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Volunteer Supporters Network/2023-4 Report

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Volunteer Supporters Network

This Draft Implementation Plan is an output of the reporting process for the Movement Strategy Implementation Grant which the Volunteer Supporters' Network received for the 2023-4 period, during which the VSN was co-coordinated by Wikimedia Argentina and Wikimedia UK.

Background

The Volunteer Supporters Network initially grew out of discussions at Wikimania 2014, held in London and organised by Wikimedia UK. Network membership is aimed at staff working in a volunteer development or support role for a Wikimedia affiliate or user group, with coordination of the Network in 2023/24 having been the joint responsibility of Wikimedia Argentina and Wikimedia UK. This proposed plan for the future development of the Network has been developed by both Chapters, with significant input from members of the network and in discussion with staff at the Wikimedia Foundation.

Wikimedia Argentina and Wikimedia UK would like to continue co-running the network in 2024/25. Our aims and objectives for next year are outlined below, and include 1) our emphasis and priority in terms of activities and support for members during the year, and 2) exploring the possibility of the VSN becoming a formal Thematic Hub for volunteer support within the Wikimedia movement.

Overview of key learning

Key reflections over the 2023-4 period (grant application here), and following on from the work done in the 2022-3 period (reflection report here) are:

  • The transition of coordination from WMPL & WMAT to WMAR & WMUK involved a much steeper learning curve than expected; however this has also resulted in an increase in skills & competencies for both parties, which is of benefit to both chapters.
    • A side effect of this learning curve has been that it is only in the latter part of the funded period that some of the wider issues around Hub structure / feasibility have been able to be addressed.
  • The 2023-4 programme was based on an understanding of the need that the network served for its members in a lockdown / post-lockdown context; that is, connection and skill sharing. As the programme progressed, and other activity centres within the movement developed as serving part of that need, both WMAR & WMUK’s joint reflections, and discussions within the network helped to shape an understanding of the unique position in which the VSN stands to serve those supporting volunteers within the movement, focussed more on creating a community of those individuals, and sharing knowledge with those new to that activity.
    • Further to this, that building trust and community between members of the network - existing and future - must be prioritised over the coming period.
  • That the interest of network members in becoming a formal hub is qualified by uncertainty as to the implications or requirements of such.
    • It is understood that there is room for experimentation and exploration within the move toward Hub formation in the movement. It is important that we move forward with the consent of network members and prioritising in the first instance the need or service that the network can address and provide, respectively.
  • That funding this work is imperative to its success, and that the logistical challenges around distributing funds globally must be re-addressed going forward.
  • That some of our planned activities did not progress as we expected, particularly with regard to disbursing funds to support involvement from newer chapters and affiliates. However, the interest from those areas, particularly from those from the African continent, is still high, and that this is an area in which network community building could be mutually beneficial.
  • That language and timezone issues, which affect network activity and membership at a very basic level, requires thoughtful consideration, and might usefully lead us toward the future development of regional sub-groupings. This would be of particular interest with regard to the growth and need for global reach in the context of Hub development.

Proposed future programme

What movement strategy initiative or goal are you addressing?

To a lesser extent we are also addressing the following:

What activities will you be doing to address those initiatives?

Collaboration and co-creation are central to the ethos and delivery of the Volunteer Supporters Network. At the Annual Meeting 2024 hosted by Wikimedia Chile (report here), we discussed a number of ideas for the future direction of the network. These discussions continued during subsequent online meetings (in English and Spanish), at the in-person meetup at Wikimania 2024, and with the Foundation at Wikimania 2024.

With regard to the proposed programme for the upcoming year, there was strong support for more peer-to-peer sharing sessions, in order to build trust and capacity to share between members. We also saw a good deal of support for both the Annual Meeting, and the VSN as a resource for community organisers and volunteer supporters within the movement. Wikimedia UK has a good deal of experience in developing community organisers, particularly within the Train the Trainer programme, and Wikimedia Argentina has good deal of experience supporting local communities and organisers via their Community Projects program, as well as supporting women and the LGBT community.

Based on input from members and our own reflections and observations, we would like to propose the following activities for the network going forward:

  • A programme of regular meetings, mainly focused on peer sharing and connection. These could be supplemented by the occasional skillshare where relevant. These meetings would be held at least once per month, at a time accessible to the widest spread of network members. (In the last year we have held some meetings twice, for different timezones and languages, for example.)
  • An Annual Meeting, held online but ideally hosted by another chapter, as per the 2024 model

More focused work on developing connections through communications channels (the dedicated mailing list and telegram in the first instance)

  • Exploring the value that we can add to those in the movement who are new to supporting volunteers, including expanding the resources section on meta (ideally with support from other network members) and supporting new members to find relevant and useful connections. This should include connecting with other locations of work similar to this elsewhere in the movement.
  • Exploring how we can facilitate decentralisation within the Wikimedia Movement, encouraging regional connections including inter-chapter support, particularly where this might allow meetings in more convenient time zones.
  • Recruitment of at least one other chapter or affiliate to the management team, with the aim of both complementing the skills of the current team, and offering access to different language communities and timezones.

Developing into a Hub

The Volunteer Supporters Network has so far benefited from a very light touch governance model, where the activities for the past year have been funded by the Wikimedia Foundation, managed and coordinated by two chapters working in collaboration, and designed and delivered in consultation with members from across a wide range of affiliates. We are grateful for the funding we’ve received from Wikimedia Foundation over the past few years to be able to cover staff time and direct costs for this work.

Given its history and purpose, it makes sense to consider whether the Network should move towards a more formal hub structure within the decentralisation model envisaged within the 2030 movement strategy; particularly if this would enable more stable and long term funding. At the VSN Annual Meeting 2024, members were invited to explore the possibility of becoming a Thematic Hub. Members recognise the need for funding to support the running of the network, now and in the future, while being keen to avoid an undue burden of administrative responsibility or unnecessary layers of hierarchy on the network. In supporting a possible Hub we would be cautious about setting up a heavy governance structure.

Following discussion with WMF staff Wikimedia UK and Wikimedia Argentina are open to exploring the concept of the VSN evolving into a Hub. We envisage that this would include:

  • Reaching out to existing and proposed Hubs to understand more about what has and has not worked
  • Exploring one or two test cases or issues to identify what the VSN can offer to the wider movement
  • Exploring what a Hub with an established but dynamic network of members, management support from two or more Chapters, and a light touch governance structure might look like in practice
  • Exploring how global reach and usefulness might be developed, particularly with regard to those geographical areas which are not currently represented within the network membership.
  • Evaluating and openly documenting our findings in order to support movement learning

What do you expect will happen as a result of your activities? How do those outcomes address the movement strategy initiative?

  • Recommendation 4 - Ensure Equity in Decision Making - Initiative 26 - Regional & Thematic Hubs
    • We would expect to have a much more clear idea of how the VSN might function and be structured as a Hub, in order for Network members to be able to make a more informed decision. We would expect that this process and its documentation would offer something currently absent from the existing movement discourse on Hub development.
  • Recommendation 6 - Invest in Skills & Leadership Development - Initiative 32 - Global approach for local skill development
    • Through development of intercultural competency and further Network building particularly with an eye to those geographic areas currently absent from the membership, we would expect to develop both a model and the practice of global peer learning and networking.
  • Recommendation 6 - Invest in Skills & Leadership Development - Initiative 34 - Skill development infrastructure
    • We would hope that we could produce or encourage the production of learning resources and networking / community building opportunities particularly helpful to those new to volunteer support within the movement.
  • Recommendation 7 - Manage Internal Knowledge - Initiative 35 - Facilitate a culture of documentation
    • We would expect that the clear and open documentation of our processes and desired outputs would contribute to the development of a clear culture of documentation within the Network.

How will you measure or evaluate your activities? What tools or methods will you use to evaluate your activities?

In the first instance, an operational-level plan for upcoming work addressing the above points would be developed and published on our meta page, for the purposes of accountability and collaboration. This would provide us with a clear action plan for ongoing monitoring and evaluation, which would also be important in terms of onboarding any new chapter or affiliate who may join or wish to contribute at the organisation level. Furthermore this would offer ongoing evaluation opportunities in terms of capacity and direction, from a qualitative standpoint. In terms of quantitative indicators such as membership of the mailing list, membership numbers (member and liaison level), event attendance and number of events, these are easily trackable.

We would also propose:

  • The continuation our regular Network management meetings in order to track activity and monitor progress
  • Regular communication with and feedback gathering from Network members, through individual survey, and at the Annual Meeting.
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