Now that the Training Team handbook has been filled out with everything needed to manage the processes and platform that the team manages, it’s now time to look at formalising the dedicated volunteer program that has been dubbed the ‘Faculty Program’. This program will allow the team to get more work done as more volunteers become involved.
The next step in preparing for the launch of this program is to outline the structure of the program – this primarily involves defining what roles and responsibilities can be fulfilled. While the handbook has a solid list of granular roles, it would make outreach more straightforward if the Faculty Program roles were more broadly defined, allowing people to know the area in which they’re contributing, as well as having the flexibility to help out in different ways.
Proposal
Here’s a proposal for the four broad areas of responsibility:
Content Creators
Content creators are people who contribute new content to Learn WordPress. This can be in the form of lesson plans, workshops, courses or social learning spaces. Content creators can write lesson plans, run social learning spaces, record workshops videos, write workshop scripts, edit workshop videos, or perform any other task related to content creation.
Editors
Editors assist with editing content created by the content creators. This can mean testing content or editing for accuracy, grammar, instructional effectiveness, accessibility Accessibility (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 “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility), localizability, SEO, or anything else that helps to improve the content that is created.
Subject matter experts (SMEs)
SMEs work with content creators and editors to provide expertise in their relevant subject area to ensure that the content is accurate and complete. Ideally, content creators would work with an SME from the very beginning of the creation process for any piece of new content.
Administrators
Administrators perform the management and operations work involved in the Training Team and Learn WordPress. This involves things like task and project tracking, facilitating meetings, taking notes in meetings, vetting new applications, managing the Help Scout queue, and anything else that keeps the wheels turning.
I have kept these areas intentionally broad and I think we should kick off the program with that mindset and then add more granular roles as time goes and we see a need for them.
Once we have these areas of responsibility finalised, we can document them and indicate how people can get involved in each one, and then begin reaching out to potential volunteers to bring them on board.
Feedback
How does this structure look to you? Please provide feedback along the following lines:
- Do the four broad areas above encompass everything the Faculty Program will be responsible for?
- Are there any other broad roles you think should be included?
