Re: Question to all: Outreach

[Ulrike Uhlig <ulrike@debian.org>]

Hi,

(I have no idea if I am allowed to reply to this, or if only DPL
candidates are supposed to reply. Hence forgive me if I'm overstepping a
boundary here. Please tell me if that is the case by the way.)

On 17.03.20 21:07, Hector Oron wrote:
> Missatge de Ulrike Uhlig <ulrike@debian.org> del dia dt., 17 de març
> 2020 a les 18:34:
> 
>>> Debian Outreach [...]
>>> thas been a quite expensive to run for the real
>>> benefit provided to Debian project.
>>
>> The questions you ask seem to rely on this observation of yours, that I
>> find a little bit overly suggestive:
>>
>> - How do you measure benefit? And what is real or unreal about it?
>> - And to what does "quite expensive" refer?

> I have been trying to measure the return from such program but looking
> at their mailing list for information,
>   https://lists.debian.org/debian-outreach/
> does not lead to any results or information. Maybe I am looking at the
> wrong space?

In which role (or with which hat) have you been trying to measure the
return? And by return, do you specifically refer to the term return on
investment?

As a former Outreachy intern myself (2015) I can tell you that it the
stipend has helped me to invest time to find my way around Debian, time
during which otherwise I would have had to earn a living elsewhere and
would never have gotten involved further with Debian.

There are many people in Debian who were GSoC students and are active
Debian contributors, DMs, DDs. In which way does Outreachy differ from
GSoC from a Debian point of view - besides the fact that it explicitly
encourages people from underrepresented communities and non-students?

And if Outreachy/GSoC has had positive results for people who stay
involved in Debian after their internship, what is this due to? I'm not
aware if there has been an evaluation or feedback cycle internally on
what worked well and what did not work well.

As a hypothetic example, it could well be that a mentor did not
introduce Outreachy interns to the larger Debian community, processes,
mailing lists, people and so on. I use this as an example to show that
the cost-benefit ratio of such a program is not something that can be
statistically measured easily, but could be due to a variety of factors.

> I find really helpful the work those students are doing, but given
> that has a cost, is it perfect? are there ways to improve? I would
> really love to know next DPL view on the matter.

I'll read their replies with curiosity.
(And will now totally shut up with comments. :D)

Best,
Ulrike