I am afraid that we cannot offer any kind of vetting or even identification verification. Shep is just an area to compile specific information to be easily searched. We are not offering a service, just a platform to connect people.
I suggest that you get their names and just do a google search.
Me, myself and I prefer not to judge by any other means besides getting to know a person by hanging out. They are good until they are not.
A person can appear squeeky clean through any kind of vetting and not be a good person. On the flip, a person could be an ex-convict and end up being a great person.
I was not looking for vetting, but wondering if it was allowed or encouraged, as on WWOOF. And your points are valid, re: clean vet/bad person, etc. But by and large, our experience has been, good references=good person, poor references=not so good.
One of the vetting things we did do on the WWOOF program was a 3 day stay to see if it would work out, after doing an extensive farm visit/interview. And that after talking about expectations on both sides, to make sure it was a good fit. We were quite pro-active about doing our own checking out.
I am too new here to really know anyone yet. And anyone coming here would be living in our home. I guess I'm of the safer than sorrier camp...
Those are both great ideas and I know of many hosts that do the same thing.
You are correct that it would be a good idea to mention it in the instructions that it's a good idea to ask for references and to not commit to a long stay, until after a test period.
We'll make sure to mention safe practices in the future. Thank you for pointing it out.
Also, the nice thing about Shep is that any helpers you find here are Steemit users. We hope you choose to blog about your helpers, whether it be positive or negative.
If everyone blogs about their Shep experiences, then a reputation for both #kin-shep and #shep-heard's will start to be established.
This would work both ways, I feel like it is even more sketch to go alone out in the bush in some random country to "some cool people's farm"... A system of recommendation both for parties could be helpful maybe?
Also maybe the host should provide a kind of separate shelter, so they don't have to have the guest "in their home"...
I wish we could provide something separate but it's not possible here. Just the tent, which is less than ideal...
Many farms do have separate accommodations, but we can't.
But I agree, both parties need to be vetted. That's why one of the first things we do is have a conversation about expectations on both sides.
Oddly enough, WWOOF doesn't have a host vetting protocol, as far as I know. They can be reviewed by WWOOFers who have stayed there. That's all, as far as I know.
I personally don't think people who are into learning things about permaculture and sustainable farming/homesteading/primitive building etc, have wicked intentions, and I don't think that this type of farmers/hosts have those intentions either.
But I can imagine many people who go "off-grid" or people who are attracted to that lifestyle might have had "troubled pasts", but that on the other hand doesn't necessarily make them bad people.
I agree with the first statement, but our experience has been there are those who are looking for a free place to stay and don't want to learn or contribute. Those are the ones we seek to screen out. It's happened a few times to us, always when the references weren't great.
Troubled pasts don't bother us so much as not having good references for who you are now.
Yeah, I understand you don't want some lazy "zombies" lurking around on a farm... That must be horrible... =)