Municipal Website Venture

Depending on your comfort level with computers and technology in general learning and working with something like Joomla can be challenge. But as long as you have an interest and an open mind it's amazing what can be achieved. The following provides an interesteing perspective about a self described "technically challenged" Administrative Coordinator learning and working with Joomla.

The first Joomla workshop was conducted Friday September 26. Attendees came from Hantsport, Port Hawkesbury, Argyle, Colchester, Wolfville, Lunenburg, HRM, SNSMR and AMA. The workshop facilitated a deeper understanding of the mechanics of Joomla and extended the scope of material covered in training sessions.

Prior to the Municipal Website Venture's formation there was a general recognition by provincial and municipal governments that a dedicated program toward significantly raising the standard of municipal governments’ websites could be achieved in a cost effective manner. This concept was fully explored through a Provincial/Municipal E-government Committee during which the idea of the Municipal Website Venture was born. The MWV utilizes the sound working relationship between provincial and municipal governments in Nova Scotia to provide a solid foundation of support.

The overriding goal of the MWV is to substantially improve the quality of municipal websites while empowering municipal staff to manage their websites in accordance with their needs. For municipalities, the Municipal Website Venture should dramatically widen in-house participation in all website activities. Website work can now include departmental heads or other key people in your organization. And wider participation can mean transforming a web site which is monotonous and stagnant, into one which is dynamic, informative, and up-to-date every day.