a warm welcome!
as you know, our community is not for everyone. we’re co-creating a safe space where everyone can share personal things and make friends. we want you to engage with each other.
we're here to help. we know how intimidating it can be to join a community and hope that you'll feel at home very soon. please read below to make the most of your first days with us.
2 things before you dive in.
we have a special culture at campfire and this is key.
🖼 profile
everyone is excited to meet you in this trust-based environment we cherish. if you don’t mind, you can add a face photo, your first name, and your pronouns in the last name field (no need to mention your last name. to be inclusive of folks from all different walks of life, this is not mandatory but it will help us make interactions feel more human.
we prioritize our members’ safety and put it above all else so remember to switch to using a username instead of a phone number. you can hide your phone number by following the steps: settings > privacy and security > phone # tab> nobody or my contacts option.
💬 direct messaging (DM)
make sure your DMs are always consensual! we encourage interactions of quality and insist that all DMs must be welcomed by the person receiving them. if you’d like to discuss something mentioned, you need to ask in the group chat if the person consents to discuss it further in DMs.
- “hey! I’m a childfree person in my 30s and am open to answering any questions. feel free to DM me!”
- “hi there! I’m also in London and would love to meet up. DM me if interested!”
- “I would like to have an accountability buddy on this. Is it okay if I DM you?”
- “I’m also going through this book! would you like to share ideas privately?”
if you’ve received an unsolicited DM, please contact us on Telegram @teamcampfire.
keep in mind that: one DM breaking the rule (eg not consensual or without context for circles) will get you a warning, and two your membership revoked.
3 things you should do now.
🙋♀️ jump on a conversation
you will receive a notification whenever a new group chat is started. join to share your insights, learn from others, and be there when the magic happens. we know it’s daunting to send that first message, but remember that this is your community now and you will be welcomed and treated kindly.
p.s. if you feel nervous, you can include that you’re a new member so others will direct you if needed.
🥰 let people know you’re here
every Friday we open a group chat to welcome new members who joined that week with the help of an icebreaker to help you make your first steps into the community—if you’re still hesitating about engaging. join us to welcome and be welcomed by members.
feel free to DM us your favorite icebreaker @teamcampfire and you might see it pop up in the next welcome sessions!
👋 start your first conversation
we join these group chats to think collectively, support others, learn, and be inspired. yours will be a welcomed addition.
thank you for trusting us with your discussion. here’s what you can expect from starting a campfire:
1/ visit this link to start a campfire
2/ enter the information required for us to make this happen (username, title, date, context, etc.)
3/ we will create the campfire on the day mentioned on the form and add you to it.
if you chose to remain anonymous during the campfire, you will be added as an admin and your profile will be the campfire name (no one will have access to your actual username apart from the team)
4/ the team will send the first message with your title and context, and invite others to join by sharing to the campfire channel
5/ you can add any other context you wish to provide and interact with the members as they chime into the topic.
6/ once the time limit is done, the team will close all permissions and announce the end of the campfire. contact us if you wish to end it sooner or if you’d like to extend the period of the campfire.
7/ a digest will be made with some key sharings during the group chat and uploaded to our archives for others who need it.
our community connects over ephemeral topic-driven text-based community group chats based on a member’s question or curiosity about a topic. request one to be opened for you here (they can also be held anonymously and you can interact under the campfire name).
for example:
- is it possible to unlearn jealousy indefinitely?
- what are the turnons and turnoffs of giving and receiving oral sex?
- i've recently left a long-term relationship, how do I know I am ready to be with someone again?
for example:
- i'm 45, no kid and happy about it
- i explored the swinging scene in Paris
- i've created a gender-inclusive midwifery guide
for example:
- what are the best places to explore kink in London?
- do you know any LGBTQ movies with happy endings and good representations?
- I’ve moved in with my girlfriend!
for example:
- i've recently left a long-term relationship, how do I know I am ready to be with someone again?
- is it possible to unlearn jealousy indefinitely?
- what are the turnons and turnoffs of giving and receiving oral sex?
4 things to keep in mind.
💖 the community is yours
use the channel and group chats to share what’s on your mind! request to talk about something that you don’t see much of on our channel—or something you see a lot of too. this is your space as much as anyone else, so show up!
🧑💻 something about the group chats
we immortalize the knowledge received on group chats in digests made by compiling keynotes, advice, and information shared by the members. these digests live in our archives and we make sure to anonymize the sharings of members by changing their names—unless told otherwise!
p.s. if you find a quote by you that you don’t want to be shared, please reach out to us (imane@campfireapp.co) and we’ll take it down asap.
🤗 we’re here for you
if you have any questions, need anything, see something that needs to be brought to our attention, or have suggestions for us, feel free to email us at imane@campfireapp.co or DM us @teamcampfire. we will be very happy to help you.
📦 everything else is pretty much here
this checklist is meant to guide your very first steps into the community and provide you with what you need to know now. we also have a members playbook which includes community guidelines, an academy, tech tips, and everything else you need to know past this point.