1. Username + Nickname ☼ my username is @sunnystarscout, but i go by raelyn or rae 2. Pronouns ☼ she/her 3. Quick about-me ☼ hello! I am rae. I’m a high school student who has been roleplaying for around 9-10 years. I use my free-time to draw and write as I find it’s a good way to relax after doing copious amounts of school-work. I’ve been in the warriors fandom for a very long time and have always found it the most comforting in terms of roleplaying. I’ve been on scratch for a little over 4 years and actively engaged in the community for around 2 of those. 4. Activity level (1-10, what days, commitments*, etc) ☼ I have in person classes at the start of my day but do online college courses the rest, so I am very active in terms of checking notifications even if I am not responding 24/7. There is a high likelihood I get to things only a few hours after I am notified, allowing for obvious delays that a student life provides while still not making people wait several days for an answer. There is no day of the week I do not have access to scratch, but I am more active on the weekends like most people. All-in-all, I’d say a 7-8/10. 5. Prior experience (if none, put n/a) ☼ I have managed several roleplays on scratch; Murder in the Bushes - warriors CottonClan - warriors After the War - wof I also have previous experience managing offsite roleplays as well from before and after that period, but most of the roleplays no longer are active due to eventually dying off from things outside my control. * Section one / General * 1. What motivates you to be a moderator for this roleplay? Why do you feel you are a good fit? ☼ I am pushed by an interest in reliving the days of when warriors roleplays were incredibly active and driven by the people who took part. I know a bit of it is that golden look you had when you were younger, but I find roleplaying is a good way for me to feel less stressed in-between my classes. I am motivated to be a moderator by my need to make it a success. I feel there is a need for another tight-knit warriors community on scratch and I’d like to do my part to make it happen. The concept for ILA is incredibly intriguing and I can very much see it becoming really fun to take part in. I feel I am a good fit because I have an understanding of roleplays, as I’ve been taking part in them for almost a decade and can apply my past experiences to establish solid connections with the people in them and handle responsibilities. 2. Do you have any prior experience moderating online communities (roleplays, chaos servers, etc), and what did you learn from it? ☼ Yes, I have experience moderating past roleplays. I have learned that the best way to be a moderator is to lead by example. A moderator shouldn’t just be someone viewing things from the outside, they should engage with the community so they have an understanding of the things being presented to them. I don’t see it as a job, more as a way to bring people together and curate the roleplay so that everyone has more fun. 3. What do you see as the primary responsibilities of a moderator? How do you think a moderator contributes to a positive community atmosphere? ☼ I see the primary responsibility of a moderator is to create a welcoming, fun, but respectful environment for users of scratch to come together and roleplay. They should be able to handle difficult situations without facing them in a negative light. I think a moderator contributes to a positive community atmosphere by communication and having a deep understanding of the people involved. It’s simply easier to talk things through when a moderator stands in a good position with everyone. If you’ve never seen them roleplaying, talking, and interacting with the community you’re much more likely to be hostile with them. 4. What kind of time commitment can you REALISTICALLY offer for moderation duties? (This means don’t say “I’m active 24/7!” While it’s not impossible, it’s not plausible.) ☼ I can offer several hours a week. As previously stated I am able to come online almost every day and therefore can check notifications quickly and have things dealt with before it becomes a problem. Being active is one of the more solid points I have for my dedication. I should be able to respond no more than a day after being notified. 5. You receive a report that a member’s character has a backstory or plot point that makes another member uncomfortable, though it doesn’t explicitly violate a written rule. How would you address this delicate issue? ☼ I will be referring to the person with the backstory as x I will be referring to the person uncomfortable with the backstory as y I would address this issue by first having a conversation with y as to why they are uncomfortable with x’s plot point. This doesn’t have to be personal, just a general talk about what makes it difficult for them. Depending on their answer, I would go about this in two ways.
[continued] 1. The backstory reflects a real-life event or incorrect depictions of abuse/disabilities/bigotry. This is a much more delicate subject matter and would be cause for concern. I would politely tell y I will deal with the matter by reflection with the other moderations and that they should simply not deal with the person or matter by themself until a decision has been made. A conversation should then occur that we would decide what to do. My personal choice would be to talk to x in a calm and courteous manner but firmly state that they will need to change their characters plot/backstory to no longer include the problem. I will offer up my suggestions to how it can be shifted to still reach the conclusion they’re looking for. There is no cause for action in terms of suspension / banning if we can reach a point where everyone is satisfied. 2. The backstory goes against y’s personal beliefs and/or includes things that they, and only them, do not care for (such as fears or memories from an uncomfortable moment in time) Unfortunately, warrior cats is a relatively violent book series and I believe roleplays should reflect this. I understand murder and violence can be difficult for some people to swallow but it is a part of how these things go. I will calmly tell them that I understand that it is hard for them to deal with, and recommend they do not interact with the person and/or character that is causing them concern, but that it is allowed to take place and therefore is out of my hands to prevent. Sometimes we cannot cater to everyone and that is something moderators will have to deal with at a certain point of time. I will be profusely apologetic to y about the situation but firm that I will not stop x from continuing. ☼ thank you for taking time to consider my application