Your Ideas needed! What would a verified member acct look like!?
One idea, I have long percolated on is a verified member acct. In the upcoming weeks, we will be announcing more information about a verified member system. The key feature will be member email confirmation to unlock participation in some parts of the site.
Since day one, listeners have had to verify their email ids in order to sign up. From there, with experience and trust built up in the community, they can apply for the Verified Listener badge after completing a mock chat with a member of the VL team. For context, prior to becoming Verified, a listener must reach the below milestones:
A. Have 50+ Chats
B. Have 1100+ Cheers (Novice Level 4)
C. Have 1+ positive written reviews
We want to bring a similar program to the member side for the following reasons -
-allow members to build trust and reputation in the community
-allow trusted members to help with quality assurance around the site
-allow members to show their level of commitment to their personal growth journeys and our community
So my question to all of you is……
What could this look like? We will be asking members to verify their emails, but beyond this, what baseline criteria would a member have to reach to become verified" ???
Some examples of possible criteria are -
-50 chats with listeners
-10 upvotes on the forum
-X number growth points
-zero mutes, warnings, behavior points
-------> Please share your feedback in this thread. And vote on some criteria options here. I want use a form for this to ensure I capture all of the ideas and feedback in one structured place.
**id love to hear from as many members as possible. Listeners, you are welcome to give feedback, but I encoueage you to put on your member hat. We want this program to represent and enhance the member experience.
I lnow I havw chimed already. 8 juat want tp word it another wayor two;
1. You already have Verified Members, just active under other names. So...maybw thosw vwry valuable criteria get added to THOSE lists: you can't help in forum if.....
But I am against the title Verified Member.
We are all Members here. We should be equals. We may each participate differently;, have different needs or wounds or challenges; make use of the site in different ways....but we are all Members.
And....back to the Head Boy/Prefect comparison: not everyone is necessarily going to trust a "Verified Member" no matter how wonderful they are. In fact it could send them running in the other direction. It doesn't feel inclusive. It feels divisive.
--'-----------
There's a Taoist teaching (paraphrased):
'The 2nd best Emperor is wel known and well liked; the people trust him and turn to him for guidance and aid.
'The BEST Emperor, no one even knows that he exists : he leads and provides, and the people believe that they have done it themselves. '
Personally, I believe e-mail verification should be mandatory for all accounts. This would help keep multiple accounts issues under control. No human would have to see or accept anything. A bot, like Noni, or another automated system, could do it.
As for the Verified Member category, I don't see why it would be good. All members would have the right to apply and to become one, and I think it would be good if the system gave second chances to those who have made a few mistakes in the past (warnings, mutes, etc). Of course, persistent bad behaviour would be sanctioned, I hope. Just like it is for Listeners.
I've once gotten 1 warning cuz a mod accidentally clicked it when wanting to heart my post.
I think one factor should be
- No behavior reports or mutes in the past 3 months
@Aubrynn I am a moderator, and that does not happen unless they accidentally deleted your comment which isn't a warning. There is no way someone can accidentally warn you knowing it's your comment. I hope that helped. :)
@Beeruslovesfood As a Group Mod with 12 months of experience, I can testify that, sometimes, in really fast rooms, it's possible to be a little bit too quick and warn/mute the wrong person. Acknowledging the mistake, apologizing and notifying the chatroom ambassadors can go a long way.
@AiluraBlaze That is why I specifically said "There is no way someone can accidentally warn you knowing it's your comment."
@Beeruslovesfood The moderator PMed me personally apologising for the mismatch. 
Just because it has never happened to you doesn't mean it's never happened to others.
If you want, I will ask them to PM you regardless. It does happen.
Please do not assume I am making things up. Thanks.
@Aubrynn I'm so sorry if you feel offended or invalidated with what have happened with the moderation. Good to know that the mod has apologised for the mismatch but there's no need to bring this issue up again and ask the mod who have warned you to PM another mod about this as that would be triangulation and we try not to add fuel to the fire. I hope that you understand 💚
@Erato
You are not listening to what @Aubrynn is saying and you are twisting their words. They are simply feeling that you guys dont believe them so they try to put out some priof, they didnt even share any details like names yet there you go on accusing them of adding fuel to fire. They didnt even share chat details only that an incident happened,not even breaking any rules
Instead of asking your mod friend to show empathy and validation you instead tried to accuse @Aubrynn of doing something they werent even meaning to do...this is a bit unjust to them for you to make accusations like these. Even other mods have said that it happens yet you guys refused to apologize and instead make unfounded accusations. The way to not add fire to fuel is to apologize.
@independentNorth7826 @Aubrynn I did apologise and hear them out. It's just that we don't want triangulation to happen. I'm not accusing them of anything, i'm trying to resolve the issue by not involving a third party. I hope you understand. I totally know how it feels like when you are warned or muted unfairly. With that, i'm trying to be fair when I mod and I make sure that I would always try conflict resolution first before sending out warnings. I didn't mean to offend anyone with what I have replied, my intention was good.
@Erato
Isn't htis suppose to be a thread of what a Verified Listener Account should look like? I think it should be one in which all can feel safe and accepted, not judged or misunderstood. As Verified Listeners we have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others and guide them into making decisions for themselves. And I sincerely believe that one of the most powerful traits of a Verified Listener is Humility; We should nevr act like know-it-all, but recognize that each individaul has something valuable to contribute to the world they interact with. Hats off to our Verified Listeners! Keep up the good work!!!!
@supplediamond7 it's actually for verified members :p but yeah I agree with what you've said on verified listeners.
@Aubrynn, I am a moderator, and I have never had that happen. I am not saying that you're telling a story but I was just explaining that you can click off the mod button before warning someone if you know whose comment you clicked on. Let's not cause conflict please if you'd like to discuss this any farther please send me a message if you need more clarifing of my reasoning. Thank you :)
@Beeruslovesfood so my post gets deleted because it says unflattering stuff about the admin who ruined my experience and feeling of community. that's ridiculous. if someone has a problem with potty mouth language then just scratch that out. removing an entire answer because someone deems the content too offensive against the faceless administrator who run this site and terminate listener accounts for listeners who actually give a [expletive deleted] and devote lots of energy and time to being helpful to over 60 people and getting very good reviews because no one has ever submitted a bogus report before right? there's no such thing as an ulterior motive or a vendetta... listener is guilty until proven-- oh wait, no. listener is just guilty and that's final with no say in the matter no recourse to offer his/her side, no chance for vindication or redemption. there's no compassion in that. i've never chatted with a listener on this site who gave half as much of a [expletive deleted] about their listening then i did. that's just messed up [expletive deleted].
@hollowman84
Personally as I'm not a moderator. Such conduct in my eyes is an unproductive usage of your time. Sure people have bad experiences and interactions with others everyday, the internet is no different in that sense from the real world. But to waste your time, ranting about a moderator and making a negative, unproductive post that can be viewed as not only a personal attack, but harrasment is unconducive and is something that would likely get deleted every where else on the internet. 7 cups of tea isn't twitter nor is it facebook. Such things may be okay there on those two sites, but this site isn't one of them.
@CalmingSunshine08 Go ahead delete my stupid posts, I dont really care. Im not trying to make myself look good. I wasnt targeting any moderator, I wasnt saying anything about a specific person. You may perceive it that way, but thats not what I was doing. Just flag my posts. I already have. I dont claim that my vulgar posts were written in order to earn points, win medals or badges. It was done impulsively & out of anger. I am well aware of how my words come across. I know I look bad. After what happened to my listener account I know that I have lost any chance for redemption here. The only viable option is to shut up & disappear from this site. No other solution was presented. No one ever expressed in interest in hearing me out. You can assess the implications of my words or try to characterize my intent however you see them. I understand you want to lecture & berate me. If someone on this site directs their words to me from somewhere other than a place of compassion, the less of a distinction between this forum and twitter there is. Maybe I dont deserve compassion. My confidence in what this site is supposed to be for is null and void, thanks to the kind of attitude expressed through your words. My actions speak volumes, so do yours, and everyone elses. You dont like what Ive posted— then flag them. Get them erased. But dont try to school me. That is no more useful that my words you are offended by. I have nothing else to say to you.
@Beeruslovesfood
I can't message you as you're a teen.
I think we've clarified it then.
I wasn't saying that you were ever doing that.
I was talking about my own experience.
I did not say you did, nor have I tagged or said you did.
I simply just stated what happened to me.
Please do not personalise it and start believing it was directed towards you.
Thanks and take care.
@Aubrynn I agree.
@Laura
I think people dont understand what it means to be a verified listener unless they have gone through it. Most memebers look at ratings, pictures and just the quick profile of a person to see if it would be a good fit. I think they are more concerned about finding someone on-line to resolve their issues.
I am concerned about how easy it is to take live chats. I have heard horror stories as I am sure all of you have, and while the 7cups team is alwasy trying to be sure these issues don't occur, they do. Perhaps we need to up our standards a bit like we do for peer support and mods? Just a thought.. I know a lot of people who have taken those tests and have difficulty with them so the ones who are determined work very hard to figure things out. I undersatnd we are not therapits, but its sometimes scary out there...
There may be some flaws, but all in all, those at 7cups are doing a great job and I am glad to be a part of a wonderful place. Thank you to all of those who strive to make this place work! So many people have been helped and it is a great program to support <3 :)
@Pumpkin74 I agree. Early on I had a Listener call me an" f***ing idiot" when we had only been talking for about a minute, and then block me. This in reaction to me politrly clarifying the type of help I needed.
That said I've only had the one truly horrific experience.
@SpruceRaven
I am so sorry you had that experience.. Its hard out there for sure and I hope that you never endure that again!!!!!!! <3 Hugs to you!!!!!
@Pumpkin74 Thank you Pumpkin! 🍊🍊🎃🎃🎃
@Pumpkin74
Huuuugs back! 💝💝💝
(leaves scent oof d spruce needles behind)
@Pumpkin74
"There may be some flaws, but all in all, those at 7cups are doing a great job and I am glad to be a part of a wonderful place. Thank you to all of those who strive to make this place work! So many people have been helped and it is a great program to support <3 :) "
I AGREE! 😁🙄👍
@Pumpkin74
Totally agree with your post. Let's continue to make the world a little better to those who share with us. We can listen, and when possible, help or motivate. It's such a wonderful feeling to know that you made a difference to someone who may have been hurting. As a Verified listener myself, at times it can be overwhelming, and so when the situations warrants it, take a step back, breathe and remember "Rome was not built in a day." You are doing great! Keep it up!
@Laura
I think this is a pretty cool idea, but I'm not sure how anyone would manage to meet a criteria like 50 chats with Listeners?? I think I currently have a grand total of 5, 3 of whom were part of the welcome team.
@creativeOak9590 the number of chats is different from the number of people that you talked with. you can see your number of chats under your progress page under "My Stats". https://www.7cups.com/member/growthProgress.php
@TortueDesBois
Yes, thank you, and there are 5.
I don't see the logic in a member being praised or blamed for the number of listeners who are actually willing to listen to them.
@creativeOak9590
Actually, nevermind, I see what you mean now...I actually have 0.
@Laura
Thank you for this wounderful Idea, and yes this is a gerat way to keep our membes coming back. And to I feel it can help with alot of the spams on here.
Your Ideas needed! What would a verified member acct look like!?
One idea, I have long percolated on is a verified member acct. In the upcoming weeks, we will be announcing more information about a verified member system. The key feature will be member email confirmation to unlock participation in some parts of the site.
Since day one, listeners have had to verify their email ids in order to sign up. From there, with experience and trust built up in the community, they can apply for the Verified Listener badge after completing a mock chat with a member of the VL team. For context, prior to becoming Verified, a listener must reach the below milestones:
A. Have 50+ Chats
B. Have 1100+ Cheers (Novice Level 4)
C. Have 1+ positive written reviews
We want to bring a similar program to the member side for the following reasons -
-allow members to build trust and reputation in the community
-allow trusted members to help with quality assurance around the site
-allow members to show their level of commitment to their personal growth journeys and our community
So my question to all of you is……
What could this look like? We will be asking members to verify their emails, but beyond this, what baseline criteria would a member have to reach to become verified" ???
-50 chats with listeners
-10 upvotes on the forum
50 number growth points
0 mutes, 0 warnings, 0 behavior points
And Must do Self Guide weekly, Write Review Or Rate a Listener, And Do the Emothional Test to keep your badge
@Laura
SOrry I posted what you asked and shared my thoughts on what would be needed at the end or your post that I fealt would keep members active and welling to move forward
@Reececup1986
im not sure I agree with the must do daily because it is hard to get on everyday. I don
@ModestOcean
Thank you for your reply to my post and im Sorry Ocean, I didnt mean they had to do it daily, just weekly ( One day out of the week ).
@Reececup1986 I don't think there should be a minimum frequency of check in times. We have members who are hospitalized, who undergo surgeries, who travel, etc. Even hosting my parents, I might not be around for a week and that's when I still have access to my computer and wifi.
@AffyAvo
I understand that and yes I know that we all have issues that love to pop up, which I find doing a care break for Members can be helpful to. Like file a form that lets use know that your taking time off
@Reececup1986 That's not always possible, sometimes treatments are emergencies. I don't think this badge should be tied to ongoing 'duties'. I don't see this as a volunteer role like some of the other badges represent.
@AffyAvo
I do understand what your concers are and can see why you feel this isnt fair. But know that for members that are active and wanting to grow then being put in a place to where it could take some stress off the others to check Emails and make shore that those members are not out to Troll or spam the chats. Haveing this in place can lower the level of time that its needed to check all that and nmore time on doing what we are here for, and thats to support and lead any and all that need support and empathy. As a Listener I an a volunteer and yes for my badges I do feel that if im not active I feel they should be taking away so that way its a horon to be able to enter a chat room to feel safe form the member/guests and other listeners. And as a Listener and Mod I fear that knowing that at any point I could loss my badges due to a troll or spames or even a peer seeking revenge on us for doing our jobs keep youll safe to report me for nothing. Having this can help lower that chance and keep peace of mind. I went throw it as a listener and its nothing to feel thats going to limite any one to chat here. This is just to get ideas and I know that some of mine wont be part of this but knowing i am trying to better this place for my Co chatters and new commers make me feel as a better listener.
@Reececup1986 As a listener, you are a volunteer. A member who is a forum supporter is a volunteer for that role. So I'm not saying that no member badges should be tied to being active.
I don't see the verified member as a volunteer role.
First off, I think the name needs to be something else. I am assuming that the purpose of the badge isn't about prioritizing support or anything like that, and in terms of that I don't think we can say one is verified in this role for getting support or not. If the name sticks, it should only be about verifying an email address.
I am guessing, but I think this badge is more about feedback and a certain level of knowledge about the site? Whether it's some of the surveys given, or related to flagging listener profiles etc. Community member is what comes to mind moreso for that purpose, someone who has connections here. With the subcommunities though that's probably not the best badge name, might need to mull that over more. Possibly engaged member?
Will add more later phone call interrupted my train of thought.
@Laura and all admin ..... WOW! I did not realize people would have such very strong opinions (and reasons for them) regarding a "verified member" badge or designation of some kind.
@-everyone who has posted here .... Please ALSO go back to page one, post one and fill in the survey for Laura. If I were her or Kate or other admin peoples, I would REALLY appreciate it!
Generally speaking, I think ..... Change is hard. But without change there is no going forward. And with an amazing community of 7cups all around the whole world (adding more daily) it will be very hard to agree on lots of things. This requires trust - which is a big deal for me and lots of you too, I think - but trust in that our lovely admin people are working on change for the better! Changes to keep 7cups going and growing and improving.
Again, would you please go back to page one, post one and click to fill out the survey for this thread? Thank you! <3 Platy
Maybe a crown of some sort of badge would be cool
Maybe use a % based on their negative vs positive feelings.. people can then see if they need extra encouragement.
A