Hi Emna,
Per our conversation, please see below a summary and background information about the Google partnership we are working on for Tunisia.
I'd like your help with getting community feedback on the tactics we are proposing in the scaling (tactics seen below in bullet point format) to ensure they are realistic and viable in the community and Tunisian contexts. Please note the deadline is July 6th, 2018.
It would be great if you could reach out the Tunisian community to get a sense whether the ideas we are proposing would be supported/approved, but also if the community could implement or support the tactic we are proposing. Please feel free to share any other ideas for supporting current editors and growing new editors.
Background:
In 2016, Google and the Wikimedia Foundation in partnership with the Centre for Internet and Society (CIS), Wikimedia India chapter (WMIN), user groups and external partners launched a pilot project in India to encourage local Wikipedia communities to create locally relevant articles in Indian languages. The project (codename: Project Tiger) (a) supported active and experienced Wikipedia editors through the donation of laptops and stipends for internet access and (b) organized a language-based article writing contest to address existing Wikipedia content gaps. Through this pilot project, over 4,000 articles were created in over 10 Indic languages.
Google and the Wikimedia Foundation are keen to replicate the success of the pilot project and refine and scale this strategy globally. To this end, Google and the Wikimedia Foundation working in close coordination with target Wikimedia movement affiliates will encourage Wikipedia communities to create high-quality content in the target local languages for the most searched for (but missing) relevant topics. This partnership program will specifically target language communities with small but growing Wikipedias and focus their efforts on producing missing content that local readers are searching for. Through this program, we will be able to help local language communities overcome barriers to participation, making our current editors more efficient and engaged, and support efforts to grow new editors' ranks in key languages. Below is an outline of the tactics we propose to adopt to increase relevant content on Wikipedia in select local languages; depending on local context and past experience, we may or may not adopt certain tactics if the circumstances warrant otherwise.
The specific tactics we would like your feedback on:
- Provision of topics: (a) providing topics based on existing community event themes and encouraging editors to write articles on these topics to fill content gaps; and (b) daily or weekly tasks on specific topics, themes, and areas to editors who opt-in via mobile phone, as guidance or suggestion of articles for editors to create content on. Would the community have any concerns with this?
- Support for very active editors: specifically, the provision of laptops (new and refurbished), internet access, support to attend to relevant global events, YouTube interviews, internships with organizations that value research and writing skills, capacity development training. Would this "support" be acceptable to the community? Other support ideas?
- Partnerships with GLAMs: with support from WMF & Google, would the affiliate/UG be interested in and able to pursue and implement these partnerships to support current editors by giving them access to archives, research resources and content, and venues for content creation events? Is this realistic in your context?
- Partnerships with universities (Wikipedia Education Program): with support from WMF & Google, would the affiliate/UG be interested in and able to pursue and implement partnerships with universities to grow new editors and expand the academic content on Wikipedia in target languages? Is this realistic in your context?
- Promoting translation tools: Promoting the use of translation tools and developing a better translation experience to help first-time editors with content creation - provides an easy entry to contribution than editing afresh and builds confidence. Does the community have any concerns/objections to this approach?
- Write for Wikipedia camps: WMF and Google propose to create a training and certificate program aimed at attracting, training, certifying, deploying, and retaining new editors who will contribute to increasing content in local languages. The program will train new editors on how to edit and contribute to Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects and will include testing the skills and capacities and an internship opportunity for the top performing new editors with organizations that value research and writing skills like media houses or publishing companies. Is the community opposed to this tactic as a way to grow editor ranks? Would you be able to support this training program (lead/assist in the creation of the program and trainings etc.)?
Please let me know if you have any questions.
All the best,
Jack