Yay for growth! Our humble little goat group has taken off and as a result, I need more moderators to help keep things running smoothly. If the idea of working with an admin team to guide and help a growing membership appeals to you, keep reading to learn more.
About The Holistic Goat
The Holistic Goat is a goat group dedicated to empowering goat owners and combatting fear with information. It began originally in 2017 as a safe place where people of all walks of life and goat management backgrounds could come together and discuss all ways of raising goats without fear of criticism or attack. Through the years, that has continued to be the main focus and it is a cause I am personally passionately committed to. In a world where “social media is just cutthroat, there’s nothing to do about it,” I am determined that THG is the exception, illuminating the way for others to discover we can come together in peace and courtesy while exploring wildly varying–and sometimes opposing–ways of raising goats. Peaceful discourse helps us all grow and learn.
The Holistic Goat Membership Group
We also have a paid membership group on Facebook. Moderation of both groups is the same, but we focus on a smaller group in the membership.
Other Groups
We also operate The Mineral Buffet and The Holistic Homesteader on FB, so moderation would include those groups, too.
The Moderator Position
So what will you do as a moderator in this Facebook group? The admin team is here for one purpose: to serve as guides to help facilitate the free exchange of ideas. We don’t hold that any one way of doing things is the right way. We try not to take sides or have outspoken opinions one way or another in the context of our administrative duties. Instead, we help others feel safe and free to share their thoughts, adding our own when appropriate but always holding that the titles by our names give us no more authority or expertise than anyone else.
This doesn’t mean that you don’t have your own opinions, but that they are not the focus of your duties as a moderator. I am emphatically passionate about the way *I* do things, but you largely don’t see that side of me because my beliefs don’t matter in this group. What matters is that everyone is free to engage in discussion, to learn new ways and explore new ideas, without any fear of attack, passive aggressive responses or negative criticism.
I want to underscore the critical importance of being able to do this job without getting emotionally involved. It is not our role to have or police opinions. We are simply here to determine, “Is this discussion safe for everyone involved?” If you cannot leave your own beliefs at the figurative door, this role will not work for you.
Key Duties
As a moderator, you can expect to do the following tasks on a regular basis:
- visit the Facebook group and actively browse for new posts
- answer questions based on your own experiences and, when relevant, link to already published content on theholisticgoat.com, littleavalonfarm.com and in the Guides section of the group itself
- monitor comments to ensure the main rule of Do No Harm is strictly followed
- reply to comments when guidance is necessary, keeping in mind your role as a guide to the free exchange of ideas
- discuss with the Admin team through FB messages
- respond to reported comments, usually by discussing with the team unless the answer is straightforward
- remove comments and members who break the rules of the group, also after discussion with the team
Requirements
I am much more interested in finding someone whose personality and values align with the team than I am in actual experience. These are some key traits an ideal candidate will possess:
- ability to keep a cool head and respond outside of emotions
- ability to judge fairly and assess each situation independently
- ability to articulate thoughts and communicate clearly and with correct grammar/spelling, both with members and with the Admin team
- a love for helping people
- an interest in holistic care, ie an approach that looks at the whole animal
- experience owning goats and using natural remedies/holistic approaches in their care
- ability to be open minded and understand that our own experience is not universal and everyone has their own unique path to walk
Hours and Days
This is a flexible position that allows you to work as you have time throughout the day – or when you normally browse Facebook. The goal is to have complete time coverage from about 4a-10p PST every day. As long as questions are answered and posts managed regularly, there is no requirement for when you are active, but we will communicate regularly as a team to ensure group members’ needs are being met.
We do need 1-2 moderators who are able to spend more time on weekends.
This position will begin immediately once moderators have been selected. I am recruiting for one-two moderators to join the team.
Pay
This position is a 1099 contractor position which means you will need to fill out a W9 and be responsible for reporting your income on your tax return. The rate of pay to start is $18 per hour and you can expect to work about 5-10 hours per week, though there are no guarantees on hours. Payment is made via direct deposit.
If you get a thrill of excitement reading this, I’d love to hear from you. Please fill out this form. I will reply to every applicant. Please allow two weeks before following up to give me time to process responses. If you haven’t heard from me by then, please get in touch!