Water cooler
If Wikimedia UK can help you improve Wikimedia projects, check out our grants page.
|
| 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 |
Looking for help setting up a MediaWiki distribution with Visual Editor and Flow (needs Parsoid)
Hi All
I do some volunteer work for a charity called WYSE International, I'm trying to set a wiki to help young leaders around the world collaborate on projects. I'm happy with setting up a basic MediaWiki distribution but really struggling to get Visual Editor and Flow to work, I can work out the instructions for Parsoid at all. Ideally I'd really love someone to help me set up the wiki, I'm very happy to learn how to do it but realise it may be simpler and quicker for someone to just press the buttons to make it work.
Many thanks
Mrjohncummings (talk) 19:17, 16 October 2014 (BST)
Quick survey ideas
Hello everyone. As you might recall, Wikimedia UK is taking part in a Science Museum Late event in November, running a few sessions. One of the things we plan to be doing is asking people in queues a very quick couple of questions related to Wikipedia and Wikimedia UK. If you could ask one question about Wikipedia and one about Wikimedia UK, what would you ask? Stevie Benton (WMUK) (talk) 14:51, 20 October 2014 (BST)
- The wording might need a bit of thought but something like, "what topic(s) would you most like to see improved on Wikipedia?". We could then feed this in to some focused action on some of the more frequently mentioned topics. Thryduulf (talk: local | en.wp | en.wikt) 09:42, 27 October 2014 (GMT)
xml users and potential users
In order to use the GLAM wiki toolset and do mass uploads of media from institutions such as museums we need their metadata to be in an appropriate xml format.
So we are looking for volunteers who know or would be willing to learn xml and are interested in helping museums do mass uploads to Commons.
A good understanding of the Commons category structure is also useful as the idea is to format the xml in such a way as to enable the migration of metadata.
If you'd like to get involved please email me whether or not you already know xml as if there is sufficient interest we can organise an xml training session. Jonathan Cardy (WMUK) (talk) 17:53, 22 October 2014 (BST)
Storytelling at the Science Museum
Recently there has been a great deal of conversation about storytelling within the Wikimedia movement. We have a good opportunity to capture some compelling stories at the Science Museum Late event on 26 November. With the variety of events taking place being delivered by Wikimedia UK volunteers and staff, as well as a significant audience, there are many ways we can create video and photographic resources for us to use in future communications. In order to make the most of this chance it will require some planning and some thought as to what we would like to record and what we plan to use these materials for. I envisage us gathering lots of footage that we can use for different materials. Firstly, a collection of views on Wikipedia could be recorded with event attendees. These would act as a supplement to the survey that will be conducted during the event. Other footage would be of some of the sessions themselves, and interviews with some of the staff and volunteers, as well as colleagues form the Science Museum. Does anyone have any other particular thoughts? In order to complete these tasks, we will need some volunteers. We'd love for you to be involved, so sign up here! Stevie Benton (WMUK) (talk) 13:01, 24 October 2014 (BST)
Wikipedia:WikiProject Public Art/London
A London task force of WikiProject Public Art was created recently. WMUK participants who are interested in public art are welcome to join. We have identified a list works without Wikipedia entries, so feel free to help us eliminate these red links! I hosted an art edit-a-thon here in Portland, Oregon once, which resulted in the creation of several new articles. WMUK might consider doing the same, if it hasn't already. Just a thought! :) -Another Believer (talk) 01:59, 26 October 2014 (BST)
Suggested tasks for people with free time
Hello everyone. Something that we've spoken about before is creating a list of suggested jobs for people with varying amounts of time. It's about offering ways for people to help our open knowledge mission in as little as a couple of minutes, right the way through to having a couple of hours or days to spare. With some help, I've added some early suggestions to the volunteer jobs page, so you can see what I mean. Any and all suggestions welcome please! Stevie Benton (WMUK) (talk) 16:50, 31 October 2014 (GMT)
Using accounts moved from the WMF infrastructure
How do I set a new password for my real account, given that there seems to be no email associated with it? Megaphone Duck (talk)
- Hi Megaphone Duck, sorry for not replying sooner. Could you send me an email about this as it will involve disclosing email addresses? I can be reached at richard.nevell
wikimedia.org.uk Richard Nevell (WMUK) (talk) 10:36, 11 November 2014 (GMT)
- Will do. Megaphone Duck (talk)
Au revoir
A message from Jon
With some sadness I have to tell you that I will be leaving Wikimedia UK, as an employee, if not as a volunteer, at the end of the year. I have achieved what I set out to do and leave WMUK in a good state. I now need to look for new challenges.
I was the first chief executive and it has been an amazing three years watching the chapter grow and develop. It has not always been smooth sailing but we have come through it together in good shape. Wikimania proved how professional we had become and the positive feedback from the participants makes all the work we put in worthwhile.
My heartfelt thanks to everyone in the community, particularly the volunteers who are at the heart of all we do, my great colleagues at the Foundation and the loyal and hardworking staff at WMUK who have supported me so ably and with such good humour over the years.
My best wishes go to my successor in all they seek to achieve.
Cyhoeddiad gan Jon
Gyda pheth tristwch rwy'n eich hysbysu y byddaf yn gadael Wikimedia UK, fel cyflogai, os nad fel gwirfoddolwr, ar ddiwedd y flwyddyn. Dw i wedi cyflawni'r hyn roeddwn wedi'i obeithio a dw i'n gadael WMUK ar delerau da. Edrychaf ymlaen rwan am sialensau newydd. Fi oedd y Prif Weithredwr cyntaf ac mae'r dair blynedd diwethaf wedi bod yn hollol anhygoel, wrth i mi weld y siaptr yn tyfu a datblygu. Doedd y daith bob amser ddim yn llyfn, ond daethom drwyddi'n y diwedd yn ddianaf! Profodd Wikimania inni aeddfedu mewn modd proffesiynol a chafwyd adborth adeiladol gan y cyfranwyr oedd yn gwneud yr holl waith yn bleser.
Carwn ddiolch o waelod fy ngalon i bawb o fewn ein cymuned, yn enwedig y gwirfoddolwyr sy'n sylfaen i'n gwaith, fy nghydweithwyr bendigedig yn Sylfaen Wikimedia a'r staff sydd wedi bod mor driw i mi, wedi fy nghefnogi mor effeithiol ac wedi gweithio mor arbennig o galed dros y blynyddoedd a hynny gyda hiwmor iach.
Dymunaf pob llwyddiant i f'olynydd ym mhopeth y ceisiant ei gyflawni.
Jon Davies (WMUK) (talk) 08:46, 11 November 2014 (GMT)
- Further to Jon's announcement that he will be leaving Wikimedia UK at the end of this year to pursue new challenges, I would like on behalf of the board to express our thanks for the exceptional levels of passion and commitment that Jon has brought to his role as CEO over the last three years.
- Jon has been instrumental in urging WMUK and our sister chapters to aim for higher levels of professionalism, and has demonstrated the results of professionalism and hard work by delivering WMUK's widely-respected contribution to Wikimania London. We are proud of what was achieved at Wikimania, and Jon can justifiably be proud of his invaluable personal contribution to that success.
- The WMUK board will be taking some time to consider Jon's replacement, and will be consulting widely over the next few months. To provide continuity we will in the meantime be appointing an interim CEO, and we are extremely pleased that Jon has agreed to the interim CEO starting work this month to allow a smooth hand-over period up to the end of the year.
- We wish Jon all the best in his new chosen role, and we look forward to continuing to collaborate with him as a friend and volunteer. --MichaelMaggs (talk) 08:36, 11 November 2014 (GMT)
- I have known Jon working as a volunteer, Wikimedian in Residence and as a WMUK staff member, I'm very sorry to see him leave.
- Jon has been a wonderful example of servant leadership, giving employees the freedom and tools needed to build partnerships and support volunteers to do amazing things.
- Jon's support of outreach with external organisations has helped others to realise the importance of the Wikimedia movement in educating the world and to find ways to contribute to this global endeavour. Mrjohncummings (talk) 13:06, 11 November 2014 (GMT)
- I'll add here what I posted on Wikimedia-l a minute ago: I'd like to add my own thanks to Jon - for doing so much to transform the scale and impact of Wikimedia UK's work over the last three years, and for your invaluable steadiness and tenacity in dealing with the very significant challenges that the chapter's faced during that time. Many best wishes for the future! The Land (talk) 20:05, 11 November 2014 (GMT)
- This is posted on behalf of all staff today - we first heard about Jon's decision on Monday.
- We are sorry to see Jon go - we have worked with him over the past few years to make Wikimedia UK what it is today. He has shown quiet but effective leadership to keep together and inspire a close-knit staff team through the rough and the smooth. He has done that by managing in a way that has fostered our development as individuals and as a team, and by reminding us all along about the bigger picture, the mission and the vision we’re all working towards.
- Under Jon's stewardship we have grown from being a small staff team with a focus on small events and basic administration to taking our first steps as a leading force in the open knowledge sector through our partnerships and projects. Along the way he has supported many of us in our personal lives and nurtured us to grow and seek opportunities as professionals. That has always been appreciated and we haven't taken for granted the humility he has shown by being prepared to offer help with even the smallest tasks in all of our roles.
- We have had the chance to talk to the Trustees about the impact on the charity, and we will soon be working with Jon's interim and permanent successors. We will do what is needed to ensure our current programme is delivered and lay the groundwork for welcoming his permanent successor. We will continue to build on his legacy having stewarded the Chapter from before it was even a registered charity to its current successes.
- Jon, on our behalf, thank you for the untold hours of overtime you have put in and for your encouragement, your understanding and humanity. You have made us feel valued and we’re proud to have worked with you, and for you. We wish you the very best for the future. Stevie Benton (WMUK) (talk) 16:40, 12 November 2014 (GMT)
- Adding to the views above. Jon has brought WMUK a long way, culminating in a highly successful Wikimania 2014. We will miss his calm and measured approach, always keeping wider aims in view, & I'm sure we all wish him all the best for the future. Johnbod (talk) 16:15, 14 November 2014 (GMT)
- I know this is a bit late, but I also wish Jon the best of luck for the future. He has brought Wikimedia UK from being practically nothing to a successful and productive chapter, which is serving the UK Wikimedia community well and will continue to do so. I personally would like to thank him for his kindness when I applied for a staff role at Wikimedia UK. Goodbye Jon and thank you. CT Cooper · talk 15:29, 9 December 2014 (GMT)
Welcome to D'Arcy Myers
A big welcome to D'Arcy who has started as an Interim CEO at WMUK. I am finishing up jobs that make more sense for me up until the New Year while D'Arcy is quickly getting his feet under the table. He is an experienced CEO with specialist experience in being an interim CEO. To quote his Linkedin biography:
I was educated at Douai Abbey ( a community of monks of the English Benedictine Congregation ), the Berkshire College of Agriculture and Cranfield University. I spent about eight years working in marketing and business development. In 1993 I went out to the independent Kingdom of Tonga in the South Pacific with VSO. This experience led me to work in 32 countries around the world from Africa, the Far East, Europe, the former Soviet Union, and the USA. I am passionate about professionalism within the voluntary sector and believe that the leadership within the sector is key to this change. I am active within the sector and amongst other things I am the founder of the Corporate Social Partnership and a trustee for the Small Charities Coalition. I am a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, a member of various third sector institutes, the IoD, and a school governor.
I am sure he will be keen to met members of the community. You can email him on darcy.myers /at/ wikimedia.org.uk. Jon Davies (WMUK) (talk) 16:26, 18 November 2014 (GMT)
Pelican Books donates reference E-books for Wikipedians
We are delighted to announce that Pelican has given us 50 free Ebooks for Wikimedians to use. Applications are open now, details are on a page on the Wikipedia Library. Giving reference books to Wikipedians is one of the most practical ways to improve Wikipedia, and we are delighted to have Pelican's support in this. Jonathan Cardy (WMUK) (talk) 15:01, 26 November 2014 (GMT)
Map finding - one last push
Over 16,000 old maps and plans have been found in the last 27 days as part of the British Library map tagathon, and with just 22% of the images to check and we might still complete this in a single month. Maps found so far are from all over the earth, come and join us or just come to enjoy what we have found so far. Jonathan Cardy (WMUK) (talk) 16:08, 26 November 2014 (GMT)
Final governance audit report published
The WMUK board is today pleased to announce publication of the third and final report on the charity's governance. The report has been prepared by Rosie Chapman and Sarah Loader of Belinda Pratten and Rosie Chapman Associates.
Today's report (the second Chapman review) is a follow-up independent audit of the progress that Wikimedia UK has made to improve its governance since January 2013. It comes 18 months after completion of the initial 2013 governance review (the Hudson review) and nine months after the first follow-up audit (the first Chapman review) which covered progress in addressing the Hudson review’s recommendations.
In summary, Chapman's findings are that
- "the charity has very largely addressed the 50 recommendations found within the original review. WMUK has developed very quickly, and the charity has clearly put a lot of effort into ensuring that its governance now meets best practice expectations. It has a cohesive, skilled and experienced board in place. They have a clear understanding of the charity’s vision and mission".
In the section comparing WMUK with similar UK charities, we were pleased to note Chapman's conclusion (para 42) that:
- "for the stage that Wikimedia is in its lifecycle it compares well with similar UK charities. Its transparency about its procedures is a beacon of best practice, and its conflicts of interest procedures are robust and well-tested".
She further observes (paras 14 and 15) that:
- "Inevitably, a lot of the Board’s efforts have to-date been internally focussed; putting in place robust governance arrangements and agreeing the new strategy that was published in March this year. Whilst there is still some fine-tuning to bed in the strategy, for example linking particular outcomes with detailed objectives, targets, budgets and performance measurement through-out the organisation, there is also the chance for WMUK’s Board to become more outward focussed in its time and efforts. This will, in turn, enable the Board to consider opportunities and choices for what the organisation does to deliver its strategy, and how it should be resourced to do so.
- "From our discussion with trustees and staff it is clear that there is a real appetite for this shift in the board’s focus, and to consider more external opportunities".
The report is worth reading in its entirety, as it includes a wealth of advice, analysis and commentary that will be of interest and use not only to WMUK itself but also to the community at large and to other organisations within the movement.
The WMUK board would once again like to thank Rosie Chapman for her comprehensive and insightful analysis which will be of great help in enabling us to meet the challenges and opportunities ahead. --MichaelMaggs (talk) 11:56, 28 November 2014 (GMT)
The charity's plans for 2015
The WMUK board's regular two-day strategy overview meeting was held in Cambridge last weekend. This is the time of year when we focus on future plans and we were joined by our interim CEO, D’Arcy Myers, who provided us with fresh perspectives from the point of view of a relative newcomer.
The minutes of the meeting are being prepared, and should be available within the next week, but the board felt that it would be useful to publish a guide to the broad challenges that face us, and how we are tackling them.
One of the tasks of the meeting was to review the third quarter financial report, which included a consideration of the full impact of Wikimania. The WMUK office ended up playing a larger role than had originally been anticipated, and the charity's costs on both staff and Wikimania-related programmes in the third quarter of the year has been significantly higher than anticipated. At the same time, the Funds Distribution Committee of the Wikimedia Foundation has indicated that it will not recommend granting WMUK the full amount we requested for the 2015-16 financial year.
These factors mean that the board needs to review our plans for the coming year in the light of the reduced funds available to us, and to ensure that in spite of financial constraints our reserves are not allowed to drop to an unacceptably low level.
It is inevitable that over the next year the charity will need significantly to reduce its direct expenditure, both on overheads and on programmes, and over the next few weeks our CEO will be working on his recommendations for a detailed action plan to achieve that. The focus will be not on 'business as usual' and salami-slicing our existing expenditure, but on the opportunity we have to re-direct our energies towards those programmes that are most able to provide us with high charitable impact when weighed against the resources required (direct costs, staff costs, number of willing and skilled volunteers available and so on).
We need to prioritise, and to accept that we no longer have the luxury of being able to support highly-resourced programmes that do not provide a commensurate level of direct charitable impact when measured against our strategic goals. There are an almost infinite number of useful free knowledge projects we could be involved in, including many which are directly aligned with our goals. But we have to have the courage to turn projects down and acknowledge that our charitable aims are best met by doing a limited number of projects exceptionally well than accepting a multitude of ideas that we don't have the resources to follow up on.
Of course, the resources available to us are not fixed, and we will be making significant directed efforts to increase both volunteer resources and also locally-sourced finance via UK-based fundraising and gifts in kind. The extent to which we are able to accept and support project ideas for which we have insufficient core funding is likely to depend on whether the project has a sufficiently large and skilled group of enthusiastic volunteers who are able to lead and run it with minimal staff help, and whether it is of interest to external grant-makers who can be persuaded to cover the non-core costs.
Once the CEO has a draft action plan and 2015-16 budget prepared, they will be shared with the community for comment and suggestions before coming to the board for approval of a financially sustainable package of activities geared to achieving our agreed strategy. We are happy to accept general questions on this, but of course we can't discuss anything relating to internal HR or staffing issues. --MichaelMaggs (talk) 07:19, 17 December 2014 (GMT) for the board.