About Civic Tech Sweden

Background

Civic Tech Sweden is a network of individuals, organisations and the public sector working to make the possibilities that comes with digital technology benefit as many as possible. The participants of the network develop digital tools for transparency, open data and promoting participation in political processes and social movements.

Areas of interest

We work with three themes:

  • Power to the people: Democracy, participation and transparency.
  • Sharing is caring: Collaborative economy, the commons and sustainable consumption.
  • I like to move it: Sustainable transportation, travel and mobility.

The partners repsonsible for the organisation of each event should collaborate in reaching out to the public, finding participants within and outside their own networks, presenting their projects and leading group participants during the event.

Way of working

The products of CTS events should be made available to the public. Depending on the type of project, it can be accomplished through:

  • The results of the project should be made available to the public.
  • Any code generated should use an open-source license.
  • Text, pictures or videos produced should be licensed under Creative Commons.

Organisation

CTS is organised into:

  • Local groups: groups in a city or region organising meetups or hackathons.
  • Groups of interest: groups to coordinate hackathons or meetups for underrepresented groups or within specific topics.
  • Local and national partners: organisatons supporting the activities of the network.

CTS is a decentralized network which strives to obtain maximal freedom for participating groups within the principles of the network.

Coordination group

To coordinate events and support local initiatives there is a national coordination group. Every local group, group of interest and national partner can choose a representative for the coordination group.

People organising activities within the network are responsible for making sure that the code of conduct is complied to, and to create a welcoming and inclusive environment in their group.

The coordination group is responsible for making sure that the code of conduct is complied to at national events and in digital forums. Organisers and the coordination group can exclude people from the network who are not acting according to the code of conduct on CTS activities and digital forum.

Start a group

Anyone who wants to start a local group or group of interest can do so by contacting CTS by admin@digidemlab.org. The coordination group will discuss with the interested person or group whether its appropriate to collaborate. If the group is started, the coordination group and national partners will be accessible for supporting the organising of meetups and hackthons.

Partners

Organisations, networks, corporations and the public sector working aligned to CTS’s principles are welcome to take place in the network, as local or national partners. Local partners help with hackathons or meetups by mobilizing, sharing of knowledge or financial support. National partners need to be accepted by the coordination group, and contribute with resources for mobilizing and spreading information nationally.

Code of conduct

CTS expect that all of our activities, events and digital forums:

  • Are a safe and respectful environment for all participants.
  • Are a place where people are free to fully express their identities.
  • Presume the value of others. Everyone’s ideas, skills, and contributions have value.
  • Don’t assume everyone has the same context, and encourage questions.
  • Find a way for people to be productive with their skills (technical and not) and energy. Use language such as “yes/and”, not “no/but.”
  • Encourage members and participants to listen as much as they speak.
  • Strive to build tools that are open and free technology for public use. Activities that aim to foster public use, not private gain, are prioritized.
  • Prioritize access for and input from those who are traditionally excluded from the civic process.
  • Work to ensure that the community is well-represented in the planning, design, and implementation of civic tech. This includes encouraging participation from women, minorities, and traditionally marginalized groups.
  • Actively involve community groups and those with subject matter expertise in the decision-making process.
  • Ensure that the relationships and conversations between community members, the local government staff and community partners remain respectful, participatory, and productive.
  • Provide an environment where people are free from discrimination or harassment.