Where can I find other people working with Joomla? How can I learn more about Joomla? Who can I discuss issues with? The answer to these questions: a Joomla User Group! We have JUGs all over the world, and virtual ones, and everyone can join. There’s a Joomla Team dedicated to JUGs: coordinating, encouraging, supporting and helping JUGs. In January 2024, the second international Joomla User Group meeting took place. Laura Gordon tells us what happened there and what’s going to happen next.

What was the goal of this international Joomla User Group meeting?

Our goal was to collaborate with Joomla User Group leaders, to learn from each other and to provide support for JUG leaders around the world.

What topics were on the agenda?

All of the participants got to know each other by just ‘chatting’. We provided information for the JUG leaders about JUG Logos, How to get speakers for your sessions, Ideas of different JUG agendas, How to Create a JUG and the importance of submitting events to the Joomla event website.

How was it? 

It was great to match faces to names of the many JUGs that are out there. Many countries were represented and it gave everyone a chance to meet each other. As in the past many attendees asked about when the next session would be (we don't know the exact date yet, but we think May or June).

What would you, as the Joomla User Groups Team, like to see happen for JUGs in 2024? 

I would like more communication with MORE JUGs throughout the year. In order for the JUG team to support Joomla User Groups we need to meet and talk. Hopefully at future JUG Leadership sessions more JUG leaders will attend.

Is there an overall theme for Joomla User Groups, like an issue they all face or have in common?

Several of the JUGs want to meet in person, but they feel it is expensive to find a good location. We communicated with them that having virtual JUGs could be a way to keep your community working together without the added cost. Another discussion that was brought up was how to ‘advertise your JUG’. In the past meetup was a great way to get your JUG out there, unfortunately Meetups costs have skyrocketed so most JUGs stopped using that outlet. We advise you to put your JUG on the events channel. That way the marketing team is aware of upcoming events and they will share it across the Joomla outlets, which is very helpful. Also put a notice of your JUG in Town Square on Mattermost.

Why do you think it’s important that JUGs exist?

Each JUG represents a local community. Joomla’s existence depends on people using Joomla and to feel supported. The best way to get support is to work together and share ideas, so what better way to do that than a monthly Joomla meeting?

What is the one thing people don’t know about Joomla User Groups?

JUGs CAN BE VIRTUAL! JUGs CAN be TOPIC BASED! You no longer need to have a location / city to create a JUG.

I tend to think of Joomla User Groups as a local concept, so region-based, because that’s where my own Joomla volunteer journey started. But now you’re saying a JUG could also be topic based or common bond based. Could you name some examples?

There are a few topic based Joomla User Groups out there, and they have great participation. The Small Business JUG has a Facebook group, they meet monthly and average 20 people each month. Also there is a Joomla Extensions Developer group which hasn’t met in a while, but they have over 100 members via their Facebook group. We would like to encourage more of these types of JUGs to further the exchange of ideas.

How can I join a JUG? 

Please visit the Joomla User Groups Page: https://community.joomla.org/user-groups.html

Here you can find a JUG that is local to you or a topic based JUG. Keep in mind even if the JUG isn’t near you physically they may meet virtually, so you can still attend. JUG London meets regularly virtually, so you can attend any of those meetings. Join the specific JUGs email list so you can be notified about meetings.

You can also visit: https://community.joomla.org/events.html, see if there are any meetings that you are interested in and just show up!

And what if there’s no JUG nearby? Do I start my own?

Yes! To start your own JUG you just need 2 people, a ‘topic’ or ‘location’, and some kind of website. Come up with a reason for your JUG, post the JUG meetings on the Joomla event channel and people will show up! For JUG leaders there is also a channel in mattermost, so you can ask other JUG leaders what they have done and what works for them.

Here is a list of important links that could be helpful for everyone:

Your Joomla User Group site on Joomla.org: https://community.joomla.org/user-groups.html

Need Help for your JUG & Request Logo: https://community.joomla.org/helpdesk.html 

Subdomains allowed:

https://www.opensourcematters.org/organisation/directors/policies/312-official-subdomain-licensing-policy.html

Mattermost Channel - JUG Leaders:

https://joomlacommunity.cloud.mattermost.com/main/channels/jug-leadership

Request a subdomain for your site: https://www.opensourcematters.org/subdomain-request

Submit your Joomla User Group events: https://community.joomla.org/

Join the Volunteer Portal: https://volunteers.joomla.org/

This way we can add you to: https://volunteers.joomla.org/groups/user-group-organizers