Here’s some advice from the Penpot community
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One of the best parts of the Penpot Ambassador Program is learning from people who are already building communities in their own regions. Ambassadors from around the world share what has worked for them, what they would do differently, and the resources that have helped them along the way.
No two ambassadors do it the same way. Every community is different, and everyone brings their own strengths. Still, some lessons are universal. Here are a few tips and resources that can help anyone looking to become an open source ambassador.
First meetup? Start small
Your first meetup doesn’t need to be a huge event. An online session or a small gathering is often enough to bring people together and start building a local community.
Instead of starting from zero you can join local meetups, conferences, universities, or open-source communities that already exist. Collaborating with others is often the fastest way to find people who share your interests.
And remember, don’t chase numbers. Focus on creating meaningful conversations and connections. A small, engaged community is more valuable than a large, passive one.
Make it hands-on
Whether you’re giving a talk or running a workshop, keep the scope focused and include a practical activity. Your audience will likely have different backgrounds and levels of experience, so make it open enough for everyone to participate. People learn best by doing, asking questions, and sharing ideas.
Connect with students
Their curiosity, creativity, and unbiased perspective make them one of the most rewarding audiences for workshops and community events.
Learn from other communities
Every region approaches community building differently. Sharing local experiences, challenges, and successes helps everyone discover new ideas they can adapt to their own context.
Open source design contributions
Communities grow when people share what they’ve learned. During our Ambassador Community Hour, @Erioldoesdesign shared a collection of resources on open source, community building, and design contributions that have inspired their own journey.
We hope these links inspire yours, too.
OSS Design papers: A research on design in open source, collaboration, and community building.
The Design We Open: Workshop templates, facilitation guides, and practical exercises for teaching designers how to contribute to open source.
SustainOSS Design Podcast: Conversations with designers, maintainers, and researchers about building sustainable open-source communities.
Open Source Design Talks: Talks on open-source design, accessibility, community building, and practical ways designers can contribute.
Data view of OSS contributions: Is InnerSource Good for Open Source? A conversation with Benjamin Nickolls and Andrew Nesbitt at FOSSBack.
Burnout in Open Source: The report explores how healthier communities, shared responsibility, and better support can help sustain contributors.
