Dear all

Thanks to those of you who have shared their thoughts on Wikimedia UK's future direction and priorities, as we develop the chapter's next strategic plan (for 2025 - 2030). I will be holding video calls at the following times for anyone who would like to discuss the strategy in person: 

Monday 2nd September from 1 - 2pm

Saturday 7th September from 2 - 3pm

Thursday 12th September from 8 - 9pm

Please rsvp to this email to let me know if you would like to join one of these calls. The zoom link is the same for all three sessions: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/2749110721?omn=87877961059

The emerging strategic aims for 2025 - 2030 are as follows:

1. Put equity, diversity and inclusion at the heart of the organisation and our charitable activities, increasing the involvement and representation of the UK”s underrepresented or marginalised communities.

2. Support the public’s ability to make decisions about critical issues such as the climate crisis or health, by developing projects and partnerships that increase free, open access to knowledge and information and advocating for open policies and practice.

3. Support, develop and diversify the UK community of volunteers and community leaders, and amplify the work of Wikimedia contributors in the UK.

4. Contribute to the creation of a healthy information ecosystem by developing and delivering media and information literacy projects in schools and other education settings; campaigning for public policy measures that support ecosystem health; and advocating for changes in policy and practice across relevant sectors.

5. Elevate Wikimedia UK's influence and impact by amplifying its work to a wide range of audiences; building our visibility and profile through social and traditional media and innovative communications campaigns, and demonstrating thought leadership through research, publications and speaking engagements.

6. Support the reach and impact of the global Wikimedia movement through our UK programme as well as through international collaboration; acting as an advisor and thought partner, convening communities of interest through the creation of pilot hubs and other, less formal structures, and sharing evaluation, research and best practice.

We will also be looking to increase our financial sustainability and resilience (including diversifying income) in order to support programme delivery. 

I'd be particularly keen to hear ideas for how Wikimedia UK can better engage/support/amplify the work of volunteers - but your input into any of these, including whether you think that this is the right direction of travel for Wikimedia UK, is very much welcomed. 

Thanks and best wishes

Lucy

On Mon, 1 Jul 2024 at 12:10, Lucy Crompton-Reid <lucy.crompton-reid@wikimedia.org.uk> wrote:

Dear all

Wikimedia UK's current strategy runs until the end of the current financial year (31st January 2025) and we are in the process of developing a new strategic framework to guide the chapter's work over the next five years. As the strategy will be one of the supporting documents for our next funding proposal to the Wikimedia Foundation (to be submitted by the end of September), we will be working on this over the summer. 

It would be great to get input into the new strategy from editors and other volunteers. My plan is to hold a video call to discuss and explore priorities, followed by asynchronous input over the summer (open to anyone). At the AGM on Saturday 21st September, I will give a short presentation on how the strategy has developed and key aspects of the final draft. 

I am hoping to organise a call in the last two weeks of July, and would welcome views on the time of the day/week that would most suit volunteers who would like to participate - for example, would a weekday lunchtime work, or would an evening or weekend session be better?

I know that not everyone is particularly interested in strategy, and that even for those of you that are, there are already a lot of calls for volunteers to input into Wikimedia strategy and governance issues currently e.g. the movement charter, the recent Universal Code of Conduct Coordinating Committee elections, and upcoming elections for Wikimedia UK and Wikimedia Foundation trustees. Volunteers have limited time and I know that for many of you, your priority will be on-wiki activities. So if there are any ways of making it easier for you to provide input into issues that matter to you, please do let me know. For example, there could be meetup events where a member of staff could come along to gather views; or we could create a very simple online survey. 

With thanks and best wishes

Lucy

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Lucy Crompton-Reid

Chief Executive

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Lucy Crompton-Reid

Chief Executive