BeWelcome FAQs - Check-up and Update

This page is written in the context of BeWelcome.

It is important to regularly check and update our FAQs for BeWelcome users. Please use this site to

• indicate that you have checked a particular section of the FAQs (by going to edit and inserting 4 ~ , which will display your username and the date)
• mark an outdated FAQ by inserting OUTDATED
• mark wrong links by inserting WRONG LINK and preferably try to find out the correct link and also insert it
• suggest better wording by inserting SUGGESTED WORDING and the text you suggest
• Suggest new FAQs by inserting NEW
• Ask for help by inserting HELP NEEDED

Unfortunately at the moment I'm not sure who can work on the FAQs online - apart from myself (Claudiaab), so I would like to keep all the suggestions for alteration here, I will then put them online, once you notify me that you are done with a particular section.

General Questions / Registration

Can anybody become a member of BeWelcome?

It's ok for me Bikepunk 23:35, 12 November 2009 (UTC)

Is joining free of charge? How can you provide a service like this without a membership fee?

Adding a link to [How is this project financed?] would be wise. Bikepunk 23:35, 12 November 2009 (UTC)

yep, and additionally I would link the word "donation" in the text directly to http://www.bewelcome.org/donate - Globetrotter tt 18:41, 13 November 2009 (UTC)

I am very interested in joining, can you tell me, how this works?

"To become a member of BeWelcome, please read all the information on our website at www.BeWelcome.org." Isn't it a bit too much ? Bikepunk 23:35, 12 November 2009 (UTC)

Indeed, which information and where should i find them? And as i am already reading the FAQ, the second sentence ("A great way to get questions answered about the project is to browse through the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions). " is also unnecessary. Globetrotter tt 18:51, 13 November 2009 (UTC)

Is your service intended for families as well as individuals?

It's ok for me (I just added some directs links) Bikepunk 23:35, 12 November 2009 (UTC)

Why are couples required to register separately?

It's ok for me (I just added some directs links) Bikepunk 23:35, 12 November 2009 (UTC)

I have a second address and I can also host there. How can I inform other members about this?

It's ok for me (but I actually don't know if it's updated information) Bikepunk 23:35, 12 November 2009 (UTC)

How can I get information about my potential hosts or guests? What is my protection against criminals coming to visit me?

"For additional security, we have volunteers in charge of identity verification. They organise meetings and check members' passports (or other official identity documents) and compare these documents with the data new members put in their profiles. So, if on a profile it says 'Checked Identity', you can be sure that the member is who she/he claims to be."

Really ?? Bikepunk 23:35, 12 November 2009 (UTC)

Will other members be able to see all my personal data?

It's ok for me Bikepunk 23:35, 12 November 2009 (UTC)

Is there a way to speed up the signup process? I would like to use the site as soon as possible.

HELP NEEDED. I do not know if the mandatory thing is still valid Bikepunk 23:35, 12 November 2009 (UTC)

I have lost my password. What can I do?

It's ok for me Bikepunk 23:35, 12 November 2009 (UTC)

What is hospitality exchange?

ok for me Bikepunk 23:35, 12 November 2009 (UTC)

Do we really need this long text in the FAQ? Maybe copying and linking it here to this wiki and shorten the FAQ would be better? Globetrotter tt 18:57, 13 November 2009 (UTC)

Using the Site: Profile

2. How can I change my profile? If you want to change your profile, just use the edit my profile link. You can change every entry there and decide what you want to hide or set visible. 3. How can I change my physical address or email address? Go to the "contact information" section in edit my profile. To change your location, use update my location. To change your address, just introduce the new one and press submit. The changes will be done authomatically. However, in order to keep our member's safety, our volunteers will check if the address you provided us is a valid one. Providing us your real address is mandatory. If you want to change your email, just do it and press submit. This email is the one we use to send you messages and notifications, please make sure that your mail provider and also your safety settings accept our emails to you.

BeWelcome organisation in general

I updated this section of the FAQs according to your suggestions 94.224.101.82 17:13, 1 November 2009 (UTC) (claudiab)

OUTDATED
I'll try something as soon as possible --Bikepunk 19:33, 26 October 2009 (UTC)

folowing, my proposal for a new, updated section :

1: How can I help BeWelcome?

Being an active member is the first way to keep BeWelcome running. Keep it in mind.

Then, to help further, you have actually two possibilities :

• Get involved as a Volunteer (link to http://www.bewelcome.org/about/getactive)
• Donate (with a link to http://www.bewelcome.org/donate) to bear the expenses of the project

2: How is BeWelcome organised?

(a diagram would be more than welcome with : BoD, GA, Volunteers, members...)

BeWelcome is a project completely run by volunteers.
The legal structure behind BeWelcome is BeVolunteer(link to http://www.bevolunteer.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page), a non-profit organisation.

• Our mission and objectives (link to : http://www.bevolunteer.org/wiki/Our_mission_and_objectives )
• BeVolunteer concept (link to http://www.bevolunteer.org/wiki/BeVolunteer_concept )
• Organisational values (link to http://www.bevolunteer.org/wiki/Organisational_values )
• Statutes ( link to http://www.bevolunteer.org/wiki/Statutes)

Notice that being a member of BeVolunteer is not required to volunteer for BeWelcome.

(Long-term members of BeWelcome (over 6 months) who have been active volunteers on one of the teams are invited to apply for BeVolunteer membership.) I'm not shure this is necessary. I think it fits better in the "Do I need to become a member of BeVolunteer in order to volunteer for BeWelcome?"

why don't we write it here AND there? PEople normally don't read the faqs from a - z so it's fine to have it twice (or maybe rephrase it once) 84.195.161.74 22:03, 29 October 2009 (UTC) (Claudiaab)

I think this is a bit off-board. Until now, the answer to this question is definitely not satisfying and I'm sorry that I cannot add more informations since I do not have them (it's coming):

We have to give infos (at least links for more infos) about the BoD, the GA, the volunteer teams...

This is a bout a "detail" wich people concerned will be aware and won't need the FAQ to know that anyway... ("Long-term members of BeWelcome (over 6 months) who have been active volunteers on one of the teams") Bikepunk 23:34, 29 October 2009 (UTC)

3: How is this project financed?

Here everything is based on volunteer work.
Thanks to that we have very few expenses (such as server rent, domains, administrative fees, security certificates). Those need to be paid, however.
The project financially relies on the shop (link to http://www.bewelcome.org/shop ) but above all on donations (link to http://www.bewelcome.org/donate )

Please note that our volunteers (including the members of the Board of Directors (link to http://www.bewelcome.org/groups/92 ) always pay their expenses themselves, so no donation money is used for accommodation or travel costs for volunteer meetings or conferences.

If you have some good ideas about financing the project, you are welcome to post in the forum (link to http://www.bewelcome.org/forums) or contact us (link to http://www.bewelcome.org/feedback) directly.

Transparency

We believe in transparency. Our accounts are published once a year to be checked/agreed on by the general assembly of BeVolunteer. During the year the board of directors - and the treasurer as the responsible delegate - take care of financial matters and are also your contact persons for related questions.

More information about BV finances and accounts in the wiki library. (link to http://www.bevolunteer.org/wiki/Finances )

4: Do I need to become a member of BeVolunteer in order to volunteer for BeWelcome?

No, as mentioned above, being a member of BeVolunteer is not required to volunteer for BeWelcome. Just get active ! (link to http://www.bewelcome.org/about/getactive )

may be here it would make sense to add : Long-term members of BeWelcome (over 6 months) who have been active volunteers on one of the teams are invited to apply for BeVolunteer membership.
The following needs to be checked, since I'm new here I'm not shure about that :
Being a BeVolunteer member allows you to take part in the GA, and to vote for the Bod... (anything else ? any page to link to ?)

It's now here (in Athens) 5:30 AM and I'll get a rest, hoping that this work will be usefull ;) --Bikepunk 03:20, 27 October 2009 (UTC)

deleted content

FaqQ_WhyAdds Why are there ads? I thought this was a non-commercial site!

Although this site is completely run by volunteers, we still we do have running costs including running and maintaining servers and so on. These costs are covered through advertisements on the website and from members' donations. In the future, we plan to have an online store where you can buy BeWelcome t-shirts and gadgets. Since the project is a non-profit organisation, all revenue goes directly to costs. Because Financial transparency and accountability is very important to us, we have made all relevant information available on BeVolunteer.org, the organisation behind BeWelcome.