Finding Your Path in the ICANN Community: A Fellow Volunteer’s Guide

A friendly note from someone who’s been in your shoes

Halos, welcome to ICANN!

If you’re reading this as a fellow, NextGen participant, or newcomer, you’ve probably already heard in various rooms and spaces some version of the standard welcome speech: “Find your passion!” “Bring your fresh ideas!” “You’re going to change everything!”

Don’t get me wrong, there’s truth in those words. But after more than a decade volunteering in this space (and yes, it’s volunteering…..this is not my day job!), I’ve learned that diving in with such expectations alone can lead you straight to a burnout city.

The Newcomer’s Dilemma

I’ve watched so many bright, enthusiastic people arrive ready to revolutionize everything. They come in with guns blazing, ready to challenge every process that seems outdated, every policy that feels unnecessarily complex. The questions start flying: Why isn’t my great idea being adopted immediately? Why are we stuck with these old rules? Why can’t we just start fresh with new blood and new ideas?

Sound familiar? If you’re feeling any of this right now, you’re in good company, many people have been there and I have heard from most of them.

Here’s What I Wish People Share More Often

– Slow down…Seriously.

I know that sounds counterintuitive when you’re buzzing with energy and ideas. But here’s the thing: you don’t need to change everything on day one. In fact, trying to do so will only leave you frustrated and exhausted.

Instead, give yourself permission to just…learn.

– Start with Understanding, Not Changing

Before you can effectively contribute to any system, you need to understand how it works. And ICANN’s ecosystem is complex for good reasons:

• Multistakeholderism isn’t just a buzzword, it’s the foundation of how decisions get made here
• Consensus building takes time because it has to include voices from everyone at the table
• Policy development processes have layers because Internet governance affects billions of people (everyone using or will use the Internet)
• Public comment periods exist to ensure no one gets steamrolled

Sit in on different working groups and committees (unless they’re closed sessions – respect those boundaries). Watch how discussions unfold. Notice how people with completely different perspectives manage to work together.

– Talk to the Veterans

Those folks who’ve been around since ICANN’s early days? They’re not obstacles, they are libraries of institutional knowledge. Most of them are genuinely excited to share what they’ve learned, and their stories will help you understand why things are the way they are.

Don’t be shy about asking questions. There’s no such thing as a stupid question when you’re genuinely trying to learn.

– Dig Into the Archives

Yes, I’m telling you to read old documents. I know, I know, it sounds boring. But if you want to understand your community’s current position on an issue, you need to know its history. Those virtual dusty archives contain the context that makes present-day conversations make sense.

Trust me, the future-you will thank the present-you for doing this homework.

Finding Your Fit (Space)

Here’s a secret: you don’t need to know where you belong right away.

Many of us are still “testing the waters” years in, and that’s perfectly okay. Join mailing lists for communities that sound interesting. Drop into their meetings. See what resonates with you.

You just might discover your niche through:

• Topics that light you up during discussions
• Skills you have that a community needs
• People you connect with and want to work alongside
• Issues where you can genuinely contribute something valuable

And here’s another secret: you can move around. You don’t have to marry the first community you join. Start somewhere, learn what you can, and if you later realize another space is a better fit, make the move.

(Note: you can’t hold leadership positions in multiple communities simultaneously.)

The Art of Collaboration

Let me introduce you to my favorite ICANN word: collaboration.

Your brilliant idea might not get adopted as-is. And you know what? That’s not only okay, it’s actually a good thing. Ideas get better when they’re challenged, refined, and built upon by diverse perspectives.

Learn to enjoy watching your proposals get “skinned to the bone” and rebuilt collaboratively. It’s not rejection, it is the community making your good idea even better. Some of the best outcomes I’ve seen started as someone’s rough draft that the community then fleshed out together.

Pacing Yourself

Unless ICANN is literally your job (and for most of us, it is not….we volunteer!), don’t put yourself on a high-pressure timeline. This isn’t a race. You’re not behind. There’s no deadline for “figuring it all out.”

Join this community at a sustainable pace. Engage when you have the energy and capacity. Step back when you need to. The work will still be here, and you’ll be more effective when you’re not running on fumes.

A Personal Invitation

Since I’m here anyway, let me tell you a bit about my community: ALAC/AtLarge.

What makes us special is that we genuinely have room for everyone. We work in the best interest of Internet end users and provide advice to the ICANN Board from that perspective. We’ve got experts on virtually every topic under discussion, but we’re also always eager to learn more and bring in fresh perspectives.

Whether you eventually land with us or find your home in another part of the ICANN ecosystem, what matters is that you find a space where you can learn, contribute, and grow.

Final Thoughts

You belong here. Your ideas matter. Your fresh perspective is valuable.

But give yourself time. Be patient with the process and with yourself. Understand before you try to change. Collaborate rather than crusade.

The ICANN community has room for your energy and your ideas, but it also needs your willingness to learn and work alongside people who’ve been building this together for years.

Welcome aboard. I’m excited to see where your journey takes you.

….From a volunteer who started as a fellow at ICANN49 in Singapore and is still learning every day.