At-Large FY24 Budget Development Workspace

Timeline

Start

End

Status

Completed

Agenda

Google doc of proposal

Purpose

A key objective of the At-Large Community, over the next few years, is the increased fluidity with which the community, as a whole, is mobilized for feedback and message amplification. To that end, a “playbook,” which outlines a framework for mobilization, peculiar to the At-Large organization. Such a playbook would outline the various types of mobilization and the processes for initiating each one. Furthermore, the playbook would outline a  standardized set of ‘key messaging’, communication ‘best practices’ and techniques for engagement that are most suitable or ‘bespoke’ for the ICANN Multistakeholder model.  It will aid in the alignment of activities to a common or agreed upon theme (or set of themes) or ‘agreed upon approaches’ that in turn are clearly both within ICANNs’ remit and tied to any current phase of strategic planning.   

Alignment

The design and development of the proposed At-Large End User Campaign Playbook aligns both specifically with one of the primary purposes of ICANN At-Large and the RALOs as a conduit between ICANN, Domain Name Registrants and Internet end users (including consumers) as well as relating to several of the current ICANN Operating Initiatives  outlined in the FY23-27 Operating and Financial Plan and the FY23 Financial Plan and Budget particularly: 3. Evolve and Strengthen the Multistakeholder Model to Facilitate Diverse and Inclusive Participation in Policymaking; 4. Evolve and Strengthen the ICANN Community’s Decision-making Processes to Ensure Efficient and Effective Policymaking;  7. Promote the Universal Acceptance of Domain Names and Email Addresses; 9. Evaluate, Align, and Facilitate Improved Engagement in the Internet Ecosystem  and 10. Improve Governmental and Intergovernmental Organization (IGO) Engagement and Participation in ICANN Through Targeted Engagement

In its role as an advisory committee, the ALAC is tasked with representing the “interests” of individual end users, within the various ICANN policy development activities. The identification of these interests includes rigorous discussion, interest balancing and, where possible, research. The At-Large community is unique in the depth of its “bench,” given the structure of regional organizations and At-Large structures. Ideally, the identification and balance of interests would involve soliciting feedback, on particular policy topics, from a broad spectrum of At-Large community members. A standardized set of processes and procedures for obtaining this feedback will increase the efficiency and frequency of such outreach.

Furthermore, the At-Large community is tasked with public education on ICANN remit, policies and initiatives. Establishing a framework and set of best practices around message amplification will facilitate increased efficiency and reach of those efforts.

Audience

Audience is ‘General’ but designed for existing and future ALAC/At-Large Membership use across all RALOs and Regions primarily in their outwards facing interactions beyond the ICANN Community, but may indeed have utility for ‘inreach activities’ and  should be 

applicable for use across many demographics, but within the proposed Playbook sectoral specific ‘best practices’ should be identified. 

Outcomes

Such a playbook should provide for both the more effective setting of goals or objectives in a standardized  S.M.A.R.T way and therefore provide more meaningful and useful metrics and measures of outcomes.

In addition the use within ALAC/At-Large of a well designed Campaign Playbook (including templates) and standardized resources and messaging in outreach and engagement activities will both ‘professionalize’ the plans, mechanisms and tools utilized and allow for local language use as required, with fewer risks to messaging outcomes; as well as generally enhance the overall image and reputation/trust of ICANN At-Large. 

Support for O&EWG resource development for community outreach

ALAC 

(OE-SC)

Purpose

At-Large has an important role in disseminating ICANN policy and general information within their regional communities. The information that goes out is mainly general and currently, usually in a formal presentation. The Outreach and Engagement Working Group has been given two tasks:
(1) To focus its capacity building activities on key messages about key ICANN policies that specifically target end-users (for At-Large, key areas include DNS Abuse, IDNs and Universal Access, Applicant Support, et al)
(2) To develop creative and innovative online as well as hard copy resources that ALS and Individual members can use during workshop sessions at local community events. These resources will aim to enhance community understanding about the importance of ICANN
and its work on key end-user policy issues and to physically engage them in the learning process about these topics

The first goal of the working group will be to decide on a particular topic that regional groups can work on together and to return their ideas to the main group by email or at an update at the monthly meeting of the O&EWG.

This would be an ongoing development during the year with one or more differently focused activities being worked on at the same time, ideally under the leadership of one of the regional liaisons.

While the idea may come from a particular region, as the momentum grows during O&EWG meetings, other regional participants may join to contribute to the development of that specific resource (and at the same time, learn more about the content of that resource topic).

While we would encourage creating online assets that people can use to engage community members to learn online in a fun way rather than as a formal learning course, the objective would be to create a learning asset that could be used in a group activity where people could learn content about ICANN from both the activity and in their interaction and discussion with others during the course of the activity.

The purpose of the budget request is to provide an adequate fund which can support the production of prototype samples
of these outreach assets which after the project feedback, could
be assessed by the O&EWG for use during community events for production for trial.

The activities must engage community participants to learn about what ICANN does and ultimately become informed enough to be able to
contribute to discussions on the topics during their events, but also to join RALO and eventually ICANN activities on these topics.

Any completed prototypes could be trialed at the AP and AF General Assemblies at the end of 2023

E-tool “Welcome Package” for all RALOs newcomers

Zoom Room for each RALO