When I was invited to speak at the recent Africa Wiki Women event, I had a hard time deciding on a topic because my experience within the community was vast, and I did not know which part was most relevant to the occasion.
The event, headlined “Celebrate African Women in Wikimedia, ” featured over 40 female volunteers who shared their Wikimedia journeys to inspire the next generation of women.
A day before the event, based on my almost seven years of experience within the community, I quickly devised a theory: the 3 Ls for beginners.
Although the 3Ls for beginners are specifically for new entrants to the community, they also hold significance for mid-level contributors. The theory aims to spur the overall growth of volunteers/contributors and the community. The theory is explicated below:
L-Learn: As basic as it might sound, learning about the Wikimedia community as a “newbie” is not limited to banal editing skills or attending all edit-a-thons. You need to learn, research, and stay abreast with happenings within the community. What is happening within the Wikimedia Foundation? What are the new strategic directions? What is the movement charter? Are there role-backs or new structures to funding and grants? What is the new CEO’s vision for the community? If you have a long-term goal for yourself and the community, all of these are central to helping you make strategic decisions on your contribution, commitment, and overall goals within the movement.
L-Link: Link represents collaboration with other local Wikimedia community members, organizations, and subgroups. As a new volunteer, you do not owe allegiance to any specific group, although it is okay to feel so. It is an open movement for a reason. You are free to join other groups and events and participate in activities away from the group you are “committed” to without permission or the feeling of guilt. That is how you build capacity, nurture connections, and ensure overall growth within the movement and beyond.
Additionally, joining other groups exposes you to new ways of thinking and opportunities you may not have access to. Although all Wikimedia groups may have one core mission, their modus operandi and focus might differ.
L-Leverage: We all take pride in responding to the usual question, “Why do you edit”? with the answer, “It is a passion,” “It makes me happy,” and “I love sharing free knowledge.” However, for most people, those are not the only drivers. There are opportunities to leverage the skills and resources acquired through volunteering for personal development. Volunteers leverage acquired skills and resources for personal development in several ways. I cannot list all here. Conduct an introspection and ask yourself this critical question: How can I transfer skills acquired for personal growth or to other areas of my life? You have your answer right there. The more you prioritize personal development, the more you can pour back into the community.
In conclusion, the journey into the Wikimedia community is processual in nature, and conflating the 3 Ls is your best bet for personal and community growth.
NB: This piece may apply specifically to contributors in Africa and South America
By Pamela Ofori Boateng. Let us connect on LinkedIn and Facebook.
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