Applications
Username*
Collide
Age*
28
Preferred pronouns*
She/Her
How long have you been a part of the Wolfhome community?*
13+ years
What roles have you previously had on Chatlands?*
EC more than once. RT at least once.
What does the community council mean to you? Why do you want to apply, and what do you feel are your strong suits?*
I have seen the struggle of keeping everything together and happy rather than being stressed and tense. I want WH to be a positive community again, and I’d love to help in any way that I can.
What are flaws that you perceive in yourself? How do you accommodate for these flaws?*
I can sometimes be too forgiving, as I don’t like to hold a grudge, and I believe that people should be given another chance (depending on the situation). I am growing a backbone when it comes to Chatlands and the criticism I have received from others.
A community member comes to you with a grievance against a staff member. They are claiming the staff member was unnecessarily rude to them, and would like to talk to the staff member about it. They want you to act as a mediator for the situation. How do you respond?*
I don’t see any issue with being a mediator, as the member may have a disability or something simple like basic anxiety that can make it difficult for them to approach the situation themselves. I am willing to work with them on a solution and response that is respectful to both parties. I would want to discuss the situation more with the member, such as proof of their claims, before going further with the matter.
Two members are having a disagreement amongst one another. No rules are being broken, so the admins will not intervene. One of the members asks you to mediate in order to help resolve the situation. Would you intervene? Why or why not?*
I don’t see why not. It’s simply a matter of using the block option, or moving past the situation. Acting like a counselor or friend could help, too, by allowing them to both explain their sides and help relieve stress from the situation. But, it all depends on what the situation is to think further.
A community council member is expected to be adaptable and knowledgeable about the community. They are expected to put the needs of the community at the forefront when making decisions and collaborating with administrators. Do you feel confident exercising unbiased judgment to the best of your ability for the betterment of Wolfhome? How important is receiving recognition for your accomplishments to you?*
I am capable of making unbiased judgment. I have sat for jury duty twice, so the concept of unbiased judgement is something I have dealt with before. I do not need any recognition, my only goal is to help Chatlands feel safe and positive for all parties. Just being allowed to take this step in making Chatlands what it should is enough for me.
In your opinion, what makes a successful council member? What qualities should they possess? What are you most excited about contributing as a council member? What challenges would you expect to encounter as a council member?*
I think good language is a good quality, as you need to be able to get your thoughts and points across clearly and accurately. I’m most excited about making users feel more welcome and confident and being able to share their thoughts and feelings with others that can help them handle these situations. I expect a lot of feedback that may not be positive, and perhaps a lot of ill feelings towards the team and stressful situations to deal with. I believe a successful member is someone who can make thoughtful and positive decisions and help the community in their best possible way. They should be able to handle stressful and possible overwhelming situations.
Username*
goth
Age*
26
Preferred pronouns*
xe/xem or they/them
How long have you been a part of the Wolfhome community?*
15 years; since 2008
What roles have you previously had on Chatlands?*
I was on EC before but no administrative role
What does the community council mean to you? Why do you want to apply, and what do you feel are your strong suits?*
I love this community, I really do. I want to see a council where the voices of everyone are heard and valued. I want to know that my voice has a purpose and the things I do and say can bring forth issues that can be resolved or at least looked at. I want other people/users to feel that their voice has a purpose and is heard. I think that I have a strong sense for what is right and I know what is necessary for growth.
What are flaws that you perceive in yourself? How do you accommodate for these flaws?*
Currently, I have some impulse control issues. I use what I was taught in therapy via CBT/DBT to self talk and ground myself in the moment and relax my nerves. It's a lot of self talk. Another flaw I feel I have is that sometimes I can get carried away on one thing or another. If said thing is negative I remind myself that this thing too shall pass and is not necessary to be dwelled on. I've been doing a lot of personal growth over my years.
A community member comes to you with a grievance against a staff member. They are claiming the staff member was unnecessarily rude to them, and would like to talk to the staff member about it. They want you to act as a mediator for the situation. How do you respond?*
I would be happy to be a mediator, however, I would truly expect the user to be civil and would make sure that I say this. Conversations like this are important to be critical but also constructive. If the staff member WAS rude, there is ways I can help the staff member realize what they said and how it effects others. This should also be an avenue where the user will feel comfortable with the solution and conversation after the fact.
Two members are having a disagreement amongst one another. No rules are being broken, so the admins will not intervene. One of the members asks you to mediate in order to help resolve the situation. Would you intervene? Why or why not?*
If I feel that my addition/mediation is necessary, I would step in. If this is a disagreement that I feel would better be resolved in one person or both parties putting each other on ignore I would probably suggest that. I think it is very important when arguments happen that both parties are able to see either side of the story and/or situation. I feel if the disagreement is on politics, however, then they should ignore/block.
A community council member is expected to be adaptable and knowledgeable about the community. They are expected to put the needs of the community at the forefront when making decisions and collaborating with administrators. Do you feel confident exercising unbiased judgment to the best of your ability for the betterment of Wolfhome? How important is receiving recognition for your accomplishments to you?*
Honestly, I just want to be able to elevate voices and concerns of users. I don't personally care if my accomplishments go overlooked as long as they're not credited to someone else. I want to see this community become a place where people like myself are heard and understood. I am confident that I can listen to either side and cast unbiased judgment.
In your opinion, what makes a successful council member? What qualities should they possess? What are you most excited about contributing as a council member? What challenges would you expect to encounter as a council member?*
I think a successful council member is someone who has done their part to bring concerns of users to light. Someone who can bring the opinions and voices of others up in an unbiased way. I've said it probably 4 times in this application, but, I really, really just want to see this work for the betterment of the community of Chatlands as a whole. As far as challenges go, I would expect the current climate of the community to be a challenge to overcome. As someone who's been here for years, I think that the anger and the frustration currently is justified! We feel unheard. We feel unhappy. We feel ignored. I think the council should take these feelings and really respect them and find solutions to problems.
Username*
Scrimshaw
Age*
25
Preferred pronouns*
they/he/it/she in order of preference
How long have you been a part of the Wolfhome community?*
15 years
What roles have you previously had on Chatlands?*
Admin (gamma, beta, forum mod, and ART team for chats including but not limited to CPI, Wolfhome, and Louloudia), Event Committee, Relations Team
What does the community council mean to you? Why do you want to apply, and what do you feel are your strong suits?*
The community council, to me, is essentially the glue that holds the community together. It bridges the rift created over time between the administration and overall community by acting as an intermediary with user interest in mind. It is a collaborative effort meant to restore a better sense of trust and community between everyone who frequents Wolfhome and ensure that people are treated fairly. The community council is a crucial step in providing a long absent measure of checks and balances.
I want to apply simply because I drafted all of the original concepts for this team and I feel I have a lot of insight as to how it should be run. I, however, do recognize that just because I created it does not mean I hold sole ownership of it, which is why I wanted to go ahead and contribute and allow people to vote fairly, opposed to trying to assume leadership of it outright.
I am a very adaptable person who is capable of thinking critically about myself and others. Striving to understand other people and how they work - even if, at times, their ideals may be in opposition to mine - is something I stress importance on. Over a decade of moderative experience on many sites (not just Chatlands) has given me a broad perspective on what can and cannot work for a moderative team (which lends itself well to a role meant to balance one) as well as exceptional project management and discussion skills. I do my best to carry myself with professionalism, but most importantly, honesty.
What are flaws that you perceive in yourself? How do you accommodate for these flaws?*
I tend to be exceptionally stubborn. I have a hard time dropping things and will dwell on them for quite some time before moving on. While I do not consider myself to have anger issues, I can be irritable at times, especially when my social battery has been drained significantly. I have been, at times, called blunt and abrasive, and I concede that I can come off that way. Overall, I would summarize my flaws into this short list: headstrong, irritable, blunt, and overbearing.
A community member comes to you with a grievance against a staff member. They are claiming the staff member was unnecessarily rude to them, and would like to talk to the staff member about it. They want you to act as a mediator for the situation. How do you respond?*
I would tell the community member that I would be happy to accomodate them and mediate for them. First and foremost, I would ask them what the issue is and what proof they have supporting their claims. I would go over this evidence and discuss back and forth with the community member to make sure I am understanding what they are seeing correctly, if anything seems unclear.
Then, I would approach the staff member with a request for a mediation meeting. Upon hearing back from the staff member, I would collect from each person involved what times work best for them, and hold a meeting in the place of most comfort for the community member (discord or chat). All mediation would be documented and logged until either a conclusion is met or amicable compromise. If one is unable to be met by either party, I will bring it up with the primary contact on the admin team (an acting alpha) so they are aware of the situation and that the two parties in question should have limited contact with one another, if any at all, and that the staff members actions should be observed for repeat behaviors against community members.
Two members are having a disagreement amongst one another. No rules are being broken, so the admins will not intervene. One of the members asks you to mediate in order to help resolve the situation. Would you intervene? Why or why not?*
I will intervene, but on a limited basis. I would emphasize to both people involved that this is not a rule violation, I am not an admin, and I will not be investigating or pushing for punishment against either party unless they choose to then break rules, at which point they will be reported for said behavior. However, as a prominent figure within the community, I would feel it is of importance to me to foster a positive environment, and, much like above, I would schedule a meeting at a time and in a place both can agree on with full documentation.
A community council member is expected to be adaptable and knowledgeable about the community. They are expected to put the needs of the community at the forefront when making decisions and collaborating with administrators. Do you feel confident exercising unbiased judgment to the best of your ability for the betterment of Wolfhome? How important is receiving recognition for your accomplishments to you?*
This is a matter I honestly feel confident about in a way that I feel about few other things. My skillset revolves around community and project management and I feel like my skills can be fully utilized here. I do not care about recognition so long as significant change can be made, though I do expect people to acknowledge me at least partially for my efforts through simply passing the same kind of energy forward to their peers. I also do not like people assuming credit for things they simply did not contribute to, and will call this out as I see it.
In your opinion, what makes a successful council member? What qualities should they possess? What are you most excited about contributing as a council member? What challenges would you expect to encounter as a council member?*
I successful council member is someone who is capable of being balanced, sociable, kind, reasonable, independent, and confident. They are someone who wants to do better by this community by implementing the structural stability it needs. They have an understanding of the community and what members expect from them.
I will admit my scope as a potential council member is limited. I plan to finish the structural work if I am successfully voted in, but I do not know where this role will carry me beyond that. I will not make promises about the longevity I will have in this role if I can't keep them.
I will be completely honest with you in that I don't know what challenges to expect. I remain open to what this role could become and what difficulties will come of it. I can only expect what I've been conditioned to expect from previous experiences, and this is something entirely new. I know that there will be difficulties, and I know I will likely butt heads with others, but that's sort of what happens when you chart a course few others have ventured before.
