Membership Journey

Flarehub uses a three-step path to turn newcomers into operators and stewards of the network. This page explains what each step feels like in practice and what to do next.

For detailed signals and review cadence, see Membership Tiers.

Overview

• Launchpad — your entry point. You have shipped at least one scoped contribution and are learning the surfaces.
• Operator — proven executors. You reliably ship, collaborate, and help programmes move.
• Steward — strategic leaders. You design playbooks, mentor others, and shape budgets and governance.

XP, proof-of-work, and participation metrics all feed into how reviewers assess your progression.

Journey map (visual)

Newcomer → Launchpad

You can reach Launchpad status without prior ecosystem reputation as long as you are willing to ship and document your work.

What it looks like

• You join the core communication surfaces (Discord, forum, calendar).
• You pick up your first bounty or support an event.
• You publish artefacts: repos, notes, demos, or recaps.
• You start to understand how programmes, escrows, and reviews fit together.

Practical steps

1. Read Core values and Essential resources.
2. Choose an entry path:
   • Talent path if you want to contribute design, engineering, research, ops, or marketing.
   • Builder path if you are shipping a product or protocol.
3. Take on a small scope:
   • A beginner-friendly Bounty.
   • Helping with logistics or documentation for an event from Community calls & events.
4. Log your proof-of-work as you go:
   • Links to repos, PRs, recordings, or posts.
   • Short notes explaining what you shipped and how it was used.
5. Share your work in the relevant channels and tag reviewers where appropriate.

Once you have at least one shipped scope with clear artefacts, reviewers have enough signal to confirm Launchpad membership.

Launchpad → Operator

Operator status reflects that you can reliably ship, communicate, and collaborate across multiple scopes.

What it looks like

• You have completed several bounties or contract milestones with positive reviews.
• You participate in community calls or events, occasionally demoing your work.
• You help unblock others: answering questions, sharing snippets, or co-owning scopes.
• Your XP and proof-of-work history show consistency over time.

Practical steps

1. Aim to ship multiple scopes across a cycle:
   • Mix of bounties, contract milestones, and event or documentation support.
2. Prioritise clarity:
   • Keep task threads updated with milestones, blockers, and final artefacts.
   • Make it easy for reviewers to verify what shipped.
3. Contribute to community surfaces:
   • Join calls and hack rooms; share updates or short demos.
   • Publish at least one public recap or guide based on what you learned.
4. Maintain responsiveness:
   • Reply to reviewer questions and peer feedback in a timely, constructive way.

When you have a trail of shipped work, participation, and peer endorsements, reviewers can evaluate you for Operator status. XP ranges for each tier are documented in XP & Reputation.

Operator → Steward

Stewards design and maintain the playbooks that keep Flarehub moving. They do not just ship work—they create the systems that let others ship.

What it looks like

• You lead initiatives that span multiple contributors or squads.
• You design or refine playbooks for bounties, contracts, events, or hubs.
• You mentor newer contributors and help them reach Launchpad or Operator.
• You demonstrate measurable lift for the network (usage, integrations, community GDP, or contributor growth).

Practical steps

1. Lead at least one initiative end-to-end:
   • Publish a clear scope, run regular updates, and share a retro.
   • Show how the work connects to Flare network metrics or Community GDP.
2. Document your playbooks:
   • Turn what worked into checklists, templates, or guides others can reuse.
3. Invest in people:
   • Sponsor or mentor at least one contributor through a full delivery cycle.
   • Offer structured feedback and help them log clean artefacts.
4. Engage in stewardship surfaces:
   • Participate in forums where budgets, roadmaps, or governance decisions are discussed.
   • Offer context grounded in shipped work rather than speculation.

Steward reviews weigh strategic leverage and delegation ability as much as raw throughput. XP and proof-of-work are necessary but not sufficient; reviewers look for compounding impact.

Staying active

Regardless of tier:

• Keep logging proof-of-work and participation as you go.
• Share blockers early to avoid scope drift or trust erosion.
• Use documentation and mentorship to keep your impact high even when your available time changes.

Inactive contributors may be rotated out of higher tiers over time to keep attention focused and decision surfaces lightweight. Offboarding is not a penalty—it is a way to keep the network healthy and make space for the next cohort of stewards.

Next steps

• If you are new, start with the steps in Newcomer → Launchpad and ship your first scope.
• If you are already shipping regularly, compare your current practice to the Launchpad → Operator expectations.
• If you are coordinating others or shaping programmes, review the Operator → Steward section and align your documentation and mentorship accordingly.