Hi Oceania, *TLDR: Show your support for OpenStreetMap in Oceania by filling in this brief form <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/16jnD0aNuiJA2lCi94G_wRye1-arPsqJCbiD__Q_UWlM/edit>, and if you're interested, volunteering to help create an OSM Oceania working group.*
The purpose of this email is to gather support and volunteers to establish a local chapter of the OpenStreetMap Foundation <https://wiki.osmfoundation.org/wiki/Main_Page> (OSMF) in Oceania. OSGeo Oceania <https://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Oceania> has been supporting the application, and the benefits and objectives of this Local Chapter have been shared with the Australia <https://lists.openstreetmap.org/pipermail/talk-au/2020-May/013840.html>, New Zealand <https://lists.openstreetmap.org/pipermail/talk-nz/2020/000197.html>, and Oceania <https://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/oceania/2020-May/002291.html> talklists in earlier emails and on the Maptime Oceania Slack <https://join.slack.com/t/maptimeoceania/shared_invite/enQtNDU3MTU3ODkyMjU2LThiMWU4MjZjNjM0ZWRiMWZlNWE2OTZjYjM0ZTMzZDEwMzc5MTAzN2Q2MzMyZDMzYTMwNjc5NGIxYjY4MDRiMjM>. You can find the local chapter application that was submitted to the OSMF here <https://wiki.osmfoundation.org/wiki/Local_Chapters/Applications/Oceania>. *Application review* As part of the application review process, the OSMF Board, namely Joost Schouppe and Rory McCann, have already reached out to the community via various channels to gauge the level of community support for the application. While they received positive responses, the response was limited. I think we can do better. *Establishing an OpenStreetMap working group* One of the concerns raised by the OSMF Board and others is that OSGeo Oceania might not be truly representative of the OSM community. One solution to address this concern is to establish an OSM focused working group made up of representatives from across the region. While I hinted at this in May, I am now formally proposing that we establish a working group. The working group is a good solution because it will allow a wider range of voices from the region, without the requirement that those voices have any affiliation with OSGeo Oceania. At the same time, the working group would be able to benefit from the resources, structure, and conference platform that OSGeo Oceania has already established. *I propose the following:* 1. An initial meeting of interested parties at 12:00 pm AEST/2pm New Zealand/Fiji time <https://calendar.google.com/event?action=TEMPLATE&tmeid=NjJzZ2o5ZjBrNmkzN2s0bmRodG5pdmU5MTQgZW5lZXJodXRAbQ&tmsrc=eneerhut%40gmail.com> this Thursday, July 23rd. The Google Meet link is in the calendar invite. If you're unable to make this time, let me know and I will arrange an additional meeting. Discussion via email is also acceptable. 2. Formal establishment of an OSM working group and nomination of a leader to coordinate these efforts. 3. Notification to OSGeo Oceania that this working group has been established. 4. Notification to the OSMF that this working group has been established and that it will seek to understand and represent stakeholders in Oceania's OSM community. 5. Consultation period where the working group gathers input from throughout the region. 6. Documentation of the working groups first priorities. The OSMF Board can then make a determination on whether to recognise OSGeo Oceania and by extension this working group as the local chapter for OpenStreetMap in Oceania. Thank you for your time and I hope you'll lend your support to this initiative. Edoardo Neerhut
_______________________________________________ Talk-au mailing list [email protected] https://lists.openstreetmap.org/listinfo/talk-au
