Correlation Seminars European Internet Seminar 2.0 Date: 29th till 30th of September 2006 Location: Prague, Czech Republic Organisation: Sananim / GGD Rotterdam   Background of the seminar The burst of the dot-com bubble in the fall of 2001 marked a turning point for the Internet technology. Many people concluded that Internet was just a hype, when in fact bubbles and consequent shakeouts appear to be a common feature of all technological revolutions. Far from having "crashed", nowadays, the web is more important than ever, with exciting new applications and sites popping up with surprising regularity. Could it be that the dot-com collapse in 2001 marked some kind of turning point for the web? "Web 2.0" was born. Proponents of the Web 2.0 concept say that it differs from early web developments, retroactively labelled as Web 1.0, and that it is a move away from static websites, the use of search engines, and surfing from one website to the next, to a more dynamic and interactive World Wide Web. Proponents of the Web 2.0 approach believe that Web usage is increasingly oriented towards interaction and rudimentary social networks, which can serve content, that exploits network effects with or without creating a visual, interactive web page. In one view, Web 2.0 sites act more as points of presence, or user-dependent web portals, than traditional websites. Perhaps web content will become closer to the original concept of the web as a democratic, personal, and do-it-yourself medium of communication. Content is less likely to flow through e-mail and more likely to be posted on an attractive webpage and distributed by RSS. Objectives of the seminar • Create a platform / forum for internet experts to share expertise and experience, regarding the new online developments regarding Web 2.0, new methodologies, software, scientific input and guidelines for service providers. • To increase and to transfer knowledge regarding Internet based outreach • To develop usable and effective websites, new online strategies together with sexworkers, drug users, youngsters at risk and homeless people, including some innovative models of good practice. Profile of the participants We want to invite service users and service providers, grass root organisations, interest groups,…who work with marginalised groups (e.g. sex workers, drug users, youngsters, homeless people…) and regard themselves as internet experts and have experience with the following issues: • Internet outreach or e-counselling with vulnerable groups, • Development of (open source) software for service providers, • Online outreach, outreach guidelines and data collecting systems, • Internet based outreach / interventions. Outline of the seminar The seminar will start on Friday afternoon with various presentations and will end with a panel discussion, including different experts. On Saturday morning we will have several presentations and split off afterwards in 3 working groups: 1. Internet based outreach/e-counselling for drug users and youngsters 2. Methodology for internet based outreach 3. Websites of service providers and their usability and effectiveness After a short feedback round and a summary of the seminar, the meeting will be closed on Saturday afternoon. Seminar issues • Developing strategies regarding Internet based outreach and e-counselling • New technologies and outreach activities for service providers (mobile phone, MSN, MSM, podcast) • Methodology development on Internet based outreach and e-counselling • Cooperation with the target group and interest groups, e.g. the International Union of Sex Workers. • Presentation of interactive online interventions for druguser, youngsters, sex workers • Management of volunteers online (peer counselling). • Usability and effectiveness of websites. • Cooperation with commercial partners. Outcomes of the seminar Participants learn how to: • get maximum profit of the Internet and to use it for communication, exchange of knowledge and transfer of information. • initiate and carry out internet based outreach work for hard to reach vulnerable groups. • develop new online strategies, together with sex workers, drug users, youngsters at risk and homeless people, learning from innovative models of good practice. • All major outcomes will be published on a training CD-rom with guidelines, new methodologies, instructions & open source software for Internet outreach and e-counselling in 2007. This CD Rom will be produced in the framework of the Correlation Network.