2025:Program/From Scrollers to Editors: Turning Young People into Wikimedians
Session title: From Scrollers to Editors: Turning Young People into Wikimedians
- Session type: Poster
- Track: Community Engagement
- Language: en
Engaging young people in Wikimedia is crucial for the future of free knowledge. However, attracting and retaining youth participation remains a challenge. This poster explores innovative strategies to make Wikimedia more appealing to younger generations, focusing on digital engagement, peer-driven mentorship, and youth-led initiatives. By leveraging social media trends, gamification, and interactive learning, we can bridge the gap between passive internet users and active contributors.
Successful case studies highlight how youth participation enhances diversity, creativity, and sustainability within the movement. Addressing key barriers,such as accessibility, recognition, and retention—is essential to fostering long-term engagement. This poster calls for a collaborative approach to empower young Wikimedians, ensuring they feel valued and motivated to contribute.
By embracing fresh perspectives and innovative outreach methods, we can build a more dynamic Wikimedia ecosystem, one where youth don’t just consume knowledge, but actively shape its future.
Description
In the digital age, young people engage with vast amounts of information daily, yet many remain passive consumers rather than active contributors. Wikimedia offers a unique opportunity to transform this digital engagement into meaningful participation. To attract and retain young editors, Wikimedia must prioritise accessibility, innovative outreach strategies, and a strong sense of community.
The primary goal is to raise awareness among young individuals about their potential role in Wikimedia. Many are unaware that they can contribute to shaping knowledge. Targeted campaigns on social media, collaborations with educational institutions, and engaging outreach events can introduce them to the platform in an appealing way. Simplifying the onboarding process is also crucial. Interactive tutorials, beginner-friendly guides, and mentorship programmes can ease the transition from observer to active editor, reducing the intimidation factor often associated with editing Wikimedia projects.
To capture and maintain interest, Wikimedia must align with the digital habits of younger generations. Integrating gamification elements, such as editing challenges, leaderboard rankings, and badges for achievements, can make participation more engaging. Additionally, leveraging popular social media platforms to showcase success stories of young editors and promote interactive content can generate excitement and curiosity.
Creating youth-led communities is another essential objective. When young contributors connect with peers who share their interests, they are more likely to remain engaged. Establishing youth-focused Wikimedia groups, supporting peer-led initiatives, and organising editathons tailored to younger audiences foster a sense of belonging. Recognising and celebrating young editors' contributions through featured articles, digital certifications, or leadership opportunities can further enhance motivation and long-term involvement.
Retention is just as important as recruitment. Many young editors disengage due to a lack of immediate feedback or recognition. Addressing this issue through responsive support systems, structured mentorship, and visible impact tracking can help sustain motivation. Encouraging diverse participation is equally crucial, ensuring that Wikimedia spaces are inclusive and accessible for youth from different backgrounds enriches content and broadens perspectives. Promoting multilingual contributions and actively addressing biases can make Wikimedia more welcoming to a global youth audience.
By transforming passive scrolling into active contribution, Wikimedia can cultivate a new generation of editors who are not only content consumers but also knowledge creators. Investing in youth engagement through innovative strategies, accessible resources, and community-driven initiatives ensures the movement’s sustainability and growth. The future of Wikimedia relies on empowering young contributors today,by providing them with the tools, recognition, and support they need, we can secure a more dynamic and inclusive knowledge-sharing ecosystem.
- How does your session relate to the event theme, Wikimania@20 – Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability?
My session aligns with Wikimania: Inclusivity. Impact. Sustainability by focusing on engaging young people in Wikimedia, ensuring a more diverse and future-proof movement. Inclusivity is addressed by breaking barriers that prevent youth participation, fostering mentorship, and promoting multilingual contributions. The impact is reflected in empowering young editors to shape knowledge, bringing fresh perspectives, and strengthening Wikimedia’s global community. Sustainability is achieved by creating long-term engagement strategies, such as gamification, youth-led initiatives, and structured support systems that retain contributors. By transforming passive scrollers into active editors, this session highlights the importance of investing in the next generation to ensure Wikimedia remains vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable for years to come.
- What is the experience level needed for the audience for your session?
Everyone can participate in this session
Resources
Speakers
- Ferfive Coronado
- I’m a graduate in Art Studies and Cultural Management, and I started my Wikimedia journey at 18 in 2021 through the Wiki Education programme by Wikimedia México. I was the first at my university to complete a social service project with Wikimedia, which greatly shaped my relationship with the movement. As a member of Wikimedia México, I’ve contributed to projects like Memories on Wheels: The Evolution of Ancient and Classic Automobiles in Aguascalientes, combining my academic background with my passion for history and digital archiving. I edit in Spanish, English, and French, focusing on art, culture, anime, comics, antique cars, and my home state, Aguascalientes, and enjoy uploading photos to Wikimedia Commons.
- I’ve contributed to events such as Wiki Loves México 2021, EAyGC Patrimonio Cultural and EAyGC Arte Mexicano in 2022, Editatón Filósofas, Artistas y Pensadoras 2024, and Juntas en Internet 2024, promoting women’s visibility. As a speaker, I presented at 5to Encuentro de Wiki Educación 2024 and Wikiconference North America 2024. I was also Executive Producer for Editatón Artistas de Aguascalientes 2024. In2025, I volunteered at Wikimedia+Libraries International Convention and am the lead organiser for Wiki Loves Folklore in Mexico. I attended Wikimania 2024 online and will be part of the Youth Conference Prague 2025, discussing the role of youth in Wikimedia.
- luisalvaz
- Researcher and professor at the Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes. Vice President of Wikimedia Mexico. Editor of Spanish Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, and Wikidata.