WikiAfrica is a GLAM training and support initiative initially created for heritage professionals and enthusiasts based within the Western Cape, South Africa. The program being developed is intended as a template that can be adapted to other programs across Africa, and beyond. The initial program started in May 2021 and will roll out throughout the year. It is a collaboration between Wiki In Africa and the Simon’s Town Museum, Cape Town.
The main goals of the programme are to:
- Develop a slow, manageable, collaborative, consultative, and supportive programme with Heritage and memory professionals and enthusiasts to introduce and facilitate the integration of Wikipedia and Open movement practices into the Heritage sector in Cape Town
- Provide knowledge, theoretical information, practical application, and programme development support as alternatives in their community and education programmes
- Inform and assist as heritage organisations put skills and knowledge into action:
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- in the form of content expansion and creation directly on Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Wikimedia Commons and in the development
- in the development of realistic community and education interventions that are adapted to their unique situations, limitations, and resources.
- Build a nurturing, self-sustaining and supportive local then regional network that helps and assists each other.
- Share this model with communities across Africa to grow and develop the GLAM space.
The main elements of the collaborative and consultative programme are:
- Knowledge transfer: Find out about Wikipedia, Wikimedia projects and communities, Open licences and copyright, GLAM partnerships, Education programmes, case studies, etc.
- Skills acquisition: Learn how to edit, work with infoboxes, add data, upload images, teach others, where the best resources are, etc.
- Content creation (practical application): Add to and improve existing articles that reflect your community, focus or passions. Understand the challenges through practical application
- Programme development: Support as you develop your own community or education programme