Coworking is about community–building it, nurturing it, and using it as a catalyst for individual and collective greatness. Coworking isn't about one person doing everything perfectly, all on their own, or scrambling to be the first one to claim and idea as their own.
It makes sense then, that when the Global Coworking Community needs or wants something, it crowdsources it from within.
Well, with the international coworking industry growing at a breathtaking pace, it's become necessary to provide a one-stop, independent shop where interested persons can go online to learn more about the community. In fact, the need for a resource like this was acknowledged when coworking was just getting started, so a few clever folks built the current Coworking Wiki.
But as is the case with many unsupervised, volunteer-run projects, the Wiki fell by the wayside. Now it's a confusing jumble of information, some old, some new, that frustrates visitors more than it inspires them. So, there is now a major community-wide effort underway to organize and update this powerful resource while providing for its ongoing maintenance.
And they need your help.
Not only will the focus of this project be to "clean up" the Wiki, it will also serve to expand its offerings so that it can better serve as a hub for conversation and learning for both new and experienced coworkers.
With enough community support, the new Coworking Wiki will serve as an aggregate for testimonials, news reports, and study data; offer advice for new coworking spaces on how to gauge interest in their communities and tips on marketing and fundraising; and perhaps most importantly, offer a non-commercial, neutral platform for finding coworking spaces both at home and abroad.
As Jacob and Chelsea (both from Office Nomads) mention in the video, there are lots of different opportunities available for you to participate in this crowdsourcing project.
1. Does diving into troves of data light your fire? Volunteer some time to clean up some key areas of the Coworking Wiki.
2. Can you make a one-year commitment to working with the awesome Coworking Wiki Team? There are openings for at least one person to help answer basic questions and introduce new users to the wiki (aka the Wiki Welcome Wagon!), and one or two individuals who can work specifically on updating the Coworking Directory.
3. Don't have time? The Coworking Wiki Project accepts money too! Please consider how the Coworking Wiki impacts your coworking space and make a contribution to help make the wiki even better.
If you want to volunteer, have questions about donating, or just want to talk to one of the project's organizers directly, contact them here.
