region] to follow up on investments made to date in building skills and strengthening ties at the practical level.

We hope that the community of participants and facilitators will contribute their thoughts on how to address these issues in the future - so that this page will become a clearning house of tried and tested solutions.

Funding - always a headache ...

We would like to underline that raising funds is always time consuming hard work. Tactical Tech has been working in this field for many years and has a solid reputation for running workshops, yet for every Source Camp, we find new challenges. For example, a funder might cancel support at the last minute, or the area that you would like to organise the event in is not one of the priority areas of the key funders. There is no best practice solution that will always work, but have a look at the Booting Up and Funding Guidelines pages for more info. Also, this is an area where we could provide support - see the Collaborate With Us page for more.

How important is the community of individuals that have been involved in previous events?

Very! Source events are community events and people grow as they participate in more workshops. If you would like help with finding the right facilitators, and to tap into our network of experienced trainers, please contact us. Details can be found on the Collaborate With Us page.

Can key individuals, like Gunner (who has been running a number of Camps), be replaced?

Only time will tell. Gunner is amazing, but we hope that there will be many more people with the ability to form a community out of a group of individuals.

The unique approach to learning/teaching requires skillful facilitators

That's true - and good facilitators are not easy to find. Again, if you want some help with this contact us directly - details are on the Collaborate With Us page.

Besides some of the more measurable outputs (technical skills, networks that support each other on discussion lists, etc.). Source events teach an attitude/spirit/flossophy and build a community -- that is difficult to convey without having participated

If you are interested in running a Source event try to participate in one of our workshops. We are always planning new ones in different regions of the world. Get in touch!

Skillshares usually provide a setting for participants to teach their peers, drawing from their areas of expertise and passion. "Skill" is broadly interpreted, spanning not only systems and software but also strategic know-how, from fundraising and process models to all manner of production techniques. The focus is on demonstrating "how to" and "how it works" in 20- to 40-minute time slots, with audiences ranging from 1 to 10 people. Workspaces for skillshares are provided, but some resources including projectors and Internet access are often limited. It is important to ask people to plan accordingly, and bring any necessary digital assets on CD as well as any required tools or gadgets.

"Tomorrow we have sessions on translating and localizing software, on gender issues, and on business strategies. A long block of time in the afternoon is set aside for free-form, peer-to-peer, "skill-shares" on such topics as using public-key cryptography, building F/OSS applications around SMS and other cellular phone technologies, tips on tuning large databases, and many others." Kwindla Kramer for ONLamp.com

The Bazaar

"The bazaar, was designed to bring implementers and developers together for discussion, brainstorming, alliance building and visioning. Lying on rugs, drinking Turkish tea, participants exchanged Open Source ideas, projects and visions, trading in currencies of creativity and learning... As the camp came to an end, a new era of close cooperation between NGOs and the free and Open Source community had just begun" Linux Magazine on Summer Source

"The Bazaar" has two meanings at Source Camps:

• It is an area of the camp that is usually laid out with rugs and cushions, where Campers can drink tea and exchange ideas, projects, visions and skills, trading in currencies of creativity and learning.
• One afternoon during the Camp it becomes a trading place for things and services. Campers give presentations, teach local songs and dances, trade goods and ideas, and practice the bazaar-style spirit of free and open source. Previous Camps have had bead necklace design sessions, Polish speaking lessons, and juggling lessons alongside security demonstrations and other tech talk. Timeframes for exchange fall in the range of 2-10 minutes, and participants are encouraged to present visual and tactile presentations.

Additional resources:

• Read what Frederick "FN" Noronha has to say about Asia Source's Bazaar, and look at photographs of Bazaars at previous Camps.

Difference between Skillshares and Bazaar

To clarify the differences between the Skill-share and The Bazaar: the Skill-share is comprised of relatively structured training sessions occuring in parallel, with sessions that last 30 minutes to an hour or more. The Bazaar resembles a big party, with all participants gathered together for free-form interaction, sharing and inspiration.

Screwdriver Sessions

"Screwdriver Sessions" are organised ad hoc, based on requests from participants. All participants are encouraged to ask for particular practical skills, or to offer to teach others. In the screwdriver sessions, participants build something together: roll up their sleeves, get out the tools and get their hands dirty. Examples from previous camps follow. The picture on this page shows a screwdriver session at Summer Source.

Asia Source

• Build a fifty dollar GPS data cable (by Schuyler Erle)
• Assemble a "Cantenna" (by Tomas Krag)
• Technical aspects of photography - Kiran Jonnalagadda

Summer Source

• Assemble network cables (by Tom Rusiecki)
• Check the inside of a laptop (by Tomas Krag)

The applications were reviewed by a [Number of people]-person selection committee made up of the advisory group, event supporters and the organisers and partners. The selection committee was tasked with the difficult job of not only selecting people who meet the criteria of the event, but also in creating a balance of expertise and experience across countries. The selection process is thus very challenging, and the review process is still underway. We are also trying to secure additional funding to cover more travel scholarships.

We ask you for a few more days of patience while the selection process is finalised. In the meantime, if you think you may be able to help with local fundraising to cover the cost of your travel, please let us know. We will contact you on [Date] with final information on whether we will be able to invite you or not.

Thank you once again for your patience -- we sincerely hope you will be able to join us in [Location]!

On behalf of the organising team,

[Name of organiser]

==============================
PARTICIPANT SELECTION PROCESS
==============================

Applications are currently being gathered and archived. Applicants are asked to provide bios, contact details, and motivations for attending the event. The deadline for these applications is [Date]. The application process is competitive.

In the event that the pool from a particular sector or set of countries is not large enough, or we are dissatisfied with the applications, the deadline will be extended in order to diversify the final set participants. This new deadline will probably be [Date].

The advisory group will work together with the organisers to evaluate the applications. All members of the advisory group will be asked to view a pool of applications. You will be provided with an excel sheet of applications, with grades to be assigned along side each application. Along with the excel sheet, you will receive a separate folder including the original application forms. The number of applications you are asked to review will depend on the ultimate number of applications we receive. However, our current guess is that this will be approx. [Number].

You will automatically accept and reject some, whilst placing others in a second review pool. This will be done by grading the applications from 1 (do not invite) to 5 (invite), combined with your comments in an excel sheet provided by me. I will collect all grades and other comments. This process will continue until agreement is reached on border-line applicants and a final pool of applicants is agreed upon. Needless to say, your grades and comments will remain confidential to the review committee.

When reviewing applications, please consider the following:

• Particular attention should be paid to individuals' ability to use these skills and contacts in their work and projects when they return home. Participants should be selected for their experience in the voluntary sector, experience utilising technology in this sphere, their potential to contribute to the group, their possibilities for implementing solutions and sharing knowledge on their return home, and their interest in alternative technology solutions. These factors should be balanced with other concerns such as the overall mix of expertise and interests, multi-country representation and gender balance.
• We will ask you to also keep an eye out for applicants that you think may potentially be good facilitators. In every event we try to pull a number of the participants into facilitation roles, and to share their experiences with their peers.
• Applicants should be proficient in the desktop use of technology, have been involved in technology projects before, and be aware of FOSS. The working language of the event is [language], and good communication skills in [language] is imperative.

• In principle, participants are expected to make their own travel arrangements and are reimbursed during or after the event. It is usually not recommended to book travel for partcipants as the organisers will be liable for the cost if participants cancel.
• However, travel often requires special arrangement and exceptions. In these cases, the organisers might book tickets directly (via travel agents or online booking sites) and organise/pay for Visas. Often we have a number of telephone conversations with the individuals who require special provisions, to ensure that there really is no other way, and that they are sincere in their intentions to attend the camp.
  
• Check if participants can be reimbursed by wire transfer (the preferred solution). Many people in developing countries do not have bank accounts, and in these cases cash reimbursements during the event are often the only (albeit problematic) possibility.
• Make sure there is sufficient cash for reimbursement, but plan carefully to avoid security issues of having a significant amount of money at the camp. Experience from previous events shows that this can easily exceed US$ 10,000.
• When collecting receipts, agree on the exchange rate. Write it down and date it. Agree on the total amount to be reimbursed.
• Set up a system to track expenses that occur without a receipt (for example, local transportation often cannot provide receipts / and in case of corruption the organisers are faced with difficult decisions). Having signed receipts (even if they are not "official" receipts acceptable by accountants) for all expenses is key and usually provides sufficient reporting for funders. At previous events the total amounts of such miscellaneous expenses rarely exceeds US$ 500 to US$1000.
  
• Have a system for advance payments, e.g. for travel home expenses, including the commitment to fax receipts.

Example:

• At Africa Source 2, an unusually low number of participants required travel reimbursements. However, this still meant 50-60 individual travel reimbursements (either as cash during the workshop or by wire transfer after workshop).

phi dot schmidt (at) gmail dot com

Dear [Name of applicant],

It is with great pleasure we would like to invite you to participate in the [Name of camp] workshop in [Location], [Country], [Dates].

Thank you again for your application. We were very pleased to have a very large number of high quality applications: we received nearly [Number of applications] applications from NGO support professionals and staff working at the local level across [Name of region].

The applications were reviewed by a [Number of people]-person selection committee made up of the advisory group, event supporters and the organisers. The selection committee was tasked with the difficult job of not only selecting people who meet the criteria for the event, but also of creating a balance of expertise and experiences across countries. The selection process was thus very challenging, and places and funding are limited. We accordingly ask for your full cooperation: Should you find that you are unable to attend the full event, please inform us immediately so that others may benefit from this opportunity.

We are looking forward to collaborating with the participants of [Name of camp] over the coming months, and invite you to help us make this an inspiring and rewarding event. Please read this email very carefully and confirm that you can attend on the given dates and comply to our requests - thank you!

Travel

The selection committee decided to reimburse the cost of your travel as quoted in your application, to/from [Location], [Country]. We will reimburse the costs by bank transfer to your account after the workshop, when you provide us with the receipt (we will send you a separate email with questions about your bank account information). That is why we would like to ask you to buy the ticket as agreed with us (you stated the amount [Amount]). After you buy it please confirm the price, arrival and departure dates and times and flight numbers, as we would like to organise your transport to/from the airport in [Location]. Please keep in mind that you should plan your journey to arrive in [Location] [Day] or [Day] of [Month] [Year] and depart [Day] or [Day] of [Month] [Year]. It is very important that everyone will be attending all of the days of the workshop. If you can't stay for the full duration please let us know immediately. Also, please contact us immediately if you have problems purchasing the above-mentioned ticket, or if the cost of your ticket increases from the above amount (i.e. price, dates problems).

Visa

As you will need a visa to enter [Country] we would like to send you an invitation letter (by fax, email and by paper post) immediately, to ensure sufficient time for you to organise your visa. Please send us your home address and your paper mail address, your name as it appears in your passport, your passport number, your exact birth date and place (country), and fax number (with all the international extensions) ASAP. We will assist all invited participants requiring visas by sendomg invitation letters immediately following confirmation of attendance. The event organisers cannot apply for nor organise visas for participants.

Please contact the [Country] embassy/consulate proper to your country. If there is no diplomatic representation with [Country] in your country you can obtain entry visas from your point of entry into the country i.e. [Country] International Airport and all other Border Entry points.

All travellers to [Country] are required to strictly comply with the following requirements:

1. You must be in possession of a valid passport issued and recognised by your government.
2. [Any Health Certificate requirements, e.g. "All nationalities require an International Health Certificate showing proof of a yellow fever vaccination within the past 10 years."]

Be careful to check whether your visa is valid from the date of entry or the date of issue. Please note that obtaining a valid visa is your own responsibility!!

[Diseases] and vaccinations

[Disease] is prevalent in [Country]. Please visit either your personal physician or a travel health clinic 4-8 weeks before departure to obtain more information on [Disease] prevention, vaccinations and other health precautions.

Venue

The venue is at [Venue] in [Location], [Country]. It is a [Describe location]. It has a nice, 'camp-style' atmosphere ensuring that [Name of camp] is a community building event - in the spirit of free and open source software. Accommodation will be provided dormitory style, please be prepared for sharing rooms and bathrooms with fellow participants. If you have any problems with this or if you have particular needs please contact us immediately.

We will send send more information regarding the workshop shortly. In particular, please look out for the email discussion list
which will be established to discuss the programme of the
upcoming workshop.

We are very happy that we will meet each other and work together in [Location]!

Best wishes on behalf of the [Name of camp] organising team,

[Name of organiser]

Dear [Name of applicant],

Thank you for your application to [Name of camp] and your efforts to seek funding for your travel. We were very pleased to have a very large number at high-quality applications: we received nearly [Number of applications] of applications from NGO support professionals and staff working at the local level across [Name of region]. Due to the overwhelming response we were unable to conclude the selection process within the said timeframe. Please accept our apologies for any inconvience this may have caused.

The applications were reviewed by a [Number of people]-person selection committee made up of the advisory group, event supporters and the organisers and partners. The selection committee was tasked with the difficult job of not only selecting people who met the criteria of the event, but also of ensuring a balance of expertise and experience across countries, with only approximately [number of spaces] spaces available.

I am very sorry to inform you that due to this and the limited number of spaces at [Name of camp], we are unable to invite you to attend the workshop in [Location].

However, we would very much like to keep you involved. We would like to invite you to be part of a community space on non-governmental organisatons and Free & Open Source Software worldwide on http://www.foss4us.org. We will also email you information about the wiki that we will set up so you can read and contribute to discussions. We will inform you about other similar events conducted by the organisers. Please let us know if you do not want to be involved in this!

We sincerely hope we will have a chance to work together in the future.

Kind regards and many thanks once again for your interest in our workshop in [Location].

On behalf of the organising team,

[Name of organiser]

Dear [Name],

Thank you for applying to attend [Name of event]. Your application has been received in good order, and will be reviewed by the advisory board. Can you please check and reserve (in the event that it requires no payment) your flight to [Location], to arrive by [Date]? Please also check whether you need a visa and how to apply for it?

We will inform you by email before the [Date(s)] if we are able to offer you a place.

Kind regards,

[Name of organiser]

• Work Plan (chronological list of activities)
• Concept Paper (outline)
• Concept Paper Example Text contsins text on Aims and Objectives, Participants, Sessions Overview, Facilitators, NGO in a box, and FOSS for non profits
• MoU (description with MoU for Africa Source 2 attached)
• Budgets and Budgeting (tips and considerations, with template budget spreadsheet attached)
• Budget spreadsheet (ODS format, SXC format, Excel format)
• Media Outreach Plan (tips and considerations)
• Announcement (sample text)
• Press Release (sample text)
  
• Application Process (tips and considerations with link to template applications spreadsheet)
• Application Management spreadsheet (Excel format)
• Application Form Msg (sample text)
  
• Application Received Msg (sample text)
• Review Committee Msg (sample text)
• In Progress Msg (sample text)
• Rejection Msg (sample text)
• Invitation Msg (sample text)
• Welcome Pack (list)
• General welcome message (example from Africa Source 2)
• Participants Guidelines (example from Africa Source 2 and FOSS Road)
• Camp Map (example from Africa Source 2)
• Site Rules (example from Foss Road)
• Travel Reimbursement (tips and considerations)
• Camp Layout (tips and considerations)
• Camp Logistics Check-List (check that you have everything before leaving for the Camp)
  
• Example Agenda Africa Source 2 (pdf file)
• Example Agenda FossRoad (pdf file)
• At The Camp FAQ (FAQ with answers and strategies)
• Final Report (tips and considerations for the narrative and final financial reports)
• Camp T-Shirt (example designs)
  
• Media Coverage Report (Africa Source 2 media coverage report)
• Thank You Notes (sample text)
• Feedback Analysis (tips and considerations)
• Africa Source 2 Feedback Analysis (pdf file)
• Example Feedback Form from Africa Source 2 (pdf file)

You are free to use the materials on this wiki to plan and implement events that use a similar approach to learning and teaching. The whole wiki is available under a creative commons license, see the Wiki License page for more details. All we ask in return is that you credit us if you use the materials - and it would be great if you could also send feedback or comments on how to improve them.

In addition, Tactical Technology Collective is committed to helping others run successful Source-style events. If you are considering to organise a workshop -- and want it to be part of the core family of Source events -- then please get in touch with us. We can provide access to our networks of facilitators, extensive expertise and experience, operational, marketing, and fundraising support, and the technical infrastructure that is used by the Source event family.

Contact

Tactical Tech is an Amsterdam-registered NGO with associates and affiliates from across Europe (based in Poland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom) as well as Australia, India and the United States.

Email: ttc(at)tacticaltech(dot)org

Telephone: + 48 22 3897735

Support from Tactical Technology Collective

A dedicated person from Tactical Tech is available to act as an event mentor to implementing organisations based in developing countries. The mentor will work together with the organisation from the planning phase through to follow-up (see Work Plan).

The event mentor will be part of the core team for the event. They will visit the host organisation during the planning phase to help find a venue, discuss planning, and assist with local fundraising and building the profile of the event. In the case of large events, more that one member of Tactical Tech may play a supportive role and be at the Source Camp.

The extent to which hands-on Tactical Tech involvement is required depends on the scale of the event, and the capacity and experience of the implementing organisation. Event mentors provide support in working with the templates, and assist with fundraising, assembling an advisory group and finding and choosing facilitators. The Collective will be on-hand to meet extra needs, be they financial or logistical, or in the areas of partnership building, agenda development, or facilitation.

Leaders from organisations planning to implement a Source Camp are encouraged to participate in the implementation of a prior event. This experience is hugely beneficial for better understanding and familiarising oneself with the process, and also identifying what works and what doesn't. In this way, each Source Camp acts as an incubator for the next.

Assistance with the event content and agenda will be provided as follows:

• Access to NGO-in-a-box localised and tailored to the event.
• Assistance with agenda design.
• Access to a pool of potential trainers from other regions, as well as support selecting an external (national or regional) advisory group member.
• Technology support: Tactical Tech will host a wiki for agenda development and event documentation. It will also host a mailing list for pre- and post-event discussion.

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Your fair use and other rights are in no way affected by the above.

More information on the license can be found on the Creative Commons site.

• Create four categories for travel costs:
• USD 0 – USD 500
• USD 501 – USD 1000
• USD 1001 – USD 1500
• USD 1501 and over
• Research travel costs for participants from each targeted country. Check www.expedia.co.uk or or www.travelocity.com for cost estimates, but also pay a visit to a travel agent for advice. Group each country into one of the categories.
• Estimate how many participants from each country will be attending and add up the numbers.
• Include extra costs for visas, local transport to/from the airport, departure taxes, and overnight stays while travelling.