Hi,
On Wed, May 5, 2010 at 1:27 PM, Jon Davis <wiki(a)konsoletek.com> wrote:
The long and the short of it is: Setting up a chapter isn't 10 minutes
work. It is a fair amount of work to setup, manage, and maintain on a
yearly basis. So if we do this, we should do this because A) It will allow
us to do things we currently can't do and/or B) It will make our lives so
much vastly easier doing the things we currently do.
I would like to strongly support this view.
Just to give a little context: I joined the French chapter in 2006,
joined the board in 2007 as Secretary, was re-elected on the board in
2008, and left the board in 2009. During my time there, I was very
active in the chapter's activities (probably one of the 2 most active
members).
Creating a chapter is a long and difficult process. Then, getting to a
point where the chapter can actually work takes even longer. Also,
although I don't claim knowing anything about nonprofit creation in
California, having a chapter tends to add a lot of recurring
administrative overhead. It is easy to get sucked into the chapter
creation process; you should assess whether you actually *need* a
chapter or not, before writing the bylaws. It is better to build a
chapter from an already active and organized local community, than to
create a chapter and try to build an active and organized local
community then.
You should only consider going creating a chapter *now* if, after
thoughtful consideration, you come to the conclusion that a chapter is
the best way to move forward with what you want to accomplish.
Identify the issues first, then think if a chapter is the best
solution to solve these issues. I would suggest to make a list on
meta:
* What do you want to accomplish? and for each item:
** Could this be accomplished today by an informal group of Wikimedians?
** If no, why not?
** How would a chapter solve this issue?
** What other means is there to solve this issue?
I'm not saying you shouldn't try to create a chapter -- not at all;
What I'm trying to say is: it might be better to focus on activities
first, clearly identify the reasons why a chapter will help you, and
create a chapter when you actually feel the need for it. Creating a
chapter takes a lot of time and energy that obviously can't be used
for more fulfilling, mission-oriented activities. The chapter creation
process can also be frustrating and discourage Wikimedians who would
otherwise be thrilled to engage in outreach / communications
activities.
In a nutshell: creating a chapter has to be worth it;
Disclaimer: This message only reflects my personal opinion and is not
an official communication of the Wikimedia Foundation, etc.
--
Guillaume Paumier
[[m:User:guillom]]
http://www.gpaumier.org