1. What are the top three issues that you would want the Council to address were you to join the Council?
Here is top three issues that I want council to address.
(i) Simplified and transparent budget process: Many Reps are not happy with the existing budget approval process. I think we need to further discuss and find the ways for simplified and transparent budget process.
(ii) Periodic training for Reps: Mozilla Reps are the face of Mozilla in their region to empower and support volunteer Mozillians. Time to time we need to train and update them on various Mozilla projects and products. We should help and encourage them to improve their community building skills. We all should help and respect each other.
(iii) Bridging Council, Mentors and Reps: After having conversation with several Reps, I came to know that, many Reps feel themselves isolated in the community. We need to find ways to bridge council, mentors and reps in a better way in order to ensure engagement of more and more community members and to get better outcome of the Reps program.
2 . What is in your view the Mozilla Reps program’s biggest strength and weakness?
Biggest Strength
Mozilla Reps program’s biggest strength is such a big and organized community spread across the world. I found, Mozilla Reps is the most active FOSS community in the world, and this is because of awesome reps
Biggest Weakness
Mozilla Reps program’s biggest weakness is ‘huge communication gap’ between the council and Mentors/Reps due to the different language, timezone, geographic, culture etc.
3.Identify something that is currently not working well in the Mozilla Reps program and which you think could be easy to fix?
In my opinion, currently ‘Rep recognition’ system is not working well in Mozilla Reps Program.
Potential and deserving Reps/contributors are not getting proper recognition for their long time contributions. Because of this, few Reps/contributors are stepping back. There is need to identify such Reps/contributors, give them recognition and invite them to take active participation in growing
the program and the community.
4. What past achievement as a Rep or Mentor are you most proud of?
As a Rep, I am proud to help in building community in Allahabad, Durgapur, Dhanbad, Kolkata
etc. While helping and building community, I am proud to identify many faces who are now Mentor, Reps, Mozillaians and doing an outstanding contribution for the community. I am proud to get invite for Summit 2013, MozCamp Asia 2012, Mozilla India Community meetup, Mozilla India
Taskforce Meetup and many more.
As a Mentor, I am proud to identify and recruit awesome Reps who are now doing a great contribution for the community in their region as well as in their domain.
I always feel proud whenever I get chance to help not only my mentees but to any Rep or Mozillian. Again, I am proud to get intive for ReMo Camp Berlin, 2014.
5. What are the specific qualities and skills that you have that you think will help you be an effective Council member?
I am part of academic community for more than ten years. I have very vast experience of various
teaching/learning methodology/models. I am member of various committees in my profession. I do use and support FOSS system and I am very much into various FOSS communities. In addition to this, I am a community builder and a good listener too . These credentials and skills will help me to be an effective Council member.
6. As a Mentor, what do you do to try to encourage your inactive Mentees to be active again?
First of all, most of my mentees are super duper active since the time they have joined as Rep. But still 1 or 2 mentees are not that active as others. I use to ping them and try to understand the reasons behind their in-activeness. The best way is to stand and try to help them in their problems. I always encourage and motivate my mentees which creates inertia to activate them.