[Foundation-l] Wikimedia Youth Camp?

[Ray Saintonge]

Andrew Lih wrote:

>On 9/6/06, Birgitte SB <birgitte_sb at yahoo.com> wrote:
>  
>
>>Also lets not forget that young people have much
>>longer holidays than most people.  I would think
>>younger people are more likely to be able to attend
>>and event a week before Wikimania.
>>
>>Although I do wonder whether we really want to take on
>>being responsibile for minors.  It would require a lot
>>more effort than just producing Wikimania does.  I
>>think if we can partner with a group that has
>>experience and a good reputation with the "youth camp"
>>issues, then it would be great for us to provide the
>>Wikimedia aspect.  If we are doing this on our own
>>however I think it would be too risky of a
>>proposition.
>>    
>>
>I agree, that's why a session before Wikimania with maybe 12-16 folks
>would be an ideal start. If we're talking 50-100, then I agree -
>having to manage that many teenagers under one roof would be daunting.
>We'd need the help of an academic institution that has experience
>running a summer program or something similar.
>
The whole idea is intriguing, but there are major logistical problems.  
There is no doubt that we (or the youth themselves) could come up with 
an interesting programme.  The small group that Andrew suggests may be 
as much as we can hope for in a first global level conference of this 
sort in the first year.  After that such conferences could grow, or more 
regional events may prove more workable.

The youth who can travel half-way around the world to a conference 
without their parents are exceptional.  Such travel is very costly, and 
most parents need to be reassured that their children will be perfectly 
safe before they give the children permission to travel. 

Ec