08-07, 10:00–10:25 (Poland), Istanbul (10)
Language: English
In this session we will be presenting the Volunteer Supporter’s Network (VSN), where volunteers’ supporters from all over the world gather to share experiences and knowledge. This network is jointly coordinated this year by Wikimedia UK and Wikimedia Argentina, and we would like to share what it takes to lead an international network between two chapters. We will share the challenges we faced up to now, the opportunities we enjoyed and some learnings that may be useful to others who are collaborating from different parts of the world.
The Volunteer Supporters’ Network has been stewarded by Wikimedia Argentina and Wikimedia UK for the last year, supported by a grant from the Wikimedia Foundation. We’ve coordinated a series of skillsharing workshops, facilitated conversations and connections between members, and Wikimedia Chile will be holding our annual meeting for a network which expanded greatly geographically during the pandemic. We’ve learned a great deal about working internationally, and we’d like to share that learning with others in the movement.
We’d particularly like to talk about the challenges of working internationally as well as the opportunities that it presents, and what can be learned from working collaboratively across the movement.
Session recording: https://youtu.be/j4jFqkG8iHg?t=826
The VSN is dedicated to helping those who support volunteers in the movement; over the years we’ve learned a lot about how similar the challenges are for those supporting volunteers, no matter which chapter or country they’re from. It’s easy to think that the challenges we face are unique to our geography; what the VSN teaches us is how much we can learn from each other in supporting the Wikimedia community across the whole movement. When running the whole network, we can also learn from that collaboration.
What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?* –Everyone can participate in this session
How do you plan to deliver this session?* –Onsite in Katowice
What other themes or topics does your session fit into? Please choose from the list of tags below. –Capacity building
I'm a Programme Manager at Wikimedia UK, working across Scotland, Wales, & Northern Ireland, and am also responsible for overseeing all volunteering across the UK. I was Wikimedian in Residence for both Museums Galleries Scotland and the Scottish Library and Information Council, and was Scotland Programme Coordinator at Wikimedia UK 2018-2023. I mostly edit on English Wikipedia, but also work on Scots Wiki, Wikidata & Wikimedia Commons. I'm part of the 2023-24 OpenRefine Train the Trainer cohort.
I am the Cooperation and Decentralization Program Manager at Wikimedia Argentina, where I design and support projects for the Wikimedia Argentina community and the global Wikimedia movement. I am also involved in leading the Volunteers Supporters Network (VSN) and am a member of the Wikimedia LGBT+ user group.
Originally from Buenos Aires, I studied Geography at the University of Barcelona. I later specialized in Gender Studies at the University of Buenos Aires and earned a diploma in Internet Governance from the University of San Andrés.