Hi. Here’s how I’ve handled this in my experience.
One of the best ways I’ve found to help new contributors is to turn real project needs into clear, accessible opportunities. For instance, if someone notices a missing test, a documentation gap, or an unreviewed PR, mentors can ask the PPMC to label these as “good first issues” and include a short note about what’s needed and how to get started. Creating “good first issues” by hand, with code quality tools, or even with AI can help attract new contributors. Some websites gather and share these beginner-friendly issues, allowing people who might not have otherwise found the project to get involved. It’s also important to reply quickly and acknowledge newcomers’ work. Responding early helps them feel confident and makes them more likely to contribute again. I’ve found it challenging to turn casual contributors into long-term ones or to encourage them to take on more substantial tasks. Still, I don’t think this is a significant problem, since some people will always prefer to contribute occasionally. The most important thing is that the work gets done and the community remains open to everyone, regardless of their level of contribution. One thing that has worked for me is to set up a larger task that’s important but not urgent, allowing the timeline to be flexible. Breaking it down into smaller, clear steps enables different people to take on parts at their own pace. This way, casual contributors can join in on something meaningful without feeling rushed, and sometimes a few will stick around to finish later steps. One other challenge is convincing people who work full-time on the project that this approach is valuable. Some developers view “good first issues” as a lowering of code quality or as time they could better spend writing new features. It can take some effort to demonstrate that mentoring new contributors is an investment in community health and long-term sustainability, rather than a distraction from progress. Another challenge is getting non-code contributions accepted. Sometimes things like documentation, website updates, or community outreach aren’t valued as much as technical work, even though they’re key for growth and sustainability. Mentors can help by reminding everyone that these contributions matter and by encouraging the PPMC to review and recognise them quickly. Kind Regards, Justin --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [email protected] For additional commands, e-mail: [email protected]
