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Volunteer Supporters Network/Online Meeting 2024/Report

< Volunteer Supporters Network | Online Meeting 2024

Organized by: Wikimedia Chile

Volunteer Supporters Network Annual Meeting Report
6th and 7th of June 2024

Participants

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The following list was provided by the public registry that was made with the Event Registration Tool.

Members

  • Carla Toro (Wikimedia Chile)
  • Pablo Cartes (Wikimedia Chile)
  • Christoph Jackel (Wikimedia Deutschland)
  • Vic Sfriso (Wikimedia Argentina)
  • Maju Planas (Wikimedia Argentina)
  • Paula Domínguez Font (Wikimedistas de Uruguay)
  • Raimund Liebert (Wikimedia Österreich)
  • Rubén Ojeda (Wikimedia España)
  • Tania Solá (Wikimedia México)
  • Edward Ambele (Wikimedia Tanzania)
  • Małgorzata Gramatnikowska (Wikimedia Polska)
  • Sara Thomas (Wikimedia UK)

Liaisons

  • Natalia Szafran-Kozakowska (Wikimedia Foundation)
  • Quiddity (Wikimedia Foundation)
  • Alhassan Mohammed Awal (Dagbani Wikimedians User Group)

Others

  • Antanana (Wikimedia Ukraine)
  • Carlo Brescia (WikiAcción Perú)
  • Aldé (Wikimedia CH)

Overview

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The Volunteer Supporters online Meeting 2024 was the sixth of its kind after previous meetings in person and since the pandemic has been online. Hosted by Wikimedia Chile, the meeting took place online on the 6th and 7th of June.

The meeting was attended by 18 people from 14 different countries. We met for 4 hours each day. The two days were moderated by Josefina Maturana from CuartoEco.

The primary objectives of the meeting were:

  • Develop and share strategies that harness the potential of new technologies to enhance volunteer support, ensuring adaptability to the evolving landscape.
  • Spotlight innovative approaches and success stories in volunteer support, inspiring participants to adopt and adapt effective models within their respective communities.
  • Strengthen the network of people dedicated to the Volunteer Support.

Outcomes

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Day 1

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What are the global challenges that we feel are affecting us as a network?

Technical and Technological

  • Regions with limited access to internet
  • Movement is behind in technology (UX experience)
  • Keeping up with rapidly changing technology

Engagement

  • Retention of participants
  • How new generations work (videos) & how to reach them
  • Toxic digital environment

External Socio-Political and Environmental

  • Relationship between colonizer & colonized peoples
  • Economic crisis, local challenges impact the communities, and their capacity to contribute

Which of our strengths allow us to adapt to global challenges?

Community

  • We are unique, adaptable, and diverse
  • We share values like solidarity, empathy, passion, and resilience
  • We have a volunteer spirit

Collaboration

  • Our nature is to collaborate
  • Openness to learning
  • We are resourcefulness

What can we activate together to strengthen the network's role in this global context?

Organizational Development

  • Creating a collective framework for activities
  • Encouraging local initiatives
  • Creating a mentorship program

Communication and Collaboration

  • Strengthening communication channels
  • Facilitating inter-regional exchanges
  • Organizing collaborative projects

Day 2

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Network Governance

Questions

  • How to keep people connected?
  • How to keep people engaged?
  • How to connect with other regions?

Next Steps

  • Ambassadors per regions
  • New organizing team for next period
  • Create a good budget for next year

Help Needed

  • Budget
  • Planning support
  • Commitment from the network

Network Communication

Questions

  • How do we do follow-ups for projects?
  • How we effectively transfer knowledge?
  • Do we need to communicate more things?

Next Steps

  • Revisit our communication channels
  • Newsletter for us

Help Needed

  • Planning support

Future Activities

Questions

  • What do volunteers managers need?
  • We want to shine as a skill share group?

Next Steps

  • Organize Wikipedia 25th birthday
  • More peer-to-peer sessions

Help Needed

  • Budget
  • Commitment from the community

Evaluation

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After the meeting, we conducted a brief post-event survey to obtain the participants' perspectives on topics such as the organization, moderation, and the content discussed. Eleven participants, 67% of the overall participants, responded to the survey.

  • 82% rate their overall experience of the meeting with the maximum score.
  • 73% were satisfied with the organization and logistics of the meeting.
  • 82% rate the content of the meeting with the maximum score.
  • 91% found the format of the session effective.

The responses when asked for the rate in some statements were:

2.5
5
7.5
10
12.5
15
The meeting met my expectations
The topics covered were relevant to my interests
The time allocated for each session was sufficient
The virtual format was effective for this meeting
I felt engaged and included throughout the meeting
  •   Strongly Disagree
  •   Disagree
  •   Neutral
  •   Agree
  •   Strongly Agree


It was highlighted

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  • The consideration of having live interpretation
  • The friendly atmosphere
  • The opportunity of seeing eachother and connect

Learnings

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Online Meetings: Pros and Cons

Hosting the meeting online presented both benefits and challenges. On the positive side, virtual meetings are more environmentally friendly and do not require extensive travel time, making them more accessible. However, coordinating a time that accommodates participants from various time zones proved challenging, and the format necessitated long hours of screen time, which can be tiring. For future planning, organizers can consider holding in-person meetings every two to three years while continuing with online meetings in between. This could balance the benefits of both formats.

Importance of Network Communication

The event highlighted the critical need for more frequent and structured communication within our network, especially given the ongoing changes within the Wikimedia movement and the challenges of retaining volunteers from newer generations. Participants expressed a strong desire to connect with peers who understand their specific obstacles and work environments. Establishing regular check-ins or smaller thematic meetings throughout the year could help maintain this vital communication.

Participant Engagement and Interaction

Engaging participants in an online setting can be challenging due to the lack of physical presence and potential for distractions. We found that incorporating interactive elements, such as breakout rooms and collaborative tools like Etherpads, significantly enhanced participant involvement. For future meetings, increasing the use of interactive platforms and diversifying session formats (e.g., workshops, panel discussions, and Q&A sessions) can help maintain high levels of engagement.
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