[Wikimedia-l] Are chapters part of the community and board seats for affiliates?

[Josh Lim]

On Feb 23, 2013, at 4:27 AM, Fae <faewik at gmail.com> wrote:

> The vast majority of volunteers like the idea that there is a Chapter
> they can turn to to ask for help, or to get their idea for a project
> reviewed, funded and looking "official". If a volunteer came to a
> wikimeet with a brilliant idea for a project, but said they could not
> stand the stupid bureaucracy of chapters, I'd say "excellent mate, you
> go for it and I'll see what I can do to help with funding if you need
> it."

I'm inclined to believe that the "bureaucracy" exists despite, not because of, the existence of chapters, and many volunteers, particularly those from the Global South, are one of two types:

1. They don't know about the avenues that are available to them when it comes to pursuing projects that they'd like to do.
2. They're too busy being involved in the community to be involved in the "backstage" (in my university, we call this "joing down the hill").

Chapters aside, how many know about the Foundation's grants system? Or the research program?  Or, heck, even about forming Wikimedia User Groups or scholarships to Wikimania?  The message is there, but it doesn't seem to translate into greater individual participation if bureaucracy was a concern.  It's good that there now exist mechanisms to help individuals with the projects they want to pursue, and we should strive to make it as accessible as possible (with as little bureaucracy as possible) but it's all for nought if people are left unawares of it, especially in countries where there are no chapters, or if the bureaucracy is stifling. (Some people, for example, may be turned off by the bureaucratic rigor of the grants program.)

Josh

JAMES JOSHUA G. LIM
Block I1, AB Political Science
Major in Global Politics, Minor in Chinese Studies
Class of 2013, Ateneo de Manila University
Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines

Trustee (2010-2013), Wikimedia Philippines
Member, Ateneo Debate Society
Member, The Assembly

jamesjoshualim at yahoo.com | +63 (917) 841-5235
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