Teleworking and/or telecommuting is working at a distance from or outside a central office or business and using telecommunications (eg phone, fax, email) to do so.

Queensland University of Technology research on rural women’s use of interactive communications technologies 1994 - 1997
 
 

http://www.fbs.qut.edu.au/rwp/ 

Queensland University of Technology has been involved from as early as 1994 in research on Information Technology, working with rural women to trial the use of, and barriers to accessing interactive communications technologies. The researchers involved used action research methodology and part of the project involved the setting up of a very successful email group that linked rural women with each other and also with urban women and strategic policy makers. The email discussion group (WElink-l) is still an active group today and has been so because the women were allowed to chat in a positive and open environment. When the early email group began in 1995 and linked several rural women with the researchers it was groundbreaking stuff and was a very liberating experience for me as someone who lives 100 kms from the nearest town (Longreach). I had limited employment opportunities because of this, I had small children as well as jackeroos to feed (the latter not being what I regard as a peak life experience). I began to experience the benefits of communication with like-minded people. I was becoming informed about areas of interest and even more empowering, I was informing those on the group about issues from our perspective - the remote rural woman’s viewpoint a previously not very well heard perspective due to our isolation.

In the very early days I formed a lasting friendship with another grazier Gail O’Sullivan from the Charters Towers area (and many more since - many of whom I’ve met face to face and keep in regular contact with) but even more importantly we were encouraged and HEARD. We were recognised. Our thoughts (if valid of course) were being picked up on and listened to and sometimes even responded to. I cannot express how empowering this has been for me. Because of this research I have worked with several people I hold in very high regard who mentored me in progressing issues including Dr Margaret Grace and Lyn Simpson. Because of this project in which we were very active participants (and it was like pouring water onto parched earth for me - the need I had for it) I became a champion of the use of, and improved access to, Information Technology in rural and remote areas. 

I would like to quote Dr Margaret Grace (who was up until recently working for the "Office of Women’s Policy" in Brisbane) on why this project received the interest and acclaim it did and why it was so spectacularly successful.

She says the researchers thought it was successful from their point of view because: 

"it was embedded in a project which had a strong community development component. It is not enough to just give people the technology and expect them to change the world (well, they may do, but it is unlikely to happen) WElink worked because it was personalised - the original members had been to our workshops, and we made a point of asking people to introduce themselves, and (most importantly) it was a place to CHAT - about anything - rather than a structured discussion about some particular topic. 

She said: "For me, what WElink showed us was the dimension of the social isolation which women in the bush experience, and the wonderful ability of women to use this technology to overcome that isolation."

Another very important aspect is that it created conversations between rural women and urban women. I think that this is very much needed in Australia. Especially, as you have said often, it enabled a flow of information and ideas FROM the bush to urban centres and a much better understanding of rural perspectives by urban women - including urban women in strategic positions in government." (Email message from Margaret Grace to C.Capel 19/4/99)

I know from the researchers point of view the email group was successful beyond original expectations. The findings of the second project, completed in 1997 has been published and is entitled "The New Pioneers." (see http://www.fbs.qut.edu.au/rwp/)
 

• a seminar was held to present findings to government and relevant industry bodies including Telstra

http://www.bus.qut.edu.au/connections
 
 

TELEWORKING FOR GOVERNMENT FROM A REMOTE SHEEP STATION

Senior Project Officer 
Office of Rural Communities appointed October 15 1997.

What do I do?

1 writing briefing material and doing correspondence

2 Monitoring issues that arise from policy implementation (particularly state government policy) in my region 

3 I represent our department in my region - this does involve some face to face attendance at meetings eg Regional Managers Forums, Local Government forums.

4 I sit on relevant reference groups eg Assisting rural women project Office of Women’s Policy, Connecting rural communities (Queensland University of Technology), Outback revival groups. 

5 Project work eg Rural Lifestyles Web site Project http:/www.rlq.dcilgp.qld.gov.au

Blackall Bushlink Internet Cafe

6 demonstrating and advocating the concept of rural teleworking including at public presentations - ORC has led the way.

7 Providing information or contacts for people in the region.

8 Advocacy work eg Positive Rural Futures conference, Blackall web training workshop. Outback Revival.

8 working with other departments eg National Office of the Information Economy (NOIE) online regional summits, assisting in disseminating SCARM information and providing feedback to a federal level where a National Action Plan was developed.

A few sssues for teleworkers

• good communication and reporting processes staff meetings, reports, constant emails, phoning in, establishing good relations. Work reports.

• receptive management and colleagues

• need to be motivated, independent and proactive 
• occasional face to face is beneficial

Why go this way?

The Benefits for Employer, Employee and Rural Community
 
 

• the creation of employment in areas where there are very limited employment options 
• the creation of skilled employment/career options in regions where such opportunities are rare 
• government is kept well informed about rural issues by a rural person who lives in and is part of a rural/remote community. 
• government is not only listening to rural issues but is SEEN to be listening to rural communities 
• research has shown that teleworkers are happy workers and are very productive, take less sick leave and put more hours into work 
• flexible childcare/dependent arrangements are an option 
• the flow of money into rural communities has a direct positive multiplier effect on the rural community - ie money flowing into and staying in rural communities. 
• government is setting an example to the public sector of a new productive method of working and one that could assist in revitalising rural/remote communities
• demonstration of equity - no reason why suitable work need be confined to urban areas alone 

Judy Bandidt (Goomeri) Centreforce Judy Bandidt and her husband Bill manage a computer business from Goomeri (near Gympie).Their clients are the schools in rural and remote areas of Queensland - such as Kowanyama, Weipa, Boulia and the islands in the Torres Strait, and these schools are all approx 2000km away. They supply computer hardware and software, and provide support by acting as troubleshooter, look after repairs etc. Clients can keep in contact via a 1800 number, fax, email and website.

Judy also has a Desk Top Publishing business she teleworks. Clients are also geographically well spread, right around the State. She publishes the monthly magazine for the Central Queensland Rodeo Cowboys Association.(CQRCA) The CQRCA secretary is based in Emerald, and she emails Judy the content for the magazine each month. Judy then does the typesetting, arranges the printing, and distributes the magazine to the 500 or so members across the State. 

Judy also recently has done some work for the Society of Women Writers in Brisbane who have engaged her to typeset (ready for printing) an autobiographical novel. The entire novel was sent in one email attachment to Judy who typeset it as well as doing some editing. This sort of work is usually done by city businesses but as Judy has proved there is no reason why this need be the case. She advises me that a typesetter can charge approx $35/hour for straight typesetting and $40/hour with editing.

She also suggests that those businesses and/or associations who wish to have a web page set up but cannot afford and do not want a high cost, professional page with bells and whistles at costs of approx $80/hour can utilise the skills of a skilled self taught designer for half the cost. Her point is: 

"there are very clever programmers out there who command huge rates per hour to construct big business web sites. Many rural businesses and associations don't need all the latest whizbangs on their websites. And that's where a self-taught web page designer fits into the scheme of things. And that's where I see rural people being able to offer a service that is affordable, yet still of high quality "(Email message from J.Bandidt to C.Capel 9.9.99)

As she points out these skills can be acquired easily enough. 

• Tanya Hunt (Longreach) Media Monitor
• Brigalow Computer Solutions - group of women from Moura who telework for DPI
• Janette Kelly (Roma) - who is writing the history of the Fire Service from 1927-1990 working from the Roma Rural Fire Service Office one day a week. This word was to be outsourced outside the department till Janette proactively suggested she do it remotely. 

Teletask http://www.teletask.com.au

• a national Networking the Nation funded project which will provide jobs for interested rural teleworkers. Andrew Hunter from Armidale NSW is the executive officer. 
• potential teleworkers can subscribe to the project via the web site, they will be assessed, rated and matched to work. The site provides links to various training sites for those who may like to upgrade their skills
• Teletask will offer a 100% quality assurance guarantee to employers and Andrew will ensure that the work is completed to the standard required and strictly within deadlines.

• Virtual call centres. No longer do people need to be confined to working in a building that requires expensive rent and enormous setup costs. Virtual Call Centres will allow people to work from their own homes on their own computers and on the existing telecommunications network at a fraction of the cost while offering far more versatility. 
• digital transcribing. Tapes are emailed out as an audio file to transcribers who then type out the meeting minutes/conference proceedings or whatever and email them back. 
• some problems 

There are many examples of work that no longer needs to be confined to urban areas and the bush has many skilled workers that could be assets to any enterprise. A wider job pool is available for the tapping if managers are willing to consider rural teleworkers as applicants when they advertise suitable positions.
 

BridgIT http://www.qrwn.org.au

A $2 million Networking the Nation funded rural Internet training project and a Queensland Rural Women’s Network initiative.

Project Director Carol Hughes (Brisbane)

Admin Helen Richards (Biloela)

Trainers based in and servicing a region of approx 200km radius from:

• Longreach - Jillian
• Charleville - Natalie J
• Cooktown - Roffi
• Mackay - Diane
• Gympie - Linda
• Chinchilla - Natalie H
• Surat - Meredith 

• Chris Capel Chair (Longreach)
• Barbara Anderson (Winton)
• Joy Deguara (Nebo)
• Judy Bandidt (Goomeri)
• Rosemary Burnett (Gympie)

Management Committee plus

• Dr Margaret Grace
• Lyn Simpson - QUT
• Dr Colleen Gravatt - DPI Web services
• John Cooper CEO Agforce QLD

BridgIT was funded by Networking the Nation to the tune of $2 million and will provide "in the home," personalised, affordable, basic Internet training in rural/remote regions by trainers based there, in order to assist people to get on-line. BridgIT will also offer post training support which will be teleworked from the trainer’s home. While this project will provide basic training only I can tell you this is much needed in most regions and people are harassing us about how soon we can base trainers in their area! We have 3 trainers working in the Longreach and Charleville districts. Both these regions have major training needs. 5 new areas have been announced after Expressions of Interest were called for and we will be basing trainers in the following areas in the next few weeks - Gympie, Cooktown, Surat, Chinchilla and Mackay. 

A point to note is that the management and development of BridgIT has all been teleworked - The steering committee (which I chair) lives remotely from each other, (from properties outside Winton, Longreach, Goomeri and Nebo) We live remotely from the newly appointed Project Director Carol Hughes who works from her home in Brisbane and she lives remotely from the also newly appointed admin assistant who lives outside Biloela. The trainers of course are remote from each other and from the Project Director. The point is living remotely does not preclude people from developing and managing such projects.

BridgIT is ACTIVELY raising awareness in communities about rural teleworking in order to promote the concept. This is a major aim of this project and the project will (and has been) utilising media channels to do this. The web site has all latest information regarding the project. This site of course is evolving as the project unfolds. All position descriptions etc are available from the site. Teleworking IS light at the end of the tunnel for those in rural and remote areas and people in rural communities have shown keen interest in this. Hopefully BridgIT can further promote this concept to those in a position to employ. There does seem to be a groundswell of support for doing something to make rural teleworking a reality and not an exciting rarity.

I’m happy to expand on any issues raised on this outline.
 
 

Dr David Miron 
School of Mathematical and Computer Sciences 
University of New England 
Armidale, New South Wales 2351 
AUSTRALIA 
Phone: +61 2 67 733149
Fax: + 61 2 67 733312

Sophia Platthy
Project Officer
Australian Virtual Centre for Women and the Law
National Women's Justice Coalition
GPO Box 3148 Canberra ACT 2601 
AUSTRALIA 
Phone: +61 2 6247 2075 
Fax: + 61 2 6257 3070 
virtualcentre@nwjc.org.au