Hi everyone!
*The Affiliations Committee (AffCom)* – the committee responsible for
guiding volunteers in establishing Wikimedia chapters, thematic
organizations, and user groups – *is looking for new members!*
The main role of the Affiliations Committee is to guide groups of
volunteers that are interested in forming Wikimedia affiliates. We review
applications from new groups, answer questions and provide advice about the
different Wikimedia affiliation models and processes, review affiliate
bylaws for compliance with requirements and best practices, and update the
Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees as well as advise them on issues
connected to chapters, thematic organizations and Wikimedia user groups.
The committee consists of fourteen members, selected every twelve months
for staggered two-year terms. Those joining the committee during the
current process will serve a two-year term ending in December 2021.
AffCom continues to closely monitor the Wikimedia 2030 Strategy process
that was initiated in 2016. While the affiliation models continue to be
discussed as part of the broader strategy discussion, as no decisions have
been made to change the current affiliation models yet, AffCom will
continue to work in the same manner with regard to affiliate recognitions
and intervention support for affiliates with issues of non-compliance in
2020. Specifically, AffCom will continue to process applications for user
group and chapter/thematic organization creation, while we await the
strategy next steps and begin to prepare for a smooth transition of the
committee and affiliates ecosystem to any changing movement structures and
systems in 2021.
Being a part of the Affiliations Committee requires communication with
volunteers all over the world, negotiating skills, cultural sensitivity,
and the ability to understand legal texts. We look for a healthy mix of
different skill sets in our members.
*Required and Recommended Skills for Affiliations Committee Members*
Across all committee members there are additional relevant skills as well
as requirements which help to support the committee and its sustainability
which include both required and relevant general skills
*Required Skills*
-
Fluency in English
-
Availability of up to 5 hours per week, and the time to participate in a
monthly one and two-hour voice/video meetings.
-
Willingness to use one's real name in committee activities (including
contacts with current and potential affiliates) when appropriate.
-
Strong track record of effective collaboration
-
International orientation
*Relevant Skills*
- Skills in other languages are a major plus.
- Public Communications (English writing and speaking skills)
- Strong understanding of the structure and work of affiliates and the
Wikimedia Foundation.
- Documentation practices
- Interviewing experience
- Knowledge of different legal systems and experience in community
building and organizing are a plus
- Experience with, or in, an active affiliate is a major plus.
- Teamwork
- Focusing on shared goals instead of disagreements
- Focusing on the conflict at hand and not past ones
- Ensuring each member of the team has a clearly defined role, which
can help reduce disagreements over areas of responsibility
- Project and people management to coordinate different parties on a
shared plan and seeing it through to completion.
- Problem-Solving
- Ability to evaluate various solutions
- Ability to consider multiple interests and points of view
- Willingness to revisit unresolved issues
- The capacity to recognize and respond to important matters
- The ability to seek compromise and avoid punishing
- Ability to work and communicate with other languages and cultures.
Given the expectations for maintaining course in 2020 and preparing for
potential 2021 transitions, it is important that we are also clear about
two different skill sets critical to committee support at this time. The
first skillset is oriented to understanding affiliate dynamics and
organizational development patterns to successfully process affiliate
applications for recognition; the other is oriented to conflict prevention
and intervention support for affiliates in conflict.
*Affiliate Recognitions Relevant Skills*
- Administration
- Willingness to process applications through a set, perhaps
bureaucratic process.
- Attention to detail
- Monitoring & Strategic Development
- Readiness to participate in political discussions on the role and
future of affiliates, models of affiliation, and similar topics.
- Organizational Awareness
- Understanding of and community building and organizational
development
- Understanding of group dynamics
- Awareness of the affiliates ecosystem and models
*Conflict Prevention & Intervention Relevant Skills*
- *Communication*
- Active listening
- Reading nonverbal cues
- Knowing when to interrupt and when to stay quiet
- Being culturally sensitive at the same time remaining clear and
concise when explaining a concept or opinion
- *Stress Management*
- Patience
- Positivity
- Ability to inject a dose of humor to dilute anger and frustration
when needed
- Taking well-timed breaks that can bring calm in the midst of flared
tempers
- Ability to manage stress while remaining alert and calm
- *Emotional Intelligence*
- *Being emotionally aware, *
- Ability to control emotions and behaviors,
- Ability to practice empathy,
- Impartiality,
- Don’t take anything personally,
- Being aware of and respectful of differences.
- *Facilitation skills*
- Meeting facilitation experience
- Peer or community mediation training
- Peer or community mediation experience
Do you have any of these skill sets and an interest to support movement
affiliates?
We are looking for people who are excited by the challenge of empowering
volunteers to get organized and form communities that further our mission
around the world. In exchange, committee members selected will gain the
experience of supporting their world-wide colleagues to develop their
communities as well as personal development in guiding organizational
development, facilitating affiliate partnerships, and professional
communications.
*Selection process*
As a reflection of our commitment to openness, transparency, and bilateral
engagement with the Wikimedia community, the 2019 member selection process
will include a public review and comment period. We invite you to share
with us you applications, specifying your focus area you’re interested in.
All applications received by the committee will be posted on Meta, and the
community will be invited to provide comments and feedback about each
candidate.
At the end of the public comment period, the applications will be voted on
by the members of the committee who are not seeking re-election, taking
into account comments put forward by the committee's members, advisors,
Wikimedia Foundation staff and board liaisons, and the community. A final
decision will be made by mid-January 2020, with new members expected to
join later that month.
*How to apply*
If you are interested in joining the committee, please post your
application on *the nomination page
<https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Affiliations_Committee/Candidates/December_2019>*
and send an email *announcing your application to
aff...@lists.wikimedia.org <aff...@lists.wikimedia.org> by 10 January 2020*.
Your application must include the following information:
- Your full name and Wikimedia username
- A statement describing your relevant experience, skills, and
motivation for joining the committee.
- Answers to the following three questions:
How do you think affiliates work best together to partner on effective
projects and initiatives?
What do you see as the role of affiliates in the Wikimedia movement in the
next three years?
What do you feel you will bring to the committee that makes you uniquely
qualified?
Which subcommittee are you most interested in serving on: Recognitions OR
Conflict Prevention & Intervention?
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me and/or the
committee as a whole. We are happy to chat or have a phone call with anyone
about our work if this helps them decide to apply. Please distribute this
call among your networks, and do apply if you are interested!
In behalf of the committee,
Camelia Boban
AffCom member
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