IIITH-OKI/Train the Trainer Program/2026
| Train the Trainer Program |
| Main page | Scholarship | Program | Team & Resource person |
Train the Trainer (TTT) is a capacity-building initiative designed to support Wikimedians in developing training, facilitation, and leadership skills.
Originally launched in 2013 by CIS-A2K, the program has completed nine iterations. Since 2025, the A2K program has been integrated into the Open Knowledge Initiatives (OKI) team at IIIT-Hyderabad.
| Observations | Learnings | Recommendations |
|---|---|---|
| TTT serves as a critical or key entry point to the wider Wikimedia ecosystem, exposing participants to cross-community collaboration, diverse projects, and a safe space for engagement | Participants highly value exposure to diverse communities and safe spaces for interaction, which leads to long-term collaboration and motivation | Design TTT as a structured collaboration and exposure platform, including cross-community exchange, peer learning spaces, and intentional networking opportunities |
| The programme has significantly contributed to capacity building, with participants applying skills such as outreach, event planning, and facilitation both within and beyond Wikimedia projects | Foundational skills like outreach and technical tools remain highly relevant, while participants increasingly expect advanced and practical learning | Retain core skill-building modules (outreach, tools) while introducing advanced tracks (technology, AI, strategy, project design) tailored to different experience levels |
| TTT has played a strong role in building leadership confidence, with many participants taking up roles such as organising events, mentoring contributors, and leading community initiatives | Leadership confidence grows when participants engage in hands-on learning, group activities, and real-world application of skills | Strengthen leadership-focused design through hands-on activities, project-based learning, and dedicated sessions on governance, decision-making, and community leadership |
| While outreach and collaboration have increased post-TTT, there are gaps in sustained contributor growth, external partnerships, and long-term engagement beyond immediate communities | There is a clear need for structured follow-up, mentorship, and support systems to sustain momentum and address real-world challenges | Introduce post-TTT support systems, including mentorship, follow-up mechanisms, and guidance on applying learnings in local contexts and overcoming community challenges |
| Observations | Learnings | Recommendations |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Wikimedia ecosystem is highly diverse but unevenly distributed, with strong communities alongside emerging and underrepresented language groups | Growth is not uniform; communities require context-specific leadership and localized strategies, not one-size-fits-all approaches | Design TTT to build context-aware leaders, including sessions on adapting programs for different regions, languages, and community maturity levels |
| Most community activities are short-term (edit-a-thons, campaigns), with limited long-term structures for contributor retention and leadership pipelines | Event-based engagement alone is insufficient; sustained growth requires structured leadership, mentorship, and continuity planning | Position TTT as a leadership pipeline program, focusing on long-term program design, mentorship models, and community sustainability strategies |
| Technical capacity and access to tools remain limited to a small group, creating barriers for many communities to scale and innovate | There is a growing demand for technical understanding (tools, Wikidata, AI, infrastructure) among non-technical contributors and for technical ones understanding of the audience and their needs | Integrate practical technical capacity-building into TTT, making or introducing tools, data, and emerging tech accessible to community leaders (not just developers) |
| Successful community-driven models (e.g., Tamil Wikipedia improvement edit-a-thons and quality-focused campaigns) demonstrate the impact of sustained, goal-oriented collaboration | Replicable models based on quality improvement, focused goals, and community ownership are more effective than isolated activities | Introduce a “learning from communities” track, where proven models (like Tamil improvement drives) are documented, taught, and adapted by participants for their own communities. Policies and materials should be prepared by communities in their local languages. |
Purpose
[edit]TTT 2026 aims to:
- Strengthen leadership within Wikimedia communities
- Support contributors in becoming effective trainers and facilitators
- Enable participants to respond to evolving movement and community needs
- Encourage collaboration, critical thinking, and long-term engagement
Program Timeline
[edit]Program Dates
[edit]- Dates: 10 - 12 July 2026 (9 July) - Tentative
Pre-work Sessions
[edit]- One week before the Event
Venue
[edit]- IIIT-Hyderabad, Hyderabad
About the Organisers
[edit]Train the Trainer 2026 is organised by the Open Knowledge Initiatives (OKI) team at IIIT-Hyderabad, continuing the work previously led by CIS-A2K.
Contact
[edit]For questions or support, please reach out to the organising team at nitesh@research.iiit.ac.in.