Reviewing a WordCamp Application

Next Steps After Vetting a WordCamp

1.) Check whether the mailing address matches the location of the proposed WordCampWordCamp WordCamps 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.. If it doesn’t, use the predefined reply (predef in here, “saved reply” on HelpScout) “WORDCAMP: Applicant does not live in the city as the proposed WordCamp”

Check whether there is already a WordCamp in planning for the city/country. If there is already a WordCamp in planning or pre-planning, use the predef “WORDCAMP: Applying to organize event that’s already in planning”

2.) Check how long the person has been using WordPress.

If the answer is less than one year, use the predef “WORDCAMP: Applicant less than one year with WP”

3.) Check the answer to Q5.

If the only two answers are “I use WordPress for my website(s)” and “WordPress helps me make a living” use the predef “ WORDCAMP: Applicant Q5 ONLY: “Use WP for my website” ”

4.) Check the answer to Q8.

  • If one of the answers is “Raise my visibility in the community,” include the predef named “WORDCAMP: Applicant Q5 includes “Raise my visibility in the community” ” in the response.
  • If one of the answers is “make money from surplus ticket sales,” use the predef “WORDCAMP: Applicant wants to make money”
  • If one of the answers is “Make connections with visiting speakers (like Matt Mullenweg)” include the predef “ WORDCAMP: Applicant Q5 includes “Make connections with visiting speakers” “ in your response.

5.) If the answer to Q9 is “no,” use the predef “WORDCAMP: Applicant – Start a meetupMeetup Meetup 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.

If the answer to Q9 is “I don’t know,” do a search to see if there is a Meetup established in the region. If there isn’t, use the predef “WORDCAMP: Applicant – Start a meetup” If there is one, use the predef “WORDCAMP: Applicant doesn’t know about local meetup”

If the answer to Q9 is “yes,” check the URLURL A specific web address of a website or web page on the Internet, such as a website’s URL www.wordpress.org in Q11 to see if the group is in the chapter account (WordPress will be listed as an organizer on the meetup.com site) or has posted the 5 good-faith rules. Also check to see if the group meets regularly, what kind of activities the group schedules, and get a general feel for the current activity of the group.

6.) If the answer to Q15 is “I don’t know,” use the predef “WORDCAMP: Applicant unaware of local tech scene (Q16)” in the response if the rest of the application merits an interview.

7.) If the answer to Q22 is “I want to do it myself,” incorporate the predef “WORDCAMP: Applicant wants to do it alone (Q22)” in the response.

8.) If the answer to Q23 is “we all work for the same company,” incorporate the predef “WORDCAMP: Applicant Q23 – We work for the same company” in the response.

9.) If they’re local, they’ve been using WP for more than a year, and they’re involved in a local, active Meetup that’s been meeting regularly for 4-6 months and operates within the parameters of the 5 good-faith rules, then research the applicant.

  1. Do they respect the WordPress trademark on personal and business sites?
  2. Do they distribute WP derivatives (themes, plugins, etc), personally or as part of a business or partnership?
  3. If so, are those derivatives GPLGPL GPL is an acronym for GNU Public License. It is the standard license WordPress uses for Open Source licensing https://wordpress.org/about/license/. The GPL is a ‘copyleft’ license https://www.gnu.org/licenses/copyleft.en.html. This means that derivative work can only be distributed under the same license terms. This is in distinction to permissive free software licenses, of which the BSD license and the MIT License are widely used examples.?
  4. Do they promote non-GPL derivatives on their personal or business sites?
  5. Are they a spammer or a jerk?
  6. Do the same research for all of the people they list as part of the organizing team.
  • If your research shows trademark, GPL, spam, or other issues, then write a response pointing out the issues and asking the applicant to fix the issues before applying to organize a WordCamp again.
  • If your research shows that there would be NO barrier to the applicant signing the WordCamp organizer’s agreement, then invite the applicant to an interview using the “WORDCAMP: Schedule orientation” predef.

You can find the complete Review Checklist in the Application Review handbook page.

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Next steps: HelpScout

  1. Search for the name of the WordCamp on Help Scout
  2. Find the ticket with a title “We’ve received your WordCamp application” for the Camp
  3. Change the Customer to the WordCamp email address if it is a Camp that has happened in the past. If it is a new Camp, you can change the Customer to the applicant’s email address.
  4. Add notes to the Help Scout ticket and include the link to the WordCamp Tracker page
  5. Add tags such as WordCamp, [City Name], Needs orientation, etc.
  6. Send a follow-up email using the relevant saved replies (such as WORDCAMP: Schedule Orientation) and close the Help Scout ticket.
  7. You can merge several emails relevant to the Camp application.

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Next steps: WordCamp tracker

  1. Paste your notes in the private note section.
  2. Add the HS (HelpScout) thread link to the notes.
  3. Update the status depending on the outcome of the review.
  4. Save by clicking the “Update” blue button.

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