Mentoring WG KubeCon 2022 NA draft

--- title: Mentoring WG KubeCon 2022 NA draft tags: Kubecon, 2022 --- Maintainer Track Talk # TAG CS Mentorship WG Talk Outline * Mentorship! Why Bother? * The Blockers to Succesful Mentorship * What is the Mentorship WG * How we can help you (help yourself and each other) * How you can help us * what's needed * how to get involved * Goals * Which mentorship initiatives are being supported * CNCF LFX Mentorship * GSoC * GSoD * Outreachy * He Waka Eke Noa/HWEN (NZ project; not officially named yet) * How can projects apply * applications vary by project * how do I particpate if I'm not a project leader? - a: multiple mentors permitted on projects, though in most (all?) cases at least one needs to be a project maintainer * The NZ project (only if Jay can make it) * what it is * who's participating * how this is a model for other efforts * Q&A ## draft abstract ### Title Ideas * Grow Your Contributors Through Mentorship Programs * Mentorship WG and You * LFX, GSoC, and Outreachy, Oh My! Mentorship WG and You If Jay can make it * ### Draft Text V1: Mentorship! Why bother? The CNCF TAG Contributor Experience has started a new working group around mentorship, and this talk will explain what's new and how the changes affect projects, maintainers, and mentors. We'll review the existing mentorship initiatives and provide a sneak peek at an upcoming mentorship initiative. These mentorship programs provide an opportunity for projects to recruit and train the next generation of contributors and provide leadership opportunities for those already in the community. V2: LFX, GSOC, GSOD, Outreachy, Oh My! As a CNCF project, you have the opportunity to participate in a variety of external contributor mentorship programs. For project leaders, it's a great opportunity to grow and diversify your contributor community, and for contributors, it's a rewarding experience helping future colleagues. Meet the new CNCF Mentoring Working Group, which can help you with information, resources, and even some direct coaching to help you be successful while participating in mentorship programs. We'll talk about the existing programs, how you can get involved, and ways to minimize the work involved. We'll also review how you can help build up the Mentorship WG to assist all CNCF projects, mentors, and mentees. We'll also share a You'll learn what you need to either get started, or become more successful, in your project mentorship efforts. V3: (if Jay can make it) Most CNCF projects want to participate in new contributor mentoring programs, but it's hard to get started -- and it's even harder to be successful. Meet the new Mentoring Working Group, who will help you with information, resources, and peer coaching. We'll also be introducing an exciting new program. LFX, GSOC, Outreach, and others let you grow and diversity project contributors through mentoring. We'll talk about the existing programs, how you can get involved, and ways to minimize the work involved. We'll also review how you can help build up the Mentorship WG to assist all CNCF projects, mentors, and mentees. We'll also introduce a new regional program, He Waka Eke Noa/HWEN, which is helping New Zealand and Maori students get involved in cloud native without leaving home. This program can serve as a model for new ways to recruit non-traditional contributors. You'll learn what you need to get started or become more successful in your project mentorship efforts. --- tags: Mentoring --- # Mentoring WG | Kubecon Detroit 2023 *Disclaimer: Still learning; please bare with me and let me know if ideas are inaccurate or miss the overall objective(s).* ## Key point summary 1. Developing focus/messaging 2. Creating value and interest for potential attendees 3. Structuring delivery --- ## 1. Developing focus/messaging **Introducing WG to the projects** **Potential focus areas:** 1. Alot of **practical information on existing programs** for participation (lots of work from the outset) 2. **Introduce 'He Waka Eke Noa'** (HWEN) NZ mentoring initiative in development. (preferred) 3. **Present a general timeline of mentoring efforts to date**, to provide varied audiences with an understanding of their purpose and progression, leading to new initiatives e.g. HWEN and the community's hope/vision for the future. * *This might offer a better opportunity to articulate the need, increase participation of new contributors by providing context and helping people to understand their value in the 'bigger picture'.* 4. (Possible to help frame #2 also) Provide a snapshot of the current state of education, industry and community and **why a fresh approach via mentoring is needed** to ensure sustainability in Open Source projects. * *This might be common knowledge already, but can help to frame the problem, create space and invite further dialogue about potential solutions, and present mentoring as a critical response to this (as opposed to the 'nice-to-have' it might be regarded as; especially to those concerned about how much investment it may require from them if involved).* **Why would project leaders attend?** --> Mentoring opportunity *Targeting projects, mentees or both?* I think both can be addressed well depending on our chosen approach from the above. *** ## 2. Creating value and interest for potential attendees **"How do I get involved in mentoring programs without putting a ton of effort into it?"** * I know it wouldn't have been intentional, but I think it would be beneficial to avoid fostering any deficit thinking relevant to programs. Ideally potential contributors shouldn't be looking at mentoring as an 'add-on to the real work', seeking to do the minimal or the like, but as part of our *collective* responsibility for those conscious of improving the future industry and community climate. Perhaps framing it i.e. "What is the most value I can provide while balancing existing commitments?" (or to the effect) could be a basic but constructive way to continue to encourage mentors to participate; considerate of the large volume of work many are already juggling but still wanting to help out where they can. **This becomes an opportunity for us to begin/continue identifying and mapping key focus areas for growth and developmen**t -- (probably not practical to cover in-depth for the purpose of this presentation, but might help to show where our focus will likely be as the project evolves), for example: * How are we currently recruiting mentors (and identifying desirable candidates)? * What support is *currently* in place for mentors? * What *additional* support and/or recognition can be provided for mentors to complement their efforts? * What has been most effective/ineffective with past implementation? (acknowledging there's been some great work to date!) *This could become a key consideration if we were to begin achieving objectives of more diverse participation etc.* *Some examples might include:* * **Cultural awareness training** specific to various backgrounds, ethnicities -- seeking to adopt/integrate conducive practices where appropriate * **Accommodating various learning styles**, barriers to access, career aspirations more effectively * **Targeted open-source platforms** to help manage and coordinate project, talent, communications etc. * **Facilitation of mentor/mentor circles** to share best practice, seek technical/non-technical support, leverage off specialised skillsets/experience across wider mentor pool etc. ### (2.b) Existing Practice https://docs.linuxfoundation.org/lfx/mentorship/mentor-guide/getting-started/what-makes-a-good-mentor * This resource is great to cover requirements and expectations for prospective mentors. However, this offers little to motivate them to undertake such a crucial role when it tends to emphasise the work involved; as opposed to what LF does to ensure a positive experience for mentors in return for their investment. **If our priority is to attract future mentors to this presentation,** I suggest we reframe the focus to encompass reciprocity and *consideration for them* as much as anything they might do to develop mentees; supporting our wider objective to sustainably build community. --- ### (2.c) What is the relevance of mentorship to the community? * Build capacity by increasing community involvement; consider required effort/input * Consider that many current programs are the same * Locate statistics to highlight mentee retention and project contribution post-project (one year) to demonstrate value - ***is mentoring a worthwhile investment for prospective mentors?*** * This aspect might reflect the trend of programs to date as far as *perceived value*. * It may be an opportunity to explore what the *proposed value* of a renewed focus on the mentoring space might be e.g. efforts to minimise burnout, broaden diversity of participation etc. - *projected value of initiative* --- ### (2.d) Coordinating past, present and future mentees and proportionate contribution **What is the story we want to tell?** * Can we present a timeline/overview of the need for mentorship? (see Section 1.3) * e.g. 'old and new' programs * How can projects recruit mentees or manage having too many applicants? **General:** * *If mentee recruitment and management becomes priority, don't focus on LFX* * *There is a plan to develop LFX V.02, however there will be a delay* * *LF develops platforms such as CloMon without assessing the needs of the projects/community* **Note:** Goals/objectives haven't changed with creation of WG *** ## 3. Structuring delivery *Design delivery in a way that best considers the target audience and communicates key ideas effectively.* **"Why should an audience attend?""** - 'funny sentence' **"What can the audience get out of this?"** > (working backwards) Suggested focus on the following: 1. What is ultimate vision and purpose for mentoring? 2. Why should people care/want to invest? 3. What is the key message/learning we hope to impart to audiences by the end of it? * Put out a call for participation — both projects and potentially former mentees, to help manage the program* * (*Can't lead with this and expect people to show up*) **"Why should I get involved in external mentoring programs? What's the benefit?"** Even more than the *immediate* benefits of providing quality support and development for mentees, there are numerous upsides to participation: * Growth in almost any area of the tech industry can be beneficial; we need to keep thinking wider and more future-focused. Obviously for the individual, we can promote the opportunities to learn, open source principles, connections with professionals across the board, and of course generating a solid income. * The fluid nature of ever-changing career paths means a mentoring graduate may still gravitate to CNCF projects at any stage, regardless of their initial participation in external initiatives. * More than just any singular aspect of the community, is the goal to 'Make Cloud Computing Ubiquitous'. Mentees active in even external programs will still help to achieve this, especially if they have accessed these opportunities via channels we help to promote and facilitate. * The community itself is essentially predicated on an abundance mindset; it gives and participates because it believes its efforts should benefit the whole. This can still be modelled in supporting parallel programs without expectation of immediate return, knowing that most action with positive intent will support this ideal regardless. --- ### (3.a) Practical Delivery **Presenting in person vs. hybrid delivery; can present film of project overview and possibly livestream** (both possible if focus on mentoring programs kept light). * The initial development phase of HWEN is active from Jun-Aug 2022, involving a small project team engaging across various stakeholders in local education, industry and community. * During this time short videos (1-1.30m max) will be created to document engagement and provide a snapshot into each stakeholder group. These will highlight their respective needs and unique profiles to aid in ongoing program design. Proposed content/direction as follows: **1. Industry** * Interviews with local professionals discussing the benefits and perception of open source from personal experience, helping to raise awareness and explore considerations for NZ businesses and communities. **2. Education** * Documentation of engagement with local high/secondary schoo. This will professional development for teachers and in-class pilot programme delivery introducing students to open source, and industry-relevant skills and development opportunities e.g. LFX. * Industry visits currently being planned to help support messaging and highlight possible career pathways. **3. Community** * Coverage of participation in annual career expo https://www.canvascareers.co.nz/ to demonstrate interaction with regional schools, businesses, training providers and government in promoting career opportunities. * Connecting with general public to build understanding of open source knowledge and development opps. * If practical, **snippets can be taken from these engagements** to support presentation. * Can stream to presentation to provide context to footage. * Provide HWEN program outline if needed. **General** * In consideration of the (65%) new attendees at the previous KubeCon, who are our expected/preferred audience(s)? * What is the desired timeframe for this presentation? * **What are the desired outcomes?** *(tentative)* * (Objectives outlined in CNCF Mentoring Charter) * Increase in industry and community support * Raise awareness/shift dialogue about the importance of mentoring in a changing environment. * Articulate the vision for mentoring and workforce sustainability * Gain additional support for this initiative (local and global) * Encourage meaningful contribution to development of initiative (many hands!) --- ## 4. Next Actions (TBC)