[Wikimedia-l] Basic income & Wikimedians

[Federico Leva (Nemo)]

Seb35, 09/01/2014 10:59:
> As a Wikipmedian, I dream of such a basic income: it would empower the
> people to edit the Wikimedia projects by giving them libre time (libre as
> free speech). [...]

There are many political and economical variations of the proposal, but 
this is usually *not* the stated aim by the main proposers.
As for Wikimedia projects, which from Shirky's perspective build on the 
"cognitive surplus", we could consider the 14 millions of young "NEET" 
just in EU as a goldmine.[1] Personally, I envision public re-employment 
programs introducing millions of people in Wikimedia projects as civil 
service, something useful both for the common good and for their 
personal growth. I don't see why Wikimedia couldn't approach e.g. the 
president of the European Parliament on such topics.

Nemo

[1] «In 2012 7.5 million young people aged 15-24 and an additional 6.5 
million young people aged 25-29 were not in employment, education or 
training in Europe. This corresponds to a significant increase in the 
rate of young people classified as NEET: in 2008, the figure stood
at 11% of 15-24 year olds and 17 % of 25-29 year olds; by 2012 this had 
increased to 13 %and 20% respectively (Eurostat).»
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/en/educ/139721.pdf
Cf. 
<http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/statistics_explained/index.php/Young_people_-_education_and_employment_patterns>.
[2] See also point 14 in the resolution above, «Measures addressing 
young people in a NEET situation should be personalised and flexible and 
aim to achieve sustainable positive outcomes in the long term in the 
labour market, as well as (re)integration into education or training and 
civic or social life. In novative ways, peer learning and outreach 
activities should be used for working with young people in a NEET 
situation.»