[okfn-discuss] The Open Data Census needs you

Thu Sep 5 16:01:37 UTC 2013

Open Data Census: Help assess the state of open government data

Would you like to help track the state of government data? Then now is the
time to join the Open Data Census community as one of the Country Editors
for your country and help our community-driven push to show governments of
the world the state of open data!

The Open Data Census <http://census.okfn.org/> is a tool that *assesses the
evolution and current state of open
data<http://blog.okfn.org/2013/09/05/open-data-census-join-the-global-citizen-effort-to-assess-the-state-of-government-data/okfn.org/opendata>
around
the world*. It is a *community-based effort* initiated and coordinated by
the Open Knowledge Foundation <http://okfn.org/> but with participation
from many different groups or individuals: *Citizens in countries all over
the world contribute* either by going to the site to submit information
about their home country, or by becoming a Country Editor!
Country Editors are local citizens, and require no special skills – other
than curiosity, Internet access and the *desire to investigate what
government data are open in their country* by browsing the web. They
volunteer, often in groups, to act as contact person(s) for their country
and to coordinate the collection of data from other volunteers in the same
area. It’s a position that does not requires a lot of time, but is *pivotal
to the success of the Census*.

We are looking to *expand the community of Country Editors*, in order to
present the Census results at the monumental Open Government Partnership
Summit <http://www.opengovpartnership.org/ogp-london-annual-summit> in
London on October 30 – to *show the world the current state of open
government data*, as seen by the citizens of the world. The aim is to have
a *fully expanded, updated and reviewed Open Data Census to present*, and a
*magnificent tool for communities all over the world to use* to start
discussions with their governments and to drive the open government data
agenda forward in their local area.

*Take a look at this list over countries which already have Country
Editors<https://docs.google.com/a/okfn.org/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AjAcHTKULuf8dFBKbEJ5WlFkQkZ3MTd1WnJBUGozbWc#gid=0>
* – if your country is not represented, the *Open Data Census could really
use your help!* (and if your country is already represented, you can still
help – each country can easily have more than one Country Editor).

Here is what to if you are interested in joining:

   - *Now: Sign up to be a Country Editor for your country*.
   To do that send us an email <christian.villum at okfn.org> and subscribe to
   the Open Data Census Discussion
List<http://blog.okfn.org/2013/09/05/open-data-census-join-the-global-citizen-effort-to-assess-the-state-of-government-data/lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/open-data-census>.
   We will then get back to you with further information.
   - *Now: Let us know if you have friends or good contacts in other
   countries*, who might be interested in joining the Country Editor
   community. Especially in
countries<https://docs.google.com/a/okfn.org/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AjAcHTKULuf8dFBKbEJ5WlFkQkZ3MTd1WnJBUGozbWc#gid=0>
in
   which we do not currently have Country Editors.
   - *Soon, starting September 15 – we will invite you to submit your
   county’s data-sets* to the Open Data Census, or see if already submitted
   sets are fully up to date.
   - *Later, starting October 1 – when the data collection has finished –
   find more reviewers in your country* to review the submissions. The more
   people who review the data, the more reliable it will be in the Census
   results.

*Please get in touch with any questions or comments you may have*. We
suggest *posting them on the Census Discussion
List<http://blog.okfn.org/2013/09/05/open-data-census-join-the-global-citizen-effort-to-assess-the-state-of-government-data/lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/open-data-census>
*, so that we can all engage around the same ideas, concerns and
opportunities. You can also *read more about the Country Editor
role<https://docs.google.com/a/okfn.org/document/d/1TmqNTQwrQA5gOUX_HUT5o7Z4tWZC3-q1Omw_CINrs4k/edit>
* and *check out the Open Data Census
FAQ<https://docs.google.com/a/okfn.org/document/d/14lrN0Ge4W6X_eRuzvFtUSv2TcUi5Zcmw0YTum37EKOQ/edit>
*, which may answer your query – or *you can get in touch directly with
Christian Villum <christian.villum at okfn.org>*, the coordinator of the Open
Data Census.

Note that *everyone is invited to subscribe to the discussion
list<http://blog.okfn.org/2013/09/05/open-data-census-join-the-global-citizen-effort-to-assess-the-state-of-government-data/lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/open-data-census>
* and to engage in the discussions there, even if you are not planning to
become a Country Editor.

We’re looking forward to welcome you to the Census community!

See this announcement online:
http://blog.okfn.org/2013/09/05/open-data-census-join-the-global-citizen-effort-to-assess-the-state-of-government-data/

-- 

Christian Villum

Community Manager, Open Government Data + Local Groups Network
skype: christianvillum  |  @villum <http://www.twitter.com/villum>
The Open Knowledge Foundation <http://okfn.org/>
*Empowering through Open Knowledge
*http://okfn.org/  |  @okfn <http://twitter.com/OKFN>  |  OKF on
Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/OKFNetwork> |
Blog <http://blog.okfn.org/>  |  Newsletter<http://okfn.org/about/newsletter>

*Have you registered for OKCon 2013 <http://okcon.org/>?*
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