As a contributor to GirlScript Summer of Code (GSSoC), I’ve had an amazing experience contributing to open-source projects. However, there’s one issue I feel needs more attention.
The Problem: Missing Communication Channels
Throughout my journey as a contributor, I noticed a gap—there wasn’t a space where mentors could publicly discuss important updates and information regarding the project.
Sure, many of us contributors are constantly checking the GitHub repositories, but we still felt lost at times about what was happening behind the scenes.
Here are a few things mentors could address in such a space:
Project updates: What's going on in the project right now?
Focus areas: Which part of the project needs contributors’ attention?
Feature priorities: What new features are currently being developed?
Accomplishments: What recent milestones has the team achieved?
Upcoming milestones: What deadlines are approaching, and what goals are next on the list?
When I checked the discussion forums for some of the projects I was contributing to, most of them were either empty or barely updated. This made it harder to understand the current status of the project and what the team was working on.
The Solution: Clear Communication & Dedicated Space
Mentors, this is where you can make a huge impact.
By creating a dedicated space for open communication—whether it’s on GitHub Discussions, a Slack channel, or even in the project’s README—you can keep contributors informed and motivated.
A simple post every week updating everyone about what’s happening in the project could work wonders.
Dear GSSoC Mentors, I hope you’ll consider focusing on this area.
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