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Author Topic: Why do we have to be 18+ to have a "job" here?  (Read 1500 times)

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Offline OFPfreak

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Why do we have to be 18+ to have a "job" here?
« on: 11 Dec 2005, 00:41:13 »
I mean, this isn't really a job is it? It's just browsing OFPEC and posting things. So yea, sorry if I'm whining too much but I find it... weird!
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Offline macguba

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Re:Why do we have to be 18+ to have a "job" here?
« Reply #1 on: 11 Dec 2005, 03:26:00 »
This comes up regularly.    There are lots of reasons.   We don't want to risk falling foul of anti-child labour laws, which apply in some countries and often include voluntary work.    In the UK, where I live, there are laws about "grooming" children for sexual abuse:  the popular press here is so enthusiastic about pediaphilia that I would not be prepared to work at OFPEC as an Admin if under 18s were permitted - the risk is simply too great.    People under 18 are frequently at school or college, focussing on their education, and we do not wish to allow people even to face the question "schoolwork or ofpecwork?"  School is much too important for that.   Once you're a bit older, and your whole life is fubar, well then of course then it doesn't matter so much.   ;D

But the biggest reason is that, whenever we hire people who are under 18, almost invariably they let us down.   Sometimes very badly indeed.    

It is true that we are missing out on potentially capable and committed staffers, and we regret that.   We regret it so much that we used to give in every now and then and hire somebody under 18.   Then they would let us down.    We've learnt the lesson, the hard way, several times.

We find that under 18s who want to help out fall into two categories.   Those who resent the rule would, in practice, never be hired anyway.   The good people, who understand and appreciate the rule (even if they don't like it), either wait patiently until they are old enough and/or get stuck into helping OFPEC in other ways.   Suggestions on how to do this in this thread under "Help".

Occasionally people try to lie about their age.   It is pretty rare and we always catch them.    In fact I've never seen an attempted deception that wasn't laughable.    

Being an OFPEC staffer is skilled work.   Only about one applicant in three meets the required standard and it normally takes several months before a new recruit is fully qualified in their job.    Reviewing a mission or unpending a tutorial is MUCH more difficult than it sounds.    (For example, the instructions for unpending an Ed Depot submission have 84 points: some of these points are links to more detailed instructions.   The 84 points are only for general guidance and do not pretend to cover all eventualities.)    We will not compromise in quality in order to achieve quantity.
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Offline Wolfsbane

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Re:Why do we have to be 18+ to have a "job" here?
« Reply #2 on: 11 Dec 2005, 19:09:53 »
This old chestnut eh? :)

Macguba as per usual, has done a fine job in summing up a topic that has been beaten to death over the past years of OFPECs life.

However, as I'm a nasty man, I'll summarise just a touch more;

Quote
It's just browsing OFPEC and posting things

That my friend, is why we do not allow under 18's to work for OFPEC, because of the lack of ability to realise that working for OFPEC is in fact a demanding, often stressful vocation. There is so much more to being part of a voluntary organisation where you have a demanding audience, and the attitude of 'it's not that big a deal' is something prevailent in under 18's, and if thus hired, it goes on to then affect the harmony of the site.

In any case, lots of under 18's are good blokes, but at the end of the day, it just cannot be expected to have someone at such an important stage in their life, to be able to dedicate the hours required to make OFPEC work. :)

[/end nasty man]
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Offline OFPfreak

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Re:Why do we have to be 18+ to have a "job" here?
« Reply #3 on: 11 Dec 2005, 23:43:52 »
Oh ok sorry guys. I'll just.. wait 6 yearrs :P!

edit:
Quote
it just cannot be expected to have someone at such an important stage in their life, to be able to dedicate the hours required to make OFPEC work.

I'm on my computer all the spare time. No life yet so who cares.
« Last Edit: 11 Dec 2005, 23:46:20 by OFPfreak »
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Offline Sui

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Re:Why do we have to be 18+ to have a "job" here?
« Reply #4 on: 12 Dec 2005, 00:12:07 »
Macca and wolfie have summed it up very well.

There is definitely more to it than 'browsing OFPEC and posting things'... ;)
Apart from the moral/legal issues, every time in the past that we've had under 18 staffers we have come to regret it...

However we do appreciate contributions you can make outside of being OFPEC staff. A great place to start is the Beta Missions board, and also check out that 'how to help' thread macguba suggested.

And once you finish school/turn 18, shoot us an application :)
In short, just being a part of the community contributes to OFPEC. We're grateful to all our contributors... you don't necessarily have to be staff ;)