[Foundation-l] A chapters-related question

[Delphine Ménard]

On Thu, Jul 9, 2009 at 04:11, Pharos<pharosofalexandria at gmail.com> wrote:
> I think a possible solution for this kind of thing might be "Working
> Groups", each carefully organized under a "Working Group Organizer"
> who has a time-limited charter to lead such a group.
>
> The issue here is that when dealing with a small unorganized group,
> really the only practicable way to maintain communication and
> accountability is through an individual.
>
> This would be the type of structure that from my experience would work
> best with embryonic local efforts crystallizing in something like a
> "Wikimedia Working Group for Tennessee", and I could also see it
> working with supra-local efforts like "Wikimedia Working Group for
> Catalan".

The issue here is that, in the Catalan case for example, the effort is
already beyond just a "working group". You have a group of people who
are more than mature to have their own organisation and make it
succesful. What they lack is "legitimity" under the Wikimedia banner
in order to talk to potential donors who would support their efforts
if they only had "the name".

>
> Of course, the "Working Group Organizer" can and should delegate
> activities to other trusted persons, but the overall responsibility
> (and the blame if things somehow go horribly wrong) is theirs.

I find this idea interesting, it fits in the smaller "partnership
scheme" which entails giving letters of recommandation or support for
a specific group, as well as maybe in the "chapters to be" scheme.



Delphine

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