This is the project page for Mike Dickison's (User:Giantflightlessbirds) Wikipedian-at-Large project based in Christchurch, New Zealand, January to July 2024. This initiative is supported by Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand through a grant by the Wikimedia Foundation. The goal is to help Canterbury institutions engage with the Wikimedia Movement, and develop the editor base of volunteer Wikimedians in Christchurch.
From mid 2018 to mid 2019 Mike Dickison was New Zealand Wikipedian at Large, supported by a one-year grant from the Wikimedia Foundation. His job was to travel the length of New Zealand to help heritage and research organisations engage with Wikimedia projects as a Wikipedian in Residence, and support the New Zealand editing community through meetups and workshops. Later while based in Hokitika he undertook short contracts as a West Coast Wikipedian at Large for Development West Coast in 2020, 2022, and 2023. When newly-formed Wikimedia Aotearoa New Zealand was successful in gaining continuing funding from the Wikimedia Foundation in 2023, funds were set aside to continue supporting the role of a Wikipedian at Large, based on its demonstrated success in spurring the growth of the Wikimedia Movement in Aotearoa.
The 2024 Wikipedian at Large project runs from 15 Jan to 15 July, and is based in and around Christchurch. The largest city in the South Island has no regular public Wikimedia meetups, has yet to host a WikiCon, and none of its institutions has a Wikimedia strategy. The Wikipedian's job will include:
I'm happy to talk to media for a story about Wikipedia. Pick any publicity photos you like from the Mike Dickison gallery on WikiCommons. Note that these photos are free to use, provided you credit the photographer by name (i.e.: not "Wikipedia" or "supplied").