Grants:Programs/Wikimedia Community Fund/Rapid Fund/Wikipedia Training in Cyprus (ID: 22896026)
This is an automatically generated Meta-Wiki page. The page was copied from Fluxx, the web service of Wikimedia Foundation Funds where the user has submitted their application. Please do not make any changes to this page because all changes will be removed after the next update. Use the discussion page for your feedback. The page was created by CR-FluxxBot.
Applicant Details
edit- Main Wikimedia username. (required)
ShahenWasHere
- Organization
Western Armenian Writing & Language Educational Non-Governmental Organization
- If you are a group or organization leader, board member, president, executive director, or staff member at any Wikimedia group, affiliate, or Wikimedia Foundation, you are required to self-identify and present all roles. (required)
N/A
- Describe all relevant roles with the name of the group or organization and description of the role. (required)
Main Proposal
edit- 1. Please state the title of your proposal. This will also be the Meta-Wiki page title.
Wikipedia Training in Cyprus
- 2. and 3. Proposed start and end dates for the proposal.
2025-02-08 - 2025-02-15
- 4. Where will this proposal be implemented? (required)
Cyprus
- 5. Are your activities part of a Wikimedia movement campaign, project, or event? If so, please select the relevant project or campaign. (required)
Not applicable
- 6. What is the change you are trying to bring? What are the main challenges or problems you are trying to solve? Describe this change or challenges, as well as main approaches to achieve it. (required)
The primary change we seek is to significantly enhance the digital presence of the Western Armenian language and culture by cultivating a sustainable community of active Wikimedia contributors within the large Western Armenian-speaking population in Cyprus. Western Armenian is a UNESCO-classified endangered language, and its preservation depends not only on traditional education but also on digital representation. This project aims to empower Armenian youth in Cyprus to contribute meaningfully to Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, ensuring the longevity and visibility of their language and heritage on a global scale.
Challenges or Problems
1. Lack of Digital Representation: Despite the rich cultural history of Western Armenian, its representation on Wikimedia platforms remains limited. 2. Sustainability of Contributors: Many new contributors to Wikimedia projects face challenges in maintaining long-term engagement, often due to lack of mentorship or structured support. 3. Digital Literacy Gaps: Students may have limited experience with collaborative online platforms like Wikipedia and may require tailored training to build confidence and competence in editing.
Approaches and Strategies
1. Daily Training Sessions with Structured Mentorship:
- Collaborating with the Armenian school in Cyprus, we will conduct daily workshops with the same group of students. This ensures continuous learning, skill development, and the establishment of sustainable editing habits. - By focusing on long-term engagement, we will foster a deeper understanding of Wikimedia policies, editing techniques, and the value of open knowledge. - This hands-on, immersive approach addresses the challenge of sustaining contributors by providing consistent mentorship.
2. Leveraging Experienced Leadership:
- The workshops will be led by one of our most experienced admins, Azniv Stepanian, who has over 10 years of expertise in Wikimedia training and is the president of our registered nonprofit. This ensures high-quality instruction and the ability to adapt training to meet the students’ needs. - Proven success from past projects, such as similar initiatives in Lebanon, supports our belief that experienced leadership is crucial for impactful and sustainable outcomes.
3. Building Capacity for Long-Term Impact:
- Beyond teaching technical skills, the program will focus on fostering a sense of ownership and pride in contributing to the preservation of Western Armenian language and culture. - Participants will not only edit existing articles but will also create new content about their local history, cultural traditions, and community experiences.
4. Localized Focus for Community Relevance:
- By partnering with the Armenian school and tailoring content creation to local interests, we ensure that the contributions are relevant, meaningful, and culturally resonant. - The approach strengthens ties between students, their cultural identity, and the Wikimedia movement, reinforcing a sense of purpose in their contributions.
Why These Approaches?
- Evidence of Success: Our previous projects in Lebanon and other diaspora communities have shown that consistent, focused training with the same group leads to higher retention and more meaningful contributions.
- Community Relevance: Engaging youth in culturally relevant content creation increases motivation and ensures that the knowledge shared is both valuable and unique.
- Experienced Leadership: A decade of experience in Wikimedia training allows us to anticipate challenges, adapt approaches, and ensure the quality and sustainability of the project’s impact.
By implementing this project, we hope to create a lasting ripple effect where the students trained become future mentors, continuing to contribute to and grow the Western Armenian Wikimedia community, thereby ensuring the preservation and promotion of their language and heritage in the digital age.
- 7. What are the planned activities? (required) Please provide a list of main activities. You can also add a link to the public page for your project where details about your project can be found. Alternatively, you can upload a timeline document. When the activities include partnerships, include details about your partners and planned partnerships.
1. Daily Wikimedia Training Workshops
- Description: We will conduct daily, in-person training sessions over a week with students from the Armenian school in Cyprus. The sessions will focus on Wikipedia editing, Wikimedia Commons contributions, and understanding Wikimedia policies. - Objective: Equip participants with the skills to create and improve Western Armenian content on Wikimedia platforms, ensuring sustainability through consistent engagement. - Rationale: Daily workshops provide continuous practice, which helps to solidify skills and establish a routine, increasing the likelihood of sustained participation.
2. Mentorship and Guided Content Creation
- Description: Each participant will be paired with a mentor who will provide ongoing guidance during and after the workshops, focusing on creating high-quality articles and multimedia uploads related to Western Armenian culture and history. - Objective: Foster a supportive learning environment that promotes long-term engagement and high-quality contributions. - Rationale: Mentorship ensures personalized support, helping participants overcome challenges and stay motivated.
3. Collaborative Content Projects
- Description: Participants will work on collaborative projects, such as documenting local Armenian cultural landmarks, events, and traditions, which will be uploaded to Wikimedia Commons and integrated into Wikipedia articles. - Objective: Promote teamwork and reinforce the importance of preserving cultural heritage in an open-source environment. - Rationale: Collaborative projects provide a sense of purpose and community, which can enhance motivation and commitment to the Wikimedia mission.
4. Evaluation and Feedback Sessions
- Description: At the end of the week, participants will engage in group feedback sessions to discuss their progress, challenges, and successes. Pre- and post-training assessments will be conducted to evaluate skill development. - Objective: Continuously improve the training program by incorporating participant feedback and measuring skill acquisition. - Rationale: Regular evaluations allow for real-time adjustments to the training approach and ensure that participant needs are being met.
5. Outreach and Community Building
- Description: We will hold an open event at the end of the training program, inviting the wider Armenian community in Cyprus to learn about the participants' work and encourage future participation in Wikimedia projects. - Objective: Expand the reach of the project and build a larger community of Western Armenian contributors in Cyprus. - Rationale: Public events raise awareness and create opportunities for broader community engagement, fostering a sense of collective ownership.
6. Partner Collaboration with the Armenian School in Cyprus
- Description: Partnering with the Armenian school ensures access to a motivated group of students and provides a supportive educational environment. - Objective: Strengthen ties with local institutions to enhance the sustainability of the project. - Rationale: Partnering with an established educational institution ensures credibility, access to resources, and a supportive structure for participants.
We will create a detailed timeline for each activity, which will include preparation, implementation, and follow-up phases to ensure smooth execution and continuous engagement. These activities were chosen because they have proven effective in past projects, emphasizing hands-on learning, mentorship, and cultural relevance, all of which are critical to fostering a sustainable Wikimedia community.
- 8. Describe your team. Please provide their roles, Wikimedia Usernames and other details. (required) Include more details of the team, including their roles, usernames, Wikimedia group, and whether they are salaried, volunteers, consultants/contractors, etc. Team members involved in the grant application need to be aware of their involvement in the project.
Lead Trainer & Mentor
Name: Azniv Stepanian, President/Admin Wikimedia Username: User:Azniv Stepanian Role: Lead Trainer and Mentor Responsibilities: Delivering training sessions, providing mentorship to participants, and ensuring adherence to Wikimedia policies. Experience: 10+ years of experience in Wikimedia projects, extensive knowledge of Wikipedia editing and Wikimedia Commons.
- 9. Who are the target participants and from which community? How will you engage participants before and during the activities? How will you follow up with participants after the activities? (required)
Target Participants:
- Students and youth from the Armenian school in Cyprus, primarily Western Armenian speakers.
- Educators, librarians, and community leaders interested in contributing to Wikimedia projects.
- Broader Western Armenian-speaking community members in Cyprus who are eager to preserve and promote their language and culture.
Community: The project focuses on the Western Armenian-speaking diaspora community in Cyprus, a significant group with a vested interest in the preservation and digital representation of their language and heritage.
Engagement Strategies
Before the Activities: 1. Community Outreach:
- Collaborate with the Armenian school in Cyprus to promote the project through their internal channels (newsletters, announcements, social media). - Use existing networks, including WhatsApp groups, mailing lists, and community centers, to invite participants.
2. Pre-event Communication:
- Organize an online informational session to introduce Wikimedia projects and the benefits of contributing. - Distribute an introductory guide on Wikipedia editing to familiarize participants with basic concepts.
---
During the Activities: 1. Daily Training Sessions:
- Conduct engaging, hands-on workshops focused on Wikipedia editing and Wikimedia Commons contributions. - Emphasize skill-building through practical exercises like article creation and media uploads.
2. Mentorship and Peer Support:
- Provide one-on-one mentorship to participants for personalized guidance. - Encourage collaboration by forming small groups for joint content creation projects.
3. Interactive Activities:
- Include quizzes, editing challenges, and collaborative editing sprints to maintain enthusiasm and participation.
---
After the Activities: 1. Follow-up Communication:
- Maintain ongoing contact through WhatsApp and email to offer continued support. - Send periodic newsletters with project updates, editing tips, and success stories.
2. Mentorship and Feedback Loop:
- Establish a mentorship program where experienced contributors guide newer editors. - Organize monthly virtual meetups to share progress, troubleshoot issues, and celebrate milestones.
3. Participant Recognition:
- Acknowledge top contributors with certificates of achievement and public recognition on project platforms.
--- Sustainability and Long-term Engagement
- Encourage participants to mentor future cohorts, fostering a sustainable cycle of knowledge transfer.
- Collaborate with the Armenian school to incorporate Wikimedia editing into their regular curriculum.
- Track participant contributions to ensure continued activity and offer support where needed.
By engaging participants throughout the project lifecycle and maintaining strong post-training connections, we aim to cultivate a vibrant, sustainable community of Western Armenian Wikimedia contributors in Cyprus.
- 10. Does your project involve work with children or youth? (required)
Yes
- 10.1. Please provide a link to your Youth Safety Policy. (required) If the proposal indicates direct contact with children or youth, you are required to outline compliance with international and local laws for working with children and youth, and provide a youth safety policy aligned with these laws. Read more here.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Vqs-LvLuClGj9sQBNqVwZYa2ewksLVkNL2Fplq8SU2Y/edit?usp=sharing
- 11. How did you discuss the idea of your project with your community members and/or any relevant groups? Please describe steps taken and provide links to any on-wiki community discussion(s) about the proposal. (required) You need to inform the community and/or group, discuss the project with them, and involve them in planning this proposal. You also need to align the activities with other projects happening in the planned area of implementation to ensure collaboration within the community.
Community Engagement and Collaboration
To ensure a collaborative and well-informed approach, we have taken the following steps to engage the Western Armenian-speaking community in Cyprus and beyond:
---
1. Community Consultation and Planning
- Initial Outreach:
We reached out to key stakeholders, including the Armenian school in Cyprus, local educators, and cultural leaders, to introduce the project idea and gather initial feedback.
- Virtual Meetings:
Hosted virtual planning sessions via Google Meet and WhatsApp to discuss the project’s goals, proposed activities, and desired outcomes. Community members were encouraged to share insights on how to maximize the project’s impact.
- Feedback Loop:
Input from these discussions was incorporated into the project design, ensuring alignment with the community's needs and expectations.
---
- 2. Integration with Existing Projects
- Collaboration with Local Initiatives:
We have aligned our project with the Armenian school’s educational programs, incorporating Wikimedia training into their extracurricular activities to complement ongoing efforts in cultural preservation.
- Leveraging Partnerships:
Collaborated with local cultural organizations and diaspora networks to ensure the project fits seamlessly with existing initiatives that promote the Western Armenian language and heritage.
---
3. Involvement in Proposal Development
- Inclusive Planning:
Community members, including educators and students, were actively involved in shaping the proposal. Their feedback helped refine the activities, ensuring they are culturally relevant and engaging.
- Transparency:
Updates about the proposal and project development were shared via mailing lists, WhatsApp groups, and community announcements, ensuring transparency and continuous engagement.
- 12. Does your proposal aim to work to bridge any of the content knowledge gaps (Knowledge Inequity)? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Cultural background, ethnicity, religion, racial
- 13. Does your proposal include any of these areas or thematic focus? Select one option that most applies to your work. (required)
Education
- 14. Will your work focus on involving participants from any underrepresented communities? Select one option that most apply to your work. (required)
Linguistic / Language
- 15. In what ways do you think your proposal most contributes to the Movement Strategy 2030 recommendations. Select one that most applies. (required)
Increase the Sustainability of Our Movement
Learning and metrics
edit- 17. What do you hope to learn from your work in this project or proposal? (required)
Learning Questions
1. Engagement and Retention:
- What strategies are most effective in attracting and retaining new Western Armenian-speaking editors?
2. Skill Development:
- How well do daily training sessions improve participants' editing skills and confidence in contributing to Wikimedia projects?
3. Community Building:
- How successful are we in fostering a sustainable community of active Wikimedia contributors in Cyprus?
4. Cultural Impact:
- How do participants’ contributions enhance the digital presence of the Western Armenian language and culture?
These insights will guide future projects and improve strategies for engaging diaspora communities.
- 18. What are your Wikimedia project targets in numbers (metrics)? (required)
| Other Metrics | Target | Optional description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of participants | 15 | |
| Number of editors | 15 | |
| Number of organizers | 3 |
| Wikimedia project | Number of content created or improved |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | |
| Wikimedia Commons | |
| Wikidata | |
| Wiktionary | |
| Wikisource | |
| Wikimedia Incubator | |
| Translatewiki | |
| MediaWiki | |
| Wikiquote | |
| Wikivoyage | |
| Wikibooks | |
| Wikiversity | |
| Wikinews | |
| Wikispecies | |
| Wikifunctions or Abstract Wikipedia |
- Optional description for content contributions.
N/A
- 19. Do you have any other project targets in numbers (metrics)? (optional)
No
| Main Open Metrics | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
- 20. What tools would you use to measure each metrics? Please refer to the guide for a list of tools. You can also write that you are not sure and need support. (required)
We will use the following tools to measure metrics:
- Outreach Dashboard to track participant contributions.
- Wiki Metrics to monitor edits and article creations.
- Google Forms for feedback surveys.
- Wiki Statistics to analyze long-term engagement.
We may seek additional support if needed.
Financial proposal
edit- 21. Please upload your budget for this proposal or indicate the link to it. (required)
- 22. and 22.1. What is the amount you are requesting for this proposal? Please provide the amount in your local currency. (required)
1180000 AMD
- 22.2. Convert the amount requested into USD using the Oanda converter. This is done only to help you assess the USD equivalent of the requested amount. Your request should be between 500 - 5,000 USD.
2990.06 USD
- We/I have read the Application Privacy Statement, WMF Friendly Space Policy and Universal Code of Conduct.
Yes
Endorsements and Feedback
editPlease add endorsements and feedback to the grant discussion page only. Endorsements added here will be removed automatically.
Community members are invited to share meaningful feedback on the proposal and include reasons why they endorse the proposal. Consider the following:
- Stating why the proposal is important for the communities involved and why they think the strategies chosen will achieve the results that are expected.
- Highlighting any aspects they think are particularly well developed: for instance, the strategies and activities proposed, the levels of community engagement, outreach to underrepresented groups, addressing knowledge gaps, partnerships, the overall budget and learning and evaluation section of the proposal, etc.
- Highlighting if the proposal focuses on any interesting research, learning or innovation, etc. Also if it builds on learning from past proposals developed by the individual or organization, or other Wikimedia communities.
- Analyzing if the proposal is going to contribute in any way to important developments around specific Wikimedia projects or Movement Strategy.
- Analysing if the proposal is coherent in terms of the objectives, strategies, budget, and expected results (metrics).