Wikimedia Diversity Conference 2013/Documentation/mentoring

Session: Sydney Poore // Mentoring: how to mentor women and older people in the Wikimedia movement

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Abstract

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The presentation gives an overview about different approaches for mentoring that will encourage a diverse group of volunteers in all types of volunteer jobs in the Wikimedia movement. It includes a focus on encouraging women and older people to fill on and off site volunteer jobs.

Starting point / Insights

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  • Sydney does not have the answer about how to mentor women and older people
  • Can be informal or formal
  • Can be peer mentoring
  • Already have FOSS Outreach Program for Women, Teahouse, wikiwomen's coalition, adopt-a-user
  • New tools: snuggle
  • Small body of research but need more
  • Chapters and other orgs interested in certain types of outreach (education - ambassadors)

Ideas

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Types of programs

  • adoption
  • senior citizen programs
  • women's leadership mentoring

Talked about how GSOC works, what Apache does

  • Doesn't do special treatment, no special rules for newbies
  • Don't bend rules on notability, verifiability but can give one-on-one attention, teach rules, explain how it works
  • Right now adoption program is very unstructured
  • Maybe do a/b test, one group as now, one with goal to make DYK article

Senior citizen outreach

  • Tend to have free time and knowledge
  • Challenges: technology barrier
  • Possible online engagement and experiences
  • Maybe contribute to Wikivoyage, doesn't need so many references
  • Answer reference desk questions
  • Multiply effects
  • Senior photo clubs
  • Adult education centers, teach trainers about wikipedia, be part of computer curriculum
  • Mentoriing, may prefer other communication channels like email
  • External activities
  • How to organize mentorship, get enough mentors, paid staff? teahouse?