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

Basic Information

I first started contributing to Wikimedia projects in 2016 by making small edits. After taking a long break, I resumed regular contributions in September 2022 and have been active since then.

Punjabi and English

Community Coordinator, Punjabi Wikimedians (since June 2025): I coordinate projects, campaigns, and initiatives associated with the Punjabi Wikimedians User Group, supporting community engagement and execution of activities.
Steering Committee Member, Wikipedia Asian Month User Group (since June 2025): I serve as a representative for the South Asia region on the international steering committee, contributing to the planning and facilitation of this global initiative.

I am most interested in Track 2: Project Design Challenge – From Learning to Action. As the Community Coordinator of Punjabi Wikimedians, I am actively involved in planning and executing projects. This track will help me strengthen my leadership and project design skills in a practical, hands-on way. Learning how to use structured frameworks like logic models and project canvases will be very valuable for designing effective initiatives. I also want to share these skills with my community members and fellow Wikimedians so that we can collectively plan stronger, sustainable projects. Gaining this training experience will directly support my current responsibilities and help me contribute more effectively to the growth of my community.

I recently organized an offline meetup, Punjabi Wikipedia Birthday Connect 2025, where we celebrated the anniversary of Punjabi Wikipedia and shared the user group’s upcoming plans. The purpose of the event was to strengthen community bonds and provide newcomers with a practical introduction to Wikipedia editing and the broader Wikimedia movement. The impact was twofold: it engaged existing members in planning for the future and gave new contributors hands-on experience that encouraged them to continue participating. From this initiative, I learned the importance of combining celebration with capacity building, as it creates both motivation and a welcoming environment for sustained community growth.

A full list of campaigns and activities I have organized or led can be found here: User:Kuldeepburjbhalaike/Activities#Organised

As a Community Coordinator, I hope to gain practical skills in program design, event organization, and campaign execution. Learning structured approaches to planning and evaluation will help me turn ideas into actionable initiatives and ensure they create meaningful impact. These skills will also strengthen my ability to collaborate with other Wikimedians, incorporate community feedback into program design, and support the growth of new leaders. In the long term, this training will help me plan and implement sustainable projects that benefit both the Punjabi Wikimedia community and the wider movement.

One challenge I have often encountered is effectively communicating the design and purpose of an activity, campaign, or program to other community members. Since many initiatives need to be region-specific to address local needs, it can be difficult to ensure that everyone understands the relevance and potential impact. This sometimes creates gaps in participation or alignment. Through this training, I hope to learn structured approaches to project design and communication that will help me translate ideas into clear, actionable plans that resonate with my community.

The skills and learnings from this training will directly support my work as Community Coordinator of Punjabi Wikimedians by helping me design and implement more effective programs and campaigns. I plan to apply these skills in our ongoing collaborations, such as the upcoming project with Wikimedia UK on Wikimedia Commons, ensuring better planning and evaluation. Additionally, in my role as a Steering Committee Member of the Wikipedia Asian Month User Group, this training will help me contribute more strategically by analyzing initiatives, improving project design, and sharing best practices with peers. Overall, I intend to share my learnings with my community through meetups and on-wiki documentation so that others can also benefit.