I trust you're not advocating tokenism. On 20 Apr 2011 11:44, "Gordon Joly" gordon.joly@pobox.com wrote:

On 19/04/2011 22:43, Chris Keating wrote:

...

The new Board is:

Roger Bamkin (Victuallers) - Chair Andrew Turvey (AndrewRT) - Treasurer Michael Peel (Mike Peel) - Secretary Chris Keating (The Land) Martin Poulter (MartinPoulter) Ashley Van Haeften (Fae) Steve Virgin (Steve Virgin)

Gentlemen, I expect us to be a registered charity by the 2012 AGM!!!

Gordon

P.S. Diversity of the board?

--

Gordon Joly gordon.joly@pobox.com http://www.joly.org.uk/ Don't Leave Space To The Professionals!

P.S. Diversity of the board?

There was a bit of a discussion on Twitter on Saturday about the fact that all the candidates were white middle-aged men.* The evidence suggests that most Wikimedians are men (70/30ish?). I had a look at the WMUK membership list to identify gender on the basis of first names and got the impression that the bias in our membership is a bit more skewed than that (85/15ish).

My view is that this is something we need to address - and in particular we need to make sure it doesn't become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Hopefully the work the Foundation is doing in this area will be helpful. Hopefully also the work we will do in the coming year will help us engage with a more diverse group of people. It's noticeable that the people we worked with at the CRUK workshop were mainly female and the gender balance at the GLAM-WIKI conference was fairly even if you ignored the Wikimedians.

More views would I'm sure be welcome...

Chris

*NB I am not middle-aged, but accept the overall point....

On Wed, Apr 20, 2011 at 13:06, steve virgin steve@mediafocusuk.com wrote:

In terms of this discussion about breaking down diversity barriers, we’ve had some limited success with the two events we have ran in Bristol recently:

http://uk.wikimedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Wiki_Academy_1 (March 19)

http://uk.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiConference_UK_2011 (April 16)

A large number of women students etc attended the Academy (about half of the 20 present) and they came mainly from this group in the URL below:

http://bristolgirlgeekdinners.com/ (you’ll notice they kindly publicised our AGM on the front page of their website)

We also saw one or two from the same group at the AGM – I believe they are now members of Wikimedia UK (so welcome if you are reading this)

I think we have a ‘regional opportunity’ to reach out and diversify our membership base here. I urge other Wikipedians to look for similar groups across the country and to go and talk to them about our work and invite them to collaborate on events together, as we undoubtedly hold a lot in common in terms of mutual interest.

There are Girl Geek Dinner groups across Britain: London, Brighton, Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds, Hull, Reading, Bristol, Oxford, Winchester, South Yorkshire, Plymouth, Dorset and Birmingham.

I've added that list to the Institutional outreach page: http://uk.wikimedia.org/wiki/Institutional_outreach

I've also posted on Twitter saying that WMUK may be interested in doing events/outreach with the London GGD community.

Any ideas where we can run Wikimedia Academy events in London? I was talking to someone on IRC who suggested collaborating with coworking spaces. Alternatively, it would be very useful if, especially in London, there were a few standard places we could use to run outreach-focussed Wikimedia Academy/editathon type events. Any ideas?

We would be very interested in having regular events on campus. We need 2 weeks advanced notice to book rooms and at certain times of the year things are more difficult to do, but we can book rooms in South Kensington, Hammersmith and Acton capacity up to 60 very easily, and more than a 100 with a bit more work needed.

________________________________________ From: wikimediauk-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org [wikimediauk-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org] On Behalf Of steve virgin [steve@mediafocusuk.com] Sent: 20 April 2011 14:00 To: wikimediauk-l@lists.wikimedia.org Subject: Re: [Wikimediauk-l] - a reply and a suggestion on diversity in the membership basis

Tom - perhaps get the guys at the Imperial College Wikipedia Society to give you hand, lend you a room or something else?

I can ping Vinesh and put you in touch?

-----Original Message----- From: wikimediauk-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org [mailto:wikimediauk-l-bounces@lists.wikimedia.org] On Behalf Of Tom Morris Sent: 20 April 2011 13:53 To: wikimediauk-l@lists.wikimedia.org Subject: Re: [Wikimediauk-l] - a reply and a suggestion on diversity in the membership basis

On Wed, Apr 20, 2011 at 13:06, steve virgin steve@mediafocusuk.com wrote:

In terms of this discussion about breaking down diversity barriers, we've had some limited success with the two events we have ran in Bristol recently:

http://uk.wikimedia.org/wiki/Bristol_Wiki_Academy_1 (March 19)

http://uk.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiConference_UK_2011 (April 16)

A large number of women students etc attended the Academy (about half of

the

20 present) and they came mainly from this group in the URL below:

http://bristolgirlgeekdinners.com/ (you'll notice they kindly publicised

our

AGM on the front page of their website)

We also saw one or two from the same group at the AGM - I believe they are now members of Wikimedia UK (so welcome if you are reading this)

I think we have a 'regional opportunity' to reach out and diversify our membership base here. I urge other Wikipedians to look for similar groups across the country and to go and talk to them about our work and invite

them

to collaborate on events together, as we undoubtedly hold a lot in common

in

terms of mutual interest.

There are Girl Geek Dinner groups across Britain: London, Brighton, Nottingham, Manchester, Leeds, Hull, Reading, Bristol, Oxford, Winchester, South Yorkshire, Plymouth, Dorset and Birmingham.

I've added that list to the Institutional outreach page: http://uk.wikimedia.org/wiki/Institutional_outreach

I've also posted on Twitter saying that WMUK may be interested in doing events/outreach with the London GGD community.

Any ideas where we can run Wikimedia Academy events in London? I was talking to someone on IRC who suggested collaborating with coworking spaces. Alternatively, it would be very useful if, especially in London, there were a few standard places we could use to run outreach-focussed Wikimedia Academy/editathon type events. Any ideas?

-- Tom Morris http://tommorris.org/

Please don't print this e-mail out unless you want a hard copy of it. If you do, go ahead. I won't stop you.

_______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org

_______________________________________________ Wikimedia UK mailing list wikimediauk-l@wikimedia.org http://mail.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimediauk-l WMUK: http://uk.wikimedia.org

On 20 Apr 2011, at 15:29, Fae faenwp@gmail.com wrote:

Some folks might have missed that one member taking part at the conference is 12 years old and a well established and respected Wikipedian.

Hah, I didn't realise that—great! That makes me feel a little better, having only just turned 17!

Isabell.

On 20/04/2011 17:09, Alex Stinson wrote:

Please participate! Some of the most interesting Wikipedians I have met are the younger ones amongst us. Also, we youth have a lot more time on our hands with a lot less obligations, so we can do more!

Alex

I am 55 and "semi-retired". Does that count?

Gordo

Of course! I just find that a lot fewer of my peers (I am only 20) are bold about their ability to take on big projects than people with a little more life experience behind them.

I've worked with local councillors aged between 20 and 85. All the mediocre ones were middle-aged. ;-)

The Wikipedia user survey found that the median age of people using the site was 22, though the median age increased if you looked at only registered users, and even more if you only looked at administrators. So the Wikimedia community in the UK is probably much younger on the whole than the Board is.

Regarding Chris's point about age limits - I am no expert but I imagine the legal duties of directors mean they need to be over 18?

Chris (The Land)

On 20 April 2011 17:01, Isabell Long isabell121@gmail.com wrote:

On 20 Apr 2011, at 15:29, Fae faenwp@gmail.com wrote:

...

Some folks might have missed that one member taking part at the conference is 12 years old and a well established and respected Wikipedian.

Hah, I didn't realise that—great!  That makes me feel a little better, having only just turned 17!

By current standards, you're past it.

(Sam Korn was on the en:wp arbcom at 16 ...)

- d.

On 20 April 2011 17:59, Chris McKenna cmckenna@sucs.org wrote:

On Wed, 20 Apr 2011, David Gerard wrote:

...

(Sam Korn was on the en:wp arbcom at 16 ...)

Getting off topic (sorry), but I've just been looking up age limits and things and in the most recent elections candidates were required to be at least 18. I've not looked at previous elections, but I haven't been able to find where that restriction came from.

We changed the ArbCom election rules in (I think?) 2007 to add in an age limit after we had created the CheckUser and OverSight tools and Arbitrators started to get much more significant levels of access to personal information. Before then it was only infrequently that personal information was disclosed to the Committee, and then generally voluntarily by the individuals in question, so it wasn't really an issue.

J.

On 20 April 2011 18:04, Isabell Long isabell121@gmail.com wrote:

Suggestions as to how I can get more involved are welcome!  I do plan to come to one of the London meetups *soon*.  :-)

Though I'd be the last to discourage people from coming to the meetups (and especially "my" meetups in London), they are primarily social affairs and we don't get much done at them. We sometimes discuss doing something, arrange them, or raise awareness of them, but if you're looking to devote time in meat-space for Wikimedia-related things, they are very much the start rather than the end. :-)

J.

On Wed, Apr 20, 2011 at 10:27:53PM +0100, James Forrester wrote:

On 20 April 2011 18:04, Isabell Long isabell121@gmail.com wrote:

...

Suggestions as to how I can get more involved are welcome!  I do plan to come to one of the London meetups *soon*.  :-)

Though I'd be the last to discourage people from coming to the meetups (and especially "my" meetups in London), they are primarily social affairs and we don't get much done at them. We sometimes discuss doing something, arrange them, or raise awareness of them, but if you're looking to devote time in meat-space for Wikimedia-related things, they are very much the start rather than the end. :-)

I'm social amongst groups of like-minded people! And the meets (the Sunday ones?) are in a nice, seemingly friendly venue. :-)

Thanks James,

Isabell.

On 22 Apr 2011, at 11:11, Gordon Joly wrote:

On 20/04/2011 23:48, Isabell Long wrote:

...

On Wed, Apr 20, 2011 at 10:27:53PM +0100, James Forrester wrote:

...

On 20 April 2011 18:04, Isabell Longisabell121@gmail.com wrote:

...

Suggestions as to how I can get more involved are welcome! I do plan to come to one of the London meetups *soon*. :-)

Though I'd be the last to discourage people from coming to the meetups (and especially "my" meetups in London), they are primarily social affairs and we don't get much done at them. We sometimes discuss doing something, arrange them, or raise awareness of them, but if you're looking to devote time in meat-space for Wikimedia-related things, they are very much the start rather than the end. :-)

I'm social amongst groups of like-minded people! And the meets (the Sunday ones?) are in a nice, seemingly friendly venue. :-)

Thanks James,

Isabell.

The Sunday meetings in London are held in Wetherspoons pub (Lloyds Number 1 bar?). Hence, food is available, and there is wide range of drinks (hot, cold, alcoholic and non-alcoholic). Set Sunday lunches are popular, cheap and include a free drink.

Future meets...

http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Meetup/London/45

http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Meetup/London/46

Content? Yes, it is a Wikimeet....

The easiest way of getting involved is definitely to come along to Wikimedia events like the wikimeets or backstage passes. There's a UK-focused events list on the WMUK wiki, at: http://uk.wikimedia.org/wiki/Events There's also the on-wiki projects like WP:GLAM/BM, /BL, /DERBY, etc. which have plenty of things on their to-do lists that you can help out with.

There are many different ways of being involved more actively, which mostly rely on individuals taking the initiative, either by leading events (organise a wikimeet in your city [they don't just need to be in London!]; talk to local organisations and see if they want a Wikipedia Workshop, or a Backstage Pass event; ...), or putting together online projects (focus on a specific topic; run an online competition; ..), or anything else you can think of.

Thanks, Mike

On 20/04/2011 13:06, steve virgin wrote:

PS: I am white and middle aged so am guilty as charged!!!

So far so good. Here is a list....

1) Gender

2) Ethnicity

3) Age

4) Religion

5) Disability

6) Sexual orientation

See for example:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Yourrightsandrespons...

Gordo

On 20/04/2011 17:26, James Forrester wrote:

Before coming up with our own list of areas of concern, the Equalities Act sets out[0] nine "protected characteristics" that are worth considering for scope:

1. age;
2. disability;
3. gender reassignment;
4. marriage and civil partnership;
5. pregnancy and maternity;
6. race;
7. religion or belief;
8. sex;
9. sexual orientation.

What happened to inside leg measurement?

Gordo