Wikimedia CEE Hub/Grant proposal 2024

Note: This is an overview of the first draft version which will be updated and changed after receiving feedback from CEE communities in August 2023. Please feel free to share this page on your local wiki and translate this page into your language so that others might also form an opinion on what the CEE Hub should do in 2024!

You can leave your feedback on the talk page or you contact User:BKlen-CEEhub and User:TRistovski-CEEhub directly

Context

During the first year of CEE Hub project implementation, the focus was on:

Communication – building connections and relations with the CEE communities and individuals, establishing communication channels (CEE Newsletter, Open office hours, organizing regional Catch up meetings), enabling knowledge and information exchange between communities, having online meetings with almost every community from the CEE Region.
Administrative support – support with grant writing, documentation of CEE processes (CEE Spring and CEE meeting), adjusting global campaigns to local circumstances and providing support during practical implementation (Wiki Loves Earth), enabling purchasing of promo materials.
Programmatic support – organising learning sessions, CEE Hub’s involvement in program development activities (CEE Spring, CEE meeting), mapping capacity development needs, supporting participation of smaller communities in regional/global projects like CEE Spring, WLM and WLE.
Internal processes – working on future CEE Hub governance proposal, informing communities about this process and collecting feedback on proposed model(s).

Based on the feedback received and taking into consideration development and needs that we have been observing, for the second year of CEE Hub project implementation we are proposing to continue with the implementation of some activities. We would also like to suggest that CEE Hub starts with the implementation of several new activities/programs.

1. Continuation of administrative support for the CEE communities and individuals

We will continue providing support with writing grant applications (WMF or other sources). We want to focus on coordinating/writing of CEE wide project applications (where several CEE countries are eligible to apply for external, non WMF, funding) which can enable project participation to smaller CEE communities (as a project partner). We will adjust 2 global campaigns to CEE circumstances (e.g. Wiki pages want photos, Wiki gap) and provide support/assistance to CEE communities that want to take part. We also want to provide support to CEE communities or individuals in implementation of their local events: with organising and logistics, design of materials or design of work processes.

2. Continuation of programmatic support for the CEE communities and individuals

Based on the feedback and comments collected during the first year of project implementation we will continue organising learning sessions. The topics of focus for year two will be community building, board members and volunteer training and safe space creation training/support. CEE Hub will be enabling and supporting participation of smaller communities in regional/global project competitions (e.g. CEE Spring, WLM and WLE ) by informing them, helping them to organise and offering step by step guidance through the process. CEE Hub representatives will be a part of the CEEM organising team to ensure smooth running of the process and to provide support to the local organiser. Also, Hub will facilitate the adoption of 2 technical innovations and features (volunteer tools and those developed by WMF) by providing more detailed guidelines and offering training and support to communities who want to implement these tools.

3. Continuation of support related to communication in the CEE

CEE Hub will continue supporting the information flow between wider global initiatives and interested people in the CEE communities by updating previously established communication channels (CEE Hub Meta page, mailing list, Newsletter, Open office hours, bi-monthly CEE Hub Catch up sessions, informing via Telegram groups). We will prepare training materials that support onboarding for volunteers, board members and staff within the CEE region. Also, we will be organising experience exchange sessions for CEE board members as well as experience exchange sessions for CEE staff members. CEE Hub would like to become a reference/information point for the UCoC implementation and to be able to support CEE communities to establish UCoC additional (custom made) processes that build on UCoC. As Wikimania 2024 will take place in the CEE region, CEE Hub will also be involved in preparing a CEE focused program (presentations, CEE Hub track). We recognise this unique opportunity for in person attendance, networking and learning for the CEE region, therefore CEE Hub wants to offer 10 additional merit scholarships for the CEE participants to enable discussions, networking and initiatives of importance.

4. (new) Development of the CEE Hub Micro Grants programme

Based on our experience of working with smaller communities, especially those where affiliates do not exist, we would like to develop a microgrant programme which would enable communities to apply for microgrants. These microgrants will have a lower barrier than rapid grants: less than 500 USD can be requested, and applications will not be done in Fluxx but in a simple manner. We will also support those who receive microgrants throughout the implementation of micro-projects.

5. (new) Supporting the work and development of the CEE Youth group

During the first year CEE Hub project implementation, CEE Hub initiated the formation of the CEE Youth group. The group currently consists of 10 CEE youth members who are younger than 26 and who expressed interest to work together, support each other, and learn from each other. CEE Hub wants to guide and coordinate the work of the group, enable new members to join, steer the group towards closer cooperation, facilitate monthly online meetings and exchange of information, organise in person meetings for the group as well as writing joint project proposal(s).

6. (new) Piloting community building process

Based on the outcomes and suggestions which will be the result of the research which focuses on less active and less organised CEE communities, CEE Hub wants to plan the following steps and activities that have to be taken in order to change dynamics in those small communities. One CEE Hub (new) employee will be tasked with implementation of concrete community building activities oriented to revival of 2-3 less organised CEE communities.

7. Finalise internal CEE Hub governance model and thereby related procedures

We will further develop CEE Hub's governance model including guidelines for electing SC members and CEE Hub voting system (related to CEE Hub development). The goal is to test the newly established model at CEEM 2024. Apart from this, a research about incorporation of the CEE Hub will be done to better understand all pros and cons and in order to decide about future development of the CEE Hub.

Consultation online meetings

All times are in CEST (UTC+2)

Upcoming office hours
Nr.	Day	Date	Time	Location	Staff member(s)
#1	Tuesday	22 August 2023	18:00 - 19:30	Google Meet	Barbara Klen and Toni Ristovski
#2	Saturday	26 August 2023	18:00 - 19:30	Google Meet	Barbara Klen and Toni Ristovski

Information for the meeting

Link about the upcoming consultation online meetings of the CEE Hub is written below.

Link for the consultation online meetings

Google Meet link for the upcoming consultation online meetings

#1 CEE Hub Year 2 Plan - consultation

Tuesday, August 22 · 18:00 – 19:30

Video call link: Google Meet link

#2 CEE Hub Year 2 Plan - consultation

Saturday, August 26 · 18:00 – 19:30