The Key to Rebuilding Drupal Communities: What Will Be Revealed at GovCon 2024?

As the global pandemic disrupted countless activities, the Drupal community faced significant challenges maintaining its vibrant network of developers, users, and contributors. Today, at Drupal GovCon 2024, a panel titled “Revitalizing Our Drupal Communities” will address these challenges head-on, focusing on strategies to rebuild and strengthen local Drupal groups that have dwindled in recent years.

This session will feature prominent voices from the Drupal ecosystem, including Anoop John, Founder of The Drop Times; Amy Swackhamer, Web Services Librarian at the University of Maryland; Nina Ogor, Director of Operations at Drupal4Gov; and John Doyle, President & Founder of Digital Polygon. The panelists bring a wealth of experience in community building and revitalization, offering a roadmap for reconnecting Drupal enthusiasts and newcomers alike.

Rebuilding Local Communities: The UMD and DMV Drupal Groups

Nina and John have been instrumental in reviving local Drupal user groups, specifically the UMD Drupal User Group and the Maryland Drupal User Group, respectively. During a pre-conference interview, Nina shared her insights on effectively rebuilding local user groups while staying connected to the broader Drupal ecosystem.

Nina emphasised, 

"It's important to reach out to new users coming into Drupal. We reach out to various training organizations and make sure their students are informed. We also make space for serendipitous interactions between attendees, so we can bring newbies into the fold. Finally, we make sure we are inclusive to everyone who is interested in learning more about Drupal and being part of the community," 

John echoed this sentiment, highlighting the importance of fostering a sense of ownership among local members.

"One key insight is the importance of fostering a sense of ownership among local members. By encouraging local members to lead initiatives, whether it's organizing meetups or contributing to local projects, you create a more engaged and invested community. At the same time, it's crucial to bridge local efforts with global events and initiatives. This can be achieved by promoting participation in global Drupal events, sharing insights from global discussions with the local group, and inviting international speakers to local events."

Inclusivity and Outreach: A Priority for Sustainable Growth

A central theme of the session is ensuring that new members and underrepresented groups feel welcomed and included in these revitalization efforts. 

Nina stressed the importance of intentional outreach, stating, 

"We specifically reach out to underrepresented communities to submit sessions and make sure we have adequate representation. We also enforce our code of conduct which makes sure that everyone (especially under-represented communities) feels welcome."

John also addressed inclusivity, sharing the efforts of the Maryland Drupal User Group: 

"Inclusion starts with creating a welcoming atmosphere at events and within the community. For the Maryland Drupal User Group, we’ve prioritized outreach to new members and underrepresented groups by designing events that cater to various experience levels and backgrounds. 

John mentioned that the initiative includes beginner-friendly sessions, mentorship opportunities, and forums for open discussion where everyone's voice can be heard. He also emphasized that a concerted effort has been made to highlight members' contributions, ensuring that the community sees role models who reflect various perspectives.

Sustaining Momentum: Key Initiatives for Long-Term Engagement

As the UMD Drupal User Group works to sustain momentum, Nina highlighted the importance of attracting younger developers. 

"We're working with members to attract and recruit younger developers to provide new blood to Drupal. There are lots of employment opportunities here in the DC area that can attract them. We also make sure that they know we're inclusive to everyone."

Similarly, John outlined the Maryland Drupal User Group's strategies for maintaining engagement. John explained that the focus is on several key initiatives to sustain momentum for the DMV Drupal User Group. First, they are organizing regular meetups that alternate between Maryland and DC, with plans to include Virginia, to maintain a strong geographic connection. Each event is designed to include networking opportunities and lightning round talks that encourage broad participation.

We have planning-focused sessions on key Drupal topics, such as content editing improvements with Gutenberg, which resonate with current community interests and attract not just developers, but users of Drupal as well. To support long-term engagement, we’re also working on a mentorship program that pairs experienced members with newcomers, ensuring ongoing support and knowledge sharing."

Looking Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities

When asked about Drupal communities' biggest challenges in the coming years, Nina noted,

"We need to market Drupal better to new developers. This is something that our community has struggled with for a long time, and there are no easy solutions. It requires work. But it's happening, and the community is growing."

John added,

"One of the biggest challenges for Drupal communities will be maintaining relevance in an increasingly competitive and rapidly evolving web technology landscape. To address this, we need to emphasize continuous learning and adaptability within our communities. This could mean organizing more workshops focused on emerging technologies, such as headless CMS approaches and the integration of Drupal with other platforms."

As DrupalGovCon 2024 unfolds, this session on revitalizing Drupal communities promises to provide valuable insights and actionable strategies to ensure that Drupal remains a thriving, inclusive, and innovative platform in the years to come.