Afternoon folks,
Do you have an idea for a Wiki-learning session? Have you found something that you’d like to share with other Wikimedians, or an idea that you’d like to try out? And would you like some help from Wikimedia UK in sharing it?
In response to feedback from the community around having opportunities to improve Wiki-skills, and connecting with other community members, and as part of the overall training package for 2025, we’re excited to introduce a new strand of event programming, called Community Sandbox Sessions.
We’re looking to programme up to 6 virtual events over the next year, which would be open to all members of the UK community, and supported by Wikimedia UK. We’re asking community members to propose sessions that you’d like to lead.
The type or format of any event is open; but we’d like to encourage proposals which go beyond the traditional Wikipedia editathon - for example:
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Here’s a cool Wikidata tool I’ve found, let’s try it out -
Wikisource transcribe-a-thon -
A talk on how to run backstage pass events -
Here’s how I got this article to Featured Article status -
Let’s add images from this collection to Wikipedia -
A mobile meeting where we take pictures of our local area for Wikimedia Commons -
Minoritised language work - eg: adding Wikidata labels -
Building a worklist & finding reliable sources for future events
Events can take place throughout the year, and can also be on an evening or weekend. Suggested duration is an hour, but longer (or shorter!) events could be considered. We’re suggesting that these events are online in the first instance, to reach the widest possible audience, and all events should of course be run in line with the Wikimedia UK Safe Space policy. https://wikimedia.org.uk/wiki/Safe_Space_Policy
Support WMUK can offer:
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Advice on refining your format -
Setting up of Event Registration -
Event promotion through UK listings & mailing lists -
Hosting on the WMUK Zoom account / Google Meet -
Friendly space support from a WMUK staff member (or volunteer) during the event
This is very much an experiment, and we hope that the format will allow community members to share knowledge and skills, and get to know other UK Wikimedians, as well as test out new ideas! If you’d be interested in running a session, please submit a proposal here. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScGmjZstJXQSMe9V8FyurYHEMbSthS2BrOatUwd6VQUsBSKlw/viewform?usp=header The initial deadline for submitting proposals is Tuesday 20th May.
If you have any questions, give me a shout (off-list if you prefer, to save folks' inboxes).
All the best, Sara