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FOSS Clubs Overview

The Purpose of This Guide

While we would love to work directly with every student community, we recognize that our team's bandwidth for direct mentorship is limited. This guide is intended to be an open resource. Whether you are seeking official recognition from FOSS United or simply wish to start an independent community on your campus, these guidelines are here to help you build and sustain a FOSS-centric space without requiring official platforming.

What is a FOSS Club?

FOSS Clubs are campus communities that we support. When you start a FOSS Club or collaborate with FOSS United through your existing club, you join our network of student-led groups across the country!

By being recognised as an official club, you gain access to FOSS United's team of program managers, mentorship from the community, the opportunity to showcase your work in front of a broader audience, career networking opportunities and potential funding (subject to club activity). You bring the energy and passion for open source to your campus.

As a FOSS Club, you will mentor students at your college to cultivate a school of thought aligned with the principles of the Digital Commons.

i. How to apply as a club?

While the applications are typically accepted at the start of every financial year, we'd encourage you to setup a call with our team whenever you are ready. Applications require:
- Information about the college and team
- Explanation of motivation for starting a FOSS club
- Team members (typically 3-5 students) with at least one non-male member
- A faculty coordinator who will help you manage communications with your college administration.

Application link: https://fossunited.org/clubs/start-a-club/new

ii. Who should apply and why?

Applications are encouraged from students who:
1. Have a genuine interest in open source and want to build a thriving campus community around its principles.
2. Want to create environments where knowledge is shared openly and students learn by building together.
3. Are willing to put in the consistent effort required to organize, manage, and sustain a club over time.

iii. Who is this not for?

The program may not be suitable for:
- Students primarily seeking leadership titles for their resumes rather than focusing on building genuine communities.
- Students without an actual interest in FOSS culture and philosophy

iv. What are the benefits of collaborating with FOSS United?

Support and benefits include, but are not limited to:

  • Direct Support: Access to FOSS United Program Managers to help scope your club's roadmap and support your personal growth as a leader.
  • Networking: Connection to a network of thousands of community members who serve as mentors, speakers, or contributors to your projects.
  • Collaboration: Opportunities to work alongside students and industry professionals from across the country.
  • Organise flagship events: Opportunity to be a localhost for FOSS Hack or the venue for city conferences organised by FOSS United.
  • Career Opportunities: Opportunity to get referred to open-source companies and organizations seeking top-tier open-source talent.
  • Visibility: Opportunities to present your work at premier events attended by thousands of open-source enthusiasts and decision-makers.
  • Leadership & Governance: The chance to join the program committee and help shape the future of the FOSS Clubs initiative.
  • Grow as a Mentor: The opportunity to give back by mentoring newly established clubs and fostering the next generation of contributors.
  • Financial Support to sustain your club's work

v. Club status - New, Active, Inactive, Defunct

Clubs are tracked based on activity level:
- New Clubs: These are clubs in their first semester of operation. During this phase, they focus on establishing a core team, experimenting with various event formats, and building initial momentum. New clubs are granted additional flexibility as they find their footing. This status is reviewed once the club has successfully completed key foundational activities, such as hosting consistent events or maintaining ongoing technical sessions.

  • Active Clubs: These clubs maintain a consistent schedule, typically hosting several high-quality events per semester. They are characterized by regular community engagement and active participation within the broader FOSS United network.

  • Inactive Status: Clubs with no documented activity for an entire academic year may be marked as Inactive. These clubs can be reactivated by demonstrating renewed community engagement and consistent activity.

  • Defunct Status: If a club remains inactive for an extended period beyond one academic year, it is eventually marked as Defunct.

vi. Where do I reach out for help?

  • If you are reporting a Code of Conduct violation, please call 9900982939 to speak with a FOSS United Foundation's full time staff. Read more on our Code of Conduct page.

  • Join our Telegram groups to interact with other community members - FOSS United Foundation and FOSS Clubs.

  • We also have an online forum. Suitable for thoughtful questions and content that may help future members.

  • If you have general questions related to FOSS Clubs or FOSS United Foundation, reach out to the foundation staff at [email protected].

vii. Code of Conduct

All FOSS Clubs follow the FOSS United Code of Conduct: https://fossunited.org/code-of-conduct.

viii. Best Practices

  1. We encourage peer-to-peer learning and request clubs collaborate with each other on events, and other resources.

  2. While most people view open source primarily as code, we encourage you to look beyond software and align your efforts with the broader ideology of the Digital Commons.

  3. Ask questions directly rather than asking permission to ask. See https://dontasktoask.com/ for a detailed explanation. This saves time for everyone involved.

  4. Don't say hello, ask questions directly.

  5. If a response takes longer than expected, polite follow-ups are appropriate after allowing for a reasonable buffer period.

  6. We recommend hosting a balanced mix of talks and hands-on sessions. While talks provide valuable insights, incorporating interactive workshops and collaborative building sessions is essential to keeping your community engaged and motivated.

ix. Brand guidelines

FOSS United maintains brand guidelines for consistency across all clubs. Once you are approved to be a FOSS United recognised club, you should only:
- Use the provided official FOSS Club logos
- Follow specified color schemes and design templates
- Maintain logo integrity without unauthorised modifications

x. How to contribute to FOSS United?

Check Getting involved and/or Development and Documentation.