Talk:Training the Trainers/Agreement for trainers

Problems with this clause

Whilst I think that having such an agreement is a great idea and that this draft goes long way to meeting that need, there is one clause I am not happy with

3) "The Participant undertakes not to approach any other person or organisation with the aim of providing Wikimedia-related training or services for a fee of any kind without the permission of Wikimedia UK."

I think this is really bad - it smacks of the sort of clauses which go in contracts for proprietary intellectual property, and is at odds with the concept of Open Educational Resources and Open Knowledge. Whist I understand the concerns that have been discussed at Board level concerning fears that individuals might do the course and then set up their own agencies - this is not the solution. It is not for Wikimedia UK to hold people in such a contractual vice. The fears expressed by the board mirror the responses that other firms have had in relation to Wikipedia/Wikimedia.

1. It has no time limit.
2. It is put in such a way that anyone seriously wanting to wiggle around it could.
3. It means that someone mentioning they ahd done the course in a CV when applying for a teaching job which involves working with Wikipedia would be in breach if they didn't gain permission from WMUK.

Indeed it may well be in breach of the objectives "to promote and support the widest possible public access to, use of and contribution to Open Content of an encyclopaedic or educational nature." These objectives positively include the types of COI edits which the Board is concerned about

I understand the concerns of the Board that they might be criticised for providing expensive training which does not benefit the work of the charity. I also find the "paid to edit" approach of the PR industry distatsteful. However, as I have received payment for facilitating the use of Wikiversity in a University setting, I would not be happy signing such a clause. I am also concerned that it might have a negative impact on encouraging teachers and college lecturers from engaging with the programme.

What I would suggest is that we have a clause more like this:

3) "The Participant agrees to contribute towards Wikimedia UK activities designed to realise the objectives of the charity, and to apply the knowledge and skills they have gained in a way which is in harmony with ethos of the Wikimedia movement."

OK, it is equally unenforceable, however it give a clear, positive account of the intent of the TtT programme. .

I hope this goes someway to help formulating an agreement that everyone will be happy with. Leutha (talk) 13:06, 22 January 2013 (UTC)