Newcomer support at hackathons

 WAYS TO CONNECT:

'''How to find mentors to team up with? How do I find newcomers who want to learn sometihng?'''
 * Telegram Group Chat for mentors and newcomers: https://t.me/wmhackmentoring


 * Mentoring Area is in room Heuriger (ground floor) - everyone welcome!


 * List of mentors & projects: https://www.mediawiki.org/w/index.php?title=Wikimedia_Hackathon_2018/Mentoring_Program#Your_Mentors_in_Barcelona_2018
 * Etherpad for Feedback to mentoring program: https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/mentormeeting

For this year’s Hackathon we will be implementing a mentoring program for newcomers to our movement, copying the successful model of last year's event, done by our friends from Wikimedia Österreich.

What does it mean to be a mentor?
Being a mentor means one of two things:

1) You will be at the hackathon exclusively as a mentor! You will create projects that are newbie-friendly and you will work on them together with the newcomers for the whole weekend. You will not get as much done as you would on your own, but you will contribute an incredible amount of value to the community by sharing your knowledge and helping the movement grow.

Before the hackathon, everyone will come up with newcomer friendly projects, broken into small and large, easy to accomplish tasks. Mentors, like all other participants, can contribute their ideas for sessions, skill share and projects in advance on Phabricator (see: "Contribute to the Program Before the Hackathon" on the Program-page). Additionally, mentors will present their projects in newcomer-friendly language here on this page down below.

2) You will be an available point of contact who is knowledgable about a specific subject that mentors and newcomers can approach when they need help throughout the hackathon. You do not need to commit to mentoring for the entire event and you can work on your own projects.

Before the hackathon you should add your name and subject area(s) to the list below and hackathon organizers will be in touch to help coordinate, understand how you can help and set expectations.
 * Information for all types of mentors


 * Before the hackathon, we will keep sending the mentors emails with updates on the mentoring program as we will develop it together – since this is a first time for all of us, we really value your feedback and contributions!
 * At the opening ceremony, the mentoring program and the mentoring team (as a group, not personally) will be introduced and greeted with a round of applause.
 * After the opening ceremony, newcomers will have a chance to get to know a little bit about Wikimedia technology in an overview session. During this time mentors and event organizers can meet, talk about the program in person, and get ready to welcome the newcomers to projects.
 * Mentors and newcomers will meet in person and get to know each other, and both mentors as well as newcomers can decide with whom, and on which project they want to work together for the weekend.


 * Mentors will work with newcomers throughout the three days, but they will not be left alone. Whatever you need during the weekend, you can count on the hackathon staff team to help you out as best as we possibly can!

Welcoming newcomers into the movement is our goal...
This program will give newcomers the chance to dive into the Wikimedia movement and try out projects that are designed in a way that will give them the chance to hack on something that can be accomplished on that weekend, with the support of experienced Wikimedians as their mentors. While hacking, the newcomers can get to know the Wikimedia movement and see what impact they can have. We would like to create an event which will offer newcomers the opportunity to engage closely with Wikimedia projects. Pre-assigned hacking groups for newcomers will be kept small, with only four to six participants per project. It will be a unique chance for newcomers to get to know some of the coolest projects and coders out there and become part of the Wikimedia community!

... and the mentoring program is just one of many ways to do it.
While we are especially thankful for everyone who signed up to be a mentor exclusively, we also need people who do not want to take up this pre-defined role, but instead want to keep the flexibility that makes up such a great part of Wikimedia Hackathons. Everyone can give sessions tailored to newcomers and share their skills in whichever way they choose during the hackathon. (See Wikimedia Hackathon 2018 Program for details on how to do this.) It is very important to us, to provide the space and flexibility for others to help and get involved in a less formalized way.

Newcomers
'''I am a newcomer and would like to join the mentoring program! What should I do?'''

In the registration form, we offered everyone the option to indicate that they are new, and want to join the mentoring program. If you did this, you will automatically be on our list of newcomers and will receive an email with further information! If you did not register as new, but want to join the program, too, no problem. Here's what you have to do:

>> Take these Three Steps to Prepare for the Wikimedia Hackathon <<

 WAYS TO CONNECT:

'''How to find mentors to team up with? How do I find newcomers who want to learn sometihng?'''
 * Telegram Group Chat for mentors and newcomers: https://t.me/wmhackmentoring


 * List of mentors & projects: https://www.mediawiki.org/w/index.php?title=Wikimedia_Hackathon_2018/Mentoring_Program#Your_Mentors_in_Barcelona_2018
 * Etherpad for Feedback to mentoring program: https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/mentormeeting
 * Email organizers and ask for to be connected with somebody in a specific area.

Resources for Newcomers
Optional: If you want to dive deeper into the world of MediaWiki, see Hackathons/Participants

Your Mentors in Barcelona 2018
In the registration for the hackathon, everyone was asked if they wanted to volunteer as a mentor. Everyone who answered positively got an email, in which the details and responsibilities of this year's new mentoring program were explained. The people who then opted in for a second time, are now our mentors for this year's hackathon!

Introduction Session:
Mentors and newcomers will match themselves, in person at the first day of the hackathon, after everyone gets to know each other.

Mentoring Program starts with an introductory session on Friday 11:30-13:30 (just after the opening) in XXXXXXXX.

NOTE: All mentors and newcomers, make sure to be there! Mentors: Please prepare a 1-2 minute introduction of yourself & your project ideas.

Outline of the session: Mentors and organizers will help to facilitate the matching process, so that newcomers find projects that match their skills and interests, and that everyone has something to do.
 * Welcome & short introduction by the organizers
 * Mentors and newcomers meet and talk about project ideas, there will be a poster session!
 * Newcomers choose projects they like

Please be prepared for a certain level of flexibility! We encourage mentors to team up with each other, share ideas, maybe have joined projects.

Newcomers are welcome to switch projects or mentors as they like throughout the event.

During the hackathon:
 WAYS TO CONNECT:

'''How to find mentors to team up with? How do I find newcomers who want to learn sometihng?'''
 * Telegram Group Chat for mentors and newcomers: https://t.me/wmhackmentoring


 * Mentoring Area is in room XXXXXX - everyone welcome!
 * Daily meetings in the XXXXX: 10.00am (mentors & newcomers) and 17.30 (mentors)


 * List of mentors & projects: https://www.mediawiki.org/w/index.php?title=Wikimedia_Hackathon_2018/Mentoring_Program#Your_Mentors_in_Barcelona_2018
 * Etherpad for Feedback to mentoring program: https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/mentormeeting

Mentor Meetings
Thursday 18th May: 17:30-18:30 Meeting in the Atrium - Mentors

If you are already in Barcelona on Thursday, join us for an informal first meeting. We’ll get to know each other, have coffee together and talk about the program.

More meetings to be added later or as needed

Mentoring Guide
''As a mentor, you are the heart of the initiative for newcomers in the movement. In order to make the mentoring program work as best as we can, we are establishing this guide. We will need all of your feedback and learnings to improve the program in general, and this guide in particular – we are excited to do this with you. The goal of this guide is to help you being well prepared, and to give you options and inspirations to draw from.''

''This guide is focused on creating a friendly and open environment for learners of all sorts – but also for you, the mentors, yourselves. This guide strives to help with making everyone feel comfortable, to have a pleasant learning and mentoring experience, as well as having a great weekend together.''

Building on lessons learned

With this guide, we are building on lessons learned from previous newcomer-initiatives, mainly the buddy system, which was first introduced at the Wikimedia Hackathon 2015. While the idea to help newcomers was appreciated, the process felt a forced for some, while others were a bit lost. Suggestions for improvements called for an improved pairing process (e.g. based on projects, not people, and giving people the option to switch), guidelines for best practices and managing expectations in advance. With this guide, we are trying to make due on that. (Read the full lessons learned from Lyon 2015. TODO: ADD LESSONS FROM VIENNA AND MONTREAL)

Sources for this guide

This mentoring guide is built from the Open Tech School coaching guide (CC BY-SA 3.0 Open Tech School), which itself roots in the RailsBridge teaching style (CC BY 3.0 RailsBridge). Additionally, we draw from the Django Girls Coaching Manual (CC BY-SA 4.0 Django Girls), the Rails Girls Guide for Coaches (CC BY-SA 3.0 Rails Girls) and the Jugend hackt Handbuch (CC BY 4.0 Paula Glaser, Maria Reimer, Daniel Seitz for OKF DE and mediale pfade.org). All of these links are excellent sources if you want to dig deeper into the art of mentoring.

Mentoring isn't teaching…

in the sense that mentors are not standing in front and teaching a class.

Mentors... Creating a friendly environment
 * Stand by on the sidelines
 * Are right there when needed
 * Focus on the learners
 * Have sympathy for their (in-)abilities
 * Encourage learners to go further through positive motivation
 * And ensure they have fun doing it.

Atmosphere Encouragement Questions Questions are good! Responding to questions
 * Smile
 * Make eye contact
 * Admit when you don't know something
 * Be kind and friendly
 * Use their name (on the name tags)
 * Tell learners it's ok to make mistakes
 * And to take breaks when it gets frustrating
 * Assume everyone you're mentoring has zero knowledge but infinite intelligence
 * Use normal language instead of slang
 * Make sure the learner understood what you said...
 * ...and explain it again differently if that's not the case
 * Encourage learners to play around on their own
 * Whatever they do is great!
 * Look around to see if someone else might be having trouble
 * They might just be afraid to ask
 * Come by once in awhile and ask: “Hey, how is it going? Anything I can help you with?”
 * This is a very powerful tool: It helps shy learners, builds rapport and increases engagement.
 * Another trick: Sit next to them and chat about what they are doing.
 * Get people comfortable asking questions
 * Emphasize that there is no such thing as "dumb" questions
 * Ask if learners have any questions
 * Give other learners the chance to try to answer that question
 * Coding is collaboration — make sure learners understand that

Chances are, there is a specific question when the learner asks you to help them. How do you respond? Pacing Be encouraging Don'ts
 * Positively:
 * "I’m glad you asked that."
 * "What an interesting question!"
 * "Great question!"
 * "Hm, I'm not sure... Let's look in the Internet/ask someone else."
 * If in doubt: blame the material, never the learner.
 * Their interpretation of the material might be as good as ours!
 * This is not about you, but about the learner. We go at their pace.
 * Everyone learns at their own pace. That's a good thing!
 * Talk sssssslllllloooooowwwwwwllllllyyyyyyyy.
 * Wait much longer than you feel is comfortable for questions/comments (count to 10 in your head)
 * Don't accept any learner saying they are too whatever to do it, answer that they can do it.
 * Congratulate people on their achievements, take some time to let them show them to you.
 * If people get off the path but have fun, encourage them to go on.
 * Encourage learners to show their work to others: invite them to present at the showcase at the end, or to show their stuff to other participants during the event. Tell them twice. Or three times. Whatever it takes.

A few things we are not doing: Their keyboard – it is made of lava! We do not discuss programming languages
 * We do not hit on anyone or make sexually suggestive remarks
 * We do not roll our eyes or laugh at questions
 * We do not use the time to advertise our own companies/jobs/ourselves
 * We do not pick on or make fun of anyone or anything
 * We do not debate which programming language, methods or technologies are "better"
 * We do not touch their keyboard
 * Learners don't benefit from you taking over their keyboard.
 * Don't touch it.
 * If you absolutely, ultimately must type something on their computer — chances are you don't —, ask whether that is okay with them.
 * And explain what you are doing.

Doing so confuses learners. In the tech community we have some strong opinions and our ways to express them, but for people new to it, this can quickly look like a huge fight. We do not fight each other!

“We are here to mentor you in this programming language/method/technology and that is the focus for this event.”

Thank you for being a mentor at the Wikimedia Hackathon!