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This post shares the experience ofJos Velasco, a first-time mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. in theWordPress Credits program, and what his cohort revealed about how mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. and students navigate their first open-source contribution together. As the program grows, stories like this help us refine how we onboard, scope projects, and connect students to the wider community.
The WordPress Credits program pairs students with community contributors who guide them through their first open-source contribution. The framework is simple on paper: a mentor, a student, an immediate contribution opportunity, and a finish line. In practice, every cohort surfaces something new about what makes the program work.
This is a look at one mentor’s first cohort: three students, three different paths, and a few takeaways that other current and future mentors will recognize.
The cohort
Jos took on three mentees, all new to open-source contribution. Before choosing a contribution path, students complete an onboarding phase on Learn WordPress, with curated lessons, Playground sandboxes, and quizzes.
That onboarding phase is solid, but it can take longer than expected, both for students and for mentors. There’s a lot of material, and the schedule needs to flex around real lives. The trickiest part isn’t the curriculum: it’s the balance every mentor has to strike between enabling students’ potential and not doing the work for them. Open sourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. isn’t an obligation. Part of mentoring is helping students want to contribute, by showing them why it matters and what they get out of it, rather than pushing them through a checklist.
Each of the three students landed in a different place.
Gabi: Photos as a creative outlet
Gabi Hawkins works as an IT technician moving toward web development. She chose Photos, which wasn’t directly tied to her career path but suited who she is: a visual person drawn to front-end work. Her submissions reflect that, a Japanese pagoda lit at night, jellyfish in deep blue water, koi beside a rock-lined path. Not test shots. Photos from someone with an eye.
A small, instructive snag: Gabi met her project requirements on time, but her certificate was delayed because she filled out the feedback form using a different email than the one on her WP Credits profile. The course system didn’t detect her completion. A small reminder for mentors and students alike to double-check that emails match across systems, especially when graduation is on the line.
T’Kai Monet is a full-time student and a full-time mom of a newborn. Her schedule was, predictably, unpredictable. She originally chose Themes and switched to Photos when time was tight, a smart pivot. What stood out wasn’t her output, though, but how she participated.
She attended a WordPress meetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. at 2:30 a.m., not because she couldn’t sleep, but because she was already up with the baby and decided to make the most of it. She wrote about it as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world. And in a global, async community, it kind of is.
This is one of the most important things any new contributor can internalize: the conversation will happen across time zones, and showing up in the rhythm that works for you is showing up.
Noah: Finding a meaningful path, not just a completable one
Noah Mobes spent real time early on looking for a path that felt meaningful, rather than the easiest one to finish. After working on Good First Bugs for CoreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress., he landed on WordPress Playground blueprints, small files that spin up pre-configured WordPress environments instantly, with no hosting required.
He created blueprints for Hello Dolly and Disable Comments, opened pull requests in the official GitHubGitHubGitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged by the repository owner. https://github.com/ repository, and reached out to the pluginPluginA plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. authors. The PRs weren’t merged before the program closed, but he documented his process and delivered a wrap-up presentation on WordPress.tv. His own framing: “this is certainly not the end for me in the WP ecosystem.” That attitude, and the documentation trail he left, is exactly what sustainable contribution looks like.
This plugin continues to be an inspiration for where to start extending WordPress
The moment that mattered most: reaching out directly
While T’Kai was submitting photos, several weren’t getting approved. The Photo Directory has real standards around quality and description, and queues get long when many students are finishing at the same time or when big events collide.
Sharing links and documentation didn’t move things. What did was going to the Photos Team page, finding the most active moderators listed there, and reaching out directly.
That message reached Michelle Frechette, who has contributed over 360 photos to the directory and has been part of this community for years. She responded immediately, explained exactly why the submissions weren’t passing, and offered to review T’Kai’s photos before she sent more.
That single conversation did what weeks of links hadn’t.
This is the lesson worth leading with for every new contributor: the WordPress community has no boundaries. People will help if you reach out to them. Not eventually, not after a queue, not via a form. Directly, by name, in the open.
What we’d change: scope projects around what teams actually need
The “30 photos to the Photo Directory” framing comes from how WP Credits structures its immediate contribution opportunities: each participating team defines a minimum deliverable that signals the student has made a meaningful, complete contribution, 30 CC0-licensed photos for the Photo Directory, a theme review for the Themes team, a Good First Bug worked on during a Bug Scrub for Core, and so on. That baseline matters. It gives students something concrete to aim at, gives mentors a way to measure progress, and gives each contributing team a consistent definition of “enough.” So this isn’t a critique of using a number as a goal.
But going through the cohort surfaced a hunch worth sharing. From experience organizing meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. in the LATAM community and producing video, it often feels like organizers are short on the kind of CC0 imagery they need: photos for event pages, social posts, recap posts, banners. So one alternative framing for the photo path could be: contribute photos that WordPress meetup organizers can actually use. That’s not a researched conclusion, just a sense from being on the organizer side of things.
What’s more interesting is where that hunch points. In a recent conversation, Isotta floated a bigger idea worth surfacing here: what if we asked the Photo Team, and other contributing teams, what kinds of contributions they actually need right now, and turned those into specific tasks for students?
That’s a meaningful shift. Instead of each team defining a generic minimum (any 30 photos, any theme review, any Good First Bug), teams could periodically share a short list of what would be most useful at a given moment, photos of specific subjects, theme reviews in a particular categoryCategoryThe 'category' taxonomy lets you group posts / content together that share a common bond. Categories are pre-defined and broad ranging., bugs in a specific component. Mentors and students could then choose from that list, knowing the work has a clear downstream use.
The finish line stays. The direction sharpens. And students learn the most important habit in open source: thinking about who will use your contribution before you make it.
This is a conversation worth opening up to the wider team. If you’re a contributing team repTeam RepA Team Rep is a person who represents the Make WordPress team to the rest of the project, make sure issues are raised and addressed as needed, and coordinates cross-team efforts. and have thoughts on what your team would surface as “high-impact tasks for students right now,” the comments below are a good place to start.
Talk to the team your student is contributing to. Beyond the minimum deliverable, ask the contributing team what would be most useful right now. A short conversation at the start can turn a generic quota into a project with a clear downstream use, and gives the student a real audience to design for.
Respect async as the default. Your students may show up at 2:30 a.m. their time, on a Saturday, between feedings, between shifts. That counts. Build your check-ins to accommodate it.
Help students find meaning, not just completion. The most durable contributions come from students who chose a path because it mattered to them. Give them room to explore early, even if it costs a week.
Sweat the small operational details. Email mismatches, profile inconsistencies, missing form fields, these can hold up certificates and graduation. Catch them at the start.
Document the wrap-up. A blog post, a WordPress.tv presentation, a profile update — documenting the journey turns one student’s experience into a resource the next cohort can learn from. Noah’s wrap-up is a good example of what this can look like.
And of course, thanks to Gabi, T’Kai, and Noah for trusting the program with their first open-source contribution, and for letting their experience help shape what comes next.
Are you mentoring, or thinking about it?
If you’re a current WP Credits mentor with stories of your own, what worked, what you’d change, what surprised you, drop a comment below. The more cohorts we document, the better the program gets for everyone.
If you’re considering becoming a mentor, the Mentor Guide is the right place to start. The interest in this role continues to grow, and that’s a good sign of where WordPress is headed.
This year’s selection process was a true celebration of community spirit, with record-breaking engagement and a shared commitment to shaping the future of our vibrant team.
🌟 Reflecting on Progress: Evolving the Role of Team Reps
In 2024, we introduced a new structure for Community Team Reps, inspired by thoughtful discussions at the 2023 Community Summit. This updated framework brought several key changes:
Extending the term for Team Reps to two years to ensure deeper impact and continuity.
Increasing the number of Team Reps to four,
with two Team Reps continuing from the previous year.
and two Team Reps newly elected annually.
These adjustments fostered a smoother transition between terms and allowed for a balance of fresh perspectives and experienced guidance. In 2024, our incredible team consisted of:
Their leadership and dedication have made a lasting impact, and we are profoundly grateful for their service.
💪 The 2025 Selection Process: A Community Effort
This year’s nominations and voting process set a new standard for community participation! We received an impressive nine nominations, reflecting the enthusiasm and dedication of our members.
During the final voting, we saw unprecedented engagement, with the highest voter turnout in recent history. The results presented us with an exciting challenge: a tie for the second new Rep position. After thoughtful deliberation, the current Team Reps made the decision to welcome all three top-voted nominees, recognizing the value they bring to the team.
🌟 A Fond Farewell and New Beginnings
As we welcome the new Reps, we also celebrate the achievements of those stepping down.
Leo Gopal (@leogopal) and Junko Nukaga (@nukaga) have completed their two-year terms, leaving a legacy of leadership and dedication.
Shusei Toda (@st810amaze) will continue into his second year, offering his invaluable experience and guidance.
Isotta Peira (@peiraisotta) will transition into an honorary role as a Team RepTeam RepA Team Rep is a person who represents the Make WordPress team to the rest of the project, make sure issues are raised and addressed as needed, and coordinates cross-team efforts. Supporter, providing mentorship and advice to the new Reps while stepping back from the official title.
We deeply appreciate their contributions and know their influence will continue to shape the Community Team’s future.
🎉 Welcoming the 2025 Team Reps
Please join us in giving a warm welcome to the three exceptional reps who will help guide the WordPress Community in 2025:
Pooja began her WordPress journey in 2013 as a developer. In 2015, she co-founded WPVibes, a pluginPluginA plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. development company. Her involvement with the WordPress community deepened in 2017 when she attended her first WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more., marking the start of her contribution journey.
Within the WordPress project, Pooja has held several significant roles. She served as Co-Team Rep of the Training Team for the 2022 and 2023 terms and made notable contributions to the WordPress releases.
Pooja’s dedication to WordPress was recognized with the Kim Parsell Scholarship, which granted her the opportunity to attend WCUSWCUSWordCamp US. The US flagship WordCamp event. 2022.
Unfortunately, visa issues prevented her attendance. Based in Ajmer, a picturesque city in Rajasthan, India, Pooja balances her WordPress contributions with hobbies like gardening, exploring new places, and listening to music.
He is passionate about community building and that passion led him on starting his journey as a contributor in 2012. He co-founded the WordPress meetup in Mumbai, which was the very first one in India.
He currently contributes to the project as a Program ManagerProgram ManagerProgram Managers (formerly Super Deputies) are Program Supporters who can perform extra tasks on WordCamp.org like creating new sites and publishing WordCamps to the schedule. on the Community Team, along with being part of the WordPress Incident Report Team.
Aditya Kane lives in Pune, India. He works as a freelance consultant for WordPress projects and agencies.
He believes that open-source, the open web, an open culture that nourishes, informs, changes and invites participation feels inherently authentic.
Arthur Kasirye is a founding member of the WordPress community in Uganda, renowned for his leadership and mentorship roles. He has supported the global WordPress ecosystem as a community lead, mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues., and program supporterProgram SupporterCommunity Program Supporters (formerly Deputies) are a team of people worldwide who review WordCamp and Meetup applications, interview lead organizers, and keep things moving at WordCamp Central. Find more about program supporters in our Program Supporter Handbook., guiding numerous WordCamp organizers worldwide.
A passionate advocate for localization, Arthur has contributed significantly to translating WordPress into Ugandan languages, including Luganda. He is also the founder of Kasiryelabs, a digital agency he established eight years ago, where he continues to excel as a web creator and creative designer.
Shusei is a creative director and business strategist based in Tokyo, Japan. With a background in web design and engineering, Shusei specializes in crafting comprehensive brand, corporate, and visual content for clients.
His expertise spans project management, photography, videography, and creative strategy. Since joining the WordPress Community, Shusei has been an active contributor both locally and globally.
We are excited to see their unique perspectives, creativity, and leadership come to life as they work alongside the broader community.
🚀 Looking Ahead
This announcement marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the WordPress Community Team. Thank you to everyone who participated in the nominations, voting, and discussions—it’s your engagement and passion that keep our community thriving.
Together, let’s continue to innovate, support one another, and grow as a community in 2025. Here’s to an incredible year ahead!
A big thanks goes out to (@nukaga) (@peiraisotta) (@st810amaze) for all their hard work and contributions during this process. None of this would have been possible without their deep care and understanding.
The WordPress Contributor Working Group is thrilled to announce the launch of the third cohort of the WordPress Contributor Mentorship Program, that has kicked off on Monday, October 7th! This program offers newer WordPress enthusiasts a unique opportunity to engage deeply with the project and make meaningful contributions by pairing them with experienced contributors (mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.) for a six-week period.
Who are the Mentees?
This cohort includes over 100 diverse contributors (mentees), each either paired with a mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues., involved in a task-focused project under the guidance of multiple mentors, or participating with a broader cohort group. These participants were selected from a pool of 150 applicants worldwide. All applicants should have received an email with the results of their application.
Program Breakdown
This cohort will span over a six-week period:
Weeks 1 and 2 (October 7 – October 18): Kick-off session, initial mentor/mentee check-in, setting contribution goals, and online workshops.
Weeks 3 and 4 (October 21 – November 1): Focus on onboarding mentees to their chosen. Make/WordPress teams, with support from team representatives, to make their initial contributions.
Weeks 5 and 6 (November 4 – November 15): Finalizing contributions, Wrap up, set a 30-60-90-day goal, and a graduation session.
After these six weeks, mentees will have gained a solid understanding of the WordPress project, contributed to their chosen Make/Teams, and be prepared for continued involvement. Following the success of the pilot and second cohorts, the timing of this cohort is once again aligned with the latest WordPress release (version 6.7), giving all participants the opportunity to help build the latest and greatest edition of WordPress!
The success of this program is largely thanks to our dedicated mentors, who provide group support and guide mentees through their WordPress journey. From a pool of nearly 46 applicants, the following 25 mentors were selected to support these contributors:
Project/Group
Mentor(s)
AccessibilityAccessibilityAccessibility (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)
TBD
WordPress 6.7 CoreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. Contributions
In addition to projects, we are providing mentees with additional support through a more localized mentoring experience, thanks to the help of local supporters. Here’s a list of local supporter mentors who will be assisting with the program:
This program wouldn’t be possible without the tireless efforts of our mentors, Contributor Working Group members, and everyone involved in organizing and supporting this initiative. Your dedication to fostering growth and learning within the WordPress community is invaluable. Let’s work together to make this cohort a success, enhancing mentorship within the WordPress project and empowering more contributors!
Please note: The Q4 2024 WordPress Contributor Mentorship: Early call for interest has concluded as on July 15th, 2024, 23:59 UTC. Missed the deadline? No worries! We will be opening up a formal call for mentees by August. Please keep an eye out on this blog for more information.
We are excited to announce an early interest form for the Q4 2024 WordPress Contributor Mentorship Program Cohort! This program connects seasoned WordPress experts with newcomers, offering a fantastic opportunity for mentees to gain hands-on experience contributing to WordPress, while mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. share their expertise and improve their leadership skills. Learn more about our July 2023 Pilot, and our February 2024 cohort.
Following the success of our last cohort, we have received significant interest from community members worldwide about the program at WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe 2024. Therefore, we are opening an early call for interest for participants in our next cohort, planned for October-November 2024. Interested participants can pre-register now.
Criteria for Mentees
Whether you are new to WordPress or looking to enhance your skills, this program offers a unique opportunity to learn from experienced contributors. Receive personalized guidance, develop your skills, and network within the WordPress community. Never contributed before? You’re STRONGLY invited to apply!
Criteria for Mentors
If you have experience in WordPress development, design, community engagement, or any other WordPress-related area and wish to guide new contributors, this is your chance to make a significant impact. Through mentoring, give back to the community, enhance your leadership skills, and connect with emerging contributors.
Please note: This is not the official mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues./mentee call form. The formal mentor/mentee selection process will open in August 2024. We typically receive many applications for our mentorship program, and by pre-registering now, you increase your chances of being selected.
Call for Interest Deadline: July 15, 2024
Please fill out the form by July 15th, 2024, 23:59 UTC. Applications for the Early Call for Interest for Mentors and Mentees have closed as on July 15th, 2024. As shared above, a formal call for mentees will open in August. All applications will be informed about their mentorship selection by September 2024. Early applicants will be prioritized for this cohort.
Details of the Q4 2024 Mentorship Program
Like the February 2024 cohort, this cohort will also focus on project-based mentorship. Mentees will have the chance to work on projects related to their area of contribution. The cohort will work closely with the WordPress 6.7 release, giving participants an insider view of the process.
Application Process & Cohort Timeline
June 2024: Mentee Interest Form opens
June – July 2024: Next cohort structure finalized, and program announced
August – September 2024: Mentees/mentors are selected and announced
October-November 2024: Mentorship Program.
I hope many of you participate in this exciting journey of learning and collaboration! Please comment on this post if you have any questions.
If there’s a question you’d like to see answered, or a topic you’d like to see discussed, please share it in the comments or email support@wordcamp.org with the subject line “Tuesday Trainings”. Now onto this week’s topic!
Previously, we learned all about Community Deputies and what they do, which includes mentoring WordCamps. But what exactly is the WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. mentorship program, and how does it work?
What is the WordCamp mentorship program?
The WordCamp mentorship program helps make WordCamps easier to plan for organizers, and better for attendees! This is done by providing peer support to folks actively organizing a WordCamp.
Who are the WordCamp MentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.?
WordCamp mentors are Community team deputiesProgram SupporterCommunity Program Supporters (formerly Deputies) are a team of people worldwide who review WordCamp and Meetup applications, interview lead organizers, and keep things moving at WordCamp Central. Find more about program supporters in our Program Supporter Handbook. who are also experienced WordCamp organizers. You can see the current roster of mentors on the Community Deputies page.
What do WordCamp Mentors do?
WordCamp mentors support other organizers as they plan their WordCamp! Their involvement should be advising on procedure and sharing of knowledge based on the mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.’s history organizing WordCamps. Note that mentors are not on the WordCamp’s organizing team, so they shouldn’t be doing any actual organizing tasks.
Mentors help a lead organizer keep their team on schedule by checking in every month during the pre-planning process, and typically every 2 weeks during active planning to make sure everything is going as planned.
Mentors are hopefully able to help organizers avoid problems before they become problems. They are expected to check in frequently with their WordCamp(s), and also keep up to date on new tools, developments, and decisions made by the Community Team that impact WordCamp organizers.
How do I get involved with the WordCamp mentorship program?
Any WordCamp organizer with experience and who is in good standing with the WordPress events program can be a WordCamp mentor. To learn more about being a WordCamp Mentor, you can check out the deputy handbook and take the WordCamp mentor self-training course. When you’re ready, go ahead and submit an application!
If you are currently a WordCamp organizer and feel like you would benefit from mentorship, check out the handbook page on mentors, and submit a request for a mentor.
For this Tuesday Trainings session I was joined by @kcristiano@brandondove@kdrewien@courtneypk and @vizkr for a roundtable conversation on mentoring WordCamps. Whether you’re an active WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more.mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. or interested in becoming one there are some words of wisdom here for you. Join us for an hour and find out more.
For more information please check out these links:
The WordPress Diverse Speaker Training group (#WPDiversity) has several workshops coming up to help you in your journey to public speaking at online WordPress events, or for WordPress event organizers to support more diverse speakers at the events you are holding:
Saturday, July 18, 5-7pm UTC: WordPress MeetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook.: Hold Your Own Diverse Speaker Workshop Tuesday, July 28: Who am I to be speaking? & Finding a topic that people would love to hear Wednesday, July 29: Creating a great pitch Thursday, July 30: (new!) What if someone asks me a difficult question?
The WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Mentorship program is invaluable; the WordCamp gets the experience and thoughts of an experienced WordCamp Organizer and the MentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. always learns something from each WordCamp they work with. The mentoring program can be one of the most rewarding experiences you can have contributing to the Community Team.
Why do WordCamps Need MentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.?
The WordCamp program changes all the time. Not just in these unprecedented Pandemic Times, but even in ‘normal’ times the program is ever-changing and evolving. WordCamps can benefit from a mentor so they can understand and learn about the latest changes to the program and any exciting new addons that we have added.
With a mentor you will have a person to reach out to and help you through the rough times. It’s crunch time and you need an answer right now! Don’t panic – that email you sent to support@wordcamp.org is not being ignored, that slack pingPingThe act of sending a very small amount of data to an end point. Ping is used in computer science to illicit a response from a target server to test it’s connection. Ping is also a term used by Slack users to @ someone or send them a direct message (DM). Users might say something along the lines of “Ping me when the meeting starts.” you dropped into #community-events isn’t being ignored either. It’s just that those are monitored by volunteers who are focused on everything instead of a single thing. Your WordCamp. Your mentor is your connection to WordCamp CentralWordCamp CentralWebsite for all WordCamp activities globally. https://central.wordcamp.org includes a list of upcoming and past camp with links to each., they’re there to answer your questions and keep you on track in planning.
What should a mentor do?
A mentor acts as your guide to a successful WordCamp. “Guide” is the key word. A good mentor will create a safe space for your team to explore ideas, keep on track in planning, and become innovative without the fear of innovating yourself outside of the expectations for WordCamps. It’s also the mentors job to ensure that the event follows program guidelines, and expectations.
Perhaps most important of all, a mentor listens. Even when you have an idea that seems crazy or out of the box. Even when you want to try something no other WordCamp has tried before. They listen, talk the idea through, and see what it will take to make it happen. You could be surprised what we can work out when we work together.
If a WordCamp starts having worries about money, the mentor is the first person they’ll go to. The goal is not to say no, nor to cut expenses, but to be a helpful reviewer of what needs to be done. Money issues can be solved. The purpose of a WordCamp is to engage people in the WordPress project, provide valuable content to the attendees, and to grow the WP community. When deciding budgetary issues these are the primary things that should be kept in mind. A mentor can help you do that.
Mentors never forget that the WoprdCamp Organizers are volunteers and their time is valuable, because mentors are volunteers too. WordCamps don’t pay organizers, volunteers, or speakers. When you look at a budget there’s no labor cost, no speaker fees, no payments to anyone other than vendors. Mentors know this and keep this in mind when tasking their Organizers with additional work to be done. The time an Organizer spends has a cost, even if it does not show up on the budget.
While being available when organizers have urgent questions is a nice benefit of the WordCamp Mentorship relationship, that’s not the important part of how mentorship works. Ideally there aren’t urgent questions because Mentors and Organizers work closely together from the beginning of pre-planning through the execution of the WordCamp. Mentors should schedule regular meetings; regular enough so that there is a comfortable cadence to them, but not so frequently that it feels overbearing or takes up more time than is required. Typically we recommend meeting every two weeks, but it’s a balancing act. Be sure to have meetings around key dates:
Announcing calls for speakers, sponsors, and volunteers
Call for speakers ending
Checking during speaker selection process
Mentors should keep their thoughts on selection to themselves unless they see a speaker that does not meet the expectations for participation
If an it’s an in-person even offer to let the Organizers talk through their menu with them to ensure dietary requirements are being met
Be available the last two weeks for quick slack chats to help Organizers through the last minute hurdles
What shouldn’t WordCamp Mentors do?
This is not the mentors event. That’s the key thing a mentor should remember at all times. If you would do a task differently, that does not make the way this WordCamp is doing it wrong – it makes it different. Let Organizers do it their own way.
A mentor is not on the Organizing team. Mentors do not decide, they guide.
A mentor does not tell a WordCamp what to do. Mentors will advise a Camp is something they are doing is not allowed (perhaps they are planning T-shirts and want to put sponsor logos on the back and offer only Unisex sizing) by explaining why we have these guidelines. But they don’t tell a WordCamp not to have t-shirts just because they prefer non-sized swag.
A mentor does not do the organizing work. They don’t take on your work or the work of a team member. They’re there in an advisory capacity to help keep you on track in planning and give you a sounding board. Don’t assign them tasks.
Moving Mentorship Forward
As the WordCamp program evolves and changes the need for WordCamp mentors becomes more and more significant. And the need to ensure these mentors are ready and able to handle these changes as they come up is critical. To this end we’re working to update the Mentor Handbook and create a monthly meeting to mentor the mentors.
If you’re a former WordCamp lead organizer and working on the existing documentation or becoming a mentor for WordCamps is something you’re interested in, let us know how you’d like to be involved in the comments.
The WordPress Diverse Speaker Training group (#WPDiversity) has several workshops coming up to help you in your journey to public speaking at online WordPress events, or for WordPress event organizers to support more diverse speakers at the events you are holding:
Saturday, July 11, 1-5pm in Costa Rica time: Empower Women Speakers For your WordPress Events in Latin America Saturday, July 18, 5-7pm UTC: WordPress MeetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook.: Hold Your Own Diverse Speaker Workshop Tuesday, July 28: Who am I to be speaking? & Finding a topic that people would love to hear Wednesday, July 29: Creating a great pitch Thursday, July 30: (new!) What if someone asks me a difficult question?
Last year 127 WordCamps took place all around the world! Thanks in large part to a rapidly growing WordPress meetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. program we’re on track for even more WordCamps in 2018.
As the program continues to grow we need to find new ways to give WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. organizers the support they need to make these events great. With that in mind we’re hoping to grow the number of community members supporting WordCamps by scaling up our WordCamp Mentorship program.
Are you an experienced WordCamp lead organizer or former lead organizer? Are you looking for a way to continue or further your support of folks in the WordPress community and help improve the WordCamp experience for organizers and attendees? Do you have 2-3 hours a month to share with WordCamp organizers?
If so we sure could use your help as a WordCamp mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.!
Requirements to be a mentor:
You’ve been the lead organizer of a WordCamp from application through completion of the event in the last 5 years.
You have 2-3 hours available per month per event you’re actively mentoring
Requirements of a mentor:
Meet bi-weekly with your assigned organizer to advise them, remind them about things organizers frequently forget, and to keep them on track in planning.
I mentioned this a while ago when I signed us up, but our page for participating in Outreachy is officially up: https://codex.wordpress.org/Outreachy_2016
Since I, Josepha, Andrea, Rocío, Cami, Ian, and Konstantin will all be at our team meetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. this week, I put in the page that we won’t start our application Q&As until next week, so if anyone pops up on SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/ asking about it, you can remind them of that. We’ll post the chat times on the codex page later this week.
