Thanks Balazs! All 20 spaces on the workshop are now taken. :)
On 6 Dec 2013 18:48, "Balázs Viczián" <balazs.viczian(a)wikimedia.hu>
wrote:
Hi all,
As this event supposed to target guys like me, let me give you a short
feedback about the program.
I see nothing practical, nothing useful in it. It is full of defining this,
defining that sessions. And they are extremely long.
Not a word about financial planning, not a word about community management
(as "chapter's community") nothing about volunteer recruitement, not a
word
about negotiating (as negotiating skills, including convincing techniques
and other related knowledge) cost management (cost cutting, replanning),
managerial approaches and attitudes (managerial skills and styles, best
practices), etc. etc. The line is long.
I see no practical skills discussed, except if the aim is to make us able
to discuss chapter-related __theoretical__ things in a much deeper way than
before. Ever. Nice to have clear visions for the future though but what
this event covers is about 20% of what is called "management" altough I had
to admit, it is the most interesting 20%. For me too.
Cheers,
Balazs
*Balazs Viczian*
Executive Vice President
*Wikimédia Magyarország Egyesület*
Tel: +36 70 633 6372
Mail: balazs.viczian(a)wikimedia.hu
Web:
www.wikimedia.hu Blog: Magyar Wikipédia Magazin<
http://huwiki.blogspot.hu>
Facebook: Magyar Wikipédia <https://www.facebook.com/hu.wikipedia>
2013/12/6 Chris Keating <chriskeatingwiki(a)gmail.com>
Hi Laura,
Actually I hope both larger and smaller organisations will gain from this
event. Larger organisations' boards certainly need training and support
as
much as smaller ones, though there are different
challenges at different
stages of development.
I'm pleased to say of the people who have registered so far there is a
broad mixture from three continents and I hope we will be able to fund as
many people as possible.
It would certainly be great if there was more support available for
organisations just starting out, available for free. So far as I know,
no-one has ever taken a synoptic look at the support and development
needs
of Wikimedia movement organisations and tried to
work out how to meet
them.
Who might take that on and how it might be funded
is an open question.
Regards,
Chris
Hi Chris,
If there is only one Wikimedia Foundation board recognised thematic
organization, why did you chose to use a plural? And The Wikinewsie
Group
has aff-comm recognition, and as the Board has
never rejected an aff-comm
recommendation, I don't particularly see the problem.
What I do see as problematic is WM-UK organizing this conference, talking
about chapters moving towards professionalism in the context of the
Wikimedia Movement while charging chapters and a thematic organization to
attend, selecting a hotel for participants to stay at that costs above
the
per diem rate that the WMF funds for, and then
saying there is the
expectation that it will not be an issue for people to attend with the
high
registration fee and high accomodation costs
because these will not be
incurred by individuals but by their organizations.
As the Movement appears to be having a discussion about finacial
responsibility and effect use of donor funds, that sort of approach
appears
to run counter to all of that. No explanation
other than "We talked down
the price!" appears to have been forth coming as to why a place was
selected that costs roughly USD$200 a night. There is no agenda for this
conference to understand why the conference is worth that expensive
costs.
The people presenting clearly are not in need of
the conference as it is
Wikimedia UK, Wikimedia DE, Wikimedia PL, Wikimedia France. These are by
and large the chapters with FDC funding or access to independent sources
of
funding. They are clearly not being targetted
for training. The people
who appear to be targetted as attendees are ones who have no money... and
you're off to charge them large amounts.
I don't see how these costs, which you expect to be absorbed by donor
funds, are a good use of those funds. I don't see how expecting people
to
incur expenses over around USD$850 to attend a
two day conference ($400
for
two nights, $65 for registration, $230 for a
flight from somewhere close
in
Europe, $50 to get to the event from the airport,
$100 in food) where the
thing starts out by violating WMF guidelines.
What knowledge exactly are you planning to pass on to people from less
developed chapters? Fiscal responsibility, best use of donor funds,
following WMF's best practices for grant funding... These are off the
table? What else is there?
Sincerely,
Laura Hale
On Friday, December 6, 2013, Chris Keating wrote:
> Hi Laura, you can bypass the registration fee by selecting "other
payment
option" in the way I said.
In response to another off list query, I should point out that
unfortunately this workshop is only open to existing (incorporated &
recognised) chapters/thorgs, not those still in planning or awaiting
recognition.
--
mobile: 635209416
twitter: purplepopple
blog:
ozziesport.com
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