With 164 user groups around the world, there is always something exciting and interesting happening in the Joomla! Community - and I hope to produce a monthly round-up highlighting new Joomla! User Groups, events, and reviews of JUG meetings.

If you have anything you would like me to feature from your Joomla User Group please email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. - you must be writing from a Registered Joomla! User Group (i.e. listed at https://community.joomla.org/user-groups.html).

Changes in the JUG Team

As you may be aware, we recently put out a call for new members of the JUG team and we were pleased with the response - nearly 30 applications!  We are in the process of interviewing the shortlisted candidates and we will of course announce the new team members in due course.

The JUG team are responsible for maintaining the JUG directory at https://community.joomla.org/user-groups.html - which involves reviewing new applications and changes to listings to ensure that they adhere to the Terms of Service and guidelines in relation to using the Joomla! name and logo.  It’s quite a big job, so we’re looking forward to expanding the team!

New JUG registrations

We have seen quite a few new Joomla! User Group registrations recently, including:

Joomla! User Group Lynnwood - Washington, USA

Joomla! User Group Buenos Aires - Buenos Aires, Argentina - Website | Twitter

Joomla! User Group Wallonie - Liège, Belgium - Facebook

Joomla! User Group Guayaquil - Guayaquil, Ecuador - Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google+

JUG Feature - Joomla! User Group Guayaquil

I caught up with the team from Joomla! User Group Guayaquil to find out how their first meeting went - which was conducted via a Google+ Hangout and recorded on YouTube.  Lasting almost two hours, the hangout featured five members via video link, with many more joining to watch the meeting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k36VzqKH2Hc

Google+ hangouts are a great way to keep in touch with members between meetings or even to hold meetings if your JUG are geographically spread over a large area.  It also gives you the opportunity to invite international speakers to present at a JUG meeting at a fraction of the cost!  If your JUG uses a G+ hangout please let me know - I’ve set up a playlist where I will feature any JUG hangouts - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRhJQ8V4xrHLvNkoYl-uu5___97PdGmPR

Joomla! User Group Guayaquil is organised by three team members - Bruce Valle, Mariela Vasquez and Nury Vasquez, who are united in the goal to raise the awareness of Joomla! in Guayaquil and Ecuador as a whole.  The team came together to create the group, and their first meeting over the Google+ hangout had over 50 people connecting in to watch and listen to the proceedings.  As a result, three more people have joined the Joomla! User Group and the team hope that it will go from strength to strength over the coming months.

New Joomla!Day Announcements

Another exciting part of the Joomla! community is Joomla!Day events - and just recently we’ve had a flurry of announcements:

• Joomla!Day UK 2013 - Ascot, UK - Friday, 4th October - Sunday, 6th October - Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google+

• Joomla!Day Rio de Janeiro 2013 - Friday, 15th November - Saturday, 16th November - Facebook | Google+

• Joomla!Day Israel - Thursday, 10th October - Website | Twitter | Facebook | Google+

That's all for the moment - remember if you have any news from your Joomla! User Group please email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. :)