Chapters Committee/Call for Candidates 2012

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Note to candidates: On 29 March in Berlin there is going to be a meeting of the Chapters Committee with the participation of the newly selected members. If you are planning to travel to Berlin for the Wikimedia Conference 2012, please take this into account in making your travel arrangement (make sure you are in Berlin during 29 March and that you book accommodation for the extra day), so that you can take part.


Dear all,

The Chapters Committee, the committee that is mainly responsible for the preparation of approval of new chapters is looking for five new members, and we are looking for candidates.

The main focus of Chapcom is to guide groups of volunteers in forming chapters. We make sure that the group is large enough (and advise them on how to get bigger), review their bylaws for compliance with the requirements for chapters and advise the Board of the Wikimedia Foundation on chapter approvals.

This requires communication with chapter candidates all over the World, negotiating skills and cultural sensitivity and the ability to understand legal texts.

Key skills/experience that we are looking for in new members are typically:

  • willingness to work in a sometimes bureaucratic process (reviewing bylaws can be somewhat boring)
  • 1-2 hours per week availability
  • international orientation
  • good communication skills in English
  • ability to work and communicate with other cultures
  • a strong understanding of the structure and work of both chapters and the WMF
  • experience with or in an active chapter
  • an active position in a chapter is a plus
  • communication skills in other major world languages are a plus

The number of chapter applications is increasing and help is wanted! You can send your applications with your name, contact data[1], experience and motivation to the ChapCom email address, chaptercommittee-l(_AT_)lists.wikimedia.org by February 15[2]. The applications will be considered by the current members.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me privately.[3] I am also happy to chat[4] with anyone about our work, if this helps them decide to apply.

Please distribute this call widely among your networks, and do apply if you are interested.

Best regards,
Bence Damokos
chair,
Chapters Committee

Notes[edit]

Here are a couple of clarification, based on questions others have asked. If you have any questions, please contact us.

  1. An e-mail address, real name and wiki username or nickname is all we require. (We need the e-mail address to contact you; the real name and wiki name of Chapters Committee members is publicly available.)
  2. The preferred format is a plain text e-mail with links in footnotes; or one that is formatted as wiki-text. All applications are collected on a central wiki page on the Chapters Committee wiki for consideration by the sitting members and advisers of the Committee.
  3. bence.damokos(_AT_)wikimedia.hu
  4. user name bdamokos in various services; Gtalk preferred