We here at the Sunlight Foundation could not be more excited about our upcoming opengov unconference, TransparencyCamp! We have done this — and had a blast — with the rest of the transparency community for the last 5 years, and this year’s event is slated to be better than ever.

However, as both TCamp and our community have grown over the years, we realized that some may appreciate an introduction to the transparency world and the unconference experience. Additionally, we know that many people have great tales to share from their participation over the years.

Last year we ran a pilot TCamp “Ambassadors Program” to help make our community more accessible by pairing people new to TCamp or transparency veterans. And guess what? Making new friends is pretty great! So this year we are doing it again, but better, faster and stronger.

The Ambassadors Program matches attendees who may be new to the opengov community or unconferencing with TCamp veterans and established members of the transparency world. Participants in the Ambassadors Program get the opportunity to connect with each other prior to the event, reach across transparency issue areas and meet exciting new people. We are thrilled about the potential of this program to help forge new and stronger ties amongst TCamp attendees, and make our community more accessible to new people.

Interested in learning more? Sign up for the Ambassadors Program here when you register for TCamp.

Although TransparencyCamp is fueled by the diversity of our participants, the actual experience of finding common ground with Campers from different professional backgrounds can require leaving your comfort zone — something that can be hard to navigate alone. We are committed to make sure TCamp remains an open and accessible event, and want to ensure that everyone, from the greenest-of-the-green newbie to the most grizzled transparency old-guard can get the most out of interacting with each other.

Signing up for the Ambassadors Program is easy — just do it when you register for TCamp. We want you if:

• You are new to TransparencyCamp, unconferences or transparency and want a leg up getting tapped into the community.

Or, on the other hand:

• You are a total TCamp/unconf/transparency wizard level 20, and are excited about growing our community, meeting and mentoring new people.

Do either one of those sound like you? If so, please join us in making this year’s TCamp and our Ambassadors Program a success!

What are you waiting for? Register for TransparencyCamp and be sure to click the button signaling your interest in being a TCamp Ambassador or being paired with one. If you have already registered for TCamp, but did not sign up for the Ambassador Program, email me, Alexander Furnas.