Agree with the problem- be part of an ALS normally demands engagement in its work locally. So I am in favor to have individuals as members – even in LACRALO we do not have this possibility. May become a good change. What I am not in favor is to have individuals disconnected from the Ralos. Ralos will have no clear meaning to grow with individuals running in parallel , working whatever they want to with not alignment with related Ralo. Individuals can also join another groups under ICANN struture but will be hard to have their work adding value to a particular region if disconnected from the formal structure. Having a parallel structure to RALOs do not add efficiency to budget and local interest either. Just add another group to dispute both. Vanda Scartezini Polo Consultores Associados Av. Paulista 1159, cj 1004 01311-200- Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil Land Line: +55 11 3266.6253 Mobile: + 55 11 98181.1464 Sorry for any typos. HAPPY 2017! On 2/15/17, 8:49 AM, "at-large-bounces@atlarge-lists.icann.org on behalf of Winthrop Yu" <at-large-bounces@atlarge-lists.icann.org on behalf of w.yu@gmx.net> wrote: Just some thoughts ... > Dev: > - The motivation for ALSes to market to individuals in their country to > join At-Large is not there as organisations would seek to have persons > join and assist their organisation first than be involved ICANN At-Large. > Not necessarily. Instead at ISOC-PH it's the willing and able *individuals* who decide which issues to focus on, gather like-minded members and get help from the chapter/ALS' other members who may not wish to be as deeply or continuously engaged on a particular issue. I expect that for each ALS there are Internet issues that are top-of-mind in-country, for example - i.a. online freedom and net neutrality. Clearly one problem would be how to raise awareness about ICANN such that ICANN's issues rise on those local top-of-mind rankings. The challenge here is that ICANN issues are (understandably) ICANN-centric and often seem far-removed from the more urgent issues that concern local Netizens. Thus, as we as a chapter/ALS cannot dictate which issues to focus on, then active individuals will naturally gravitate towards and engage in those specific issues which seem most important to them and where they feel they can best contribute. That being said, it does help when an ICANN rep (like the one who flew in last year 2016) has a chance to sit down, chat and get to know at least the chapter/ALS officers. This is certainly appreciated and we hope to see her again this year. It is hardly helpful if an ICANN rep (like the one who flew-in in 2015 and 2014) immediately flys-out again after delivering his presentation, or (as in early 2014) when senior ICANN officers fly-in at the behest of in-country VIPs but without any contact or engagement with the local ALS. This simply exacerbates the impression that ICANN's concerns are far removed from those of the ALS and local Netizens. Thus i would tend to agree with Maureen ... > Maureen: > YET... despite the argument I provide above, my personal preference is still > the current ALS system but working more towards encouraging more individual > members to become more active within their ALS at a local level, and > providing evidence of their contribution towards end-user participation into > At-Large policy discussions. With the additional proviso that it's not just about getting more members to become active, but also that ICANN / At-Large issues should be more relevant to the local context, so that members who are inclined to be active will be encouraged to engage on those (ICANN) issues. WYn _______________________________________________ At-Large mailing list At-Large@atlarge-lists.icann.org https://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/at-large At-Large Official Site: http://atlarge.icann.org