Wiki Movement Brazil User Group/Report/2023/Capacity Exchange
Report of activities for 2023 - Capacity Exchange
Access other area reports here
Second quarter report (Apr-Jun)
Welcoming a new project and a new team
Wiki Movimento Brasil (WMB) has been increasingly active in strategy-implementation projects, with funding from Movement Strategy Implementation Grants and with a focus around making our movement more inclusive and equitable. One of these strategy-implementation projects is the Capacity Exchange, a proposed platform for capacity building within the Wikimedia Movement. The Capacity Exchange project started in 2021,[1] and works towards the implementation of Recommendation 6: Skill and leadership development. Since June 12, the project has been coordinated by WMB[2] and we have already welcomed the team that will be working on this project.
Third quarter report (Jul-Sep)
Implementation of the outreach plan
The communication, visual identity, and graphic resources of the Capacity Exchange (CapX) have been designed with a transcultural approach: how to localize project communication while maintaining a global identity? To ensure that people can access information about CapX in their own languages, cultural translation has been a key practice. On the other hand, protocols and methodologies for executing the communication plan activities have been developed to ensure the quality of project deliverables managed by facilitators.
A next step in this transculturalization process is to enhance the accessibility of communications. While we already have a mobile-friendly page, we are yet to implement resources designed for individuals with visual impairments, such as those who are blind. The presence of WikiBlind on the CapX advisory committee will assist in deepening our accessibility efforts.
Establishing the Capacity Exchange page on meta.wikimedia.org was a pivotal element of the communication plan. The challenge, which persists, is to create a page with content that is globally relevant but can also be tailored to various contexts. Planning, content creation, and posting activities have been completed. However, the translation of the page into different languages remains to be accomplished, as does a way of allowing voluntary listing of individuals interested in the project.
The promotion of the Capacity Exchange at three significant international Wikimedia events, namely the Primer Congreso Internacional Wikimedia, Educación y Culturas Digitales (WECUDI)[3], Wikimedia CEE Meeting 2023[4], and WikiConvention francophone[5], has facilitated the project's dissemination and the formation of potential global partnerships.
At WECUDI, connections with Wikimedia Argentina and the Wikimedia Foundation were strengthened, and interactions with individuals and Wikimedian initiatives in Uruguay, Bolivia, and Peru were established. These discussions centered on a strategic approach for global capacity development while also embracing a Global South perspective. Project objectives, activities, and the meta page were promoted through brochures in Portuguese, Spanish, and English. Visual communication materials, including stickers and posters, fostered engagement with attendees.
During the Wikimedia CEE Meeting 2023, community facilitation was led by a member of Wikimedia LGBT+ who also sits on the CapX Advisory Committee. Contacts were established with Wikimedians from Eastern and Central Europe, with discussions focusing on a global strategy for local capacity development, emphasizing diversity and inclusion. Project information was shared via brochures and an informative poster in English. The availability of translations in key languages spoken by event participants enhanced reception.
Lastly, at WikiConvention francophone, community promotion was led by a member of the Igbo Wikimedians group, also a CapX Advisory Committee member. Contacts were made with Wikimedians from the French-speaking community, and discussions revolved around a global approach to local capacity development with a focus on diversity and inclusion. Project materials were distributed via brochures in French, with special emphasis on translation to foster community integration. Verbal communication helped engage potential partners at the event.
Fourth quarter report (Oct-Dec)
Technical plan
After a long planning process, the Capacity Exchange technical plan was released at the end of August. Its implementation throughout the months of September, October and November involved maintenance activities of the first pilot and the planning of a focus group on it, as well as development of the new pilot. Development activities focused on migrating old functions while creating apps in Django (Python).
A change in the composition of the team resulted in the review of some pre-established steps and deadlines in the plan's timeline, now including the onboarding of a new member. In this sense, the principle of Sustainability of the WMB Theory of Change was present through the process of executing the CapX technical plan, because it was foreseen in the planning. With detailed planning, but also open to review and iteration, it was possible to continue technical development and allow for the necessary adaptations in the face of a transition and change scenario. This process highlights the importance of planning and seeking sustainability of the software that is being developed beyond WMB, also thinking about its global future. [6] We also applied and were approved to mentor an intern through Outreachy. This intern will work on the project from December until March. All updates about their progress will be available through blog posts and in the pages of the Capacity Exchange project.[7] In the outreach of the project, we posted our first diff post about it in early November[8] and also promoted the project in two events: the Wiki Women Camp, in New Delhi, India,[9] and GLAM Wiki 2023, in Montevideo, Uruguai.[10]
References
- ↑ cXc 2021
- ↑ cXc 2023-2025
- ↑ Outreach of Capacity Exchange at the WECUDI
- ↑ Outreach of Capacity Exchange at the CEE Meeting
- ↑ Outreach of Capacity Exchange at the WikiConvention francophone
- ↑ Capacity Exchange Technical Plan
- ↑ Assist Capacity Exchange Development
- ↑ Diff: Meet the Capacity Exchange project
- ↑ WikiWomenCamp 2023
- ↑ Capacity Exchange: Peer Learning and Sharing for GLAM