This is the home of the Make Community team for the WordPress open sourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. project!
Here is where we have policy debates, project announcements, and assist community members in organizing events.
Everyone is welcome to comment on posts and participate in the discussions regardless of skill level or experience.
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If you love WordPress and want to help us do these things, join in!
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 theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2026 in Krakรณw marked a significant milestone for WordPress Educational Initiatives. For the first time ever, WCEUWCEUWordCamp Europe. The European flagship WordCamp event. featured a dedicated Education Table at the 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://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/ and Education Track, bringing together students, 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., educators, and institutional partners to explore what it truly means to learn, teach, and contribute through WordPress.
But this wasnโt just about building websites.
A New Kind of Learning
The long-term health of the project depends on something less visible than market share: a steady, growing community of contributors who understand open sourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL., care about its values, and have the skills to move it forward. Thatโs what WordPress educational initiatives are really about, and the direction of WordPress education has evolved to. Today, students arenโt just learning how to install a theme or configure a pluginPluginA plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party.. They are developing critical thinking, collaborative skills, and real-world project experience using open source tools. They are discovering how to contribute back to a global community. They are learning what it means to be part of something bigger than a grade.
Growing the next generation of contributors isnโt a nice-to-have. Itโs essential to the sustainable future of WordPress as an open source project. The WordPress Credits Program, Campus Connect, and other education programs exist to create that pipeline, connecting universities, educators, and students directly with the contributor community, often for the first time. WordCamp Europe 2026 in Krakรณw was a significant milestone for these initiatives. Taking place in a city where weโve been building genuine, long-term partnerships with universities and technical schools.
Student Showcase: Real Projects, Real Skills
One of the highlights of the Education Track was the Student Showcase, featuring work from students at Krakรณw University of Technology, Krakรณw University of Economics, and VIII LO high school. These werenโt toy projects. Students presented work developed over a full semester, demonstrating how they incorporated WordPress into advanced, professional-grade workflows.
The standout project was WapuuGo โ a gamified WordPress learning platform designed for children aged 10 to 14. Students create blogs, share their work with peers, earn badges, and unlock custom Wapuu characters as they progress through the curriculum. The platform includes dedicated areas for teachers and parents, and itโs built entirely on WordPress. Itโs a creative, thoughtful project that demonstrates just how versatile the platform can be when students approach it as a tool for solving real problems rather than just a CMS to learn.
What made it stand out was the approach: students werenโt just told to โmake a website.โ They were challenged to use WordPress as a tool to solve real problems, build creative projects, and reflect on how open source technology integrates into modern work, bring ideas to life, and create things with purpose.
Big shoutout to @tadamarketing, Joanna Micek, and @twloczkowski, who were the project leads for the student groups.
What It Really Means to Be Part of the WP Credits Program
The WordPress Credits Program is often misunderstood as purely technical or contributor-focused. In reality, it is a bridge between business, education, and open source community values.
@organvlasti, a WordPress Credits 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., took to the stage to break down what participation in the program actually looks like from a business and mentorship perspective. She shared how companies can support educational initiatives in a meaningful way, and featured a student whose path was shaped by that collaboration.
This talk is a must-watch for anyone considering institutional or business involvement in WordPress education.
A highlight from our university partnerships
A reflection of how deeply we collaborate with local educational institutions came in the form of a talk by @dannykrk of Krakรณw University of Technology. In โThe New Engineer: Psychology, Systems, and Open Source,โ Daniel explored how the role of the engineer is evolving, and the place open source communities play in shaping that. Itโs a thought-provoking contribution from a partner who has become a real part of this community.
A recognition from Krakรณw University of Technology
One of the most meaningful moments of WCEU 2026 happened on the main stage at the beginning of Fireside Chat & Q&A. Krakรณw University of Technology presented a formal institutional recognition to @matt, co-founder of WordPress and CEO of Automattic, in acknowledgment of his contributions to open source, education, and the open web. The award was presented by Natalia Ryลko on behalf of the university, and accepted by @4thhubbard in Mattโs name.
The letter from Rector Professor Andrzej Szarata expressed the universityโs alignment with the values WordPress has long stood for: that knowledge should be shared, that technology should serve society, and that a universityโs responsibility extends beyond its own walls. It also acknowledged the collaboration already underway between Krakรณw University of Technology, the WordPress FoundationWordPress FoundationThe WordPress Foundation is a charitable organization founded by Matt Mullenweg to further the mission of the WordPress open source project: to democratize publishing through Open Source, GPL software. Find more on wordpressfoundation.org., and the broader WordPress community, pointing to student projects presented at WCEU as a tangible result of that partnership.
Itโs a moment that speaks to something larger. When a major technical university formally recognizes the impact of an open source project and its educational initiatives, it signals that this work is being taken seriously at an institutional level. That kind of validation opens doors, and we look forward to building on it.
The event started strong on July 4th, 2026 at the WCEU Contributor Day, where the Education Table brought together one of the most engaged and diverse groups of the day.
It opened with introductions and a simple but powerful framing: Whatโs your background? Whatโs your campus or education experience? From there, the group moved into open brainstorming and discussion, and contributions came from two perspectives: students and mentors on one side, and institution representatives on the other.
What Students and Mentors Brought Up
The student and mentor group generated rich feedback and ideas, including:
Creating a new fellowship model for mentors, enabling them to prototype and design solutions for their own institutions (new programs, communication campaigns, internal platforms)
Adding a Human-Centered Design (HCD) module to the course to foster creative and solutions-oriented thinking
Building a contribution wizard tool directly into the course to help students navigate where they can get involved
Creating a contribution or project dashboard so students can clearly see open tasks and needs
Addressing the confusion between 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/ and WordPress.comWordPress.comAn online implementation of WordPress code that lets you immediately access a new WordPress environment to publish your content. WordPress.com is a private company owned by Automattic that hosts the largest multisite in the world. This is arguably the best place to start blogging if you have never touched WordPress before. https://wordpress.com/ in the course curriculum, which currently leads to disorientation
Dividing the course into technical and non-technical tracks to better serve different audiences
Improving language clarity throughout course materials and documentation
Institution reps came with strategic and structural thinking:
Developing an elevator pitch presentation specifically designed to help universities understand and join the program
Defining clear next steps for students after graduation, including the concept of a WPCredits Alumni Club
Framing contributions as a genuine career path, not just a classroom exercise
Making the course available in multiple languages
Encouraging participating institutions to collaborate with each other, rather than working in silos
Creating a mini-grant program, co-funded with institutions, to sponsor student projects
Introducing modern, relevant tools to the curriculum (for example, exploring an education partnership with Figma)
Developing audience-specific courses and certifications: WordPress for Business Owners, for Designers, for Project Managers, and so on
A Broader Request
One idea that surfaced from multiple directions: move Education to the WordPress.org main menu. Itโs a small change with a big symbolic and practical impact, signaling that education is a first-class part of the WordPress ecosystem.
Also running on Contributor Day was Akademia WordPressa, a beginner-focused workshop initiative organized by the local Polish WordPress community. For the first time in WCEU history, the event included dedicated hands-on workshops for people who had never used WordPress before.
The concept originated at WordCamp Krakรณw 2024 and made its WCEU debut this year, with a four-hour curriculum running entirely in Polish and aimed at the local community. Participants built their first website from scratch using WordPress Playground, learned to work with the blockBlockBlock is the abstract term used to describe units of markup that, composed together, form the content or layout of a webpage using the WordPress editor. The idea combines concepts of what in the past may have achieved with shortcodes, custom HTML, and embed discovery into a single consistent API and user experience. editor, explored how AI tools can assist in content creation and site planning, and then found and fixed intentional accessibilityAccessibilityAccessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both โdirect accessโ (i.e. unassisted) and โindirect accessโ meaning compatibility with a personโs assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility) and SEO errors in their own sites as a practical learning exercise. No coding required, no prior experience needed.
The session accommodated 40 participants, and all materials including the agenda, site project, exercise list, and facilitator notes are being published after the event so future organizers can freely adapt, translate, and reuse them.
This is exactly the spirit the Education initiatives are trying to scale. A community-led, low-barrier entry point into WordPress and open source, built by people who care about bringing new voices into the ecosystem. A dedicated post about the Akademia is coming soon, with a deeper look at the format, how it ran, and how other communities can pick it up and run it at their own events.
The hope is that Akademia WordPressa grows into a fixture at flagship WordPress events worldwide.
Sponsoring Students Is Investing in the Future of WordPress
Five students from the WordPress Credits Program attended WCEU 2026 in Krakรณw, representing Latvia, Italy, and Spain. Their participation was made possible by company sponsorships specifically dedicated to bringing WordPress Credits students to the event.
During the conference, those students had the chance to meet in person with the companies that sponsored their trips. That kind of connection matters. Students see firsthand what it looks like when a business genuinely invests in open source education. Companies meet the people their support made it possible for to be there.
Whatโs just as important: these students werenโt passive attendees. They volunteered at the event and attended the Contributor Day, contributing alongside the broader community. They came as sponsored participants and left as contributors.
This is worth naming as an open opportunity. Sponsoring a WordPress Credits studentโs travel to a flagship event like WCEU is a concrete, meaningful way for a company to invest in WordPress education. It creates a direct connection between a business and a student at a formative moment, and it contributes to the contributor pipeline that the project depends on.
Looking Ahead
WCEU 2026 in Krakรณw was proof that WordPress education is growing up. The first-ever Education Track, a packed Contributor Day Table, and new institutional partnerships forming all point to a community that is taking education seriously.
The next step is to follow up with the mentors, institutional representatives, and supporters who contributed ideas during the Contributor Day Education Table. The session generated a rich list of proposals, from fellowship models and contribution dashboards to multilingual course materials and alumni pathways. Those conversations donโt stop when the event ends. Iโll be working through the ideas raised, engaging the people who raised them, and turning the most actionable ones into concrete next steps for the program.
The work continues. If you are a WordCamp organizer, university, educator, mentor, or student interested in getting involved with WordPress Educational Initiatives, WordPress Credits or Campus Connect, reach out. There is a place for you here.
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 theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Islamabad 2025 was a wonderful celebration of learning, collaboration, and the open-source spirit. Over two exciting days, students, professionals, and WordPress enthusiasts came together to share knowledge, contribute, and connect with others who believe in the power of community.
๐ฅ Meet the Organizing Team
A big round of applause for our amazing organizing team who worked tirelessly to make this event a success. Their passion and teamwork brought the whole community together.
Each person played an important role in making sure every detail from logistics to social media was handled smoothly.
Contributors collaborating during Contributor Day.
Organizer: Arslan Kalwar & Muhammad Kashif
๐ Day 1: Contributor Day
Contributor Day was full of excitement, learning, and teamwork. It was a day where many participants, especially students, discovered how they can become part of the global WordPress project.
We welcomed several students from different universities who were eager to explore the open-source world. For many, this was their first-ever contribution to WordPress, and their enthusiasm made the day truly special.
We started by helping everyone set up their 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/ profiles, join the Make WordPress SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/, and understand how the community works together. Then, we introduced them to various contribution teams like CoreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress., Polyglots, Support, Training, Docs, Test, Photos, and Patterns.
Together with our Table Leads, we guided attendees through handbooks and helped them make their first real contributions, translating strings, uploading photos, and testing patches.
A highlight of the day was a special recorded session by Muhibul Haque, introducing WPCreditsand Campus Connect programs that help students get recognized for their contributions. Since he had to leave early for his session at WordCamp Dhaka, Arslan Kalwar continued the discussion, explaining how these programs help students build their profiles, get official contribution credits, and connect with the global WordPress community.
It was inspiring to see students so engaged and curious about contributing and realizing that WordPress is not just a tool, itโs a community they can grow with.
๐ค Day 2: Conference Day
The second day was all about learning and inspiration. We had an amazing lineup of speakers who shared their experiences and insights on topics like development, accessibilityAccessibilityAccessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both โdirect accessโ (i.e. unassisted) and โindirect accessโ meaning compatibility with a personโs assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility), design, community building, freelancing, and website performance.
Students and professionals found the talks motivating and relatable. Many shared that hearing stories from contributors and developers helped them understand how WordPress can open real career opportunities.
The energy in the room reflected one thing clearly: WordPress empowers everyone, no matter where they start.
๐งโ๐ป Hands-On Workshops and WordPress Playground
The workshops were another highlight of the event. Speakers conducted practical sessions where participants could follow along and try things out live.
One of the most exciting parts was learning about WordPress Playgroundโa browser-based tool that lets users experiment with WordPress instantly, without any setup. This made it easy for students to practice, test, and learn in real time.
These sessions helped attendees gain hands-on experience and boosted their confidence to keep exploring WordPress on their own.
๐ A Community That Inspires
WordCamp Islamabad 2025 reminded us what makes the WordPress community so special: people coming together to share, learn, and build something bigger than themselves.
From enthusiastic students to experienced professionals, everyone contributed to making this event memorable. The teamwork, curiosity, and kindness we witnessed showed the true power of open-source collaboration.
A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who participated, volunteered, and supported this event. Thank you, eEarn, for providing an amazing free venue. Together, weโre building the next generation of contributors and keeping the WordPress spirit alive. ๐
๐ธ Contributor Day & Conference Day Highlights Hereโs a glimpse of the joy, collaboration, and learning that filled WordCamp Islamabad 2025โfrom first-time contributions to inspiring sessions and hands-on workshops.
Welcoming attendees and introducing Contributor Day.
Arslan guiding new contributors at Contributor Day.
Co-Lead Organizer: Muhammad Kashif
Lead Organizer: Tahir Shahzad
Contributor Day Lead: Arslan Kalwar
Thanks to @peiraisotta for collaborating on this post.
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 theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Krakow 2025 became history on June 29th. And not just because it ended, but because itย showed us that there is a space where we can invite new members into our WordPress Community.
One year ago, during WordCamp Krakow 2024,ย I decided to rethink how we run 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://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/. Instead of keeping it just for experienced WordPress users, I wanted to open it up to those who were completely new to WordPress, curious about it, or just starting their journey.
Why did I do it?
When inviting people to WordCamp Krakow 2024 last year, I noticed that many of them assumed that WordCamp was only for those who knew WordPress very well. Many of them have been declining my invitation, saying: โI am not a webmaster, so your WordCamp is not for me!โ
After another such excuse, suddenly I felt like Archimedes who said in the past: โEureka!โย
Maybe only 10% of attendees joined Contributor Day in Poland because it felt like a day reserved for experienced users. But WordCamp lasts three days. Why not use Day 0 to welcome beginners too? We had space at the venue, so that wasnโt an issue.
The real question was:
How do we encourage them to come? What can we offer?
I realized we couldnโt expect them to contribute to a system they didnโt yet know. We needed a new format, something designed to bring newcomers into the community.
And so the WordPress Academy was born.
On June 7, 2024, we organized a series of four lectures, running concurrently with Contributor Day. There was no registration, we simply wanted to see who would show up and get benefit from the new format.
The response amazed us.
Over 50 people attended the Academy, about 20% of all WordCamp participants! It was more than I expected, and the feedback from long-time WordCampers was fantastic.
It was spectacular!
So in 2025, Weย decided to do it again, butโฆ better.ย
We learned from the last year that even โsimpleโ topics can feel overwhelming for true beginners. So this year, we made two big changes:
Lectures for absolute beginners:โ even more approachable than before.
Workshops for โfalse beginnersโ:- where participants built their first WordPress site with guidance from experienced users.
And it was a huge success!
ย WordCamp Krakow 2025 had 275 attendees,and over 110 of them joined the WordPress Academy! This, combined with the Contributor Day participants (about 30), meant that over 50% of participants showed up on the first day!
What is the next step?
WordCamp Europe 2026 will be held in Krakow.ย
As Head of the Local Team, I dream ofย bringing the WordPress Academy to WordCamp Europe for the first time to connect experienced WordPress users with complete beginners..
My goal? To make Day 0 as big and exciting as Days 1 and 2.
Will it work?
I am sure it will!
Open for your suggestions and ideas on this initiative!
The Community Team had a vibrant and productive 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://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/ 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 theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2025! Over 50 contributors stopped by our tables throughout the day, sharing ideas, asking questions, and pushing forward the global WordPress community.
As outlined in our Contributor Day agenda, we focused on welcoming new organizers, unblocking ongoing projects, and brainstorming future events. To make the most of everyoneโs interests and experience, we split into two main tables:
Rocรญo Valdivia (@_dorsvenabili) led a group focused on 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. and new community organizers. Discussions ranged from how to restart inactive groups to how to bring in fresh faces and create a welcoming environment for first-time attendees.
Juan Hernando (@unintended8) coordinated the table focused on WordCamps and other larger-scale events. Conversations touched on common challenges like finding speakers and sponsors, engaging new audiences, and delivering value to everyone.
We also discussed Campus Connect, a new initiative designed to reach future community members where they are, on campus, and how this could help unlock growth in new regions.
Some highlights from the day:
Interest was expressed in organizing a ๐ธ๐ฎ WordCamp Slovenia in Ljubljana
Interest was expressed in organizing a ๐ช๐ช WordCamp Estonia in Tallinn
Proposal to host a hackathon-style event in ๐ฉ๐ช Leipzig, Germany
Budget reviewed and approved for ๐ฎ๐ณ WordCamp Bengaluru
Budget also reviewed and approved for the ๐ธ Summer Photo Contest event
Interest in running a Campus Connect event in ๐ช๐ธ Mรกlaga, Spain
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. group proposals from ๐ฆ๐บ Australia, ๐ฉ๐ช Germany, ๐ต๐ฑ Poland, and ๐น๐ญ Thailand
Application submitted for a ๐๏ธ WordPress Day for eCommerce 2025in ๐ต๐น Porto
Proposal sent for ๐ต๐น WordCamp Portugal 2026 in Porto
It was a great day of collaboration, inspiration, and real progress. Thank you to everyone who joined us, your energy and ideas are what keep this global community thriving.
To capture the spirit of the day, here are some photos from our tables and the amazing contributors who joined us. From deep discussions to spontaneous smiles, these moments show what makes the WordPress community so special.
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 theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2025 is almost here, and so is 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://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/, one of the most energizing and collaborative moments of the whole week. If youโre planning to join the Community Team table, hereโs what to expect and how to prepare.
Whether youโve never contributed before or youโre a long-time organizer, you are more than welcome to join us. Our table is open to everyone interested in supporting WordPress communities around the world โ from local 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. and WordCamps to new initiatives like Campus Connect.
๐ Contributor Day Schedule
09:15 Opening and welcome 10:00 Contributing to WordPress โ Community Team welcome and onboarding 12:15 Group photo 12:30 Lunch 14:00 Contributing to WordPress โ Letโs keep collaborating 16:30 Teams summaries and wrap-up
๐ก What weโll be working on
We want this to be a practical and inspiring day. Bring your ideas, questions, and curiosity, and letโs turn them into actions together. Here are some topics weโll be exploring:
Onboarding for new contributors: First time here? Donโt worry, weโll help you get started, understand what the Community Team does, and find your place.
Campus Connect: Help us shape this new initiative to bring WordPress to universities and student communities. Got academic contacts or ideas? Letโs talk.
Womenโs Day 2026: Letโs reflect on the 2025 edition and start planning how to grow the impact of next yearโs events.
Reach new audiences: How can we connect with people who havenโt heard of WordPress events yet? Letโs brainstorm ideas and campaigns that can work globally, and locally.
GatherPress: Have you heard of this new tool for managing events in the WordPress ecosystem? Join the discussion and help us test it in real-world meetups.
Process Q&A and hands-on tasks: If youโre planning to organize a WordCamp, a 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., or just want to understand how the team works: bring your questions! For more experienced contributors, there will be space to:
Vet Meetup and WordCamp applications
Triage HelpScout conversations
Answer questions from newer supporters and organizers
๐ค Want to help?
This year, the table will be facilitated by Juan Hernando, but weโd love to have more voices and perspectives. If youโre a Program ManagerProgram ManagerProgram Managers (formerly Super Deputies) are Program Supporters who can perform extra tasks on WordCamp.org like creating new sites and publishing WordCamps to the schedule., Program SupporterProgram 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., or Event SupporterEvent 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. attending Contributor Day, step up and help onboard people, guide discussions, or take notes.
๐ฃ Note takers are very welcome! We want this day to end not just with good ideas, but with clear takeaways and action points. Think:
Come with an idea, leave with a team to help you make it happen.
Itโs that time again! With 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 theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Asia 2025 only days away, it is time to decide what to work on Contributor Day.
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.ย
Several members including some of the Community Team Reps will be present at the event.
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 queues โ ideas and improvements
WP Event applications and budget reviews
What goals would be impactful to our day spent collaborating together?
How can we improve the Handbook for the Community Team?
Canโt 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/. Itโs 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 itโs highly recommended you comment on this post about any specific topics we should look into during WCAsia.
Please comment on your ideas below before Feb 19, after that, weโll close the comments, consolidate all ideas for the next day.
Hi everyone! Sharing a recap of our conversation during the WCEUWCEUWordCamp Europe. The European flagship WordCamp event. 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://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/ โ covering the conversations we had at the Community Team tables. Many thanks to everyone who participated for your precious contributions, and to all the table leads for moderating and sparking the conversation!
Intro: We had a cross-table briefing intro from @_dorsvenabili on the new purpose of WordPress events, current challenges and state and a quick recap of the evolution of WP events. Rocรญo highlighted the need to ensure the growth of events/ecosystem in general โ and shared cases of difficulties in diversifying our user base โ both vertically (across generations) and horizontally (across professions).
Table discussions: Following the intro, participants rejoined their tables to have smaller-group conversations. Topics included:
Event Types: We discussed the various types of events weโre holding: โtraditionalโ events, which mostly meet the needs of existing community members like freelancers and makers, and more recent approaches focused on tracks (beginners, devs, etc.). While they seem to mobilize participants beyond the traditional WC audience, this is an avenue we need to explore further.
Increasing and Diversifying our User Base:
Vertical Axis (Youth): Ensuring the longevity of our platform by engaging young people. Ideas included focusing on topics like sustainability, climate change, and mental health, and showcasing WP websites making an impact in these areas. Notably, weโre considering youth-specific events like WordPress Summer camps, 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 theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Youth hackathons, and meditation and mindfulness sessions that incorporate WP demonstrations.
Horizontal Axis (Other Professionals): Widening our market share by engaging devs, agencies, and small/medium businesses. Content ideas included beginner guides to building websites, online payments, UXUXUX is an acronym for User Experience - the way the user uses the UI. Think โwhat they are doingโ and less about how they do it./UIUIUI is an acronym for User Interface - the layout of the page the user interacts with. Think โhow are they doing thatโ and less about what they are doing. strategies, security measures, and specific professional-focused events with deep and advanced content. We also discussed specialized events like a WP affiliates summit and B2B-focused gatherings.
Challenges:
Giving back: Ensuring participants feel they receive value from attending.
Community and belonging: Catering to different generations and demographics.
Retention: Balancing the focus on new users while retaining existing ones.
Application process: Making it more user-friendly.
Clear agendas: Ensuring all types of events have clear objectives.
Youth Engagement:ย
Making WP more relevant and accessible to youth.
Improving communication and leveraging social media.
Highlighting the value of Open SourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. in a compelling way.
Exploring influencer marketing and gamification.
Rethinking product onboarding to meet the needs (and attention span) of youth.
Engaging Other Professionals:
Highlighting the ROI of participating in WP events.
Considering new event names and formats to appeal to a broader audience.
Running specialized and B2B-focused events.
Future Events:
Consider the imagery weโre using โ ensure our images show diversity.
Cater to a variety of needs โ our existing user base as well as those of demographics we seek to bring in; consider running both generalist and specialized events โ and highlighting / showcasing speakers from our new intended audience.ย
Work with marketing in segmenting our audience and in creating adequate messaging for each segment.
Consider a youth council to provide feedback on what would make WP more relevant/appealing to youth.
Go back to the drawing board with both the events but also the product โ if we started from scratch, what would we do differently?
For all target groups: position WP as the catalyst for opportunity but also as an end in itself (value of open source).
Make sure we promote the events using the social channels used by the audience weโre targeting; update our USPs (unique selling points) for the various audiences.
Create templates to share with all organizers before the event on how to plan, promote, and conduct a WordCamp/WP Event to improve attendance (e.g. specify the topic, problems we want to solve with the event, agenda, activities planned, what to expect from the meet-up, etc.) โ these can be provided in all languages and organizers only need to fill these out with event-specific information.
Exploring the use of WP Playground as a tool for 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. (Ioana writing up notes from connecting with the Playground team and drafting an outline).
Key Wins and Collaborations:
We had several successful applications submitted during the day from Osaka, Skopje (including a WordCamp Youth hackathon), Kaunas, Lisbon, and Belgrade, with more to come, such as a WP Event for kids in the Netherlands.
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. organizers from various countries discussed tips and ideas to improve and reach new audiences. For example, the Leon (Spain) Meetup organizers shared their successful strategies.
We had an interest in mentoring from Austria and the UK, with follow-ups planned.
Thanks again to everyone for their valuable contributions and participation. Letโs keep the momentum going and continue to grow and diversify our WP community!
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 theyโve 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.ย
Letโs all enjoy WCEU 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://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/ together and make the most of our time to work on the teamโs goals.
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
Canโt 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/. Itโs 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. Donโt stop now. Please comment on your ideas below before May 31st, after that, weโll close the comments, consolidate all ideas and weโll publish another post with the final plans on June 7th.ย
As we kickoff 2024, one of the three flagship WordCamps, 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 theyโve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Asia, is around the corner.
WordCamp Asia 2024 organizers have been in contact with the team reps asking for the potential table leads for the event. As two of the current team reps, Junko and Shusei, being organizers and Leo and Isotta not being able to attend the event, we are asking for help with anyone who would like to lead the Community Team Table.
Who would like to lead the table?
The organizers are looking for someone who could lead the table. Those who will be leading the table will be in contact with the organizers to prepare for the event.
If you are interested in leading the table, please comment in this post so that the current team reps can get in touch with you.
What will the table lead do?
Table leads will be the facilitator of the Community Table. The Community Table often has various topics to discuss and work on. Table lead(s) will be in charge of making sure that people who attend the event have a smooth experience. The tasks may involve the following:
Onboarding new contributors who are interested in Community Team
Facilitate a topic that could be or proposed to be discussed during WordCamp Asia 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://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/
Help us create a recap of what was discussed during the day
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. and WordCamp orientation, budget reviews
Topics for discussion
Lastly, one may have a topic they would like to discuss during the day. If you have any topics you would like to discuss or work on, please comment here so that the table leads and team reps can work together to decide on the focus points for WordCamp Asia 2024 Contributor Day.
Thank you all for showing interest in joining the Community Table at WordCamp Asia 2024. Beside the table leads nominations and topic proposals, if you have any comments regarding the preparation of WCAsia 2024 Contributor Day, please leave a comment.
Additional Resources
Here is some additional information from WCAsia, WCEUWCEUWordCamp Europe. The European flagship WordCamp event. and WCUSWCUSWordCamp US. The US flagship WordCamp event. 2023 Contributor Day.
The WCUSWCUSWordCamp US. The US flagship WordCamp event. Contributor Team has contacted all of the team reps asking us to help with their new approach to organizing this yearโs Contributor Day. To hopefully make contributing easier, they are asking teams who will be present
Who would like to be the main onboarding contact?
The Contributor Team is suggesting we designate a team repTeam RepA Team Rep is a person who represents the Make WordPress team to the rest of the project, make sure issues are raised and addressed as needed, and coordinates cross-team efforts. (or active team member) as the go-to person to send new contributors to on the day of, to answer team questions and help with onboarding.
Who would like to be table leads?
Table leads can help in a variety of areas. They might keep discussion flowing, facilitate on-site onboarding or orientations, and/or help the contributors stick to the schedule for the day.
Who would like to lead a topical discussion?
Lastly, you may have a community-related topic that would be valuable to discuss as a team. Share your ideas here or as a comment on the What Should We Work On post. We can decide as a team what to include in the dayโs agenda.
Comment below to let us know how youโd like to be involved in WCUS 2023 Contributor Day!
