Author: Davis Shaver

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Join us at Contributor Day

We’re less than a week away from WordCamp for Publishers! We wanted to share some details about Contributor Day, which will be held Saturday, August 19 at The Denver Post, the same place as the rest of the conference.

Contributor days are in-person opportunities to give back to open source projects. At WordCamp, it’s only natural we work on WordPress-related efforts. This is not just a “developer thing”  – open source needs people from all different backgrounds and disciplines.

Doors open at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. WordPress Core contributor Aaron Jorbin will kick off the event at 10:30 a.m., followed by brief presentations from two projects that’ll be ready to welcome volunteers of all skill levels:

  • WordPress Core. It’s kind of a big deal, and there’s a whole lot going on. Joe McGill and Jeffrey Paul are Core volunteers in different focus areas, media and project management, respectively. Join them in a quick talk about volunteering with Core and then jump into some #GoodFirstBugs.
  • INN’s Largo. A theme crafted specifically with the needs of news publishers in mind. Lead developer RC Lations will host a short discussion of the project followed by work towards making theme standards-compliant for hosting on WordPress.org.

Aaron, RC, Joe, Jeff, and other volunteers throughout the event will be able to assist with local development setup, using PHP CodeSniffer, submitting patches, etc. Non-developers can help groom tickets, check for accessibility, and work on design and UX research.

Other projects/maintainers will also have a chance during the opening to pitch what they’re working on, so that folks can connect and collaborate.

Around 2:45 p.m. we’ll gather and share what we worked on. Afterwards, we’ll keep the conversation going in Slack.

Conference tickets are required for Contributor Day. Remaining tickets will be available for a limited time here.

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What to expect as a volunteer at WordCamp for Publishers

Like all WordCamps, sponsors and volunteers are critical to making WordCamp for Publishers an affordable community event. The real cost of each attendee can be hundreds of dollars, but thanks to your support, we are able to offer tickets for just $40.

The volunteer survey is open through July.

Here’s a short list of some roles volunteers will fill:

  • They will serve at the registration table, welcoming attendees as they arrive.
  • They will distribute t-shirts and swag to attendees.
  • They will serve as room managers, guards and runners, helping keep the speaker tracks on schedule.
  • They will serve in the Happiness Bar, providing tech support to attendees.
  • They will welcome attendees to other conference events like the brewery tour and baseball game and help everyone have a good time.
  • Generally help ensure the event is a positive experience that embraces the code of conduct.

Thanks to the layout of the facility, you’ll never be far from the action, and volunteer assignments tend to be on the shorter side (typically a single 2-3 hour shift). Prior to the event, we will be sharing additional information  about shifts, responsibilities, and other logistics with volunteers in a private channel on Slack.

Ticket sales for WordCamp for Publishers are still open. Volunteers may be eligible for a free or discounted ticket; contact us via email with ‘Volunteers’ in the subject line after you’ve filled out the survey.

VOLUNTEER SURVEY