Local ownership is a critical variable in the success of the World Links Policymakers Workshop. One way this workshop seeks to develop a sense of local ownership is through the creation of a "core team". A core team assists the facilitator in the small group work during the workshop, meets in the afternoons to reflect on the day and plan changes for the next day's work and takes the lead on day five of the workshop with the planning of the ongoing policy development. This core team becomes the lead group for moving from planning to policy writing and the development of strategic implementation plans.

The professional backgrounds, responsibilities and interests of members of the core team typically vary widely. Often it is useful to include someone with the technical expertise to management various Internet tools (web sites, on-line discussion areas, e-mail listservs and groups) that the core team uses to facilitate the on-going work of the participants involved in the workshop. When a World Links country program is active in a country, the local World Links country coordinator can be an important support to this group.

World Links Country Coordinator
The World Links Country Coordinator typically plays an important role in the preparation for the workshop, support during the workshop and in keeping the momentum for ongoing policy development following the workshop. It is critical that the country coordinator be a visible participant during the workshop and a leader in the process of setting out the next steps at the end of the workshop. The country coordinator serves as an important the link between the World Links program and the host country. The country coordinator can also play an important support role for the workshop facilitator by providing him/her with the necessary support documents, by providing feedback and information on the local environment and by problems as they arise during the workshop.