General Team Wikis Info

General Team Wikis Info (all teams access)

• Do's and don't for team members
• Posting on FIOD/FLC
• Setting up your Freecycle.org email account
• Team directories
• Training module and How to use the Mod Tools
• Using and editing the Freecycle Wiki
• Training workflow
• Recruiting new local moderators
• List of UK Counties and GOA regions
• Group Naming Conventions
• Explanation of the point-centered group concept
• List of all active Freecycle.org groups and link to the map

Review of the basics

Please review New Moderator Orientation just to make sure you are aware of all the latest information

Tech issue reporting process for team members

• Member of IMOD/GOA watch group reports a problem to the moderator, GOA/IMOD refers member to the Support Team. GOA/IMOD should not act as an intermediary between the member and Support. If the problem is not solved or if it is a major issue that cannot wait, GOA/IMOD can escalate it by going directly to GOACoordinator, Hub Coordinator or Hub Coordinator's assistant.
• Mod discovers a problem, mod reports it to FIOD
• Mod tells GOA there's a problem. If GOA can't fix it, refer mod to Sitemodhelp@freecycle.org. GOA should not act as intermediary between SMH and the mod. If SMH does not solve the mod's problem or if the problem is a major issue that cannot wait, GOA can escalate the issue by going through GOACoordinator/Hub Coordinator/Hub Coordinator's assistant.
• Team member has a problem, team member reports it to Team Lead. TL confirms the issue by reproducing it. TL files a BT or asks Hub Coordinator/Hub Coordinator's assistant to file a BT. Here is the information needed for reporting a problem.
• For issues referred to SMH, SMH will attempt to replicate the problem. If SMH needs to enter the group for testing, they first get permission from the GOA. GOA should annotate GA that SMH is entering the group for testing. SMH or Info Coordinator will file a BT if issue cannot be resolved.
• Mail issues: the tech team is unable to address problems that are not related to Freecycle.org's servers. If you are having a problem with Thunderbird that replicates on webmail, please report it. Otherwise, please click here.

For those filing BTs, here is a workflow chart for prioritizing issues.

Roles of Teams

We have a check and balance system to ensure that each team fulfills its duties to the groups while staying within boundaries of their role. If a TFN team member is on one of the groups without prior approval, the appropriate Team Lead will resolve the situation.

Team members should never add their personal IDs as moderator/LM of any groups other than their own home group. The following is a description of what the various teams do, including when Freecycle.org IDs may be on groups.

IMOD

What the team does. IMOD covers headless groups, usually with more than 400 members. IMODs approve/reject posts based on the minimum required guidelines and send recruiting admins to their groups on a periodic basis. An IMOD team member may cover one or more IMOD ID.

IMODs on groups

• All IMOD groups are under two IDs: Interimmod and IMOD##.
• IMOD team members may be on local groups using @freecycle.org addresses only. Interimmod is added to all headless IMOD groups.
• IMOD21 is on groups with mods at GOA's request for temporary coverage, which is intended to be under two months' duration.

Mailboxes

• IMODs do not have mailboxes except for Interimmod and IMOD21. All other IMOD mail forwards to Interimmod.

Interaction with other teams:

• Interimmod forwards moderator applications to GOA for approval and orientation.
• Interimmod refers members with tech problems to Member Support
• Interimmod checks group files on request from other team members to vet potential moderators and team members
• Interimmod reports scams to Spam Control

Interaction with members:

• Only Interimmod and IMOD21 interact with members.

Interaction with moderators:

• IMODs are not on groups with moderators except very briefly at GOA's request. Interimmod (Team Leaders only) is the only team with authority to remove moderators from groups, on request from GOA. Deron, the GOA Coordinator and the Hub Coordinator may also remove moderators and will let Interimmod know.
• Interimmod does not normally interact with moderators except to send a courtesy note after GOA requests removal

GOAs

What the team does.
Group Outreach & Assistance is there to help and support members and group mods who have problems they need to resolve. Overlap? The GOA volunteer figures it out with the local mods. Abandoned group? Sales offer being allowed? Member unable to contact the group mods? The GOA team member has the authority and experience to be the final arbiter of any and every issue out there.

GOAs are the gatekeeepers of the groups. Once an NGA leaves a group, the GOA is the first stop in aiding mods and members, providing resources and resolving issues. They vet potential team members, have final say over group moderators and initiate the member removal process.

All GOA work is confidential and released outside of the team only on a need to know basis. The GOAs work as a team with the GOA Coordinator and the HUB Coordinator and Assistant HUB Coordinator on larger issues.

GOAs on groups

• GOA IDs should not be on any local groups (MyF or YG) except when a group is turned over to them by IMOD watch. They may only be on these groups using the GOA official @freecycle.org email address only and not a personal address. In this capacity, they may approve/reject pending posts, respond to member emails, and remove inappropriate posts. They should be sending recruitment ADMINs on a regular basis to find new mods.
• GOASupport is added to groups with mods in training. GOASupport does not approve or reject posts and normally stays on a group for a week.

Interaction with other teams:

• GOAs refer members and moderators with technical problems to Support
• GOAs refer members with tech problems to Member Support (help@ ) and mods with tech problems to SiteModHelp
• GOAs check group files on request from other team members to vet potential moderators and team members
• GOAs refer groups to IMOD when mods are leaving or being removed
• GOAs report scams to Spam Control
• GOAs report rogue groups to Trademark.

Interaction with moderators:

• GOAs deal extensively with moderators and are a moderator's first resource for any issue other than technical problems with the site.
• GOAs oversee new moderator orientation.
• GOAs assure that groups comply with the basic guidelines.
• GOAs help mods work with problem members.
• GOAs are the first line of contact when dealing with overly controlling mods, helping them to use a light touch. They are ultimately able to ask a mod to step down.

Interaction with members:

• GOAs moderate small headless groups and answer member queries for those groups.
• GOAs take on difficult member issues and resolve conflicts between members and between members and moderators.

INFO team

There are several members of the Info Team.

The Infocoordinator has a wide variety of responsibilities, including helping to co-ordinate spam/scam complaints and technical inquiries from moderators and members. The person in this role is the 'official mouthpiece' of Freecycle on the FIOD discussion group and provides regular (weekly) reports to members.

SiteModHelp

What the team does.SiteModHelp helps troubleshoot technical problems on groups. Where a volunteer needs to enter a group to troubleshoot an issue in this capacity, permission is sought from the state/regional GOA first.
SMH on groups
Interaction with other teams:
Interaction with moderators:
Interaction with members:

Spam Control

What the team does. The Spam Control̊ team removes spam and scammers.
.. on groups
Interaction with other teams:
Interaction with moderators:
Interaction with members:
This volunteer is not expected to need to join any local groups.

Support

What the team does. The Support team assists members with their inquiries and forwards emails to the regional/state GOA. .. on groups
Interaction with other teams:
Interaction with moderators:
Interaction with members:
This volunteer is not expected to need to join any local groups.

Social Media Team

What the team does.
.. on groups
Interaction with other teams:
Interaction with moderators:
Interaction with members:

NGA Team

NGAs are responsible for new applications for groups and will work with GOA to establish whether a new group is required and to set up the group. They use their NGA email addresses to email potential mods and other team members. NGAs set up groups using their personal IDs but as soon as the group goes live they leave the group and turn it over to NGASupport for new mod orientation. NGAs also use their personal IDs in GA like the GOAs do. Once the group is fully established and a local moderator or GOA is on the group, this volunteer should leave the group. The individual NGA IDs are never added to groups as mods/LMs.

Programmers

Programmers--Steev Hise manages the site and has other help. Sometimes they join local groups to troubleshoot technical problems. It is unusual for them to be on a group for longer than 24 hours.