*Tl;dr: *Looking for a way to learn how to effectively organize around sustainability? Join the beta version of the Organizer Lab on WikiLearn to understand how to effectively organize a global campaign around sustainability and climate change! Applications are open from Sep. 22 - Oct. 19. Information session coming up on September 30 at 14:00 UTC <https://wikimedia.zoom.us/j/89032870014>.
Dear Wikimedians, The Campaigns Team <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Campaigns/Foundation_Programs_Team> at the Wikimedia Foundation is pleased to announce the beta version of a new program called the Organizer Lab <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Campaigns/Organizer_Lab>. This call is open to any Wikimedia community organizers with some local organizing experience, who believe in the potential of the Wikimedia movement to effectively mobilize around Topics for Impact <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Strategy/Wikimedia_movement/2018-20/Recommendations/Identify_Topics_for_Impact>, and who are keen to improve their skills to organize at the international level. Why an Organizer Lab? Campaigns and other topic-based calls to action have been some of the most impactful organized activities in the Wikimedia movement. However, as observed consistently across Foundation grantmaking programs and in other community settings, we hear organizers asking for additional support for designing programs that successfully recruit and retain new contributors drawn to address specific knowledge gaps on the projects, and which can join with other movement activities beyond their local context. Additionally, the Organizer Lab is aligned with other Movement Strategy priorities and Foundation investment areas: - It is designed to generate replicable approaches to implementing elements of several Movement Strategy recommendations: Invest in Skills & Leadership Development, Identify Topics for Impact, and Evaluate/Iterate/Adapt. - It is will generate new insights and adoption opportunities for new event and campaign action software being developed by our close collaborators, the WMF Campaigns Product team <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Campaigns/Foundation_Product_Team> - Its initial topic of focus also supports the Wikimedia Foundation’s Sustainability Initiative <https://diff.wikimedia.org/2022/06/27/wikimedia-foundations-carbon-footprint-report-for-2021/> . The Organizer Lab will provide a structured way for organizers to refine their abilities, learning how to design campaigns and other effective calls to action to address strategic knowledge gaps on Wikimedia projects. Though we hope to expand to support other topics and themes in the coming years, the first cohort will be themed around a topic of rising interest across the movement: Climate Change and Sustainability. What can I expect from the Lab? The Organizer Lab will be a 9-week online learning experience from the end of October until mid-December that prepares participants to design strategic calls to action around prioritized knowledge gaps and more generalized Wikimedia organizing and campaign/event design skills. Participating organizers will leave the course with: - A firm understanding of how to develop a locally-relevant topic list for a knowledge gap-focused campaign - A process for identifying local audiences and organizations who would be good candidates for activation and recruitment - Understanding of the menu of tactics, tools, and newcomer engagement strategies available for effective event design - A scalable and fundable project proposal for events or projects connected to a global campaign around Earth Day (April 2023) (building on #WikiForHumanRights <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/WikiForHumanRights>) or other regional and international campaigns. By the end of this program, successful participants will not only be able to lead campaigns targeted at climate and sustainability but should also be able to transfer these skills to other topics for impact areas. Participants who complete the program will also have access to a special pool of grant funding that can support their first implementation of a campaign or topics for an impact project. Applications are open from September 22 - October 19, 2022. Apply now or learn more To apply to join the cohort, please read the instructions on Meta <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Campaigns/Organizer_Lab>, where you will find: an application form, important dates, and general guidance. Also, check out our publication on Diff <https://diff.wikimedia.org/2022/09/22/join-the-organizer-lab-beta-be-part-the-first-cohort-of-topics-for-impact-training-to-grow-the-next-generation-of-movement-organizers/>and the campaign newsletter <https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Campaigns/Foundation_Product_Team/Subscribers> for wider campaign organizing news and updates. You’re also invited to join the information session on September 30 at 14:00 UTC <https://wikimedia.zoom.us/j/89032870014> where we’ll share more details and answer questions. A recording will be made available after the info session. If you have any further queries ahead of this event, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the team via campai...@wikimedia.org. We look forward to seeing you there! -- Felix Nartey Senior Program Officer, Campaigns Wikimedia Foundation <https://wikimediafoundation.org/>
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