UNLOCK 2022 – What we learned, together.

The third edition of Wikimedia’s Accelerator UNLOCK was all about collaboration and cross-regional exchange. We teamed up with Wikimedia Serbia and Impact Hub Belgrade to jointly design and host the program, and thereby support seven project teams from Germany and the Western Balkans. Learn more about our co-created program set up and the experiences of the participants.

Kannika Thaimai
20. December 2022

Lizenzhinweis

Power Of Collaboration – People working and building together

We finally wrapped up the third edition of the Wikimedia Accelerator UNLOCK! And this year, it was all about collaboration and cross-regional exchange. Together with our partners Wikimedia Serbia and Impact Hub Belgrade, we were able to set up a strong and value-driven partnership. And together, we selected a diverse group of projects and teams that were as committed to knowledge equity as we were.

This UNLOCK Insights Report provides a deep dive into our co-created program setup as well as the experiences of the project teams throughout the program.

Insights into our co-created program and support setup

UNLOCK Insights Report 2022 – Overview of the program and support structure https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:UNLOCK_Insights_Report_2022_Program_and_support_structure.png

The third edition of the UNLOCK Accelerator was co-designed and co-hosted by Wikimedia Deutschland, Wikimedia Serbia and Impact hub Belgrade. One of our core motivations was to explore and implement how to best create a learning environment that invites all participants – as they come from different regions – to collaborate and strengthen their innovative capacities.

Our highlight was creating a cohort learning experience for the participants. Through our jointly created working principles we were able to establish a safe space where open exchange was possible. Complemented by rituals and methods (have a look at our UNLOCK toolbox), participants could share their successes and challenges in the project and product development process as well as their experiences in working together as a team.

With Wikimedia Serbia and Impact Hub Belgrade on our side, we were also able to expand our international networks and could pull from a larger and more diverse pool of experts who lended their knowledge and skills set to our program participants.

UNLOCK Insights Report 2022 – Cohort learning sessions within the UNLOCK Accelerator program 2022 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:UNLOCK_Insights_Report_2022_Cohort_learning.png

We gathered further learning and tips for successfully navigating challenges in an international and interdisciplinary collaboration based on our experiences with Wikimedia Serbia and Impact Hub Belgrade – have a closer look here.

Impact unpacked: some highlights

UNLOCK Insights Report 2022 – Evaluation of the growth potential of participants after the UNLOCK program. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:UNLOCK_Insights_Report_2022_Cohort_growth.png

In just a few months, teams were able to accelerate their ideas: 71,4% of participants stated that the UNLOCK Accelerator helped them to advance themselves and the development of their project.
Most valued program elements included:
- Cohort learning with peer-to-peer exchange and expert input sessions;
- Group mentorship sessions; and
- Individual mentorship sessions
What project teams wish to have more of? 1:1 and individualized sessions with mentors / coaches
TOP 3 challenges ahead:
- Professionalization in skills and making the project become more than ‘just a passion project’;
- (Financial) sustainability and exploring different models for open source projects; as well as
- Stakeholder engagement and elaborating partnership options.

Dive into the report!

Download our report here:

UNLOCK Insights Report 2022

The basis of this report are regular debriefs and retrospectives with our partners, 1:1 feedback sessions and anonymous surveys with the participants of the program, as well as our own evaluation sessions following each milestone of the program.

Enjoy the read and stay tuned for updates about UNLOCK via UNLOCK Twitter and/or UNLOCK LinkedIn.