Greeters?

Regarding the information about Greeters and the NUE- the "New User Experience" in the current LL parlance, presented in the vteam blog at
http://vteamblog.com/2008/09/26/monthly-mentor-meeting-transcript-92608-10am/
which includes:

.

Anyone have any thoughts on this topic?

I am all for improving the NUE (new user experience) focus that LL is attempting to focus on in their efforts. Although, I personally believe it may be a mistake to create a new group of "SL Greeters" as discussed in the most recent VTeam blog from the meeting held on 9/26/08.

I would echo those who brought up the point that a "greeter" role is not the same as a
"mentor" role, wherein a new resident might expect to receive more in-depth help and/or
information from one versus little more than a "hello" and "goodbye" from the other. I also cannot help but be dismayed and, quite frankly, bitterly disappointed to learn the following, which was also a part of that meeting........

GeoMan Pinazzo shouts: So no will join be able to join as mentor no more? Applications will not be availble? Everything is switching to Greeter group am I understanding this correctly?

Blue Linden shouts: Geo, we will keep applications close to maintain an optimal group size
yes….but we’re not forcing existing mentors to join Greeters

My personal experience is this....ever since coming to SL in December 2007 and having been helped by several wonderful Mentors, I made and looked forward to my own personal goal of becoming an SL Mentor as soon as I became eligible to apply. When that day came in mid-June, 2008, I eagerly pulled up the SL Volunteer page to submit my application...only to find that applications had been closed a mere two or three days beforehand.

Disappointed, yet still hopeful from everything I was hearing that Mentor applications would probably open by the end of the quarter, I continued to help new residents in my "unofficial" capacity on the various HIs while still reading and learning all I could from the various VTeam and wiki resources, keeping current with the blogs, and...in the meantime...checking the Mentor application page on an almost-daily basis, always hopeful it would reopen. I was further encouraged by George Linden's note in a blog earlier this month that the applications would most likely be reopened once the Mentor Renewals were processed, which looked to be in early October.

From the 9/26/08 blog, however, it seems that my goal to become an SL Mentor will never
be realized and I cannot express my disappointment enough in this development. I will
continue to help new residents whenever and whereever I may encounter them, as always, but hope that the VTeam may one day reconsider their decision to close the group to new Mentor applicants.

Cielle, if LL has closed (temprarily, I hope) Mentor applications, you can do the same work, with a dedicated group of good people, by contacting Brett Dumont or Doc Gascoigne at the Help People! Institute.

Thank you Lindal I am continuing in my efforts already started many months ago, both on my own as well as in connection with NCI and will continue to do so whether or not the Mentor applications ever reopen...which, hopefully, may still happen one day.

Please IM myself or Rails Bailey. We will get you to a group with support and a tag until applications open again. Everyone is important and everyone can be a part.
When I was first a helper in SL I was just the guy from Ahern who you could ask questions to and get a landmark.

We need to move away from inflammatory statements and recriminations and move forward. If you wish to be a part you can always just be the guy at Ahern giving out help and landmarks. But if you want a group with support and a tag please IM myself or Rails.

We can help you if you require it.

If the 'new' Greeter Program is operated as the olde one was its destined to fail.