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It is time to host the next Monthly chat of the WordPress Contributor Working Group. We’re meeting on the Next Thursday (June 20th) to continue our work on improving the contribution experience of WordPress and to continue our work on mentorship programs. For more information on the working group and its plans, check out our launch post and past chats.
Meeting times
We will hold these chats in multiple time zones to accommodate as many participants all over the world as possible. These chats will continue to be held on the Third Thursday of every month.
The chat will be held on the #community-team channel of the Make/WordPress Slack. Here’s the link to a handy `.ics` file containing calendar entries for our upcoming chat so you won’t miss it. These chats have also been added to the Make/Meetings calendar. Everyone interested in improving the contributor experience in WordPress and building future mentorship programs is welcome to attend!
1. Welcome, introductions, and check-ins How is everyone doing? New members joining the group can also introduce themselves. Do we also have any volunteers for notetaking, next agenda drafting, or next meeting host?
2. Wins and Updates from WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2024 WordCamp Europe 2024 is over, and our program was a big hit at the event, so much that it was the opening slide on Matt Mullenweg’s 2024 Summer Update where our mentees from the Q1 2024 cohort was featured! The excitement was so much that we even opened up an early interest form for the Q4 cohort! Let’s do a quick debrief of updates and learnings from the event and to celebrate our wins!
3. Mentorship Program Cohort #3 (Q4 2024) In our past chats we have been discussing extensively on how our next cohort should look like. Based on all the ideas shared, let’s discuss and finalize a plan for our next cohort and start working on planning the same. We will be sharing the plan in this chat and will seek feedback from our group members. We also hope to assign tasks and start working as per plan.
4. Creating a plan for On-Demand Mentorship in 2025 We have received a lot of interest in the “On Demand Mentorship” idea that was discussed extensively in the last chat. Let’s start thinking of how a first version of the same would look like, how it could co-exist with our cohorts, and how do we trial this in 2025.
5. Questions, thoughts, and open floor! If we still have time after all that intense discussion, we’ll open up the floor to discuss WordPress Contribution broadly and our program!
Looking forward to seeing many of you in the chat!
Please note: The Q4 2024 WordPress Contributor Mentorship: Early call for interest has concluded as on July 15th, 2024, 23:59 UTC. Missed the deadline? No worries! We will be opening up a formal call for mentees by August. Please keep an eye out on this blog for more information.
We are excited to announce an early interest form for the Q4 2024 WordPress Contributor Mentorship Program Cohort! This program connects seasoned WordPress experts with newcomers, offering a fantastic opportunity for mentees to gain hands-on experience contributing to WordPress, while mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. share their expertise and improve their leadership skills. Learn more about our July 2023 Pilot, and our February 2024 cohort.
Following the success of our last cohort, we have received significant interest from community members worldwide about the program at WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2024. Therefore, we are opening an early call for interest for participants in our next cohort, planned for October-November 2024. Interested participants can pre-register now.
Criteria for Mentees
Whether you are new to WordPress or looking to enhance your skills, this program offers a unique opportunity to learn from experienced contributors. Receive personalized guidance, develop your skills, and network within the WordPress community. Never contributed before? You’re STRONGLY invited to apply!
Criteria for Mentors
If you have experience in WordPress development, design, community engagement, or any other WordPress-related area and wish to guide new contributors, this is your chance to make a significant impact. Through mentoring, give back to the community, enhance your leadership skills, and connect with emerging contributors.
Please note: This is not the official mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues./mentee call form. The formal mentor/mentee selection process will open in August 2024. We typically receive many applications for our mentorship program, and by pre-registering now, you increase your chances of being selected.
Call for Interest Deadline: July 15, 2024
Please fill out the form by July 15th, 2024, 23:59 UTC. Applications for the Early Call for Interest for Mentors and Mentees have closed as on July 15th, 2024. As shared above, a formal call for mentees will open in August. All applications will be informed about their mentorship selection by September 2024. Early applicants will be prioritized for this cohort.
Details of the Q4 2024 Mentorship Program
Like the February 2024 cohort, this cohort will also focus on project-based mentorship. Mentees will have the chance to work on projects related to their area of contribution. The cohort will work closely with the WordPress 6.7 release, giving participants an insider view of the process.
Application Process & Cohort Timeline
June 2024: Mentee Interest Form opens
June – July 2024: Next cohort structure finalized, and program announced
August – September 2024: Mentees/mentors are selected and announced
October-November 2024: Mentorship Program.
I hope many of you participate in this exciting journey of learning and collaboration! Please comment on this post if you have any questions.
+make.wordpress.orgWordPress.orgThe community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org//project/ +make.wordpress.org/updates/
WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2024 Contributor DayContributor DayContributor Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work on various areas of https://make.wordpress.org/ There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus. https://2017.us.wordcamp.org/contributor-day/https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/ is just around the corner, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome you to this dynamic and collaborative event!
As part of the Community Team, we’ve crafted an agenda that’s not just about ticking boxes – it’s about inspiring innovation, fostering meaningful connections, and driving the future of WordPress events. This year, our focus is on expanding our reach, enhancing our support systems, and tackling the challenges that come with a growing community.
What to Expect at Community Tables
Morning Sessions: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
During the morning sessions, we will focus on fostering meaningful discussions and setting the tone for the rest of the day. The agenda includes:
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM: Welcome and Introductions We’ll kick off the day with warm welcomes and introductions to create a friendly and inclusive atmosphere. Get to know Community Team fellows and local organizers, and make meaningful connections.
In the afternoon, we will split into several breakout groups, each dedicated to working on different initiatives. Choose a breakout session/workshop that aligns with your interests and expertise:
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM: Discussions/Round tables
By level of knowledge required:
All levels:
Round table: Improving Community Team Contributor Engagement through Mentorship (Facilitated by @nao)
Be part of our conversation about the role and benefits of mentorship within the Community Team. We will:
Share success stories from the WordPress Contributor Mentorship Program cohort 2.
Learn about other Make/Team’s mentorship practices (e.g., Training Team Guide Program).
Find actionable next steps for providing mentorship benefits to contributors.
Experienced Contributors: Your insights and experiences are crucial for identifying potential challenges and solutions.
New Contributors: Share your fresh perspectives on your onboarding experience to help us improve our space for future members.
First-timers:
Session: Introduction to the Global Community TeamGlobal Community TeamA group of community organizers and contributors who collaborate on local events about WordPress — monthly WordPress meetups and/or annual conferences called WordCamps. and WordPress Events for first-timers (Facilitated by @_dorsvenabili@nukaga)
Session: Orientations about how to organize innovative WordPress MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. events (Facilitated by @monchomad@unintended8@st810amaze)
Experienced contributors:
Workshop: Handbook updates part 1 (Facilitated by @kcristiano)
Experienced contributors will review and update the Community Team Handbook. The specific pages to be reviewed and updated will be provided at the table.
Round table: Improving the Global Sponsorship program for organizers, community, and sponsors (Facilitated by @peiraisotta, @awarner20 and @tacoverdo)
Companies Help Drive the Community with Their Sponsorship. We will discuss how to improve the sponsorship program for all parties involved: sponsors, organizers, and attendees.
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM: Sessions
By level of knowledge required:
All levels:
Q&A session: about the Global Community Team and any type of WordPress event (Facilitated by @_dorsvenabili@nukaga)
Session: Orientations about how to organize innovative WordPress events and/or WordCamps (Facilitated by @monchomad@unintended8@st810amaze)
Experienced contributors:
Workshop: Handbook updates part 2 (Facilitated by @kcristiano)
4:00 PM – 4:30 PM: Wrap up notes
Facilitators come together and prepare their notes before the Teams’ summaries and wrap-up at 4:30 PM.
Collaboration between contributors
Members from the Community Team, including Program and Events Supporters, will be present to answer questions regarding MeetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook., WordCamps, and any other type of WP events.
Join us for a day of engaging workshops, collaborative meetings, and insightful feedback sessions. Let’s come together to create a stronger, more vibrant community.
See you at WCEUWCEUWordCamp Europe. The European flagship WordCamp event. 2024 Contributor Day!
In an effort to provide some real-time information for event organizers and the community alike, Central is sharing monthly financial summaries for all the events of the prior month + any events from prior months that had not paid all invoices or submitted transparency reports by the month following their event. Below are links to the prior reports that have been shared:
Updates on WordCamps Held Before March with Open Budgets
WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Manila (November 11, 2023) Final Tickets Sold: 289 Approved Attendee Total: 230 Budget Notes*: Transparency Report reviewed and budget closed. Final cost 492,728 PHPPHPPHP (recursive acronym for PHP: Hypertext Preprocessor) is a widely-used open source general-purpose scripting language that is especially suited for web development and can be embedded into HTML. https://www.php.net/manual/en/index.php/ $8,869 USD and cost per person/per day of 1,705 PHP/ $31 USD. Event closed with a contribution to Global Sponsorship funds of approximately 60,119 PHP/ $1,082 USD. Open Items – Finances: No open items
WordCamp Udaipur (December 2, 2023) Final Tickets Sold: 300 Approved Attendee Total: 350 Budget Notes*: Transparency Report reviewed and budget closed. Final cost 694,577 INR/ $8,335 USD and cost per person/per day of 2,315 INR/ $28 USD. Event closed with a contribution to Global Sponsorship funds of approximately 23,220 INR/ $279 USD. Open Items – Finances: The surplus funds were sent to WC Pune 2024 to assist with final payments for their event.
WordCamp Ahmedabad (December 9, 2023) Final Tickets Sold: 1051 Approved Attendee Total: 800 Budget Notes*: Transparency Report received, reviewed, and follow up questions sent. Open Items – Finances: Still awaiting answers from the organizers. A follow up check in was sent June 5, 2024. The last communication was April 17, 2024.
WordCamp Nepal (Jan 12 – 13) Final Tickets Sold: 859 Approved Attendee Total: 800 Budget Notes*: Transparency Report received and reviewed. All open questions answered. Final cost 4,090,902 NPR/ $30,682 USD and cost per person/per day of 2,381 INR/ $18 USD. Currently, the event reflects a contribution to Global Sponsorship funds of approximately 870,493 NPR/ $6,529 USD. Open Items – Finances: Still Awaiting final notes regarding the amount of 1 additional government subsidy in order to close the report.
WordCamp Zaragoza (Jan 19 – 20) Final Tickets Sold: 260 Approved Attendee Total: 225 Budget Notes*: Budget closed. Final cost 19,283 EUR/ $21,019 USD and cost per person/per day of 37 EUR/ $40 USD. Event closed with a contribution to Global Sponsorship funds of approximately 5,753 EUR/ $6,271 USD. Open Items – Finances: No open items
Kerala Photo Festival (Online) (Feb 3-10) Final Tickets Sold: N/A (333 tickets were claimed for participation) Approved Attendee Total: N/A Budget Notes*: Budget closed Final cost $1,125 USD Event closed with a contribution to Global Sponsorship funds of approximately $123 USD Open Items – Finances: No open items
WordCamp Kansai (Feb 23-24) Final Tickets Sold: 264 Approved Attendee Total: 260 Budget Notes*: Transparency Report reviewed and budget closed Final cost 2,441,951 JPY/ $15,873 USD and cost per person/ per day of 4,609 JPY/ $30 USD Event closed with a contribution to Global Sponsorship funds of approximately 126,963 JPY/ $825 USD Open Items – Finances: The surplus funds were returned to WPCSWordPress Community SupportWordPress Community Support PBC is a Public Benefit Corporation, created specifically to be the financial and legal support for WordCamps, WordPress Meetup groups, and any additional “official” events organized within the WordPress Community Events program. for use in future events.
WordCamp and Events Held in March
Women’s WP Day, San José, Costa Rica (March 8) Final Tickets Sold: 147 Approved Attendee Total: 120 Budget Notes*: Budget closed Final cost $7,436 USD and cost per person/ per day of $50 USD Event closed on budget. Open Items – Finances: No open items
Switzerland Community Day (March 23) Final Tickets Sold: 55 Approved Attendee Total: 60 Budget Notes*: Budget closed Final cost 4,813 EUR/ $5,247 USD and cost per person/ per day of 87 EUR/ $94 USD Event closed with a contribution to Global Sponsorship funds of approximately 1,357 EUR/ $1,479 USD Open Items – Finances: No open items
WordCamp Torrelodones (March 23 – 24) Final Tickets Sold: 225 Approved Attendee Total: 250 Budget Notes*: Budget closed Final cost 28,234 EUR/ $30,763 USD and cost per person/ per day of 62 EUR/ $67 USD Event closed with additional Global Sponsorship funds used of approximately 2,811 EUR/ $3,052 USD Open Items – Finances: No open items
WordCamp and Events Held in April
WordCamp Vienna (April 5 – 6) Final Tickets Sold: 371 Approved Attendee Total: 355 Budget Notes*: Budget still open Open Items – Finances: Payments still to be made for Audio/Visual, Food & Beverage, Signage, Speaker Events, and Venue.
WordCamp Chiclana (April 5 – 6) Final Tickets Sold: 195 Approved Attendee Total: 200 Budget Notes*: Budget closed Final cost 21,544 EUR/ $23,477 USD and cost per person/ per day of 54 EUR/ $59 USD Event closed with additional Global Sponsorship funds used of approximately 1,566 EUR/ $1,701 USD Open Items – Finances: No open items
Masaka Education Showcase (April 6) Final Tickets Sold: 60 Approved Attendee Total: 100 Budget Notes*: Transparency Report reviewed and open questions were sent on May 15, 2024. Still awaiting a reply. Open Items – Finances: Still finalizing transparency report
WordCamp Gliwice (April 13 – 14) Final Tickets Sold: 212 Approved Attendee Total: 262B udget Notes*: Transparency report reviewed and budget closed Final cost 113,430 PLN/ $28,358 USD and cost per person/ per day of 232 PLN/ $58 USD Event closed with a contribution to Global Sponsorship funds of approximately 5,429 PLN/ $1,357 USD Open Items – Finances: No open items
WordCamp Bilbao (April 20 – 21) Final Tickets Sold: 182 Approved Attendee Total: 250 Budget Notes*: Budget closed Final cost 22,033 EUR/ $24,016 USD and cost per person/ per day of 59 EUR/ $65 USD Event closed with additional Global Sponsorship funds used of approximately 1,310 EUR/ $1,428 USD Open Items – Finances: No open items
WordCamp Leipzig (April 20) Final Tickets Sold: 65 Approved Attendee Total: 90 Budget Notes*: Budget still open Open Items – Finances: No expenses paid for this event yet. Awaiting requests for Audio/Visual, Food & Bev, Signage, and Venue.
YouthCamp Kozhikode (April 27 – 28) Final Tickets Sold: 123 Approved Attendee Total: 175 Budget Notes*: Still awaiting Transparency Report. Budget still open Open Items – Finances: An email was sent requesting the report on May 15, 2024. No response has been received yet.
Budget Notes*: If an event was able to raise more sponsorship income or ticket income, or the expenses were less than amounts listed in the approved budget, the additional funds are contributed back to the Global Sponsorship fund. If, on the other hand, an organizing team raises less sponsorship income or ticket income than planned, or expenses are higher than originally budgeted, the additional amount needed to cover all expenses is covered by the Global Sponsorship fund and will be stated as additional Global Sponsorship funds used.
The goal of WordPress events is to provide a space where community members can come together and share knowledge, build relationships with other members and sponsors, and spread love for WordPress. The goal is never to make money. Because WordPress Community SupportWordPress Community SupportWordPress Community Support PBC is a Public Benefit Corporation, created specifically to be the financial and legal support for WordCamps, WordPress Meetup groups, and any additional “official” events organized within the WordPress Community Events program. pays taxes on any net income at year end, we strive to hold events where income is equal to expenses.
Transparency Report**: WordCamps that run funds through WordPress Community Support (WPCS) – meaning WPCS collects ticket income and sponsorship income, and pays vendors directly – are not required to submit a Transparency Report.
Alternatively, organizing teams that run money locally collect all or some of the ticket income and sponsorship income directly. The team then uses the collected funds to pay expenses of the event. The organizing team is responsible for completing a transparency report after the event where they submit receipts/documentation for all expenses, support for ticket income collected, and support for sponsorship income collected. More info can be found here. #community-team, #wordcamps, #events-of-the-month
The Community Team chat takes place the first Thursday of every month in the #community-team channel on SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/.
This meeting is meant for all contributors on the team and everyone who is interested in taking part in some of the things our team does. Feel free to join us, even if you are not currently active in the team!
You will find a preliminary agenda for the meeting below.
If you wish to add points to discuss, comment on this post or reach out to one of the team reps: @peiraisotta, @Shusei, @leo, or @nukaga. It does not need to be a blog post yet, the topic can be discussed during the meeting nevertheless. We use the same agenda for both meetings.
Check-ins: Program and Event Supporters / Contributors
What have you been doing and how is it going?
What did you accomplish after the last meeting?
Are there any blockers?
Can other team members help you in some way?
Highlights to Note
Here are a few things everyone should be aware of.
Comments have closed and a summary is underway. Thank you to those who commented. Feel free to comment under this thread if you have other ideas for WCEUWCEUWordCamp Europe. The European flagship WordCamp event.Contributor DayContributor DayContributor Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work on various areas of https://make.wordpress.org/ There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus. https://2017.us.wordcamp.org/contributor-day/https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/.
Events program has seen significant challenges in bringing new users and new attendees in recent years due to many factors. To that end, this conversation aims to examine the events program’s current state and explore what changes could attract fresh users to the WordPress Project. Read carefully and share feedback before June 28, 2024.
Following the discussion about the contribution recognition challenge, the whole community is invited to share ideas and feedback about what tools we can use to create dashboards for the contribution teams. Please join the conversation and leave feedback before June 17.
This is your chance to discuss things that weren’t on the meeting agenda.
We invite you to use this opportunity to share anything that you want with the team. If you currently have a topic you’d like to discuss, add it to the comments of this post and we will try to update the agenda accordingly.
Hope to see you on Thursday, either in the Asia-Pacific / EMEA (12:00 UTC) or Americas-friendly version (21:00 UTC) of the meeting!
In the Big Picture Goals 2024 post, Josepha called on the WordPress community to focus our energy on attracting new users to WordPress. Historically, our MeetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook., WordCamps, and Flagship WordCamps have been instrumental in bringing in new WordPressers by fostering connections, sharing knowledge, and encouraging them to contribute. However, the Events program has seen significant challenges bringing new users and new attendees in recent years due to many factors. To that end, this conversation aims to examine the events program’s current state and explore what changes attract fresh users to the WordPress Project.
The Current State and Challenges
In recent years, the Community Team has revitalized the events program by encouraging experimentation and fresh event formats through Next Generation WordPress Events. However, the statistics show that while the number of events has increased significantly during our re-engagement project, the number of new attendees has also declined.
WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more./WP Events
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
Num. Events
107
126
144
144
34
19
26
70
22*
Unique attendees
33,907
38,264
40,936
41,697
32,830
5,582*
11,088
22,637
6,425*
Tickets sold
46,794
53,048
56,234
57,892
40,939
20,930
13,149
26,090
9,821*
First timer
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
4975*
2,576*
*Partial numbers because we started tracking this in the middle of the year, the year has not finished, or due to other technical issues
Meetups
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
New groups
127
118
113
90
39
9
35
72
14
New members
136,192
107,455
71,280
36,143
20,019
3,812
5,532
7,299
5,240*
Events hosted
3,703
4,677
5,894
5,961
4,507
3,178
3,123
3,889
1,464*
RSVPs
72,043
103,915
135,524
127,502
116,046
70,853
68,971
77,246
27,824*
*Partial numbers because we started tracking this in the middle of the year, the year has not finished, or due to other technical issues
Adding to this decline in new attendees, the Global Community TeamGlobal Community TeamA group of community organizers and contributors who collaborate on local events about WordPress — monthly WordPress meetups and/or annual conferences called WordCamps. routinely hears the following from event participants:
While innovative events, like WordPress School Day and WordPress Web Challenge, have been held, most WordPress events still follow the same “one size fits all” strategy. The pandemic has altered people’s behaviors about in-person events, attendees want clear purpose and distinction in event formats and types that deliver value towards meeting their goals.
Organizer burnout has become increasingly prevalent. Organizing large events is an immense and time-consuming challenge.
Sponsorship for events is increasingly challenging to raise, despite an increasing demand. Also, there needs to be clear value or additional benefit to sponsors.
While this may sound worrisome, never fear! WordPress community members still report enjoying the experience of participating in WordPress events, and there is a strong desire to continue having them. However, change is necessary to sustainably support organizers and sponsors, to meet users where they are, and to ensure that participation in events is purposeful and conducive to achieving personal and collective goals.
Let’s Discuss!
Addressing these challenges will require collective effort and input from the entire WordPress community. Our events program has immense, untapped potential to attract attendees and bolster WordPress’ visibility. Here are a few questions to inspire some thoughts, but feel free to share whatever comes to mind!
What motivated you to attend your first WordPress event? What were you hoping to gain or experience?
If you’ve organized an event in the past couple of years, what relevant feedback have you heard from new to WordPress attendees?
What unique value or benefit do you find at other non-WordPress events that you think could bring value to our WordPress events? (for attendees, organizers, and sponsors)
What type of new event or content do you think would be great for attracting and keeping new WordPress users (of any level) to WordPress events?
We encourage you to discuss and share your thoughts, ideas, and experiences in the comments below before June 28, 2024. Your feedback will be invaluable as we work together to shape a bright future of WordPress events for our global community.
Want to organize a WordPress meetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. group in your community? Contact the WordPress Global Community TeamGlobal Community TeamA group of community organizers and contributors who collaborate on local events about WordPress — monthly WordPress meetups and/or annual conferences called WordCamps. at support@wordcamp.org or in #community-events on Making WordPress Slack.
Welcome to the May 2024 edition of the WordPress Meetup Organizer Newsletter!
We have a wealth of exciting updates and resources to share with you this month. From the launch of the Learning Pathway for Beginner WordPress Users, to actionable tips for attracting first-time attendees, we’re here to support you in growing and nurturing your local WordPress communities. Plus, read valuable advice about hosting engaging hybrid events (with some attendees in-person, and some attendees online), discover how you can harness WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2024 sessions for your Meetup group, and join us in welcoming our newest WordPress Meetup groups from around the globe.
We hope that within this newsletter you will find inspiration and practical tools to make your meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. even more impactful. Thank you for your continued dedication to the WordPress community. Let’s keep learning and growing together!
Learning Pathway for Beginner WordPress Users Now Available on Learn.WordPress.orgWordPress.orgThe community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/
We’re excited to announce that the Learning Pathway for Beginner WordPress Users is now live on Learn.WordPress.org! This comprehensive learning pathway will help Meetup organizers support community members who are new to WordPress. Leveraging our events to attract and nurture new WordPress users aligns perfectly with the WordPress project’s Big Picture Goals for 2024.
To get started, all you need is a WordPress.org account. If you don’t have one yet, you’ll be prompted to create it. We welcome your feedback — simply click the “Let us know” button in the right column, or even better, create a Learn GitHubGitHubGitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged by the repository owner. https://github.com/ issue using the Feedback template.
The Make WordPress Training Team is dedicated to creating learning pathways for all skill levels, from beginner through expert, and for users, developers, and designers alike. You can learn more about this initiative in this post.
Reaching First-Time Attendees to Grow the WordPress Community
As WordPress Meetup organizers, one of our key goals is to attract and engage first-time attendees. Reaching new users is crucial for the growth and sustainability of the WordPress project, aligning with the Big Picture Goals for 2024.
To effectively attract first-time attendees, consider implementing the following strategies. First, share engaging content during outreach that highlights the benefits of attending meetups, such as learning opportunities, networking, and community support. Additionally, collaborate with local tech groups, universities, and co-working spaces to reach potential new users who may not yet be familiar with WordPress. Offering beginner-level content can also help newcomers feel more comfortable and engaged (refer to the article above for helpful resources!).
Finally, ensure that your events are welcoming and inclusive to all attendees, so that they are excited to return. Create a friendly atmosphere by having dedicated greeters, clear signage, and detailed event descriptions that help attendees understand what to expect. Encourage existing members to bring friends and colleagues, and consider hosting special “Introduction to WordPress” sessions for beginners. By focusing on these actionable tips, you can effectively attract and retain new attendees, helping to grow the WordPress community and ensuring its continued success.
As WordPress Meetup organizers, many of us are navigating the complexities of hybrid events. How can we ensure that both in-person and virtual attendees feel equally engaged? In Priya Parker’s article “The Future of Work is Creating Psychological Togetherness,” discover actionable strategies to bridge the gap between physical and virtual spaces. Learn how to treat Zoom participants as honored guests, ask “magical questions” to create shared context, and build feedback loops that connect everyone. These insights will help you elevate your next hybrid meetup event.
Harness WordCamp Europe 2024 Sessions for Your Meetup Group
Explore the WordCamp Europe 2024 schedule and speaker lineup to find sessions that may interest your meetup members. All WordCamp Europe talks will be live-streamed and recorded, allowing you to bring your Meetup group together to watch and discuss the sessions, whether live or at a later date. It’s the next best thing to being there and allows your group to come together to learn about the very latest in WordPress!
Happy 21st Birthday, WordPress!
WordPress celebrated its 21st birthday on May 27, and many meetup groups hosted festivities. We invite you to share your photos of the celebrations using the hashtag #WP21.
WordPress Fatehpur organizers sharing cakeWordPress Hisar community planting 21 trees to celebrate #WP21
Introducing our newest WordPress Meetup groups
Let’s welcome the new Meetup groups recently added to our chapter! Do support them in organizing both local (in-person) and global (online) meetup events, and let’s learn from their experiences and experiments along the way.
This month, we celebrate the WordPress Meetup groups of Bhopal (India), Baguio (Philippines), and Fatehpur (India) WordPress meetup.
Bhopal, India WordPress MeetupThe first Baguio WordPress meetup event in five years!Fatehpur, Uttar Pradesh, India WordPress Meetup
Meetup Organizers, we want to feature you!
We’d love to publish pictures from Meetups all around the world in each newsletter. Do you want your Meetup to be featured? Share 1 picture with the Community team! Rename your picture as “Meetup-name_event-date” and upload it to this folder. The formats supported are jpg and png. Please remember, always ask for permission from your group members before taking the picture and sharing it with us!
If you have any questions, Community Team deputiesProgram SupporterCommunity Program Supporters (formerly Deputies) are a team of people worldwide who review WordCamp and Meetup applications, interview lead organizers, and keep things moving at WordCamp Central. Find more about program supporters in our Program Supporter Handbook. are here to help. Please email us at support@wordcamp.org or join the #community-eventsSlack channel. Thanks for everything you do to grow and support the WordPress community—let’s keep sharing knowledge and inspiring each other with our contributions!
Brainstorming/Planning Cohort #3 of the Mentorship Program
We spent some time planning the third cohort of the WordPress contributor mentorship program. Participants agreed to maintain the six-week duration but also suggested extending it to seven weeks, dedicating the first week for introductions and onboarding. There was a consensus to keep the cohort size at 40 mentees paired with 20 mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues., but with a backup list of mentors to handle emergencies or increased applications. Clear and visible documentation for mentors was emphasized, as current public resources on mentorship are lacking. Ideas like integrating mentees into multiple teams to showcase cross-team collaboration, creating a dedicated onboarding channel in Slack, and organizing an online WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. for mentorship were discussed. Leveraging existing programs like do_action hackathons and bridging with the Training Guide program for onboarding new contributors were also brought up in this discussion.
We decided to focus on enhancing clarity, structure, and support for both mentors and mentees. Participants stressed the importance of setting clear individual project goals and maintaining general program goals to measure success. Improving mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.-mentee communication and avoiding the initial loss of momentum were highlighted as key areas for refinement. Additionally, ideas for integrating initiatives like Hacktoberfest and WP Translation Day to enhance contributions were explored. Overall, the discussions aimed at creating a more effective and engaging mentorship experience, ensuring sustainable mentor participation, and providing a comprehensive support system for new contributors.
Based on the discussion, we arrived at a broad set of dates for the next cohort which are as follows:
June – July 2024: We finalize the structure for the next cohort
August – September 2024: Call for mentees/mentors goes out, we select mentors + mentees, and announce them.
October-November 2024: Mentorship Program.
It was highlighted that the mentorship program should avoid coinciding with major events like WCUSWCUSWordCamp US. The US flagship WordCamp event. to ensure that mentors are not overly occupied. Adjustments may be needed to align with the WordPress 6.7 release cycle, aiming to start the program after major events to maximize participation and focus. For further details, refer to the 2024 Major Release Timing Proposal.
We are going to start working on building the next cohort as per this plan, and will try to create an MVPMinimum Viable Product"A minimum viable product (MVP) is a product with just enough features to satisfy early customers, and to provide feedback for future product development." - WikiPedia plan for the next cohort with the goal of creating a strong foundation and structure for the program as early as possible.
On-demand Mentorship
In our last chat, @tobifjellner shared an excellent idea around “on-demand mentorship”, where we create a pool of mentors who are available to support new contributors, so that new contributors coming in can get mentorship whenever they want. We discussed this idea quite a bit in this month’s chat.
@tobifjellner elaborated on this idea in the discussion. Essentially, the idea involves creating a dedicated Slack channel for onboarding, supplemented by an email sequence to help new contributors become familiar with the WordPress project. This channel could serve as a general onboarding space, with specific teams building on this process for their own needs. Additionally, the idea of mentorship content living on Learn WordPress, coupled with available time slots for Q&A sessions, was proposed to offer flexible support. The goal is to bridge the periodic cohorts with continuous, ongoing mentorship, ensuring new contributors receive guidance whenever needed.
Participants also discussed having a structured approach where mentors can support mentees asynchronously and provide guidance while encouraging them to connect with their primary mentors. This would ensure mentees receive timely assistance without undermining their mentor-mentee relationships. Creating a pool of available mentors and setting up weekly sessions for bug scrubs were suggested to maintain engagement and address specific questions. Furthermore, integrating the on-demand mentorship with existing programs like do_action hackathons and leveraging university partnerships for project-based contributions were considered valuable for expanding outreach and sustaining the mentorship program. We also pointed to discussions on different forms of mentorship in the WordPress Contributor Working Group Tracker.
On-demand mentorship was identified as an idea with great potential – and our group will continue to discuss the idea with hopes of creating a structure and launching it after the next mentorship cohort concludes.
Five for the Future Documentation Updates and Discussions
Additionally, in our chat, we highlighted a set of important ongoing discussions related to Five for the Future and the WordPress Contributor Experience.
A group of volunteers from our group have started working on creating documentation for self-sponsored and sponsored contributors for Five for the Future. We have already received excellent feedback on the same from community members on work done so far. Please review these docs and share any feedback that you have – the plan is to ship these updates to the Five for the Future website once the documentation is more complete. Feedback is specifically requested for these documents:
WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2024 is one month ahead and the Community Team would love to have as many contributors joining as possible. WCEUWCEUWordCamp Europe. The European flagship WordCamp event. is one of the flagship events held in a year along with WordCamp Asia and WordCamp US. During this time, we would love to welcome team members to get together, contribute, collaborate, onboard new members, and maybe come up with new ideas for the future. Several members including some of the Community Team Reps will be present at the event and we will have few facilitators to get through the day.
Here are some topics that could be discussed during the day.
Topic Examples
What would you like to see the community team accomplish at WCEU this year?
What topics do you think we should focus on?
What goals would be impactful to our day spent collaborating together?
How can we improve the Handbook for the Community Team?
New MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook./WP Event Orientations / Vetting
WP Event budget reviews
Training for Meetup/WordCamp Organizers
Training for current Event/Program Supporters
Can’t attend in person?
Join the conversations that happen all year long in the Make Community SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/. It’s simple to join and allows you to connect to all of the Make WordPress contributor teams!
We will try our best to have the #community-team channel running during the day, but we highly recommend you to comment in this post or in the channel about any specific topics we should look into during WCEU.
Your Feedback is Invaluable
The Community Team thrives because of its diverse perspectives and rich discussions. Don’t stop now. Please comment on your ideas below before May 31st, after that, we’ll close the comments, consolidate all ideas and we’ll publish another post with the final plans on June 7th.
