IIITH-OKI/Advance Train The Trainer 2025/Expression of Interest/Submitted/Agamyasamuel

Basic Information

̈Indic MediaWiki Developers User Group [Committee Member] (July 2024 - Present)
WikiClub Tech [Mentor and Speaker] (April 2024, Present)
Wiki Club SHUATS [Founder] (October 2024 - Present)

Yes, I have participated in similar Wikimedia trainings before, but not in the previous Train the Trainer. To name a few Wikimedia trainings:

Yes, I am actively involved in several leadership, facilitation, and mentoring capacities within the Wikimedia movement.

Facilitation Roles:
- WikiClub Tech- India. Through our Road to Wiki Program

Mentoring roles:
- Mentor 100+ students at - Road to Wiki Cohort
- Mentor - Indic Wikimedia Hackathon Kochi 2025
- Mentor and Judge at - HackByte 3.0 Hackathon at IIIT Jabalpur (Sponsored by Wikimedia Foundation) (Supported by Indic MediaWiki Developers User

Group)

I am most interested in Track 2: Project Design Challenge – From Learning to Action, as it closely aligns with my current involvement in organizing and mentoring community initiatives such as WikiClub SHUATS and WikiClub Tech India’s Road to Wiki program. While I have gained significant experience in planning and leading events, I now want to focus on developing structured projects that create lasting impact beyond individual events. This track offers the opportunity to practice systematic project design, receive constructive peer feedback, and build practical, context-driven initiatives. I believe it will help me refine my leadership skills, strengthen my ability to guide contributors, and translate learning into meaningful, actionable outcomes for the Wikimedia community.

Organizer, Mentor and Speaker at - Road to Wiki, Online Cohort
Group Mentor with highest no tasks Merged in Road to Wiki
Metor at - Indic Wikimedia Hackathon Kochi 2025
Organizer and Speaker / Presenter at - Meta Office, Gurgaon
Mentor and Judge at - HackByte 3.0 Hackathon at IIIT Jabalpur (Sponsored by Wikimedia Foundation) (Supported by Indic MediaWiki Developers User Group)
Author of - Wiki Developer PlayBook
Mentorship to 100+ students. Helping students to make their First Contribution to Wikimedia Open Source Software Projects in Road to Wiki Cohort.

After being a Wikimedian for over a year, I've also observed a familiar pattern: a whirlwind of energy during a hackathon or an edit-a-thon, followed by a gradual decline in engagement once the event concludes. This experience has left me pondering how to convert that initial burst of enthusiasm into sustained, meaningful contributions. The Advance Train the Trainer (ATTT) 2025 program feels like the perfect opportunity to find the answer.

My primary goal is to transition from being a participant to an effective organizer. I am eager to learn how to design community projects that are sustainable beyond a single weekend. The Project Design Challenge particularly excites me, as it offers the structured planning tools I need to help build practical initiatives that address real community needs and keep contributors engaged long-term.

And to better guide newcomers, helping them navigate their journey and feel empowered to become long-term contributors to our vibrant Wikimedia ecosystem.

Based on my choice of the Project Design Challenge track, one of the most significant challenges I've faced is the "event cliff"—the sharp drop-off in contributor momentum after an initial, successful engagement.

Last year, for instance, I helped organize Road to Wiki Cohort. The program launch was incredibly successful; we had a wave of enthusiastic students sign up, attend workshops, and make their first contributions. A real sense of community and purpose was building. However, once the structured weeks of the cohort ended, we witnessed that energy slowly dissipate. The dedicated communication channels grew quiet, and the vibrant activity tapered off, with only a small handful of participants continuing their contribution journey.

This experience was a powerful lesson. It showed me that while we were effective at sparking initial interest, But we lacked a clear framework for what comes next. Our project design hadn't sufficiently planned for long-term engagement, leaving new contributors without a clear path forward once the main event was over. It's this very challenge—bridging the gap between a successful event and a sustainable, thriving project—that I want to tackle. I am eager to learn how to design initiatives with built-in mentorship and follow-up strategies that empower contributors to stay involved and grow, transforming their initial spark of interest into a lasting commitment to the community.

My plan is to immediately channel the skills gained from this training into our structured mentorship initiative, "Road to Wiki, Cohort- 2" This program will be my direct answer to the challenge of retaining the incredible talent and enthusiasm we see at hackathons and workshops.

Upon returning, my first step will be to design a six-month pilot program based on the project design principles from the training. The core idea is to form small learning cohorts of promising newcomers identified from recent events. Each cohort will be paired with an experienced Wikimedia mentor who will guide them through a practical learning journey. This won't just be about theory; the groups will have regular check-ins (weekly / bi-weekly) to collaborate on tangible contributions, whether it's developing Wikidata tools, contributing to MediaWiki patches, or working on a themed content campaign.

Finally, after the initial pilot, my goal is to scale this model. I plan to create a detailed playbook from our experience—a "how-to" guide complete with templates, best practices, and lessons learned. I will share this with other organizers and college chapters across India, empowering them to replicate this framework. My ultimate vision is to help build a sustainable pathway that transforms one-time event participants into deeply engaged, long-term contributors to the Wikimedia movement.