Achieving a Culture of Participation and Engagement - Informing Digital Futures: Strategies for Citizen Engagement - page 193

Over 50's website developed as one part of the UK's local e-Government
pilot projects) rather than with citizens more generally. There is a need to
build on this good practice, publicising both the benefits and the processes
used, to encourage adoption of the approach more widely.
10.3.3 Role of the IT Profession
Public acknowledgement of the benefits of citizen engagement by influen-
tial leaders in society is of course only one of several thrusts required for
transformational change to follow. Equally important is that the leadership
in the IT profession and in the telecommunications sector consider the case
for ICT developments to be conceived and planned as integrated socio-
technical systems right from their inception. The foundations for such
developments appear to be present already in professional bodies such as
the United Kingdom Academy for Information Systems (UKAIS), the
Worshipful Company of Information Technologists, (WCIT) and the British
Computer Society (BCS). For example, in the case of WCIT, the 100 th liv-
ery company of the City of London, it has through its charitable activities
brought to bear the experience of senior IT professionals in several pro-
grammes involving citizen participation and engagement - notably the
Lifelites scheme which is currently installing specially designed computer
networks in every children's hospice across the country, enabling children
with serious illnesses to continue their education, keep in touch with
family and friends and access the Internet (The Worshipful Company of
Information Technologists 2006). It also supports the “ Carers on Line ”
project offering advice, information and support to carers across the coun-
try (Milner 2005). In addition, WCIT has played a key role in the devel-
opment and launch of IT4Communities, a national initiative to promote
volunteering by IT professionals, using their skills for the benefit of local
communities. WCIT is an example of a voluntary professional organiza-
tion which can bring IT skills to the aid of the disadvantaged in the com-
munity.
Part of the remit of the BCS also reflects a wide societal perspective. In
its terms of reference the BCS states that “ The Society also acts to gener-
ate public awareness and appreciation of the associated social and eco-
nomic benefits in IT ” (British Computer Society n.d.a). Further, part of its
stated mission is that “ The BCS will lead the change in the standing of the
IT profession by creating an understanding of what is required to imple-
ment successful IT projects and programmes, and to advise, inform and
persuade industry and government on what is required to produce success-
ful IT enabled projects ” (British Computer Society n.d.b). Allied to this is