Leader Apps ┬─┬ SWC July 2024

Notes & Credits

(Please read *everything*, whether or not you've led before. The FAQ contains some important information people tend to forget!) ┬─┬ 1. What is SWC? Scratch Writing Camp is a triannual virtual writing camp which runs in March, July and November. This is a great place for members of the Scratch writing community to meet skilled, like-minded and creative people in one of the biggest and most exciting events on Scratch! Whether you've been honing your skills for years or you're a complete writing beginner, there's a place for you here <3 2. What are the responsibilities of a (co)leader? - Maintaining a healthy balance between SWC and real life and encouraging the same for campers - Answering questions & concerns regarding SWC IF they are confident in their answer - Taking any questions & concerns (theirs or others’) to the hosts if they are unsure of their answer - Updating word counts in a timely manner - Overseeing the cabin and acting as a supervisor - Contributing to cabin planning and development 3. When is my (co)leader application due? 11:59 PM UTC on May 17th. 4. When will (co)leaders be chosen? After applications close, the hosts will determine and notify leaders over the next few days. Co-leaders will be chosen by leaders between then and the 1st of June. 5. What are the differences between leader and co-leader? Leaders have more responsibility than cos. They are 'in charge' of a cabin, and they ensure equity in terms of tasks within their own cabin on top of making more decisions regarding cabin theme and development. 6. How do co-leaders work? Applications not chosen to be leaders will automatically be open to being chosen as co! You are not allowed to advertise your application to the chosen leaders — we do monitor this. If you aren't selected as a co-leader, we advise that you keep your app up regardless - sometimes situations later on call for leaders to need to choose another co! 7. What are the cabin names? Cabins vary by interest every session — so you can suggest any cabin from the past or a completely new one in your app. The cabin list will be finalized during the selection of leaders! A list of past cabin genres can be found here: (https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/post/7707994/) You aren't required to write in the genre of your cabin! It's simply a name <3 8. I've never been a leader in SWC before. Will more experienced people be chosen over me? We mainly choose by the three main criteria of answer quality, honesty, and creativity. Past behavior is also considered, but ultimately a lack of *leading* experience in SWC will not disadvantage you! 9. Can I apply if I’ve never participated in SWC at all prior? Of course, anybody can apply <3 However, we still fully recommend having at least one session of camping experience so you know exactly what you’re dedicating yourself to! 10. How will I know if my application has been seen? I’ll get a notification when you remix — so no need to link your application in the comments! 11. Are collaborative apps allowed? Collaborative applications, where two or more people apply through one app, are not allowed. If you use anything by someone other than yourself, remember to clearly give credit in your project description! 12. Can I choose cos before I get accepted? No - you may look at apps in advance but you can’t ask them to co with you or make a pact with friends to lead together. If you do get accepted, guidelines will be given on how to choose co-leaders. 13. Why are letters of recommendation prohibited? They don’t serve much purpose, favor those already well-known within the community, and could bias (particularly new) leaders looking to choose co-leaders. Plus, any situation involving writing opinions on multiple people could escalate rapidly! 14. What is the purpose of the word cap on applications, and what counts towards it? Having guidelines for word count both encourages applicants to be more concise, and makes applications easier for hosts to read and judge. Just the answers, NOT the excerpt or any other writing in the app. If your app is formatted like an interview, where there's a story woven in with the answers, that will count towards the word cap :) 15. What is the Cabin That Will Not Win? The Cabin That Will Not Win is a cabin separate from the leaderboard and the competitive aspect of SWC - it's designed to be relaxed and help participants focus on personal goals instead of cabin points. TCTWNW can be assigned to any genre cabin! 16. Can I get an extension on my app? Extensions are given on an individual basis, and only for unforeseen circumstances such as tech issues or a family emergency. Only 24 hour extensions will be granted, after there are 48 hours left until the deadline. You still must provide your answers through a forum post by the original deadline! Almost 3 weeks is enough time to write 2k words ^^ ┬─┬ If you have any further questions, feel free to ask in the comments below <3