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This is a summary of the Community Team monthly meeting held on May 7, 2026. This month, the team tried something a little different: instead of two separate sessions, we ran a single open meeting starting at 12:00 UTC and kept it open for 12 hours. People could drop in when it worked for them, leave check-ins, share thoughts on the topics.
The meeting followed the agenda published here. If you weren’t able to join live, this recap is for you, and we’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
📝 Meeting chat logs
May 7, 2026 12:00 UTC 12-hour meeting. Meeting host: @nazmul111 Notes: @mohkatz
We had participants from Bangladesh, Uganda, Spain, India, the Philippines, Switzerland, Kenya, and other corners of the WordPress world. A good mix of time zones for our first 12-hour open meeting experiment!
A special welcome to @Rashunda, who joined the Community Team meeting for the first time while preparing to attend WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Torino. Glad you took the leap and feel at home.
⚡️ Check-ins
It was great to hear from so many active corners of the community. Among the things people have been working on: mentoring WordCamps and Campus Connect events, organizing flagship and local WordCamps, reviewing applications and budgets, answering HelpScout emails, hosting Training Team meetings, working on handbook pages, supporting WordPress Credits students and mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues., reviewing themes, patterns, and plugins, and preparing for upcoming community events.
Some of the updates shared included work around WordCamp Asia 2026, WordCamp Masaka, WordCamp Rajshahi, WordCamp Barishal, WordCamp Portugal, WordCamp Galicia, WordCamp Málaga, WordCamp Europe 2026, WordCamp Belgrade, WordCamp Cebu, WordCamp Mannheim, WordCamp Bretagne, WordCamp Switzerland, WordCamp Philippines, and WordCamp Asia 2027.
There was also plenty of Campus Connect and education-related activity, including Campus Connect Rajshahi, Campus Connect Cumilla, Campus Connect Bukuumi, Campus Connect Lleida, possible future Campus Connect activity with a high school, and WordPress Credits mentoring.
Several contributors are also helping new or growing existing meetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. communities, including WordPress Nairobi, WordPress Jinja, WordPress Nakuru, Bhola WordPress Meetup, and a possible future Lugano meetup. As @nazmul111 and others put it during the meeting: “There are lots of events happening.” And yes, there really are!
✨ Highlights
A few things worth noting from the agenda that came up during the session:
Meetup Formats That Work: How WordPress Nairobi Turned a Meetup into a Hands-On Workshop by Juan Hernando. A practical case study, with props to Jesse Mwangi for sharing his experience, on how the Nairobi community reimagined the standard meetup format to increase engagement and hands-on learning. Worth a read for any organizer looking to shake things up.
WordPress Academy for Young People in Kraków by Sebastian Misniakiewicz. A look at bringing WordPress education to young and beginner audiences in Kraków, ahead of WordCamp Europe 2026. A strong example of community-driven outreach and a model worth considering for other host cities.
📣 Announcements
A few recent announcements and updates were shared:
WordCamp India 2027: What’s Next? by Karen Arnold. WordCamp India will become the fourth flagship WordCamp, joining WordCamp Europe, WordCamp US, and WordCamp Asia. Host city applications are open, with a deadline at the end of June 2026.
Introducing the WordPress Facilitator Training Program by Destiny Kanno. This new program is aimed at equipping WordPress community members with the skills to lead sessions, workshops, and discussions more effectively.
These were the main questions and topics that sparked conversation.
Could we create a regular space for organizers to share experiences?
@unintended8 raised a useful open floor question after having a couple of calls with event organizers where people shared tips, experiments, lessons learned, and things that worked or did not work at past events. The conversations were valuable, but they happened by chance. So the question was: how could we create a regular space to share these conversations?
Several ideas came up. @mosescursor suggested adding a session into the SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/ meeting or introducing themes for Community Team meetings. @mohkatz suggested something like monthly community organizers office hoursOffice HoursDefined times when the Global Community Team are in the #community-events Slack channel. If there is anything you would like to discuss – you do not need to inform them in advance.You are very welcome to drop into any of the Community Team Slack channels at any time., with both live Zoom or Google Meet sessions and async Slack participation for those unable to attend live. @aquila20 and @yoga1103 agreed with the idea.
There was also discussion about where this should live. @unintended8 suggested that #community-events is probably the natural home, but conversations can easily get buried there. A possible combination emerged: a live call where organizers can speak freely, paired with a recap on Make Community or a pinned shared board/document to collect broader lessons and ideas.
@harmonyromo suggested creating some kind of board or document that could be pinned to the channel so ideas stay collected and easier to revisit.
The question isn’t fully resolved. What do you think? Leave a comment below.
How can we better support mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. and program supporterProgram SupporterCommunity Program Supporters (formerly Deputies) are a team of people worldwide who review WordCamp and Meetup applications, interview lead organizers, and keep things moving at WordCamp Central. Find more about program supporters in our Program Supporter Handbook. pipelines?
@adityakane raised another important point: there are quite a few people in the pipeline for mentoring events or becoming program supporters, and this may need more eyes and hands to help move things along.
@unintended8 suggested getting this sorted out by the end of the following week.
📌 Open posts for discussion: Your input matters
Check out these new and ongoing discussions needing review, feedback, thoughts, and comments.
Peer Review Needed: Hands-On WordPress Meetup Activity Library by Destiny Kanno. Meetup organizers consistently hear that attendees want to do things with WordPress, not just watch presentations, but building a structured 30–60 minute hands-on activity from scratch is a real barrier. This post proposes a shared activity library and is asking for community peer review before moving forward. If you organize meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook., this one is especially worth your time.
Community Summit alongside a flagship event for 2027 or 2028 by Patricia Brun. A proposal to explore whether the next Community Summit could be located with a flagship WordCamp event in 2027 or 2028. The post outlines the rationale, potential formats, and invites community input. Worth reading to understand where this conversation stands.
Request for Feedback: Guide to Speaking at Meetups and WordCamps about the Core AI Projects by Jonathan Bossenger. The AI team is seeking community input on a guide designed to help contributors speak about WordPress’s coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. AI efforts at local events. Your feedback, especially from organizers and frequent speakers, is welcome.
🎤 Open floor
The open floor also included a call for volunteers to facilitate future meetings. @mohkatz offered to help facilitate a future meeting after being encouraged by @mosescursor and @nazmul111. Thank you!
There was also a nice side conversation around a possible Lugano meetup. @Rashunda shared interest in gathering WordPress users in the Swiss Italian area, possibly leading to a future WordCamp Lugano. @patricia70 offered to help connect with previous co-organizers and pointed to the WordCamp Switzerland 2026 call for organizers, where Italian-speaking organizers would be especially welcome.
💬 Join the conversation
If any of these topics sparked a thought, especially the 12-hour open meeting format, a regular space for organizer knowledge-sharing, or the mentoring and program supporter pipeline, drop a comment below. These conversations are better with more voices.
🙋 Call for meeting facilitators
Community Team monthly meetings can be facilitated by any team member. It’s a great way to engage with the broader community. If you’re interested in hosting a future meeting, reach out to one of the Team Reps: @adityakane, @thehopemonger, @unintended8, or @webtechpooja.
⏰ Next Meetings
Community Team meetings are held on the first Thursday of every month, with one or two sessions to accommodate different time zones, in the #community-team channel on Slack.
Our next meeting(s) will be held on Thursday, June 4, 2026:
Keep an eye on Make/Community for the next agenda, and we hope to see you there!
This post shares the experience ofJos Velasco, a first-time mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. in theWordPress Credits program, and what his cohort revealed about how mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. and students navigate their first open-source contribution together. As the program grows, stories like this help us refine how we onboard, scope projects, and connect students to the wider community.
The WordPress Credits program pairs students with community contributors who guide them through their first open-source contribution. The framework is simple on paper: a mentor, a student, an immediate contribution opportunity, and a finish line. In practice, every cohort surfaces something new about what makes the program work.
This is a look at one mentor’s first cohort: three students, three different paths, and a few takeaways that other current and future mentors will recognize.
The cohort
Jos took on three mentees, all new to open-source contribution. Before choosing a contribution path, students complete an onboarding phase on Learn WordPress, with curated lessons, Playground sandboxes, and quizzes.
That onboarding phase is solid, but it can take longer than expected, both for students and for mentors. There’s a lot of material, and the schedule needs to flex around real lives. The trickiest part isn’t the curriculum: it’s the balance every mentor has to strike between enabling students’ potential and not doing the work for them. Open sourceOpen SourceOpen Source denotes software for which the original source code is made freely available and may be redistributed and modified. Open Source **must be** delivered via a licensing model, see GPL. isn’t an obligation. Part of mentoring is helping students want to contribute, by showing them why it matters and what they get out of it, rather than pushing them through a checklist.
Each of the three students landed in a different place.
Gabi: Photos as a creative outlet
Gabi Hawkins works as an IT technician moving toward web development. She chose Photos, which wasn’t directly tied to her career path but suited who she is: a visual person drawn to front-end work. Her submissions reflect that, a Japanese pagoda lit at night, jellyfish in deep blue water, koi beside a rock-lined path. Not test shots. Photos from someone with an eye.
A small, instructive snag: Gabi met her project requirements on time, but her certificate was delayed because she filled out the feedback form using a different email than the one on her WP Credits profile. The course system didn’t detect her completion. A small reminder for mentors and students alike to double-check that emails match across systems, especially when graduation is on the line.
T’Kai Monet is a full-time student and a full-time mom of a newborn. Her schedule was, predictably, unpredictable. She originally chose Themes and switched to Photos when time was tight, a smart pivot. What stood out wasn’t her output, though, but how she participated.
She attended a WordPress meetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. at 2:30 a.m., not because she couldn’t sleep, but because she was already up with the baby and decided to make the most of it. She wrote about it as if it were the most reasonable thing in the world. And in a global, async community, it kind of is.
This is one of the most important things any new contributor can internalize: the conversation will happen across time zones, and showing up in the rhythm that works for you is showing up.
Noah: Finding a meaningful path, not just a completable one
Noah Mobes spent real time early on looking for a path that felt meaningful, rather than the easiest one to finish. After working on Good First Bugs for CoreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress., he landed on WordPress Playground blueprints, small files that spin up pre-configured WordPress environments instantly, with no hosting required.
He created blueprints for Hello Dolly and Disable Comments, opened pull requests in the official GitHubGitHubGitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged by the repository owner. https://github.com/ repository, and reached out to the pluginPluginA plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. authors. The PRs weren’t merged before the program closed, but he documented his process and delivered a wrap-up presentation on WordPress.tv. His own framing: “this is certainly not the end for me in the WP ecosystem.” That attitude, and the documentation trail he left, is exactly what sustainable contribution looks like.
This plugin continues to be an inspiration for where to start extending WordPress
The moment that mattered most: reaching out directly
While T’Kai was submitting photos, several weren’t getting approved. The Photo Directory has real standards around quality and description, and queues get long when many students are finishing at the same time or when big events collide.
Sharing links and documentation didn’t move things. What did was going to the Photos Team page, finding the most active moderators listed there, and reaching out directly.
That message reached Michelle Frechette, who has contributed over 360 photos to the directory and has been part of this community for years. She responded immediately, explained exactly why the submissions weren’t passing, and offered to review T’Kai’s photos before she sent more.
That single conversation did what weeks of links hadn’t.
This is the lesson worth leading with for every new contributor: the WordPress community has no boundaries. People will help if you reach out to them. Not eventually, not after a queue, not via a form. Directly, by name, in the open.
What we’d change: scope projects around what teams actually need
The “30 photos to the Photo Directory” framing comes from how WP Credits structures its immediate contribution opportunities: each participating team defines a minimum deliverable that signals the student has made a meaningful, complete contribution, 30 CC0-licensed photos for the Photo Directory, a theme review for the Themes team, a Good First Bug worked on during a Bug Scrub for Core, and so on. That baseline matters. It gives students something concrete to aim at, gives mentors a way to measure progress, and gives each contributing team a consistent definition of “enough.” So this isn’t a critique of using a number as a goal.
But going through the cohort surfaced a hunch worth sharing. From experience organizing meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. in the LATAM community and producing video, it often feels like organizers are short on the kind of CC0 imagery they need: photos for event pages, social posts, recap posts, banners. So one alternative framing for the photo path could be: contribute photos that WordPress meetup organizers can actually use. That’s not a researched conclusion, just a sense from being on the organizer side of things.
What’s more interesting is where that hunch points. In a recent conversation, Isotta floated a bigger idea worth surfacing here: what if we asked the Photo Team, and other contributing teams, what kinds of contributions they actually need right now, and turned those into specific tasks for students?
That’s a meaningful shift. Instead of each team defining a generic minimum (any 30 photos, any theme review, any Good First Bug), teams could periodically share a short list of what would be most useful at a given moment, photos of specific subjects, theme reviews in a particular categoryCategoryThe 'category' taxonomy lets you group posts / content together that share a common bond. Categories are pre-defined and broad ranging., bugs in a specific component. Mentors and students could then choose from that list, knowing the work has a clear downstream use.
The finish line stays. The direction sharpens. And students learn the most important habit in open source: thinking about who will use your contribution before you make it.
This is a conversation worth opening up to the wider team. If you’re a contributing team repTeam RepA Team Rep is a person who represents the Make WordPress team to the rest of the project, make sure issues are raised and addressed as needed, and coordinates cross-team efforts. and have thoughts on what your team would surface as “high-impact tasks for students right now,” the comments below are a good place to start.
Takeaways for current and future mentors
A few things worth carrying into your own cohort:
Lead with the community early. Don’t wait until something gets stuck to point students toward direct outreach in SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/, on Make blogs, and on team pages. The lesson “you can just ask someone” lands better when it’s framed as a first move, not a rescue.
Talk to the team your student is contributing to. Beyond the minimum deliverable, ask the contributing team what would be most useful right now. A short conversation at the start can turn a generic quota into a project with a clear downstream use, and gives the student a real audience to design for.
Respect async as the default. Your students may show up at 2:30 a.m. their time, on a Saturday, between feedings, between shifts. That counts. Build your check-ins to accommodate it.
Help students find meaning, not just completion. The most durable contributions come from students who chose a path because it mattered to them. Give them room to explore early, even if it costs a week.
Sweat the small operational details. Email mismatches, profile inconsistencies, missing form fields, these can hold up certificates and graduation. Catch them at the start.
Document the wrap-up. A blog post, a WordPress.tv presentation, a profile update — documenting the journey turns one student’s experience into a resource the next cohort can learn from. Noah’s wrap-up is a good example of what this can look like.
And of course, thanks to Gabi, T’Kai, and Noah for trusting the program with their first open-source contribution, and for letting their experience help shape what comes next.
Are you mentoring, or thinking about it?
If you’re a current WP Credits mentor with stories of your own, what worked, what you’d change, what surprised you, drop a comment below. The more cohorts we document, the better the program gets for everyone.
If you’re considering becoming a mentor, the Mentor Guide is the right place to start. The interest in this role continues to grow, and that’s a good sign of where WordPress is headed.
Welcome to the Monthly Education Buzz Report, your go-to source for highlights and updates on the WordPress Campus Connect, WordPress Credits, and WordPress Student Club education initiatives within the WordPress community. This report aims to celebrate, promote, and inform individuals across the WordPress community and beyond about the diverse educational endeavors underway.
WordPress Campus Connect
WordPress Campus Connect (WPCC) continued its global expansion in April, with completed events across Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America. The program’s cumulative numbers now stand at 5,586 attendees across 71 participating institutions, with 22 events completed in 2026 alone and 42 completed all time.
Completed Events
WPCC Rajshahi, Bangladesh — North Bengal International University (March 26)
WordPress Campus Connect Rajshahi held an event at North Bengal International University with around 80 attendees. The session covered an introduction to WordPress, career opportunities in the WordPress ecosystem, and how AI features can be implemented within WordPress. Organizer Nazmul Hosen reported that the participants were enthusiastic, curious, and highly interactive throughout the program, and thanked the university for their warm support and hospitality.
WPCC Ekuitas University, Bandung, Indonesia (April 9)
Ekuitas University hosted a WordPress Campus Connect event focused on “Native WordPress” using Full Site Editing and helping students take their first steps into the WordPress ecosystem. Organizer Rahmat Gumilar thanked mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.@devinmaeztri (Devin Maeztri), along with @piyopiyofox (Destiny Kanno) and @devmuhib (Muhibul Haque) from the WPCC team, and @debciriaco (Debora Ciriaco) for the design inspiration behind the event website. The team is now moving toward establishing a WordPress Student Club at Ekuitas and plans to share their experience with the Indonesia Career Center Network (ICCN) to help scale Campus Connect’s impact across the country. Full recap and gallery.
WPCC Masaka, Uganda (April 11)
WPCC Masaka brought 100+ students together to build their first WordPress websites. @ssebuwufumoses (Ssebuwufu Moses) shared a recap describing how students went “from Notepad to WordPress” in a single day. Read the full recap.
WPCC University of Pula, Croatia (April 15) — First WPCC in Croatia
The Faculty of Informatics at the University of Pula hosted the first-ever WordPress Campus Connect event in Croatia. Melita Poropat reported a day filled with practical learning and conversations spanning accessibilityAccessibilityAccessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility), performance, AI, content, and the real process behind WordPress projects. Many students expressed interest in going deeper into WordPress design, development, and hands-on project work. The organizing team is already looking ahead to more workshops and opportunities for students to explore the WordPress ecosystem.
WPCC Pundra University of Science & Technology, Bogura, Bangladesh (April 20)
WordPress Campus Connect came to Pundra University of Science & Technology with 70 attendees. The event introduced students to the WordPress ecosystem, career opportunities, and the importance of community involvement. Students created WordPress accounts, joined a live workshop, and gained hands-on experience with basic website creation. Organizer @noruzzaman thanked the CSE Department, and recognized @devmuhib (Muhibul Haque) for supporting the event as a mentor, and @clk87 and Maruti for their guidance and encouragement.
WPCC Kakumiro 2026, Uganda (April 25)
WordPress Campus Connect Kakumiro took place at St. Edwards SS Bukuumi, bringing WordPress learning to students in the Kakumiro district. This event continues the strong presence of Campus Connect across Uganda, where the program has now held events in Jinja, Lira, Kaliro, Masaka, and Kakumiro.
WPCC Ekuitas UniversityWPCC Ekuitas UniversityWPCC Pundra University of Science & TechnologyWPCC Pundra University of Science & TechnologyWPCC Faculty of InformaticsWPCC RajshahiNorth Bengal International UniversityWPCC RajshahiNorth Bengal International University
The WordPress Credits program continued its strong growth trajectory in April, with new institutions, more graduates, and increased student activity.
Program Numbers
70 active mentorsEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues. (up from 66 in March)
306 students currently active in the program (up from 292)
66 graduates to date
21 partner institutions across five regions
New Partner Institutions
Three new institutions joined the program in April, bringing the total to 21:
E-zone School of Computing (Uganda) — the first WordPress Credits institution in Africa, connected through @stephendumba and @mosescursor (Moses)
D Y Patil Agriculture and Technical University (Talsande, Kolhapur, India) — signed during WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Asia, facilitated by @webtechpooja (Pooja Derashri) and @anandau14 (Anand Upadhyay)
One additional institution in the pipeline
The addition of E-zone School of Computing is a milestone: it marks the first WordPress Credits partner institution on the African continent, adding a fifth geographic region to the program alongside Asia, Europe, North America, and South America.
Institutional Highlights
Universidad Fidélitas (San José, Costa Rica) is finishing its first cohort of WordPress Credits. @roblesloaiza (Rita Robles Loaiza) shared that their second cohort will begin on May 11, making Fidélitas one of the first institutions to complete a full program cycle and begin a second round.
Riga Nordic University (Riga, Latvia) announced that the university will participate in WordCamp Europe 2026 in Krakow, bringing WordPress Credits students and faculty into a flagship community event.
Several WordPress Credits-related meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and events took place or were announced in April:
WordPress Student Clubs got a significant spotlight in April with a feature article on WordPress.orgWordPress.orgThe community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org//news: WordPress Student Clubs Build Momentum, written by @webtechpooja (Pooja Derashri), an @bjmcsherry (Brett McSherry). The post documented how clubs are evolving from a follow-up to Campus Connect into a durable model for ongoing, student-led learning and community participation on campus.
The article described how organizers are finding success through small, repeatable activities rather than large events: regular learning sessions, peer-to-peer discussions, and small workshops that feel welcoming to beginners. Mentorship from local WordPress community members is helping students think through session structure and stay motivated. One organizer shared:
“Being a Student Club Organizer helped me improve my leadership and communication skills.” — Sanjeevni Kumari, WordPress Student Club Organizer, Mahila Engineering College, Ajmer
A notable example came from the International Women’s Day celebration in Ajmer, India, where around 50% of the 100 female attendees came from student clubs. For many, it was their first time participating in a broader community event.
Club Activity: ACERC Ajmer
On April 6, the WordPress Student Club at Aryabhatta College of Engineering & Research Center (ACERC) in Ajmer organized an interactive session for first-year students. Led by Vishal Israni and Vikas Kumar, the workshop featured a live demonstration of setting up WordPress on a localhost, an introduction to themes and plugins, and hands-on exposure to tools like Elementor and Fluent Forms. Students showed strong enthusiasm and curiosity throughout the session, actively engaging and asking insightful questions.
Clubs Forming From Campus Connect
The pattern of Campus Connect events seeding new student clubs continues. At Ekuitas University in Indonesia, the organizing team is now working to establish a WordPress Student Club following their April 9 Campus Connect event. In Croatia, the University of Pula team reported that students are already expressing interest in going deeper with WordPress beyond the initial event.
As @anandau14 (Anand Upadhyay) noted in the WordPress.org/news article: “With regular on-campus activities through WordPress Student Clubs, the real impact may become visible over the next couple of years, as a stronger WordPress ecosystem begins to take shape within campuses.”
An Education table at Contributor Day was led by @hiabhaykulkarni (Abhay Kulkarni), and @gomp (Maciej Pilarski). The table welcomed students, educators, and community members who worked on documentation improvements, shared campus experiences, and brainstormed ideas for growing WordPress in academic communities. At the Community Booth, multiple visitors asked about Campus Connect and WordPress Credits, leading to follow-up conversations on Slack.
A panel on WordPress education initiatives brought together Campus Connect co-founder Anand Upadhyay, WordPress Credits admin Maciej Pilarski, and Raitis Sevelis (Head of Product at WPBakery and lecturer at Riga Nordic University). In the closing keynote, WordPress Executive Director Mary Hubbard described education as the project’s most important growth lever.
WordPress Facilitator Training Program Launched
The WordPress Facilitator Training Program was announced in April by @piyopiyofox (Destiny Kanno). This free, open, community-powered program equips anyone who knows WordPress to teach it to others. There’s no application process, no prerequisite credential, and no gatekeeping.
The response was enthusiastic. Rico F. Lüthi, a WordPress trainer, commented: “A structured program that supports exactly that is something I have been missing.”
AI-Powered Tools for Creating Learning Materials
As part of the Facilitator Training Program, a set of AI-powered tools for creating WordPress learning materials was published in the Learn WordPress GitHub repository. These include structured prompts (usable in any AI platform) and a Claude pluginPluginA plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. designed to help contributors co-write course content, create facilitation guides, and build facilitator slides in a standardized, WordPress-aligned way.
On April 30, Destiny Kanno led an online workshop walking contributors through the tools in action. The workshop recording is available on WordPress.tv.
WordPress Academy for Young People in Kraków
On April 20, over 60 high school students from Kraków took part in the WordPress Academy, a pilot initiative organized by the WordCamp Europe Local Team in collaboration with Klaster Zabłocie. Led by @sebastianm (Sebastian Miśniakiewicz), the five-hour event featured sessions on getting started with WordPress, SEO and accessibility, AI in WordPress, and a live-coding demo.
Students are now working on at least seven WordPress projects, from a new school website to a cookbook and a flashcard app. The organizers have encouraged students to present their projects at WordCamp Europe 2026 in Kraków this June, where @nataliabasiura (Natalia Basiura) will speak on the Rethinking Learning in WordPress education panel. WordCamp Europe 2026 will also feature an Education Table during Contributor Day and a dedicated Education track on June 6.
The WordPress Campus Connect (WPCC) program has been growing steadily, with around 3 to 4 applications coming in each week, and the time it takes to move an application from “submitted” to “you’re approved, here’s your event site” has stretched to days, sometimes longer. Most of that wait isn’t the decision itself, it’s the manual steps around the decision: vetting against the checklist, writing the notes into the tracker, triggering the email, creating the site. @_dorsvenabili and I are working on cutting that wait by automating the parts that don’t need a human touch.
Here’s what we’re building, and why each piece matters. We hope to be able to achieve all our dreams listed below.
Automated first pass on the vetting. Today every application is read by a program supporterProgram SupporterCommunity Program Supporters (formerly Deputies) are a team of people worldwide who review WordCamp and Meetup applications, interview lead organizers, and keep things moving at WordCamp Central. Find more about program supporters in our Program Supporter Handbook. who walks through the criteria and writes notes into the tracker. The criteria are documented well enough that an agent can do most of that first pass, and a vetter can pick up from there. The agent (already built by @piyopiyofox and being tested by @clk87) will run hourly, leave its notes in the existing “Add Private Note” field, and move the application to a new “Needs Action” status so the right person knows it’s ready for human review.
A simpler status list for Campus Connect. WPCC currently uses the full WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. status list, which has eighteen statuses, most of which don’t apply to a campus event. We’re trimming the Campus Connect list to eight statuses that match the actual lifecycle: Needs Vetting, Needs Action, Needs More Info, Approved For Pre-Planning, Declined, Canceled, WordCamp Scheduled, WordCamp Closed.
Automatic actions when an application is approved. When a program supporter moves an application to “Approved For Pre-Planning,” a follow-up organizer email goes out with instructions on how to proceed, the site is created and its url shared with the organizer, an admin notice appears on the post, and an audit log entry lands in the private notes field. Today those are four separate manual steps that happen in different windows.
A small change to the application form. Applicants will need to read and check a box acknowledging the WPCC organizer agreement before submitting, should their application be approved. Checking the box is treated as equivalent to signing the agreement.
The technical breakdown lives in the tracking issue we filed: WordPress/wordcamp.org#1714. It covers the six steps we’ll land in order, the dependencies between them, and the open items where we still need final copy.
We’ll post follow-ups here as the project progresses and as we learn from the first batch of applications that go through the new flow. If you’ve vetted WPCC applications recently, or if you’re a Campus Connect organizer who’s been on the receiving end of the wait, your feedback would help us a lot. Please drop questions, concerns, or ideas in the GitHubGitHubGitHub is a website that offers online implementation of git repositories that can easily be shared, copied and modified by other developers. Public repositories are free to host, private repositories require a paid subscription. GitHub introduced the concept of the ‘pull request’ where code changes done in branches by contributors can be reviewed and discussed before being merged by the repository owner. https://github.com/ issue or in the comments below.
The Community Team chat takes place the first Thursday of every month in the #community-team channel on SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/.
This meeting is meant for all contributors on the team and everyone who is interested in taking part in some of the things our team does. Feel free to join us, even if you are not currently active in the team!
We’re trying something new this month. Instead of two separate sessions, we’re running a single open meeting starting at Thursday, 7th May 2026 at 12:00 PM UTC and staying open for 12 hours. Drop in whenever works for you, leave your check-in and thoughts on any of the topics below, and carry on with your day. There’s no fixed end time, just show up when you can.
If you wish to add points to discuss, comment on this post or reach out to one of the team reps: @adityakane, @thehopemonger, @unintended8, @webtechpooja. It does not need to be a blog post yet, the topic can be discussed during the meeting.
⚡️ Check-ins: Program and event supporters / Contributors
What have you been doing and how is it going?
What did you accomplish after the last meeting?
Are there any blockers?
Can other team members help you in some way?
🚀 Highlights to note
Here are a few things everyone should be aware of.
Meetup Formats That Work: How WordPress Nairobi Turned a Meetup into a Hands-On Workshopby Juan Hernando. A practical case study, with props to Jesse Mwangi for sharing his experience, on how the Nairobi community reimagined the standard meetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. format to increase engagement and hands-on learning. Worth a read for any organizer looking to shake things up.
WordPress Academy for Young People in Krakówby Sebastian Misniakiewicz. A look at bringing WordPress education to young and beginner audiences in Kraków, ahead of WordCamp Europe 2026. A strong example of community-driven outreach and a model worth considering for other host cities.
📢 Announcements
WordCamp India 2027: What’s Next?by Karen Arnold. WordCamp India will become the fourth flagship WordCamp, joining WordCamp Europe, WordCamp US, and WordCamp Asia. This post outlines the timeline for host city applications (open now, deadline end of June 2026) and what comes next.
Introducing the WordPress Facilitator Training Programby Destiny Kanno. A new program aimed at equipping WordPress community members with the skills to lead sessions, workshops, and discussions more effectively. The post outlines the goals, format, and how to get involved.
🎉 Announcing our 2026 Global Partners + Welcoming Bluehost as a 2026 Global Partnerby Harmony Romo, this post announces the 2026 Global Partners lineup: Automattic (Jetpack + WordPress.comWordPress.comAn online implementation of WordPress code that lets you immediately access a new WordPress environment to publish your content. WordPress.com is a private company owned by Automattic that hosts the largest multisite in the world. This is arguably the best place to start blogging if you have never touched WordPress before. https://wordpress.com/) and Hostinger as Global Leaders, Woo as Regional Powerhouse — and Bluehost joining shortly after as another Global Leader. These partnerships help sustain WordPress community events worldwide.
📝 Open posts
Check out these new and ongoing discussions needing review, feedback, thoughts, and comments.
Peer Review Needed: Hands-On WordPress Meetup Activity Libraryby Destiny Kanno. Meetup organizers consistently hear that attendees want to do things with WordPress, not just watch presentations, but building a structured 30–60 minute hands-on activity from scratch is a real barrier. This post proposes a shared activity library and is asking for community peer review before moving forward. If you organize meetupsMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook., this one is especially worth your time.
Community Summit alongside a flagship event for 2027 or 2028by Patricia Brun. A proposal to explore whether the next Community Summit could be located with a flagship WordCamp event in 2027 or 2028. The post outlines the rationale, potential formats, and invites community input — with a deadline for comments that has now passed. Worth reading to understand where this conversation stands.
Request for Feedback: Guide to Speaking at Meetups and WordCamps about the Core AI Projectsby Jonathan Bossenger. The AI team is seeking community input on a guide designed to help contributors speak about WordPress’s coreCoreCore is the set of software required to run WordPress. The Core Development Team builds WordPress. AI efforts at local events. Your feedback (especially from organizers and frequent speakers) is welcome.
🎤 Open floor
This is your chance to discuss things that weren’t on the meeting agenda.
We invite you to use this opportunity to share anything you want with the team. If you have a topic you’d like to discuss, add it to the comments of this post and we’ll try to update the agenda accordingly.
Hope to see you on Thursday, drop in anytime between 12:00 UTC and midnight UTC!
MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. organizers keep telling me the same thing: attendees want to work directly with WordPress when the come together, not just watch a presentation. The blocker to delivering on hand-on activities is time; building a structured 30–60 minute activity from scratch, with facilitator notes and slides, is work most organizers don’t have spare. I experienced this myself most recently when building a deck and activity for my first in-person meetup in Tokyo.
To solve for this, I’m building a free library to close that gap.
Each “library kit” will include a facilitation guide and presentation so any facilitator can pick up a topic and run it. The goal is at least 10 peer-reviewed kits, plus an AI prompt set that helps organizers build their own. I’m targeting completion by end of May.
Topics on the list so far:
Developer
PluginPluginA plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. and theme development
Creating custom GutenbergGutenbergThe Gutenberg project is the new Editor Interface for WordPress. The editor improves the process and experience of creating new content, making writing rich content much simpler. It uses ‘blocks’ to add richness rather than shortcodes, custom HTML etc.
https://wordpress.org/gutenberg/ blocks
Building blockBlockBlock is the abstract term used to describe units of markup that, composed together, form the content or layout of a webpage using the WordPress editor. The idea combines concepts of what in the past may have achieved with shortcodes, custom HTML, and embed discovery into a single consistent API and user experience. themes (also: Designer)
WordPress performance optimization
Security audits
Debugging common WordPress issues
Contributor onboarding
User
SEO tools and configuration
WordPress security
WooCommerce basics / eCommerce
WordPress Playground
AI
Content creation
Designer
FSE / Full Site Editing
Building block themes (also: Developer)
AccessibilityAccessibilityAccessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility) testing (also: Developer)
At WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Asia 2026, the WordPress community received exciting news: WordCamp India will become the fourth flagship WordCamp, joining WordCamp Europe, WordCamp US, and WordCamp Asia.
This is a significant milestone. India has one of the largest and fastest-growing WordPress communities in the world, and a dedicated flagship event reflects that reality. A flagship in India will support the continued growth of the WordPress community in India, improve accessibilityAccessibilityAccessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility) and participation for people who may not be able to attend other flagship events, and broaden ecosystem impact.
What’s Next
There are no pre-selected host cities, no appointed leads, and no locked-in dates. The where, who, and when are all open — and we want the community to shape those decisions together. Once we have the host city, we’ll open a call for organizers and begin to build the team.
How This Will Work
The Community team is opening an application process for communities interested in hosting WordCamp India 2027. We want this to be a collaborative process to find the right fit for a flagship-scale event.
Submit a host city application
A flagship WordCamp is a large-scale, multi-day event. Host city applications should address:
* Venue capacity: Space for 2,000+ attendees across multiple tracks.
* Event infrastructure: Sponsor/exhibition halls, networking areas, Contributor DayContributor DayContributor Days are standalone days, frequently held before or after WordCamps but they can also happen at any time. They are events where people get together to work on various areas of https://make.wordpress.org/ There are many teams that people can participate in, each with a different focus. https://2017.us.wordcamp.org/contributor-day/https://make.wordpress.org/support/handbook/getting-started/getting-started-at-a-contributor-day/ space. Applicants should consider venues connected to hotels if possible.
* Connectivity: Reliable internet and AV infrastructure for livestreaming.
* Accessibility: International travel access (airport, visa logistics), local transportation, accommodation options at various price points.
* Local community strength: An active WordPress community with organizing experience.
* Cost Estimates: While we do not require a full working budget prepared, it would be useful to get quotes from venues and catering and internet for a ball park estimate to begin with. If you need assistance with this, please reach out to #community-events.
This is just the starting criteria for a conversation, so if your city has strong community energy but needs support on logistics, that’s worth discussing.
We now have a WordPress Central Events team which supports local organizers by focusing on facilitating the most complex and demanding aspects of event organization, such as logistics, A/V, and related operations. With this support, events can remain community-driven while also professionalizing key areas of execution.
Timeline
* Applications open: Now
* Application deadline: End of June 2026
* Review by Community team managers: Mid July 2026
* Host city announcement: Beginning of August 2026
* WordCamp India 2027: TBD but the target window would be October–December 2027.
This timeline gives organizers adequate preparation time and avoids overlap with other flagship events.
What Happens Next
* Receive community interest to be the host city.
* Review applications with input from the broader community.
* Work collaboratively with applicant cities to assess fit.
* Announce the host city and open call for organizers.
* Select leads in partnership with the host community.
Get Involved
Whether you’re interested in hosting, organizing, volunteering, speaking, or sponsoring — your input matters now.
Want to apply?Submit a host city application. Have questions or ideas? Please comment here! Want to help shape the process? Comment on this post.
On April 20th, over 60 students from Kraków high schools – VIII LO and XVIII LO – took part in the WordPress Academy.
This pilot project of the Polish WordPress community, carried out in collaboration with Klaster Zabłocie, aimed to introduce young people who had created projects (websites) at school to the WordPress environment and answer their questions.
The event was organized by members of the WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Europe Local Team – Sebastian Miśniakiewicz (Local Team Lead), Katarzyna Krówka (Local Team), Magdalena Ślęzak (Local Team), Dawid Urbański (Local Team), and Krzysztof Radzikowski (Communication, PR & Marketing Team), who introduced the students to the WordPress ecosystem and its community.
Katarzyna Krówka showed how to get started with WordPress and how to configure it properly.
Magda Ślęzak covered SEO and accessibilityAccessibilityAccessibility (commonly shortened to a11y) refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers). (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility). She showed what to do to make the students’ projects visible in search engines and LLMs, and how to make website content accessible to every user.
Krzysztof Radzikowski then focused on the hugely popular topic of AI and how to use it when working with WordPress, highlighting things like native AI integration in WordPress.
Dawid Urbański demonstrated – through a live coding session – that WordPress development is possible using AI, meaning WordPress can be used not just for building websites but also for other things, like creating custom blocks or… building a game.
Finally, Sebastian Miśniakiewicz, the event organizer, encouraged the students to visit WordCamp Europe and present the results of their work.
And there will be plenty to present. The students are working on at least 7 projects/websites:
A new school website to replace the current one
A thematically related site about the school’s patron, Stanisław Wyspiański
Board game and video game enthusiasts are preparing their project
Mythology fans are finishing work on their website
Because WordPress isn’t just a content CMS, another team is developing a flashcard app to make learning easier
Those who want to visit Kraków again after WordCamp Europe will be able to use a website dedicated to local events (concerts, fairs)
And since life isn’t just about education or sightseeing but also… the necessity of eating, sweet-toothed visitors will find a cookbook waiting for them!
The whole event lasted over 5 hours. There was no shortage of questions and consultations, which the students will use to finalize their projects. And during the break, delicious pizza – for which we thank Kraków Miasto Startupów.
We hope this won’t be a one-off initiative, and that we’ll meet again in Kraków soon to talk about WordPress with young people who, as we can see, know exactly how to use it to pursue their passions.
WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Asia 2026 in Mumbai brought together contributors, organizers, and volunteers from across the region, and the Community Team created a space for onboarding, consultation, and program outreach.
Team Leads and Supports
The Community Team table was led by @devinmaeztri and @_dorsvenabili, with support from @khleomix, @mosescursor, @nukaga and @webtechpooja. Thank you for your contribution! 🧡
We facilitated discussions, guided new contributors, and helped community members connect with the right pathways for involvement.
Activities
Introduced the WordPress MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. program and WordCamp/WordPress event, helping attendees understand how to start or grow local groups and events.
Reviewed Meetup and WordCamp applications, offering feedback and guidance to organizers at different stages of their planning.
Provided WordPress Event and Program SupporterProgram SupporterCommunity Program Supporters (formerly Deputies) are a team of people worldwide who review WordCamp and Meetup applications, interview lead organizers, and keep things moving at WordCamp Central. Find more about program supporters in our Program Supporter Handbook. consultations, clarifying how Supporters can collaborate under the official WordPress programs and create impactful contributions.
Conducted Meetup orientations for groups from Hyderabad, Vadodara, and Seoni, aligning them with the current guidelines and available resources.
Held WordCamp orientations for organizers from Mumbai and Kathmandu, supporting their upcoming events and helping them prepare for applications and logistics.
Introduced the Global Sponsors Program, sharing organizations can support WordPress events and communities at scale.
Community Interests
Throughout the day, individuals and businesses visited the table to ask how they could contribute to the Community Team.
We encouraged them to reach out to the local WordPress Meetup groups and connect them with relevant community leaders.
Approximately 40 people joined the Community Team Table, and 10 new Contributors were onboarded.
A huge thank you to everyone who stopped by the Community Team table, shared their stories, asked questions, and offered their time and energy to the WordPress community! 🎉 Your enthusiasm, curiosity, and willingness to contribute are what keep our global ecosystem vibrant and growing.
We ran a Community Booth at WordCampWordCampWordCamps are casual, locally-organized conferences covering everything related to WordPress. They're one of the places where the WordPress community comes together to teach one another what they’ve learned throughout the year and share the joy. Learn more. Asia 2026, a staple at past flagship events that hadn’t been present at WCUSWCUSWordCamp US. The US flagship WordCamp event. 2025 or WCA 2026 until now. A huge thank you to everyone who showed up and staffed it: @gomp, @kel-dc, @karenalma, @clk87, @marutim, @sumitsingh, @raitissevelis, @chetan200891, @webtechpooja. 💙 Thank you as well to the WordCamp CentralWordCamp CentralWebsite for all WordCamp activities globally. https://central.wordcamp.org includes a list of upcoming and past camp with links to each. Events Team and WCA Organizing Team for helping make the booth an on-the-ground reality.
This post summarizes the team’s collective experience and feedback, with an eye toward making the booth stronger at upcoming flagships.
What Went Well
Despite setup and visibility challenges (more on those below), the booth delivered real moments of connection across every shift.
Contributor and program onboarding:
Kel brought contributors Sumit and Dilip to the booth during Maciej’s WordPress Credits slot. Sumit was already a mentorEvent SupporterEvent Supporter (formerly Mentor) is someone who has already organised a WordCamp and has time to meet with their assigned mentee every 2 weeks, they talk over where they should be in their timeline, help them to identify their issues, and also identify solutions for their issues.; Dilip signed up as a new one on the spot.
Sumit used his booth time to introduce several new folks to the Training Team and helped a contributor from the MiniOrange team get started with Polyglots support.
Kel also used her scheduled time to talk about the contributor dashboard and made several new contacts.
MeetupMeetupMeetup groups are locally-organized groups that get together for face-to-face events on a regular basis (commonly once a month). Learn more about Meetups in our Meetup Organizer Handbook. and community growth conversations:
Chetan had four visitors during his slot, each with distinct community-building questions: one wanted to start a meetup chapter in Tanzania, another in Indore, India, a third wanted to revive the inactive WordPress Delhi Meetup by becoming an organizer, and a fourth was looking for tips on sourcing speakers and venues (including free vs. paid options). All four walked away with guidance on starting chapters and applying as organizers.
Maruti spoke with a member from the Ahmedabad community about joining the WP Mentorship Program and is following up with them on next steps.
Maruti also had conversations with new attendees who weren’t familiar with what the community booth was — which turned into meaningful discussions about what the WordPress community is, how to contribute, and why staying engaged and attending more WordCamps matters.
Education and Campus Connect:
Raitis had two students come to the booth specifically to learn more about education initiatives — he guided them to the org site and pointed them toward the community panel.
Pooja connected with several attendees who showed genuine interest in Campus Connect and WordPress Credits, followed up with them on SlackSlackSlack is a Collaborative Group Chat Platform https://slack.com/. The WordPress community has its own Slack Channel at https://make.wordpress.org/chat/ afterward, and started ongoing conversations. 🌟
Cheyne had a hallway conversation with someone who wanted to run a WordPress Campus Connect event and lit up when they heard the program existed.
Handling community inquiries:
Cheyne helped an attendee check on their pending Meetup application (now vetted ✅), directed someone whose pluginPluginA plugin is a piece of software containing a group of functions that can be added to a WordPress website. They can extend functionality or add new features to your WordPress websites. WordPress plugins are written in the PHP programming language and integrate seamlessly with WordPress. These can be free in the WordPress.org Plugin Directory https://wordpress.org/plugins/ or can be cost-based plugin from a third-party. was flagged to the right Make WordPress Slack channel, and connected a sponsor-curious attendee to the global community sponsorship handbook.
The booth also served as a natural networking touchpoint, with LinkedIn connections made across multiple shifts and Automattic job inquiries fielded.
Challenges
Booth Setup and Physical Layout
The booth’s physical setup was a consistent limiting factor:
It was configured like a counter with a single chair, which is suitable for a sponsor’s quick pitch, but not for the open, two-way conversations the Community Booth is meant to host.
The booth was small and positioned at the end of a row, making it easy to miss and somewhat isolated from the flow of foot traffic. Maruti noted that being in a corner made it particularly hard for people to find.
A photo backdrop wall sat behind the booth, but unlike WCEUWCEUWordCamp Europe. The European flagship WordCamp event. 2025 Basel, where the Community Booth was centrally placed in the hall with a shared table, seating, and photo wall, WCA’s layout didn’t allow for the same open, integrated feel.
Showing content on a laptop from across the counter wasn’t practical; people ended up huddling on the booth side to see anything.
The booth appeared well-lit in photos but was noticeably darker in person.
Signage and Awareness
The booth was labeled simply “Community Booth”, but many attendees didn’t know what it meant or what they could get from stopping by.
There was no visible schedule or topic guide to help attendees know when to visit or what conversations were happening at any given time. Cheyne’s session focused on contributing to learn.wordpress.orgWordPress.orgThe community site where WordPress code is created and shared by the users. This is where you can download the source code for WordPress core, plugins and themes as well as the central location for community conversations and organization. https://wordpress.org/, but without signage, no one engaged with the topic at the booth.
A few visitors came by while strolling the venue out of curiosity, but without context to convert that interest into a real conversation.
Staffing Gaps
Not every hour in the booth schedule was filled, and the booth was unattended at times, including on the second day and during high-footfall periods like breaks and post-talk windows.
Several staffers reported little to no engagement during their shifts, in part due to low visibility.
Maruti noted that on at least one occasion, multiple attendees came by at the same time, making it difficult to manage conversations alone; this is a case for having more than one person present during peak hours.
No Swag or Materials
The booth had no physical materials, screens, or printed resources for people to browse or take away.
There was no WordPress swag or stickers, and this was felt. Raitis observed that people visibly showed disappointment when they saw an empty table, and that even basic items like Wapuu stickers or pins would have served as conversation starters and a reason to linger.
At WCEU 2025 Basel, the community booth had exclusive swag drawn from the general event swag budget, which created real incentive to visit. Remaining items were passed to local organizers afterward.
Karen noted that the Career Corner used framed info sheets with QR codes to good effect and a format worth replicating.
Recommendations for Future Booths
The consensus is clear: the Community Booth is absolutely worth continuing — it just needs better planning and a more intentional setup. Here’s what we’d like to see for future flagship WordCamps.
Redesign the physical space. Move away from a counter-style setup toward a table with seating on both sides, creating a space that invites conversation. Placement should be central and high-traffic, not at the end of a row or in a corner.
Ensure consistent, overlapping staffing. Keep someone at the booth at all times, especially during breaks and between talks. Karen’s suggestion: staff people in 2 to 3 hour stretches as a baseline, with topic-specific guests layered on for highlighted sessions. Maruti echoes this, recommending two or three people at the booth simultaneously to handle multiple conversations without leaving anyone unattended. Pooja also recommends implementing a volunteer shift system to ensure there’s always someone present to engage with attendees.
Add clear signage. Display a schedule of topics and who’s staffing the booth at each time slot (e.g., WordPress Credits, Campus Connect, Contributor Dashboard, Mentorship). Promote the schedule on social media and event signage in advance so attendees know when to come by.
Bring materials. Framed info sheets with QR codes pointing to key programs (Campus Connect, WordPress Credits, contributor pathways, etc.) would give people something to engage with even when booth staff are mid-conversation.
Bring swag. Even something small and exclusive to the booth drives foot traffic. Raitis suggests exploring a Wapuu sticker or pin exchange which is a simple, on-brand, and a natural conversation starter. Exclusive booth swag drawn from the general event budget has worked well before.
In conclusion
The Community Booth is a valuable community-building and direct-engagement tool; one that clearly resonates when the conditions are right. Nearly every staffer had at least one meaningful conversation: a new mentor signed up, a new Polyglots contributor onboarded, four meetup chapters set in motion, Campus Connect connections made.
With better visibility, consistent staffing, and a few engagement elements, this booth can be a genuine highlight of any WordPress event. Let’s make that happen. 👏 🙏
Get Involved
The plan is to continue Community Booth presence at future flagship events.
