Abandoned Groups Procedure

This document was initially adopted by the Board at the meeting of 24th September 2014 and amended in November 2014 after discussion and recommendation on Structure group (check history of this document to view changes).

A group owner’s role is to look after the group and Freegle's reputation. Part of this is asking for help if required and if the group is not being moderated by them or emails to the moderating team not being answered, then Freegle needs to address this as soon as possible. It is always preferable that a group is owned and moderated locally and Freegle will respect the wishes of the active owner. It is expected that all groups are run in line with the Best Practice guidelines.

If a situation arises on a local Freegle group where only a caretaker with owner status remains after the most recent owner has abandoned the group. then that caretaker owner should be able to do one of the following at their discretion:

• Promote one or more of the existing local moderators of the group to owner status, or
• Recruit a new moderator team including a new owner, for the group.

An absent owner is one who:

• Has not been active on the group for a period of 6 weeks, and
• has not responded to attempts to contact them via the group owner address, any known email address, any known phone number, any known social networking connection, notice to Central, or
• has responded to contact attempts but continues to be inactive for periods of 24 hours and over, and
• has given no prior notice or other information that may explain their absence is temporary.

If a Group Owner has abandoned the group, he/she

• Must be sent at least 3 emails offering help, then
• Sent one final email informing them we will be promoting a new mod team

Only after 6 weeks absence will a new mod team be recruited and a new GO promoted.

• The original GO must remain on the group as moderator with full privileges except 'Add, remove, and change moderator privileges’ and 'delete group'.
• After one year an absent GO can be removed but only IF there is a new mod team on the group.
• A caretaker/mentor will stay on the group as co owner for a period of at least six months unless the new owner is an experienced moderator.
• If a GO should return, he/she should be given the opportunity to work alongside the new GO.

In the event a Group Owner has abandoned a group leaving moderator/s with limited privileges, a new group can be set up for the area if requested by the existing moderators, with the active moderators of the old group set up as the new group owners.

• The affiliation to Freegle will be changed from the old group to the new group.
• They will be set up with Direct, Facebook & Twitter with Direct as the default landing tab as standard practice, except where the new group owner has expressed a different preference.
• Inviting existing members to the newly set up group will be decided for each group on its merits taking into account all circumstances and expressed opinions of the previous owner and present mods, and must be authorised by the Board.

Links:

• Glossary
• Document Approval Policy
• Previous Freegle UK document Abandoned Groups