Community Guidelines
Poola is a global community, so be mindful of cultural differences. We built this app on the principles of collaboration, support, and inclusivity. To ensure a positive and productive environment, we have established the following guidelines for all members, including individuals and organisations involved in the social good, creator, and startup sectors.
Remember, our community thrives on its members' contributions and collective efforts. By adhering to these guidelines, you can foster an inclusive, supportive, and inspiring environment for everyone involved in the social good, creator, and startup sectors. *As a side note, the Community Guidelines are subject to change, so it's a good idea to check them periodically.
🌍 Overall Community Guidelines
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Principle 1: Pool Thinking
Every action taken within a Pool’s community should have a purpose and result in constructive outcomes. Users are encouraged to channel their contributions, whether it's money, items, or time, towards projects, initiatives, or causes that bring about positive change. Being constructive means actively participating in activities that improve the lives of community members or advance the shared goals of the platform.
Engage in constructive discussions and feedback. An environment where participants provide insightful and helpful contributions, shows the world the importance of offering constructive criticism, suggestions, or solutions rather than purely negative or unhelpful comments. Lets promote a culture of growth, improvement, and support within local and global communities
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Principle 2: Responsible Use Of Funds
Responsible financial stewardship is at the core of Poola. We as a company and the individuals who use our app are expected to handle monetary contributions with care, ensuring that they are allocated wisely and efficiently to maximise their impact. Responsible use includes proper budgeting, financial transparency, and regular reporting to the community to maintain trust and confidence.
Advocate for responsible handling and allocation of funds raised through our messaging system. Encourage users to use the funds for their intended purpose, demonstrating transparency in how the funds are utilised ensures that creators are accountable for the proper and ethical use of the funds they receive, fostering trust and confidence in the crowd-sourcing community
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Principle 3: Integrity and transparency
Integrity should form the foundation of all interactions within a Pool’s community. Users should act with honesty and sincerity, both in their contributions and their communications. Transparency is equally important, with users being forthright about their intentions, actions, and the outcomes of their efforts. This builds an environment where trust thrives
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Principle 4: Collaboration and Support
Collaboration is necessary to achieve collective goals. Users should actively seek opportunities to work together, pooling their resources, skills, and efforts for the greater good. This principle promotes a culture of mutual assistance and cooperation, ensuring that no one is left behind.
We aim to build the tools and platform to encourage users to assist and uplift each other, share knowledge, and provide guidance or mentorship where possible. Our results emphasises the power of collective efforts and shows that when a community values cooperation it creates a supportive network for individuals to achieve their goals
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Principle 5: Prompt communication
Effective and timely communication is vital for the smooth operation of a Pool. Users should share information, skills, and in person contributions promptly, ensuring that everyone stays informed and engaged. This helps prevent misunderstandings and promotes a sense of togetherness in the objective of the Pool
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Principle 6: Positive Impact
Wether it is a Social Good, Creative or Start Up Pool every action taken in its community should result in a tangible, positive change. Whether through financial donations, the sharing of items, or volunteering time, users are encouraged to focus on initiatives and projects that have a meaningful and lasting impact on the community and its members
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Principle 7: Reporting Violations
Users play an active role in upholding Pool and community standards by reporting any breaches of guidelines or principles. Reporting violations is seen as a responsible action that helps maintain a safe, respectful, and compliant environment. It empowers the community to address issues promptly and fairly
Poola aims to provide clear mechanisms for reporting and ensure that user reports are taken seriously and addressed promptly. You reporting violations helps us maintain a safe and respectful community environment and allows for appropriate action to be taken when necessary
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Principle 8: Continuous Innovation
Embracing change and innovation is essential for growth. Explore new creators, start ups, and socially conscious Pools that resonate with you and what you belive in. By continually innovating ourselves and our interests, we can adapt and thrive in a dynamic world.
Provide feedback and suggestions to enhance the functionality, features, and user experience of Poola so that we can also continually improve. We emphasise the commitment to adapt and evolve based on user input, ensuring that the application remains relevant and meets the evolving needs of the community
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Principle 9: Compliance
The importance of adhering to all legal and ethical standards should be considered a golden rule. Users are expected to follow applicable laws and regulations, as well as the app's policies and guidelines. Compliance ensures that the community operates with integrity and avoids unnecessary legal complications. Any activities or content shared within the application must comply with legal requirements and ethical standards
🌳 Social Good Community Guidelines
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Principle 1: Radical Transparency
Provide clear and comprehensive information about your Pool. Communicate the purpose of your cause, the intended impact, and how the funds or items will be used. Then once up and running disclose any fees or expenses associated with your campaign so that your current and future contributors can make informed choices and to build trust and maintain accountability.
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Principle 2: Accountability
Ensure that the funds and items collected are managed responsibly and used exclusively for a socially positive purpose. Set specific, measurable, and time-bound goals for your Pool then regularly update your contributors and supporters on your progress, including how much has been raised, how it has been allocated, and the impact achieved.
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Principle 3: Get approval
Approval from the beneficiary before starting a Pool on their behalf will help to ensure that the funds are used in a way that is consistent with the beneficiary's wishes.
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Principle 4: Integrity
Integrity is a fundamental principle in crowdsourcing. Conduct all decisions with honesty, integrity, and ethical practices. Avoid misleading or deceptive tactics, misrepresenting the social cause or misusing funds. Uphold high moral standards in all interactions with those who contribute their time, money, and resources.
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Principle 5: Diversity and Inclusion
Ensure that your crowdsourcing efforts are accessible to a diverse audience, regardless of their background or circumstances. Be aware of the potential barriers and strive to include underrepresented groups in your campaigns.
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Principle 6: Donor-Centric Approach
Build relationships with your contributors by expressing gratitude for their contributions and keeping them informed about the impact of their support. Encourage feedback and engagement to foster a sense of ownership in the social good cause you now represent.
Understanding contributors motivations, values, and interests and tailoring communication and engagement strategies makes supporters feel valued and appreciated. Regularly update your progress, and showcase the impact of their contributions.
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Principle 7: Sustainability
Think long-term and consider the sustainability of your Pool or the initiatives that you organise. Plan for ongoing funding and resources, so that your impact can be maintained beyond the initial campaign. Far too many social causes are lost because of short term thinking and short term solutions. Lets change this!
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Principle 8: Compliance
Familiarise yourself with all applicable laws, regulations, and ethical standards related to crowdsourcing activities to ensure that your Pool complies with the law in which you reside.
Register your organisation if required and obtain any necessary permits or licenses. Familiarise yourself with tax requirements, financial reporting obligations, and any permits or licenses needed for fundraising. Maintain accurate records and fulfil any legal obligations associated with fundraising efforts.
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Principle 9: Ethical Crowdsourcing Practices
Avoid any form of manipulation, deception, or high-pressure tactics when seeking financial contributions. Represent your Pool honestly and accurately, and DO NOT make promises that cannot be fulfilled.
“There is no greater fraud than a promise not kept.” — Gaelic Proverb
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Principle 10: Clear Communication
Communication is key when promoting a social good cause. Clearly and effectively communicate the mission, goals, and impact of the cause. Provide well-defined explanations of how physical and financial contributions will be utilised to address the identified needs. Use our messaging system to engage and inform potential supporters, ensuring they have a clear understanding of the importance and impact of their contributions.
🎨 Creator Community Guidelines
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Principle 1: Value Exchange
Define the unique value your creative content brings to your audience. Explain why your work is special and why people should invest in it. Emphasise the impact of their support, such as enabling you to create more content, improve the quality, or dedicate more time to your craft. Providing meaningful and valuable content or rewards to your patrons or supporters in exchange for their contributions and aligning with their expectations demonstrates your appreciation for their support
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Principle 2: Transparency
Clearly outline how the funds raised will be used to support your creative work. Explain the budget, including expenses for materials, equipment, and production costs etc... Provide regular updates to your supporters about how their contributions are making a difference in your projects. Being transparent about how the funds will be used and how the creative projects or work will be developed and clearly communicating the purpose of the Pool shows how the contributions directly support your artistic endeavours.
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Principle 3: Stay True
Share your creative journey, challenges, and successes with your audience. Authenticity builds trust and can make your supporters feel more connected to your work. Share behind-the-scenes content or personal stories that give your audience a glimpse into your creative process. When building a genuine connection with your audience by showcasing your passion and creativity aim to be as honest and authentic in your communications and interactions with your supporters.
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Principle 4: Community Building
Encourage interaction and collaboration among your supporters. Create a sense of belonging by facilitating conversations and connections within your community. Host live events, Q&A sessions, or discussions that bring your supporters together and builds a sense of community.
Interaction and collaboration between your patrons, creating a network of individuals who share an interest in your work and showing appreciation for their involvement in your creative journey creates a virtuous cycle that increases your audience and offerings.
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Principle 5: Flexibility
Create tiered support levels, each with its own set of rewards. Ensure that the rewards offered are genuinely appealing to your supporters and match the level of their contribution. Regularly update and refresh your rewards to keep them relevant and exciting.
Offer various contribution levels or options to accommodate different budgets and preferences. Allow supporters to choose the level of their involvement and the extent of their support. Adapt and listen to feedback from your audience on the results of your tiers.
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Principle 6: Consistency is Key
Deliver the content and rewards you promise consistently and on time. This reliability is key to retaining supporters and building trust. Set realistic expectations regarding the frequency and type of content you'll provide to avoid disappointment. By honouring your commitments and delivering the promised content, rewards, or perks to your patrons in a timely manner you fulfil your obligations to cultivate trust and maintain credibility within your community.
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Principle 7: Reinvestment
Allocate a portion of the funds raised to improve your creative work. This could include upgrading equipment, investing in training, or expanding your creative endeavour's. Show your supporters how their contributions are being reinvested into enhancing the quality and quantity of the content they love.
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Principle 8: Appreciation
Regularly express your gratitude to your supporters. Thank them in your content, personalise your thanks when possible, and make them feel valued. Showcase the impact of their support by sharing stories or testimonials from satisfied supporters is a good example of this principle in action. When you express gratitude and appreciation to your contributors for their contributions you are acknowledging their involvement publicly, whether through shoutouts, special acknowledgments, or exclusive access to behind-the-scenes content. Make them feel valued and recognised.
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Principle 9: Communication
Maintain open and consistent communication with your patrons or supporters. Keep them informed about your creative process, project updates, and any challenges or milestones along the way. Acknowledge their comments, questions, and feedback as promptly as possible with Poola’s direct messaging network to establish a more personal connection with your patrons or supporters.
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Principle 10: Be Dependable
Maintain a consistent content schedule to keep your audience engaged. This could include regular posting, live streams, or other forms of interaction. Poola is designed to be the home of your audience, use as many websites and applications as you would like to provide dependable content. Actively respond to comments, messages, and feedback from your audience to show that you value their input and presence.
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Principle 10: Get permission duh
This includes content that is copyrighted, trademarked, or otherwise protected by intellectual property rights.
🛠️ Start-Up Community Guidelines
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Principle 1: Clear Project Description
Provide a detailed and clear description of your project or startup. Clearly articulate its purpose, goals, and potential impact. Describe how the financial funds and time raised will be used and the benefits it will bring. Use concise and easy-to-understand language to ensure potential contributors have a solid understanding of your venture
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Principle 2: Engaging Storytelling
Craft a compelling narrative around your Pool. Share the journey that led to its creation, highlighting the problem or opportunity that you see and the solutions you offer. Use storytelling techniques to capture the interest and emotions of potential contributors, making them feel connected to your mission
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Principle 3: Transparent Budgeting
Demonstrate transparent financial planning by providing a breakdown of the budget. Clearly show how each currency or items raised will be allocated. Explain the costs involved, such as product development, marketing, operations, and any other relevant expenses. Show potential contributors that you have a clear financial plan and proper budgeting in place
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Principle 4: Attractive Rewards
Offer attractive and appealing rewards to incentivise contributions. Design rewards that align with your project or startup, offering tangible benefits to contributors. Consider offering exclusive perks, early access to products or services, personalised experiences, or limited-edition merchandise. Make the rewards enticing and valuable to motivate potential contributors
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Principle 5: Community Engagement
Build an engaged and enthusiastic online community around your Pool. Utilise social media platforms, content applications, and Poola’s messaging system to connect with potential and current contributors. Regularly interact with them, address their questions or concerns, and foster a sense of belonging. Encourage contributors to share their experiences and engage with each other, creating a supportive community.
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Principle 6: Regular Updates
Keep contributors informed and engaged by providing regular updates on the progress of your project or startup. Share milestones achieved, challenges faced, and any adjustments to the plan. Regular updates demonstrate your commitment and transparency, fostering trust and confidence in your venture.
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Principle 7: Authenticity and Trust
Establish authenticity and trust by being genuine and transparent in your communication. Provide accurate and reliable information about your project or startup. Address concerns or questions openly and honestly. Building trust is essential for attracting contributors and ensuring their confidence in your campaign.
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Principle 8: Showcase Expertise
Highlight the expertise and qualifications of your team. Share the relevant experience, accomplishments, and skills of the individuals involved in your project or startup. Demonstrating expertise and credibility instills confidence in potential contributors, showing them that you have the capability to execute your plans successfully.
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Principle 9: Social Proof
Leverage social proof to build credibility and trust. Showcase testimonials, endorsements, or partnerships from satisfied customers, industry experts, or influencers who support your project or startup. Highlight positive reviews, media coverage, or any other forms of validation that provide social proof of the viability and value of your venture
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Principle 10: Gratitude and Appreciation
Express genuine gratitude and appreciation towards your contributors. Personalise thank-you messages, provide public shout-outs or acknowledgments, and make them feel valued and part of the journey. Showcasing gratitude helps build stronger connections with your contributors and encourages repeat support or word-of-mouth recommendations