{"id":5420,"date":"2026-03-12T16:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2026\/?p=5420"},"modified":"2026-03-25T16:33:02","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T15:33:02","slug":"community-that-shapes-wordcamp-europe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/europe.wordcamp.org\/2026\/community-that-shapes-wordcamp-europe\/","title":{"rendered":"Community That Shapes WordCamp Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Welcome to the very first episode of WordCamp Europe Insights – a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of the biggest WordPress community event in Europe. In this debut conversation, host Kasia Janowska sits down with Steve Mosby, mentor for WordCamp Europe 2026, to talk about what WordCamp Europe really is, how a small core team turns it into a 3000\u2011person experience, and why almost everyone who gets involved ends up coming back for more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019ve ever looked at WordCamp Europe from the outside and wondered, \u201cHow do they even organise this?\u201d – this is the episode for you.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What Is WordCamp Europe, Really?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

WordCamp Europe is a community event for everyone who uses, builds with, or cares about WordPress. It brings together developers, designers, business owners, and hobbyists from across Europe – and beyond – for several days of talks, workshops, and hallway conversations that often feel more like a reunion than a conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steve describes it as both a professional and a social highlight: a place where you not only learn new things about WordPress but also reconnect with old friends and meet new ones. It\u2019s an event where community, curiosity, and fun sit side by side – and that mix is exactly what keeps people coming back year after year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Does WordCamp Europe Move Every Year?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

One of the most distinctive features of WordCamp Europe is that it travels. Last year it was in Basel, Switzerland; this year it heads to Krak\u00f3w, Poland<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Kasia and Steve, the change of location<\/a> is more than a logistical detail – it\u2019s a way of inviting different WordPress communities into the spotlight. Local teams can showcase their city, culture, and how they shape WordPress locally. At the same time, attendees get to experience new places they might never have visited otherwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The result is a conference that feels fresh every year, both in terms of content and context – and that keeps the broader European community connected without centring on one fixed \u201chome\u201d city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Actually Organises WordCamp Europe?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The short answer: almost a hundred people, most of them volunteers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But behind that number, there\u2019s a very intentional structure. At the top sit three lead organisers, not one. Steve explains that WordCamp Europe is simply too complex and demanding for a single person to manage responsibly. Splitting the leadership across three roles brings resilience: if someone is unavailable, life happens, or someone needs a break, the work continues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below the lead organisers sit hundreds of volunteers, as well as a small group of mentors and external partners who handle areas like production and the expo area. The volunteer team grows from just the core organisers at the beginning of the year to a full\u2011scale crew by the time the event starts. All of this is held together by shared communication channels, regular check\u2011ins, and a culture of collaboration rather than top\u2011down control.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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What Does It Mean to Be a Mentor?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Steve\u2019s role in 2026 is that of a mentor. Mentors don\u2019t make decisions for the team – they help the team make decisions for themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His involvement comes from years on the organising side: first as a volunteer, then as an organiser, later as team lead for communications and marketing, and finally as a lead organiser. That experience means he can surface past lessons, flag potential pitfalls, and offer a sense of what might come around the next corner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, he\u2019s careful to emphasise that he\u2019s there as a supportive voice, not a directive one. The goal is to let the current team own the event, bring their own ideas, and grow into their roles – while knowing that there\u2019s someone who\u2019s been through it before if they need a sense\u2011check or a bit of encouragement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Volunteer to Lead Organiser: A Community Pathway<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The path from \u201crandom attendee\u201d to \u201clead organiser\u201d is a recurring theme in this conversation. Steve\u2019s own progressive journey illustrates how WordCamp Europe is built on continuity rather than one\u2011off heroes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WordCamp Europe doesn\u2019t rely on superstar coders or people who know everything about WordPress core. It relies on people who are willing to learn, show up, and help where help is needed. Organisers cover budget roles, marketing, sponsorships, speakers, social media, and more. The event is designed so that there\u2019s a place for everyone – whether your superpower is spreadsheets, communication, logistics, or welcoming at registration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kasia adds that this culture of openness is reflected in how people become team leads and mentors. Team leads are often previous organisers or volunteers who\u2019ve already contributed in a more operational way. Lead organisers are ultimately chosen by the current organising team through a nomination-and-voting process, keeping the leadership firmly rooted in the community rather than in a central authority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Does It Look and Feel Like When It Works?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The episode is full of vivid moments, but one of the most memorable comes from Steve\u2019s experience as a lead organiser in Basel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He recalls being so busy on the conference days that he barely had time to check his phone – and then, later at the airport, finally opening it and being overwhelmed by the positive feedback people were sharing online. Photos, shout\u2011outs, and heartfelt messages poured in, and that rush of appreciation made the intense year\u2011long effort \u201cabsolutely worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For him, WordCamp Europe is ultimately a loop:<\/p>\n\n\n\n