Phase I of forum revamp underway - Are you missing some Boards?

[Appleseed]

Greetings Fellow Appleseeders!

Exciting news.   The Appleseed forum is embarking on Phase 1 of an improvement geared toward making it easier to find information and easier to help in progressing the program.

There are many reasons for these improvements.

The tremendous growth of the program and forum dictate we seek a need forum software/provider to accomplish much of what we do here at the Appleseed forum.   So, it makes sense to try to do what house cleaning is needed before we make the change.   This change is planned for around the first of 2010.

The growth of the Appleseed program on the State level also makes it important for us to restructure the forum and the way we operate Appleseed to both foster and help the State level Appleseed programs and to take advantage of the increased activity and energy we are experiencing on the State level.

With nearly 200 new members and countless Guests coming to the forum every month, it is even more critical we make it easier to find information and ensure we are getting the information to these folks which they are seeking.   The new format or structure of the forum will help us to do this.

Here is what you will need to know.

There will be different levels of the forum, to mimic the levels of activity and interest in helping which are present among those on this forum and in the Appleseed program.

The basic level for those who have registered for the forum is a place to find information about the Appleseed Shoots and program.   The next level is the State level, participating and contributing on the State level Appleseed efforts.  The next level is participating on the national level.   

Each level will have a detailed discussion of the next level, so people can better understand what needs to be done at the next level, allowing people to better make the decision if they wish to participate at that level of activity and commitment.

Phase I is in the process of being implemented.

You can help us beta test the system.

With little doubt, there will be many members here who will have their access to boards change, so this is a great opportunity for us to test the system and get folks where they belong.   Below is are the Instructions for you to follow to get to the level you desire.  Please be patient in this transition, there are nearly 3400 "members" on this forum, so this initial process may move a little slowly.

1)  If you want to move from the "Basic Member" level to the State Level--

Find the Private Message (PM) link below which corresponds to your TIME ZONE

Click it and send a PM with the following information:

--Your State of Residence

--Which Appleseed you have attended or are registered to attend.

YOUR PM LINKS:  (Put "State Level" in the subject line for faster service, thank you)

Eastern Time Zone:   Click to PM Eastern Time Zone

Central Time Zone:    Click to PM Central Time Zone

Mountain Time Zone:  Click to PM Mountain Time Zone

Pacific Time Zone:    Click to PM Pacific Time Zone

(everyone who wants to move to the State Level will need to do this, even if you have been here for a while.  We have no way to get you assigned to a state since we don't know which state many of you are in.   Even the IITs and Instructors should do this too, if you can not see your state board.)

Again, Thank you for your patience and understanding in this process, your fellow volunteers are working  quickly to make this transition happen, to ensure the forum is a better place to Appleseed for the future.

[Appleseed]

 

[funfaler]

Some questions have come up about "what is the commitment" and "what kind of jobs" are on WL1 and WL2.

These are kind of tough to answer, as the kind of jobs really vary quite a bit.   WL1 jobs will be a lot of short, "grunt work" tasks.   Flyer production, research, forum clean up, etc.    WL2 will be more positional type jobs, forum moderators, State Coordinators, help with promotions and such.

Commitment?   

This is up to the individual. 

The thing we are looking for is for all involved to either be engaged or let us know up front they will not be.   This is what I mean.   

You sign up for WL1.   Look around, don't want to do the WL1 jobs, just let us know, via the PMs above, and we will remove you at your request.   If you sign up for WL2, work for a while, have some changes in life need to take a break, let us know.   We will remove you from WL2 at your request, to WL1 if you wish or off of WL1 as well.

Folks, this is all your choice.

However, we are asking all to be up front about their intentions.   If you are not doing something, but are on the boards, you will be asked to step up to a bucket.   If you wish not to, simply state so, we will put you at which ever level you desire.   

This really helps all involved.   You can choose what you want.  We know where to look for helpers for the jobs that need to be done.   We all can see the jobs that need to be done and which ones will go undone due to lack of having helpers.   The whole idea is to make this as open as possible so we all know what is getting done and what is being left on the table.

The program will grow at a rate which the folks who are operating the buckets can handle.   Too many buckets left on the deck, things go undone, more people picking up buckets, then the work gets done and the program rolls on.

I hope this answers some questions about WL1 and WL2.   

BTW, Promo 1 and Promo 2 are separate boards, which mirror WL1 and WL2, with access to the promo boards as part of WL access.

Lots to do, so don't be shy, step right up.   

[funfaler]

Ensure you have sent a PM to the PM links in the first post for your time zone.

Tell us which state you are in and which Appleseed Shoot you have attended (or are registered to attend).

Thanks