We should have a discussion at some point about other roles the OSCEdays network offers. We have Stewards, we have [Channel Keepers]) (Channel Keepers - Become A Channel Keeper) (not active so far). But I think there is room for more. How about for example:
(1) Ambassadors? = People who evangelize Open Source for Circular Economy?
(2) Local Chapters? = Ongoing groups in cities collaborating on Open Source Circular Economy solutions?
What roles do we offer? What roles are necessary? What can be provided to them? And how can everything play well together with the rest?
Maybe now (January 2016) is not the best moment to discuss this – with the preparations for the new event on our plate – but it is good to have this question and a place to drop ideas and discuss them, when they come up. So feel free to post here, what comes to mind.
UPDATE: Country Connectors was born as an idea. A country connector reaches out and connects OSCEdays action in a country.
I agree, this is a worthwhile step.
But I think that as a first step, people are not likely to sign up for a ‘role’ - usually the way in to a community is through doing a little task or helping someone out in a small way. If that first interaction is positive, you might take a second step. Once you feel comfortable in the community and you feel that your work is useful and valued, and that you enjoy it, then you are likely to take on a role. At least, that is my personal experience from getting involved with online communities and free software projects.
So perhaps we could start by pointing people to our To Do list of specific skills and small tasks required, and then reach out to people about roles.
In an onboarding mail Leonardo wrote something very interesting:
“If you want, I could be the hub of other italian FabLabs and organizations with the goal to coordinate and promote your event in Italy, helping them to manage it.”
That sounds very interesting. A hub-person in a country or region? Anyone an idea for a better name - a hubber, kidding
I quite like hubber! Or simply connector like Malcolm Gladwell describes them
I wonder should we try to bring these roles to life a bit more through social avatars? Not sure how I feel about them myself so interested to hear what you think.
Ouishare has Ouishare connectors. And the concept seem to work quite well for them. I know some of them. I could ask them, why they got involved with the role, what they get out of it and what they expect from the “main Ouishare body” to support them in their work.
What do you mean with “social avatars”? Images? Like the rainbow flag on Facebook?
I was talking to @RicardoRug@RicardoR from Colombia and yesterday to Guadalupe from Spain - both offered to connect other cities in their country. And somehow in this discussion the idea of an “OSCEdays Country Connector” was born. I am not totally sure what this means - what is a country connector doing and so on? But both Ricardo and Guadalupe were interested in it and I think we can start to invent it with them together.
From the ideas we had so far it is, that they start to contact other people in other cities in their country and try to inspire them to set up a local group and support them in that.
I already added Ricardo to the website and will do so with Guadalupe - to make it easier for them to do and invent the job. It can’t hurt. Let’s see how it goes with a small group first and see if this is something, we should really set up and get going.
I have the feeling something fantastic could come out of that.
What ideas do you have? What is a country connector doing? And what does he need for this job?
To me, it sounds like something we have been thinking about doing in South Africa. Get more communities onboard. It makes sense. I would like to bring more communities in South Africa onboard.
Maybe on the main website, the Country Connector can be marketed as the point person for that country? Then Country Connector needs to be given short lesson on how to onboard potential new communities.
I would also really like to see OSCE Days take place in cities all around Scotland, so count me in, just still trying to set up an Edinburgh team at the moment.
I think it is an encouraging measure that can be very useful to give new members a sense of purpose and bonding.
I have seen roles work in Ouishare, and even though I don’t think they are perfect, I have seen people commit to their roles and do amazing projects for themselves and the organization.
hi @Ferial - sounds great. There has already been someone contacting us from scotland (Aberdeen) thinking about a local event. I will PM you his contact.
The Bogotá´s Team is working in prepare all the themes for the event, and want to invite other cities from Colombia to work together in the construction of this themes.
the principal action to develope the idea of “country conection” is to help other cities in the country to know the OSCED event, and also than working like a team create the principals “cores” to discuss. in this way every city can develope their own activities, but also permit discuss and create a unificated document, or unificated challenges where everyone can participate and present the results for all.
in this way can connect people working in differents parts of our country to know how is doing and develop activities and how to develop that knolwedge together, how can we apply here or there and create new ideas and activities.
here we are working with people in universities, workshops and foundations, to show their work, their models of thinking and to see everyone have their own identity and mode to solve their problems.
I continue the conversation about the role of “country” connector” also initiated by @BoST. I wanted to speak about it after having some kind of experience doing so. Now, I have news to share:
Since I engage OSCEdays, I have contacted several people / organizations in 8 Spanish cities to introduce OSCEdays and invite them to join, for example, organizing an event in their city. Mainly, I have contacted with organizations/ people in the environmentall / circular economy / sustainability field or in the collaborative/ maker / fabber / coworking ecosystem etc.
Also, when there has been interest and / or they have asked me, I have provided ideas about possible formats, other persons to contact in specific local events etc.
I have also been in contact with people who is already organizing an event for possible synergies.
In summary:
Of the 8 contacted cities, some were not interested (maybe they would have been with more time). But several people have shown great interest, and it has even emerged a new event with a very interesting organization in Zaragoza. @Lars2i and @sharmarval I guess you already have the information.
Some organizations have told me that this time they cannot organize and event due to deadlines/ resources or similar. But they would like to see how to collaborate or being engaged with OSCEdays.
I found interesting this role as country connector because I know some environmental organizations at national level and I´m also interested in collaborative economy / open resources/ social innovation etc.
It would be interesting to see possible ways to collaborate with OSCEdays for organizations/ people who cannot organize an event from 9-13 June but that can be interested in joining the movement. I.e. Possibility to celebrate OSCEdays event outside the 9-13 June? Other ways to collaborate during the year?
@BoST I received an email from @guadalupe about her activities as country connector in Spain. Very inspiring! I asked her to share the report here as well.
I send you news from Spain and updates as country connector,
As I said before, I´ve been working in this role several weeks since I engaged OSCEdays. I´ve contacted people / organizations in 8 Spanish cities to introduce them OSCEdays and invite them to organize an event in their city. Also, I´m in contact with other organizer already in the movement. We had a meeting one morning and speak about OCEdays.
In several cases, I´ve provided ideas about possible formats, other people to contact in specific local events etc. By the way, people I spoke in Zaragoza to join OSCEdays are really interesting! Zaragoza event is already launched and I think it will have a very good impact in OSCEdays.
In summary: several organizations are really interested in OSCEdays. Some of them told me they don´t have time to organize the event in 9-13 june (maybe they would have done it with more time). But several people have great interest (i.e., in Pamplona, a city which wants to be of reference in circular economy) and they asked to be in contact for next edition and future collaboration.
As next steps, I can follow the conversation with the people I´ve already contacted and also with new people for future collaborations. In fact, after working on OSCEdays for some time, several ideas come up to my mind and also new organizations to engage (not also Spanish but also from other countries. Now, I´m quite focused in launching the local event, but at the same time I´m thinking in next steps and new ideas. I´ve found great big interest on OSCEdays and I think it´s an initiative with great potential. With time great results will appear!
