Friends, As i settle into my new role as FOSSFA Secretary, am learning alot about managing and working with a FOSS community. I feel that there is room for us to re-hydrate the LUG with Community events and activities.
My experience with FOSSFA is all i have claim to, so its all i have to offer, and i hope it will help. *Community Empowerment Manager* FOSSFA hired a Community Empowerment Manager, to oversee all community activities. This position is considered full-time, and even paid. Now we may not have the same, but surely we can borrow a leaf from it. The FOSSFA CEM is responsible for, among other things, a) Community Mailing Lists b) Social Media Accounts + Website c) Announcing of Events, and, Membership Mobilization. d) Keeping the Community informed - Reports + Publications. (Abridged to fit LUG Context). Is this something we think we need? Personally, I think so. But a Community Empowerment Manager works in the framework of a structure, something that gives leadership and guidance to the Community. *Community Structure* I think the LUG is devoid of some kind of leadership structure. Simon and Kyle have done a tremendous job, but i believe are weighed down when the rest of us don't carry our part of the load. I would like to propose a structure of sorts - a kind of Steering Committee, exclusive to the LUG. a team of passionate people that we look to for our events, communications, updates, notices and so on, a team of people that we elect and give a mandate to steer the LUG. I would also like to propose that such a team, be "in office" for say a year, to facilitate a healthy rotation, as well as ensure there is a steady grooming of 'next-gen' leaders. FOSSFA also did something interesting this year, which was to introduce "Commission Chairs" - members of Council, not already on executive, who are best placed to lead certain thematic areas, such as Education, IP/Legal and Policy, Business & Innovation, and so on. Campus Liaisons for Computer Sciences Teaching Universities? Is this something we could consider as a LUG. A way to ensure that someone is a 'lead' on a certain thematic issue. *AOB* Simon already struck a code with Orange at last year's Orange Expo, and as such delivered Techfest 2011. It is my very strong belief that had the LUG been better structured, techfest should become our flagship event, a mark of sorts to the ICT Community, an annual gathering of LUG and Community and the opportunity to change guard for the LUG Structure. I would also like to see members who can easily host a LUG, to commit to host a LUG. Even if the LUG were to be hosted, at 3 venues, as long as they were adequately rotated, would institutionalize the monthly meeting, and command space on our busy calendars. We are grateful to Kyle for the Site List Administration and to Simon for being, among other things, the face of the LUG, as well as for you - every single one of us on the list. What do you think? If you agree to the idea to for a LUG Leadership/Steering Structure, could you also, in response, suggest some critical positions (and their roles and responsibilities). I believe if we generate 'enough' consensus about this, we could even have list based nominations and elections, and get some revamp going, as early as possible. Yes i know these positions are voluntary, and as a community, our membership is not even paid, so we can all expect to make sacrifices to give back to this community - and that's what we need to do, to take the LUG to the next level. Please do respond, I would like to hear your thoughts, as would, the rest of the Community. -- *Brian Ssennoga | FOSS & ICT Consulting * *COSS <http://coss.ug/> | @COSSug | #COSS* *FOSSFA <http://www.fossfa.net/> Secretary | @fossfa | #FOSSFA* *Skype: bssennoga | Gtalk - b.ssennoga* * * *Blog <http://bssennoga.wordpress.com/> | Alt. Email <[email protected]> | Twitter <http://twitter.com/#%21/bssennoga> | *
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