Volunteer Engagement &SupportBuenos Aires Update | June 2015

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Problem Statements

ICANN lacks ways to increase the number of qualified volunteers to invest the time and effort required to conduct bottom-up, multistakeholder work.

2 Though there currently exist outreach programs to bring volunteers into ICANN, there is little inreach to encourage them to stay and be active [inreach = active cultivation and engagement of those who are already connected to ICANN].

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Predicated on the hypothesis that attraction, development and retention of volunteer talent is important to ICANN’s effectiveness and sustainability.

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Nov/Dec.2014

Feb.2015

Mar/Apr.2015

Apr. 7 – 20,2015

Apr. 22,2015

Discuss next steps with

SO/AC/SG/C leaders

Staff worked with the

community to identify challenges

and potential solutions to

recruiting and retaining

active ICANN Community members.

Broader community

discussion on solutions for recruitment

and retention was held at ICANN 52 in Singapore.

Staff identified an

internal “Stakeholder

Journey” Project team

to work on recruitment

and retention.

Questionnaire was

distributed to staff liaisons of

SOs/ACs to determine

current status. Data collected and reviewed

Staff Present and discuss

collected data,

brainstorm on possible

solutions

Where we’ve been

June2015

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Bill DrakeChris MondiniSally Costerton Tony HolmesRudi Vasnick

Support from – Joe Catapano,

Volunteer Engagement Joint Team + Approach

Solution

Community-wide

SO/AC/SG/Cspecific

Challenge

2 x 2 Brainstorming Matrix

https://community.icann.org/display/gsenorthamwkspc/Volunteer+Engagement+Project

PARTICIPATE HERE ON THE WIKI…

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“Inreach” Suggestions from NCUC’s Spring 2015 Member Survey [76 responses]

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Rodrigo de la Parra

Christopher Mondini

Chris Gift 

Marika Konings

Heidi Ulrich

Support from – Joe Catapano, Janice Douma Lange, Jeannie Ellers

Stakeholder Journey Caucus – ICANN Staff

Bart Boswinkel (ccNSO)

David Conrad (TLG/TEG)

Marika Konings (GNSO, Working Groups) 

Olof Nordling (GAC)

Barbara Roseman (ASO)

Steve Sheng (RSSAC, RSSAC Caucus, SSAC)

Heidi Ulrich (ALAC)

Joette Youkhanna (NOMCOM)

FACT FINDERS (Survey Respondents):

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Survey of Policy Development Support

Common Template, 12 questions related to SO/AC/CG structuresIn these categories:

Attraction of Talent Onboarding Required Skills and Skill Gaps Active Management of Membership Support Tools for Stakeholders Barriers to Participation Motivations and Rewards Stakeholder Progression or Hierarchy

Passive Followers Newcomers “Worker bees” Leaders Alumni

Groups Examined ASO, ALAC, ccNSO, GAC, NOMCOM, RSSAC, RSSAC Caucus, SSAC GNSO, TLG/TEG, and Working Groups.

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Motivations for participants vary greatly: new skills, networking, public recognition, sense of purpose, travel, friends, or “it’s their job”

Not all ICANN structures are open and accessible, or designed to be so.

True ‘volunteer’ opportunities for individuals are limited.

There is no clear or graduated path from newcomer to leadership.

Active recruitment or management is rare among ICANN structures.

“Being known in the community” is often a key attribute for advancement.

Little integration across structures or cross-participation in work

High Level Observations

We found more differences than similarities, but observed the following:

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1. Providing tools and platforms to enable community recruitment and support community work (e.g. NCUC survey ideas)

2. Motivating behavior that builds a talent-attracting (and welcoming) culture

3. Addressing structural barriers to eliminate hurdles

Proposed Next Step: Survey to solicit input & rank priorities

PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY HERE https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CPHFRHX

Toward Solutions

Based on 2 x 2 matrix responses on the Wiki, Staff identified 20 tactics / solutions in three areas:

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Solution Examples – to be ranked via the survey

Tools and Platforms • Provide outreach toolkits for SO/AC/SG/C groups• Deploy mentorship program• Create web page links to each SO/AC/SG/C• Leverage icann.org profiles to show experience level• Provide membership management software

Welcoming Culture• Rework travel support to fund more new volunteers• Publicly recognize best practice for recruitment• Sanction non-performing or non-contributing volunteers• Emphasize motivating factors for participants (e.g. professional skills)• Emphasize working groups and policy development processes as starting points

Structural Issues• Link newcomer and fellow programs more directly with SO/AC/SG/C needs• Create a program to identify and develop high potential future leaders

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Strategic Questions for Discussion

• If we agree that attraction, development and retention volunteer talent is important to ICANN’s effectiveness and sustainability, how can we convey that?

• How can we attract new volunteers by SUBJECT MATTER or TOPIC OF INTEREST in addition to where in ICANN structures they may fit?

• How can ICANN’s Fellowship, Newcomer, NextGen and other programs (e.g. CROPP) be tailored to serve the needs of those SO/AC/SG/Cs who need talent?

Work Status: ICANN Mentorship ProgramUpdate at June 2015

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The Challenge

ICANN Community leaders have expressed their desire for a program that connects experienced ICANN stakeholders with novice stakeholders. This wish was echoed in multiple community inputs over the course of ICANN 52 in Singapore.

A mentoring program would support keeping newcomers in the ICANN community after they initially participate in an ICANN meeting, subscribe to a mailing list, etc. It would also support “turning lurkers into workers” giving newer volunteers the tools and confidence to participate.

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The Proposed Solution

An ICANN mentoring program will match experienced ICANN community members with newcomers in order to facilitate their integration into the ICANN community through continuous advice and support, both in-person and online, as well as during and in between ICANN meetings.

A successful ICANN mentoring program will help increase the likelihood of newcomers actively participating in the ICANN community, and help ensure their experience is both personally rewarding and benefits ICANN.

The Idea: “Borrow the IETF Mentorship Program on the back-end and use an attractive web interface on the front-end, adding robust communications and pre-seeding with participants”

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A Look at the IETF Model

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A Model for ICANN?

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A Model for ICANN?

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A Model for ICANN?

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Principles for a Program

Program needs to be pre-seeded with mentors “ready to go”. The program requires a robust communications and launch plan. ICANN.org profiles to form the basis of the program in terms of

identifying skill-sets and matching mentors with mentees. Program will be housed in Public Responsibility Department and

requires one ICANN staffer to be the program liaison and manager.

Mentorships should not be limited by geography, time-frame, nor dependent on/linked to ICANN meetings.

Program should be as self-organizing as possible, without the need for burdensome infrastructure, evaluation or reporting.

Expectations for behavior for both mentors and mentees must be documented for the program, and agreed to by the community.

NEXT STEP – identification of pilot mentors, preparation of websites

Upon review of existing programs and past attempts, the staff team recommends the following tactics and principles:

Thank You