We’re excited to invite you to this year’s General Assembly meeting! We’ll gather on Sunday, December 1st, 2024, from 20:00 to 21:00 CET. Just like in recent years, we’ll use Zoom, and additional joining instructions will be shared closer to the date.
The General Assembly is the highest decision making body of the society and EPS membership is required to participate. Membership is open to individuals who wish to actively engage in implementing the EPS mission. If you want to become a member of EuroPython Society you can sign-up here: https://www.europython-society.org/application/
You can find more details about the agenda of the meeting, as it is defined in our bylaws here https://www.europython-society.org/bylaws/ (Article 8).
One of the items on the Agenda is electing the new Board.
What does the Board do?
The Board consists of a chairperson, a vice chairperson and 2-7 Board members. The duties and responsibilities of the Board are substantial: the board collectively takes up the fiscal and legal responsibility of the Society.
A major topic is the annual EuroPython conference. While we would like to transition to a model with an independent organising team, we are not there yet. Therefore, the Board still needs to be involved in the conference organisation.
Beyond the conference, the Board also manages several critical areas, including:
- Managing EPS membership
- Overseeing finances and budgets
- Running the grant programme
- Maintaining infrastructure and resources
Furthermore, specifically for 2025, and following the recommendation from the previous Board, we would like to focus on four key topics that are important for the Society's future and sustainability:
- Hiring an Event Manager/Coordinator
- Selecting a location for 2026 and possibly 2027
- Strengthen community outreach
- Improving the fiscal and legal framework
Time Commitment
The Society is entirely volunteer-driven and serving on the board requires a significant time commitment. Everyone has a different schedule, so most of the work is usually done asynchronously. However, all board members attend the 1.5-hour board call held every two weeks in the evening, CE(S)T timezone. Everyone's time is valuable and please consider that the less time or effort you can dedicate, the more the workload may shift to other Board members.
All things considered you will need a few hours every week.
Who should apply?
You want to invest your time and knowledge into building a better structure for the EuroPython Society? Or you want to work on building connections between different Python-based communities? Then this might be for you! Please keep in mind the time commitments mentioned above.
You are not expected to be perfect in any of the skills needed and you will be supported in learning how things work. That being said, having experience in a non-profit organisation, whether within the Python world (such as EPS, PSF, DSF, local Python communities etc.) or any other similar organisation, would be beneficial for onboarding and understanding the organisational structure, culture and dynamics.
In the past having or willing to learn the following skills helped organising the conference:
- Good communication skills
- Organisation skills
- Experience organising events with more than 1000 people
- Working with volunteer-based communities
- Working in big teams
Why should you apply?
You get the chance to shape and influence the future of EuroPython
You gain skills useful to run non-profits in different European countries - including cross border challenges
You can help grow and empower local communities
You can build relationships and connections with fellow community members
You can build a more diverse and inclusive Python community by serving the mission of EuroPython Society
I am interested, what should I do?
If you’re considering running for the Board or nominating another EPS member, we’d love to hear from you! Although the formal deadline is during the General Assembly, we kindly request you send your nomination as early as possible to board@europython.eu. We will publish the initial list of candidates on Tuesday, 26th of November 2024. If you’re not sure if this is a good idea or not – please email anyway and we will help you figure it out! 🙂
If you're on our EPS Organisers' Discord, there's a dedicated channel for interested candidates. Please ask in the general channel, and we’ll be happy to add you.
You can find examples of previous nominations here: https://www.europython-society.org/list-of-eps-board-candidates-for-2023-2024/.
Your nomination should highlight why you want to run for the Board. What is your vision for EPS and in which projects you want to be involved. During the General Assembly, you will have the opportunity to introduce yourself and share with our members why you believe they should vote for you. Each candidate will typically be given one minute to present themselves before members cast their votes.
It sounds a lot, I want to help, but I can’t commit to that
That’s completely understandable! Serving on the Board comes with significant responsibilities, time commitments, and administrative tasks. If that’s not the right fit for you, but you’re still interested in supporting us, we’d love your help! There are many other ways to get involved. We have several teams (see 2024 Teams Description document, as an example) that work on conference preparations during the months leading up to the event, and we also need volunteers to assist onsite during the conference.
Your help does not need to be limited to the conference. Infrastructure and connections need to be maintained all around the year for example. Your time and support would make a big difference! Stay tuned to our social platforms for announcements about these opportunities.