Wikimedia Deutschland/Evaluation/Volunteer Support Model

This page is maintained by Wikimedia Deutschland's Evaluation Unit. It provides a plattform for the continued development of the change model used in the Volunteer Support Program.

Program Goal

All the activities within the volunteer support program pursue a joint long-term goal:

Volunteers are enabled to create free knowledge as part of the Wikimedia movement.

To that end, the community support needs are easily assessed by Wikimedia Deutschland and met as reliably and quickly as possible. As a result content is obtained and volunteers are motivated in their activities.

Change Model

A change model presents the program’s goal and the means by which it is to be achieved. It provides the theoretical basis for planning and evaluating projects. We illustrated this change model using an arrow diagram, which presents the dependence between individual intermediate goals (green). Marked in red are the points at which Wikimedia Deutschland will take action in order to achieve the intermediate goals.

The diagram can be read in two ways:

1. Read from top to bottom, the diagram presents the necessary conditions (in green) for the successful implementation of each intermediate goal. All the conditions belonging to an intermediate goal are always ordered one level beneath the corresponding goal.
2. Read from bottom to top, the diagram indicates the points at which Wikimedia Deutschland will take action (red) in order to achieve the intermediate goals (green).

Direct Products

Wikimedia Deutschland's direct products list details the measures that WMDE will take in order to achieve its intermediate goals. The bracketed figures in the diagram indicate the points (red) at which WMDE will implement the measures described here and the intermediate goals (green) along the causal chain that are to be achieved through these measures.

Support mechanisms

• (1) Support programs are made more visible.
  • All active German-speaking Wikimedia projects provide contact points for support applications.
  • Standardized funding criteria have been developed.
• (2) The criteria for receiving support are publicly documented.

• (2, 3, 4) The support programs are intuitive and easy to use.
  • Volunteers’ effort to use these is reduced.
  • Procedures are defined clearly.
  • If help is requested, help is available.

• (5) Support programs are made use of.
  • More volunteers, who have not previously received support, have benefited from the support programs.
  • External parties also make use of the support programs.

Events

• (4) Events are planned openly and comprehensibly.

Help with documenting insights

• (6) Procedures to document volunteers' insights and lessons learned are followed.
  • The support and insights are documented.

Moderating social dynamics

• (6) Wikimedia Deutschland supports social dynamics within the communities in order to improve Wikimedia projects.
  • The community members evaluate the support as helpful.

Software development

• (6) Ensure that community tools remain active.
  • Migration from Tool Labs to Wikimedia Labs.

Indicators

The indicators proposed here will continually undergo prioritization and further development.

• (GOAL) Volunteers have contributed to free knowledge as part of the Wikimedia movement.
  • Indicator: Type, quantity and quality of the free knowledge.

• (A) Volunteers are motivated to contribute to free knowledge as part of the Wikimedia movement.
  • Indicator: The duration of volunteers’ involvement in the Wikimedia movement.
  • Indicator: Motivation to contribute free knowledge following the completion of the supported project.

• (B) The movement has created an improved framework for free knowledge.
  • Indicator: Success stories relating to projects that have contributed to creating an improved framework have been documented and made freely available in Wikimedia projects.

• (C) Volunteers have begun to implement their projects.
  • Indicator: The number of volunteers who have begun to implement their projects.
  • Indicator: The number of volunteers whose requests for support has been approved.
• The number of support requests that have been approved.

• (D) Volunteers have found contact with Wikimedia Deutschland helpful.
  • Indicator: Volunteers give positive feedback on communications (e.g. assistance with procedures, feedback, review, support, funding).
  • Indicator: Number of applicants.
  • Indicator: Number of applications.

• (E) Volunteers have requested support.
  • Indicator: Number of support requests.

• (F) Volunteers are aware of the support conditions.
  • Indicator: Type and scope of requests about support opportunities and the support procedure.

• (G) Volunteers are aware of the volunteer support programs offered by Wikimedia Deutschland.
  • Indicator: Number of initial contacts.
  • Indicator: Number of hits on the web pages presenting the volunteer support programs available to volunteers.
  • Indicator: Requests for individual support.
  • Indicator: Number of participants on supported projects.