This was my second year on the WordCamp Asia organizing team. Last year was filled with massive learnings for me, so I was eager to get back into the mix and see what I could do this time around.
Wordcamp Asia 2026 Organisers
The Volunteers Team
This year, I served as the co-lead for the Volunteers team alongside Yugi(Pantira Aswakiatkajorn). We had a great group working with us: Abhishek, Rohit, Subrata, Shamali, Madan, Moses Ssebunya, and Muhammad Kasif, with Caroline joining us a bit later in the process. They made my job super simple; all I ever had to do was tell them what I needed, and they made it happen.
WordCamp Asia 2026 Volunteers Team Organisers
Our main job was straightforward: recruit the right volunteers and coordinate with them to ensure the event ran smoothly for everyone else.
Trying New Things
Even though WordCamp Asia is now in its fourth year and has a fairly set “playbook,” We experimented with two main changes:
- Early Team Assignments: We assigned each volunteer organiser to a specific sub-team right at the start. This allowed them to talk to other organisers early on and figure out exactly what kind of help would be needed on the ground.
- Virtual Team Intros: Apart from one big online onboarding, we also did smaller, team-specific introductions. It helped the organisers and volunteers actually get to know each other and made sure everyone knew exactly what to expect.
The “Unfiltered” View
Communication was definitely smoother this year, but planning an event of this scale is never without its hiccups. We still had a few challenges with volunteer coordination, but that’s part of the job.
The biggest shift for me was the perspective. Last year, I didn’t see much of what the other teams were doing. Being a co-lead this time opened my eyes to the “beautiful chaos” that happens behind the curtain of a massive event. It’s a lot of moving parts, but seeing it all come together is incredibly rewarding.
The real heroes of WordCamp Asia!
Your Turn!
If you were there and have thoughts on how we can make the volunteer experience even better, drop a comment below. I’m all ears.
Looking Ahead: Penang 2027
And if you’ve ever organized a local WordCamp, I highly recommend applying for organizing the WordCamp Asia 2027. It’s happening in Penang, Malaysia (April 9-11 2027).
It’s a world-class learning experience, and I can’t recommend it enough.