HUBnet is an online platform designed to cultivate a global virtual community that mirrors real-world HUB spaces. It aims to be a safe space where trust and resource sharing are prioritized over self-promotion. The document outlines HUBnet's purpose of facilitating connections, collaboration, and idea exchange between members. It provides guidance on posting, tagging, and interacting to ensure interactions support the community's goals and values. Project creation, technical support, and feedback processes are also described to maintain a well-functioning platform.

1. HUBnet
PUrPose
& Policy
powered by National Field

2. HUBnet is not jUst
anotHer social network!
It is the global HUB:
A hosted place where trust is inherent,
resources are shared generously and
genuine connection around common goals
supersedes self-branding and promotion.
HUBnet is a safe space to share budding
ideas and work on emerging projects with
peers across the globe.
There are far fewer fire-walls between people,
as a result of the trust built here. Connections
that would otherwise be very difficult, become
natural. This encourages collaboration,
mentorship and idea-exchange.
Functionalities support this, but the success
of this community is not determined by
technology alone, but by the member
experience and interactions.
Purpose of HUBnet

3. sPecifically, HUBnet is:
The purpose is to cultivate . A platform for connections between like
the conditions of a vibrant minded individuals (networking, discussions,
global virtual community mentorship, partnerships).
on HUBnet that mirrors and
enhances the value creation . An incubator for ideas and emerging projects
and experience of the (brainstorming, collaborative creation).
physical HUB spaces.
. A learning space for sharing and receiving
HUBnet supports local information and promoting education
teams and members catalyze (resource reservoir, inspirational portal,
their positive-impact collaborative real-time educational space).
efforts on a global level via
connections, collaboration, . Global center for essential HUB member
inspiration, engagement and actions in the near future (room bookings,
the evolution of their fields event sign-ups and membership changes).
of practice. reservoir, inspirational portal, collaborative
real-time educational space).
Purpose of HUBnet

4. Our interactions are guided by the purpose
and the HUB´s mission with a fun yet serious tone
We support each other in realizing enterprising
ideas for the world across all 5 continents with
the aim of scaling our impact
We post with the aim of action; even if a specific topic is
currently “just” a conversation, it holds within the potential of
converting into action, into an idea or project that one or many
We post to create value for each other, we
don´t just post anything we think, feel or do
We are all equally responsible, as members, to give
and get value as well as keeping the asking/receiving
with the sharing/collaborating in balance in the long term
Principles of interaction

5. We post to connect to other members, ideas, projects!
And we are open to serendipity and finding unlikely allies!
We post to spark conversations about the
different fields we are working on
We post to create meaning of what is
happening around us across the globe
We post to share knowledge, opportunities
and to advance our fields of practice
We cultivate a safe space, balanced between
nurturing and challenging, we encourage productive
disagreement when its based on respect
We curate the construction of meaning around topics
that matter to this community and facilitate a locally
embedded and globally connected community
Principles of interaction

6. PostinG, commentinG and likinG
What type of post to make?
Depending on the purpose of your post
General (#seeking, #offering, #sharing and
#connecting), choose one of the types of posts
The first step is to introduce yourself to share a status update in a special way: you
and hash tag the #HUBlocation you are can post a link, upload a file, share a best
a member at as well as the #topics or practice, or ask a question for example.
#areas you work on!
There is another format to post called
Keep your messages short and clearly state “announcement” that only HUB hosts/team
what kind of action is needed from readers. members use as these posts stick to the top
of the stream.
Where to post? What is visible to whom
and who will get a notification?
#HUBlocation
#topics Depending on the relevance of your post, you
can choose to post to different locations: your
profile, your HUB, other HUBs, your region or
specific projects. Think twice before posting
to HUBnet world stream, as you don´t want
to create noise for others!
netiquette: description of basic practices

7. To find these streams and post there, go to
1. Your profile 4. The world
When you post to your profile, this will notify When you click on HUBnet logo and post there,
the people who have subscribed to you. it will go to all the members in the world.
Please do not use this feature unless your post
2. Your HUB would be truly relevant to everybody so as not
It’s your default stream when you open to create noise and spam.
HUBnet (or find it under “Groups on your left
menu”). 5. Specific projects
Search and find the projects on the list that
3. Your region relate to what you are going to post about
Click on “Teams” tab and search the continent e.g. if you want to share information about a
or city you are looking for -you will also global sustainability competition, you might
find HUB Candidate Cities and Initiatives in choose the project called Sustainability and/or
different stages of HUB development where the Global Competitions and Awards project.
you have incipient communities. You should additionally always add tags like
#sustainability and #competition for people to
be able to search for content through the hash
tags.
netiquette: description of basic practices

8. @taGGinG and #HasHtaGGinG
Who to @tag? These are examples of some generic
Tagging increases engagement and the reach hashtags you can use:
of your post, so when you are sharing, asking,
commenting, it is always useful to tag people #offering #sharing
#connecting
who are relevant in the conversation, people
who might know about your request/query or
#seeking
people who might find the information useful. #HUBlocation for posts so that people know
where you are posting from at a glance
What topics to #hashtag?
When you post or comment on something, #HowtoHUBnet when you don´t know how
hash tags help the information get indexed to use something on HUBnet
and remain accessible. If you directly click on
a particular hashtag you will be able to see all #HUBnet when you talk about the platform
the conversations that have previously been
tagged with the same hashtag, as well as by #collaboration
#newmember
using the “Search” functionality. #sustainability
#entrepreneurship
#innovation
#impact #innovation
After you type the hashtag (#), the auto-text #environment
#recognition
filler is activated which helps you see if there
is already a hashtag available for the topic you #connection #investment #education
are about to post on.
The most used hash tags go to the trending
topics list on the right of your HUBnet page
If you don’t find the one you want, you can
easily create a new one.
netiquette: description of basic practices

9. content, toPics and Profile
Content and topics should be consistent Profile filling: We need to know who you are and
with the purpose and in line with the what you are interested in to make your presence
interests of HUB Members. If you are not more relevant. Remember that you are not easily
sure, check with your local hosts or your searchable unless your profile is complete and you
Global Virtual Host. may miss opportunities to collaborate!
Let´s avoid SPAM in any shape or form.
Stick to one subject per post. If you’d like to
“talk” about different issues, it’s easier for
people to engage on different posts per topic.
netiquette: description of basic practices

10. Projects
Some general projects that we’d like to Naming: A code for naming projects is being
suggest that you join are: “How to HUBnet”, implemented. For member created projects,
“Global Job and Intern Opportunities”, “Global please use the pre-text “MP” before the rest
Competitions and Awards”. of the name. If instead it is a project related to
the local community, request your local hosts/
If you’d like to create a new project, first check team members to start it as they are the ones
the complete project list and then check entitled to do it and the pre-text of the city
through the search function to make sure should be included (i.e. HUB Amsterdam events
it doesn’t exist already on HUBnet. If you’re > HUB AMS Events).
not sure, ask a project creator/admin of an
existing related project to find out if it can be Curation: The creator and administrators
included in that project or if you should start a are responsible for curating the project and
new one. hosting it periodically to share, explore, create
meaning and move forward together.
Creation: To create a project you need to
be willing to host it (or invite others to Removal: The admin and creator of a project
do it as “admin” of the project), include a will be requested to remove their project if it
description for the “info” tab outlining the does not have a dedicated project host, picture
purpose of the project, a photo/picture and description after 6 weeks of creation or if
that represents it and a folder for files to there has not been activity for 6 consecutive
be uploaded there. You can choose if your weeks.
project is public or private but this needs to
be decided at the beginning. Once chosen,
it can only be changed by requesting so on
HUBnet’s “Help&Support” tab.
netiquette: description of basic practices

11. Get sUPPort and Give feedBack
Help & Support HowtoHUBnet Project
For strictly technical support when you know Feel free to ask questions, support each other
how to do something but it does not work and share practices on how to make the most
(there is a bug), go to the “Help and Support” of #HUBnet! If you don’t know if this is the right
center run by National Field. place to post something, this is what you can do
in this space:
You will find it located at the bottom right
corner of your screen. This is only for tech . Ask how to use an App or feature or explain
problems on the platform, not HUB-related to somebody else: #HUBtoHUBnet
issues. . Share first impressions about the platform:
#HUBnetfirstimpressions
Feedback Survey . New releases and features:
If you prefer to give more private and detailed #HUBnetnewfeatures
feedback, you can still fill in the Feedback
Survey (at the bottom of the left menu on Improvement Poll and API
HUBnet listed as an app). We will have a quick poll every two months to
prioritize the features that are more important
for HUBs. This will inform the monthly
follow-up calls with National Field. If you are
interested in having the API to develop an App
or special feature, please submit a brief to the
tech team.
netiquette: description of basic practices

12. Commercial Advertising Debate
It is not permitted in this community, Substantive debates and even extreme
although you may share your project and/ disagreements are encouraged since such
or opportunities with other members but discussions are often highly productive.
it needs to go with a story with it: why you However, the tone of the messages must
believe this is useful or of interest with other be maintained at the highest level of
members and it needs to be leveled in your professionalism: flaming, sarcasm or personal
contributions and conversations (so that you attacks will not be tolerated. Any complaints
are not only posting information always). should be sent to the Global Virtual Host
and will be discussed with the council of
Local Virtual Hosts, who can take disciplinary
actions and will inform of any once every two
months or after an extraordinary meeting.
special policies

13. Surveys and questionnaires Community
Can be shared taking into account the This is a closed community of people that share
same principles as with sharing a project a purpose, values and principles in the sense
and/or opportunities mentioned above. that only members of HUBs around the world
are in it. We have created a unique and safe
Job postings space for you to collaborate; that is why you will
There is a specific project in HUBnet called not be able to cross-post and share things to
Global Job Intern Opportunities pecific project and from other social platforms automatically.
where you can both, announce an opportunity
or share with people that you are seeking on, Private Policy
you could also update your status with it but Access the global private policy approved by the
not post it to an entire local HUB or others General Assembly of HUBs in April 2012 here.
streams.
Any concerns should be sent to the Global Virtual Host through this form and will be discussed with the council of Local Virtual
Hosts, who can take disciplinary actions and will inform the interested parties and HUBnet´s global community if needed. We
would like to co-create this document with you, so please suggest changes or additions on #HowtoHUBnet project!
special policies

14. illustrations by Konstantina Mavroidakos