Affiliations Committee/Advisors/2019

All Wikimedians are invited to share endorsements and comments about the candidates. If you provide a negative comment, please cite appropriate evidence for your concerns; it is not appropriate to simply state a negative opinion without factual evidence, and we would like to maintain a friendly space for candidates to state their interest without fear of public ridicule.

The Affiliations Committee – the committee responsible for guiding volunteers in establishing Wikimedia chapters, thematic organizations, and user groups – is looking for advisors!

The main role of the Affiliations Committee is to guide groups of volunteers that are interested in forming Wikimedia affiliates. We review applications from new groups, answer questions and provide advice about the different Wikimedia affiliation models and processes, review affiliate bylaws for compliance with requirements and best practices, and advise the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees on issues connected to chapters, thematic organizations and Wikimedia user groups.

We are looking for advisors who are excited by the challenge of empowering volunteers to get organized and form communities that further our mission around the world. In exchange, committee advisors selected will gain the experience of supporting their world-wide colleagues to develop their communities as well as personal development in guiding organizational development, facilitating affiliate partnerships, and professional communications.

Key skills

We look for a healthy mix of different skill sets in our advisors, including the following key skills and experience:

1. Strong understanding of the structure and work of Wikimedia affiliates and the Wikimedia Foundation.
2. Readiness to participate in political discussions on the role and future of affiliates, models of affiliation, and similar topics.
3. Availability of up to 2 hours per week, and the time to participate in a monthly two-hour voice/video meeting
4. International orientation and ability to work and communicate with other languages and cultures.
5. Knowledge of different legal systems and experience in community building and organizing are a plus.
6. Fluency in English is required; skills in other languages are a major plus.
7. Experience with or in an active Wikimedia affiliate is a major plus.
8. Strong track record of effective collaboration (such as evidenced skills at facilitation, mediation, negotiation, and so forth) is a major plus.
9. Willingness to use one's real name in committee activities (including contacts with current and potential affiliates) when appropriate.

Selection process

As a reflection of our commitment to openness, transparency, and bilateral engagement with the Wikimedia community, the 2019 advisors selection process will include a public review and comment period. All applications received by the committee will be posted on Meta at Affiliations Committee/Advisors/2019, and the community will be invited to provide comments and feedback about each candidate. At the end of the public comment period, the applications will be voted on by the members of the committee, taking into account comments put forward by the committee's members, advisors, Wikimedia Foundation staff and board liaisons, and the community. A final decision will be made in October 2019, with new advisors expected to begin later that month.

How to apply

If you are interested in advising the committee, please send an email announcing your application to affcomlists.wikimedia.org by 20 September 2019. Your application must include the following information:

1. Your full name and Wikimedia username
2. A statement describing your relevant experience, skills, and motivation for joining the committee as an advisor.
3. Answers to the following three questions:
   1. How do you think affiliates work best together to partner on effective projects and initiatives?
   2. What do you see as the role of affiliates in the Wikimedia movement in the next three years?
   3. What do you feel you will bring as an advisor to the committee that makes you a uniquely qualified candidate?

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact the committee. We are happy to chat or have a phone call with anyone about our work if this helps them decide to apply. Please distribute this call among your networks, and do apply if you are interested!

Jorid Martinsen (Joridma)

Answers to the three questions

• How do you think affiliates work best together to partner on effective projects and initiatives?

In the years working for Wikimedia Norge, I learned that the projects we had in collaboration with other affiliates, often were the ones that gave results that had a far larger impact than we expected. There is not ONE fixed way of working together as Wikimedia affiliates that suits all.

The opportunities for people from different affiliates to meet and exchange ideas in person, will be just as important in years to come as they are today. With the reach Wikimedia related projects around the world, it is impossible for most of us to have an overview of who has an interest in what topic and where, only by online activity.

Collaborative projects amongst affiliates also has the “side effect” that it creates a greater feeling of ownership to the Wikimedia movement in it’s whole, and not only to local projects. This sense of ownership is one of the important factors in creating an actual global social movement.

Different affiliations have different strengths and resources, and in collaborations this can be an asset, rather than a disadvantage. In encouraging affiliate collaborations we also need to consider that the difference in access to resources varies a lot from one affiliate to another. Because of this I believe that where prioritizing is needed, we should direct support functions at the smaller affiliates.

• What do you see as the role of affiliates in the Wikimedia movement in the next three years

The Wikimedia organization has changed a lot since it’s beginning, and it’s soon ready to take on a larger role as a movement that does not only focus on content, but also on people. But for this to happen, we need to adjust the structures we work within, and one of the steps we need to take is how to include new types of Wikimedia affiliates. I think that many people who agree with the purpose of the Wikimedia movement does not feel that they have a place in it, and we need to find ways to include these groups in the organization.

I really appreciate how to new strategic direction sets increased diversity and inclusion as one of the main goals for the Wikimedia movement in the future. For this to work, it is important that the affiliates themselves get to define what diversity means within their own cultural context. The upcoming period is crucial for a successful implementation of the new strategic direction, and the only way it can succeed is if the existing affiliates feel ownership to it, but also are given the opportunity to address it from their point of view.

• What do you feel you will bring to the committee that makes you a uniquely qualified candidate?

I believe I will be a perfect fit for AffCom because of my combination of background from a small Wikimedia affiliate from it’s early days, my engagement for and background from diversity work within the movement, as well as my general experience from NGOs and advocacy groups. The total of my organizational background has also made me good at handling conflicts. In addition to this I believe it is a strength that I also have run WMNO’s education programs, as I believe that education work is one of the most effective ways of spreading engagement for free knowledge. For many Wikimedia affiliates cultural heritage institutions are also among their most important partners, and working within this field would be another asset I’ll bring to the committee.

Ilario Valdelli (Ilario)

Answers to the three questions

• How do you think affiliates work best together to partner on effective projects and initiatives?

I have been a supporter of the collaboration between the affiliates and, living in Switzerland, the collaboration with the neighboring chapters and user groups is mandatory, so the collaboration is a fundamental element. I was also the founder of what could be considered one of the first international group of affiliates: Iberocoop. In order to collaborate, affiliates need to find a “hook” that could be a language, a problem or even a cultural element. To do this it is necessary to improve the communication and the sharing of projects. People must communicate to find more similarities than differencies.

• What do you see as the role of affiliates in the Wikimedia movement in the next three years

This is complicated to say now, at a time when the 2030 strategy is still being defined, but I share the vision of decentralization and I consider the ability of affiliates to bring new ideas and new enthusiasm. However, using Raymond's metaphor of the cathedral and bazaar, in this “bazaar” we also need to look for governance that can help these groups not to face difficult defeats.

• What do you feel you will bring to the committee that makes you a uniquely qualified candidate?

Personally, I don't consider myself unique and

indispensable, but I carry out my activities with passion and dedication. This is why I still follow the movement despite the joys and defeats. I am a person with a decennial experience, but I never stop learning and to learn with humility and to consider that sometimes I can even make mistakes. Perhaps this is what helps me to create empathy with others, as happens with my dear students.

Mehman Ibragimov (Mehman97)

• How do you think affiliates work best together to partner on effective projects and initiatives?

The most important thing in the work of affiliation, I think, is constant dialogue and communication, the best thing is face-to-face communication within the community. This gives an advantage in the work of affiliation and resolves misunderstanding between people involved in working in the community. In this case, affiliation quickly solves all problems and can effectively develop all sorts of projects.

• What do you see as the role of affiliates in the Wikimedia movement in the next three years?

AffCom is one of the key committees within Wikimedia, which is responsible for Capacity Building of the entire WM movement, in the form that it's responsible for creating and recognizing affiliations and their reporting. Despite the fact that at the moment different communities want to create their own affiliation and work more actively for the development of Wikimedia projects, I think that in the next three years the AffCom will be loaded with these case, it will also be loaded with the control of these organizations. So, I think the main role of AffCom in the next three years will be building the capacity of the Wikimedia movement.

• What do you feel you will bring to the committee that makes you a uniquely qualified candidate?

I think, as a person who understands the work of the WMF and AffCom, as well as a person who can collaborate and work with different communities, differing views, cultures, etc., I can help them in creating and developing their communities (affiliations) for the benefit of the whole Wikimedia movement.

Endorsements

1.  Support - This person in Georgian Wikipedia recommended as hard working person. He is one of us who day to day trying to increases Georgian Wikipedia name not in Georgia only. I am very proud that I have big friend like Mehman.Surprizi (talk) 06:28, 12 October 2019 (UTC)
2.  Support Mehman is one of the most active members of the Wikimedia UG Georgia. He has done many good things and I'm sure he will continue to do so here.--Jaba1977 (talk) 10:12, 12 October 2019 (UTC)
3.  Support Mehman is one of the best Wikimedian I ever meet. He exactly knows what the movement needs for development. I believe he will serve this movement for many years to come. My strong support for him. --Mikheil ^Talk 17:40, 15 October 2019 (UTC)
4.  Support In my experience Mehman is a committed and open minded colleague who has been helpful with his knowledge about structures and policies of WMF.--HakanIST (talk) 10:31, 17 October 2019 (UTC)
5.  Support I know Mehman as an active and helpful wikimedian. He do his best in all projects and I believe that he'll also do his best in this road. --eldarado ^✉ 08:52, 23 October 2019 (UTC)