Hi NEARians and Sandboxers,
We are pleased to introduce you to the new tiers structure in Open Web Sandbox.
In light of recent developments, the removal of monthly opportunities from our scope, and the rapid growth of our community, we want to provide equal opportunities for both experienced OWS members and newcomers.
Please take a look at the Tiering system by the link Community
The Tiering system is a flexible structure rather than a strict division. We based it on three factors:
- previous experience
- experience with OWS projects
- community involvement.
What will the Tiering system give to its members?
In the shadow of the rapid growth of OWS, we have highlighted several issues for its members. These include low participation of newcomers to the ecosystem and a small number of projects compared to the number of OWS members.
By launching a Tiering system, we hope to understand who can work on the projects autonomously in our community and who still needs our support and mentorship. This updated framework will help us understand who is ready to become a mentor in OWS and share their acquired knowledge while spotting those who need this support to get accepted to the OWS project opportunities. The main purpose of this, therefore, is to use the Tiering framework to find mentors and launch the new mentorship program by 1st March. It will provide new opportunities for experienced Sandboxers to share their knowledge while also supporting those who need it upon arrival.
Starting in March, Tier 1 and 2 will be the main category for autonomous participation in projects. For Tier 1, we will offer a unique opportunity to share their knowledge in a mentorship program with Tier 3 participants. In turn, Tier 3 will have the opportunity to participate in more projects and unique events. From Tier 4 we expect them to introduce themselves to us, so we can find the best opportunities for them.
Perhaps the most interesting question is how mobility from tier to tier will be handled. Here we have ideas:
Tier 2 to Tier 1 
The main difference between these two tiers is an experience in OWS projects and pro-active participation in the ecosystem
Tier 1 contributors know the ecosystem in great detail and can work on projects autonomously. Numerically speaking, that means they have spent at least 3 months in OWS, have 1 completed project, and have had time to work on at least 2 projects. As soon as a Tier 2 person reaches this level, they move up to Tier 1.
Tier 3 to Tier 2
The largest number of contributors are currently in Tier 3. These people will be the main audience of the mentor program, details of which we will publish very soon. After successful completion of the mentorship program, people from Tier 3 become Tier 2
Tier 4 to Tier 3
Hi, people from Tier 4! We want to meet you 
Tier 4 are people who have not yet had a chance to participate in OWS activities. These are also contributors who have not filled out the intake form yet and we cannot help them right away… For them, we will offer a special series of events, after participating in which people can move on to Tier 3 or find a job beyond OWS.
We welcome feedback or questions from everyone 
