Two distinct issues, I think:
1) about improving community representation in power structures, I think we have to think more about what representation we want and what structures would accomplish it. I have no answers but think we should consider looking beyond WMF alone:
https://lists.wikimedia.org/pipermail/wikimedia-l/2016-February/082703.html
2) about support for volunteers to get stuff done effectively: I'll have mostly tech-focused thoughts on that because that's where my expertise is, so you need to hear from other people who interact with a wider set of volunteers than patch contributors and the people who manage to figure out our feedback systems. :) whether that should be funded by / staffed within WMF or our other movement orgs or both is an open question.
-- brion On Feb 28, 2016 11:51 AM, "David Cuenca Tudela" dacuetu@gmail.com wrote:
Brion, so far in the discussions I have seen more weight to the idea of the WMF as a tech provider for the community, and not so much conversation about other roles that the organization could fulfill besides of tech / grant making. So when you see that we are agreeing, do you mean that there should be more power transferred to the communities and that there should be a greater focus in empowering volunteers? How would you increase the participation of volunteers in the direction of the movement? And how to offer volunteers the opportunity to become more dedicated without paying them directly?
Cheers Micru
On Sun, Feb 28, 2016 at 8:10 PM, Brion Vibber bvibber@wikimedia.org wrote:
David, you appear to be agreeing strongly with me, not disagreeing. :)
-- brion
On Sunday, February 28, 2016, David Cuenca Tudela dacuetu@gmail.com wrote:
I am starting a new thread because I disagree with the idea that the
WMF
should be a high-tech organization as the other thread by Brion seemed
to
suggest. Yes, technology is a tool that we use in our mission to gather
and
process all forms of human knowledge, but in the end the driving force
is
volunteership.
Without volunteers there wouldn't be any movement and there wouldn't be
any
need for tools, or any donations whatsoever. It is the concept of
working
for free for the common good that allows us to exist and fulfill our mission. The WMF is instrumental in providing the tools for it to
happen,
but those tools are not only technological, they are also legal, educational, and social, however when talking through computer screens
we
seem to forget that.
A hi-tech tool can work for a given task or not, but there are more important topics like trust, commitment, empowerment, motivation, and
joy
that cannot be assessed so easily, and that are at least as crucial as
any
software. What is the point of having a perfect tool Z if I don't enjoy working with my fellows on a common mission?
The role of nurturing volunteers is not exclusive of affiliate organizations, the WMF offer grants to volunteers and organizes several gatherings. Is that enough to strengthen the volunteer community? Then
I
look at organizations like WOOF or workaway that thrive with full-time volunteers and I wonder if more opportunities could be opened for our volunteers. Is there anything holding us back to try new things besides old
patterns
of
participation?
It is a challenge to do more for the volunteer community without
resorting
to grants or payment, but that is the key to succeed as a volunteer organization, to provide an ecosystem where personal growth is
possible.
I am interested in hearing what others have to say about it. Maybe it
is
possible to gather ideas or even a team of people who wants to research more information about the topic.
Cheers, Micru _______________________________________________ Wikimedia-l mailing list, guidelines at: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Mailing_lists/Guidelines New messages to: Wikimedia-l@lists.wikimedia.org javascript:; Unsubscribe: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimedia-l, <mailto:wikimedia-l-request@lists.wikimedia.org javascript:; ?subject=unsubscribe>
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