DarkWorld IRC Staff Training
Candidate Eligibility and Application

Program	DarkWorld IRC Staff Training Program
Application type	Potential DarkWorld IRC staff candidate
Minimum recommended age	18 years
Required identity	Registered DarkWorld IRC account
Appointment guarantee	None
Application review	Authorized DarkWorld IRC reviewers

1. Purpose

This page explains how a DarkWorld IRC user may apply for the DarkWorld IRC Staff Training Program.

The program prepares potential staff members to support, moderate, and protect the DarkWorld IRC Network.

DarkWorld IRC is one project operating under the wider DarkWorld Network umbrella. Completing this program does not grant authority over DWShells, DWBouncers, or any other DarkWorld project.

Submitting an application does not guarantee:

Acceptance into training.
Staff appointment.
IRC operator access.
Services access.
Server access.
Access to another DarkWorld project.

2. Who Should Apply?

The program may be suitable for users who:

Want to help the DarkWorld IRC community.
Can communicate patiently and professionally.
Are willing to learn IRC and network policies.
Can remain neutral during disagreements.
Respect privacy and confidentiality.
Are willing to accept supervision.
Can follow established procedures.
Are reliable and reasonably active.
Understand that staff access is a responsibility.
Are willing to report mistakes honestly.
Can separate personal relationships from staff decisions.
Are interested in long-term contribution rather than status.

Technical experience is helpful but not required for every role.

Support, communication, judgment, integrity, and reliability are equally important.

3. Basic Eligibility Requirements

A candidate should:

[ ] Be at least 18 years old
[ ] Have a registered DarkWorld IRC account
[ ] Have access to the account’s registered email
[ ] Use a secure TLS connection
[ ] Be willing to configure SASL
[ ] Have a positive or acceptable network history
[ ] Be able to communicate clearly
[ ] Be willing to complete Modules 1–10
[ ] Be willing to complete written and practical assessments
[ ] Accept the Staff Code of Conduct
[ ] Accept supervision during trainee and probation stages
[ ] Disclose relevant staff roles on other networks or projects
[ ] Protect confidential information
[ ] Provide truthful application information

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee acceptance.

4. Recommended IRC Experience

Candidates should preferably:

Understand basic IRC commands.
Know how to join and leave channels.
Understand registered nicknames.
Have used NickServ.
Understand basic ChanServ functions.
Be familiar with channel modes.
Have participated positively in DarkWorld IRC.
Know where to request help.
Be familiar with official DarkWorld channels.

Candidates without extensive experience may still apply if they demonstrate maturity and willingness to learn.

5. Recommended Activity History

A candidate should normally have an established presence on DarkWorld IRC.

A recommended guideline is:

At least 30 days since account registration.
Reasonable recent activity.
Participation in one or more legitimate channels.
No unresolved serious conduct concerns.
An observable history of respectful behavior.

Management may consider exceptional candidates with a shorter history, but additional observation may be required.

Activity should be evaluated by quality, not raw message count.

6. Suitable Candidate Qualities

Reviewers should look for:

Patience.
Honesty.
Consistency.
Good judgment.
Willingness to learn.
Ability to follow instructions.
Professional communication.
Respect for users.
Security awareness.
Ability to accept correction.
Team cooperation.
Responsible handling of authority.
Interest in helping rather than controlling.

7. Unsuitable Motivations

The following motivations may indicate that a candidate is not ready:

Wanting an IRC operator title for status.
Wanting access to user information.
Wanting power over channel owners.
Wanting to punish personal rivals.
Wanting access to unrelated DarkWorld projects.
Wanting server access without an operational role.
Wanting to bypass ordinary channel rules.
Wanting special treatment for friends.
Wanting to recruit users for another network.
Wanting access to confidential investigations.

Reviewers should evaluate conduct and evidence rather than assuming motive without basis.

8. Possible Disqualification Conditions

An applicant may be rejected, deferred, suspended, or removed from training for:

Providing false application information.
Harassment or threats.
Serious or repeated policy violations.
Ban evasion.
Staff impersonation.
Credential phishing.
Malicious activity.
Sharing confidential information.
Attempting unauthorized access.
Evidence falsification.
Cheating.
Retaliation.
Undisclosed serious conflicts of interest.
Abuse of staff access elsewhere.
Refusal to follow training instructions.
Attempting to bypass the application process.
Recruiting DarkWorld users for another network in violation of policy.

A previous mistake does not always require permanent rejection. Reviewers should consider severity, time passed, honesty, corrective behavior, and current risk.

9. External Roles and Conflicts

Candidates must disclose relevant roles such as:

Staff positions on another IRC network.
Ownership of another IRC network.
Administration of an external project using DarkWorld IRC.
Employment or ownership related to a service being reviewed.
Existing roles within another DarkWorld project.
Relationships that may create recurring conflicts.
Previous removal from a trusted position.
Access to systems that interact with DarkWorld IRC.

Holding another role is not automatically disqualifying.

The purpose of disclosure is to:

Identify conflicts.
Protect confidential information.
Prevent unauthorized recruitment.
Define project boundaries.
Assign suitable duties.
Preserve trust.

10. Privacy Notice

Application information should be used only for:

Eligibility review.
Candidate communication.
Training administration.
Security review.
Mentor assignment.
Assessment.
Probation.
Access approval.
Staff appointment decisions.
Related appeals or conduct reviews.

Applicants must not be asked to submit:

Passwords.
SASL credentials.
IRC operator credentials.
Email passwords.
API tokens.
Private keys.
Government identification unless a separately approved and necessary process exists.
Unrelated private conversations.
Unnecessary personal information.

Applications and reviewer notes should not be published publicly.

11. Application Security

Applications should be submitted through an approved private system.

Suitable methods may include:

A secured DarkWorld application website.
An authenticated staff-training portal.
A private form with controlled database access.
Another management-approved system.

Applications should not normally be submitted:

In a public IRC channel.
On a public wiki page.
Through an unrestricted paste.
To an unofficial bot.
Through another candidate.
Through an unverified external form.

Important: This public page explains the application process. Candidate answers and reviewer notes must be stored privately.

12. Application Questions

The private application form should collect the following information.

Section A — Account Information

1. Current IRC nickname:
2. Registered DarkWorld IRC account:
3. Account registration date, if known:
4. Contact email associated with the application:
5. Country or timezone:
6. Languages spoken:
7. Are you at least 18 years old? Yes / No

A candidate should not be required to publish their legal name unless DarkWorld adopts a separately approved identity requirement for a specific high-trust role.

Section B — DarkWorld IRC Experience

8. How long have you used DarkWorld IRC?
9. Which DarkWorld IRC channels do you normally use?
10. Which IRC clients do you use?
11. Do you use TLS?
12. Do you use SASL?
13. Describe your experience with NickServ.
14. Describe your experience with ChanServ.
15. Describe your understanding of IRC user and channel modes.
16. Have you previously helped users on DarkWorld IRC? Provide examples.

Section C — Motivation

17. Why do you want to join the DarkWorld IRC staff training program?
18. How would you help DarkWorld IRC users?
19. Which IRC staff responsibilities interest you?
20. Which duties do you believe you are not yet ready to perform?
21. What do you expect to learn from the program?
22. How much time can you reasonably contribute each week?

Section D — Judgment

23. What would you do if a friend asked you to remove their ban?
24. What would you do if you were unsure whether a message violated policy?
25. What would you do if you accidentally banned an innocent user?
26. What would you do if a user posted their password publicly?
27. What would you do if another staff member asked you to share a private report?
28. Explain why staff should use the least severe effective action.
29. Explain when a channel issue should become a network-level matter.

Section E — Security

30. How do you protect your IRC account?
31. Do you use unique passwords for important accounts?
32. Do you use a password manager?
33. Do you use multi-factor authentication where available?
34. Is your primary device protected by a password or screen lock?
35. Have any of your DarkWorld or IRC accounts been compromised?
36. If yes, explain what happened and what corrective action you took.
37. Are you willing to report credential exposure immediately?
38. Are you willing to avoid unreviewed scripts on a privileged IRC client?

Applicants must not provide actual passwords or authentication secrets.

Section F — External Roles and Conflicts

39. Are you staff on another IRC network?
40. Do you own or operate another IRC network?
41. Are you staff in another DarkWorld project?
42. Do you operate a project, relay, bridge, bot, or service using DarkWorld IRC?
43. Have you previously been removed or suspended from a staff position?
44. Do you have any conflict that may affect your neutrality?
45. Are there any access or confidentiality concerns reviewers should know?

Applicants should provide honest context. A disclosed issue is not automatically disqualifying.

Section G — Conduct History

46. Have you received a DarkWorld IRC warning, restriction, or ban?
47. Have you been involved in a significant abuse or policy case?
48. Is any complaint or appeal involving you currently unresolved?
49. Have you previously used unauthorized access on any IRC network?
50. Is there anything in your history that should be explained to reviewers?

Reviewers should verify available records rather than relying only on the applicant’s statement.

Section H — Candidate Agreement

51. Will you complete all required training modules?
52. Will you complete written and practical assessments?
53. Will you accept supervision?
54. Will you follow the DarkWorld IRC Staff Code of Conduct?
55. Will you protect confidential information?
56. Will you disclose conflicts of interest?
57. Do you understand that completing training does not guarantee appointment?
58. Do you understand that DWIRC authority does not extend automatically to other projects?
59. Do you confirm that the information provided is accurate?

13. Candidate Declaration

The application should end with:

I confirm that the information in this application is accurate to the best
of my knowledge.

I understand that submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance,
staff appointment, IRC operator access, Services access, server access, or
authority over another DarkWorld project.

I agree not to submit passwords, tokens, private keys, or other authentication
secrets.

I authorize the designated DarkWorld IRC reviewers to use this information
for candidate evaluation, training administration, security review, probation,
and staff appointment decisions.

I agree to disclose relevant conflicts of interest and external staff roles.

Registered account:
Current nickname:
Application date:
Confirmation method:

14. Application Reference

Every application should receive a non-secret reference such as:

DWIRC-STAFF-2026-0001

The reference may be used to:

Check application status.
Associate training records.
Track assessments.
Assign a mentor.
Record probation.
Reference an appeal.

The reference itself must not provide access to private application details.

15. Application Statuses

Status	Meaning
SUBMITTED	Application received
UNDER REVIEW	Eligibility and history review in progress
INFORMATION REQUIRED	Additional non-sensitive information is needed
INTERVIEW	Candidate invited to an interview
ACCEPTED	Candidate accepted into training
DEFERRED	Application may be reconsidered later
REJECTED	Candidate not accepted
WITHDRAWN	Candidate withdrew the application
CANCELLED	Application ended administratively
EXPIRED	Candidate did not respond within the required period

Status information shown publicly should be limited and must not expose reviewer notes.

16. Initial Review

The initial reviewer should confirm:

[ ] Registered account exists
[ ] Age requirement confirmed by declaration
[ ] Contact method is available
[ ] Required questions completed
[ ] Candidate history is sufficient for review
[ ] External roles disclosed
[ ] Serious conflicts identified
[ ] Current restrictions checked
[ ] Unresolved cases identified
[ ] No credentials included
[ ] Privacy classification applied
[ ] Application reference assigned

17. Candidate History Review

Authorized reviewers may consider:

Registration history.
Relevant network conduct.
Previous warnings or restrictions.
Support-channel behavior.
Staff or user reports.
Ban evasion.
Project participation.
Previous applications.
Existing DarkWorld project roles.
Disclosed external roles.
Security incidents.
Evidence of improvement.

The review must not become an unrestricted search into unrelated personal activity.

Only information relevant to suitability, security, conduct, or conflicts should be considered.

18. Application Scoring

A structured scoring system helps reviewers remain consistent.

Area	Weight
Motivation and service orientation	15%
Communication	15%
IRC knowledge	10%
Judgment	20%
Security awareness	15%
Conduct history	10%
Reliability and availability	5%
Transparency and conflict disclosure	10%	Total	100%

A suggested minimum for acceptance into training is 70%, provided no serious unresolved security or conduct concern exists.

This score is an aid to judgment, not an automatic appointment formula.

19. Reviewer Scoring Form

APPLICATION REVIEW

Application reference:
Candidate:
Registered account:
Primary reviewer:
Secondary reviewer:
Review date:

Motivation and service orientation:      /15
Communication:                           /15
IRC knowledge:                           /10
Judgment:                                /20
Security awareness:                     /15
Conduct history:                        /10
Reliability and availability:            /5
Transparency and conflicts:             /10

TOTAL:                                  /100

Minimum eligibility met: Yes / No
Serious unresolved concern: Yes / No
External roles reviewed: Yes / No
Conflict-management plan required: Yes / No
Interview required: Yes / No

Strengths:
Development areas:
Security concerns:
Conduct concerns:
Conflict concerns:
Recommended trainee path:
Reviewer recommendation:

20. Reviewer Conflicts of Interest

A reviewer should disclose a conflict when:

They are a close friend of the candidate.
They have a serious personal dispute with the candidate.
They operate a competing project.
They previously participated in a relevant incident.
They may benefit from the decision.
Their neutrality may reasonably be questioned.

A conflicted reviewer may provide relevant factual information but should not control the final decision.

21. Interview

An interview may be conducted in a private approved IRC channel or another authorized system.

22. Interview Scenarios

The interviewer may ask:

Scenario 1

A friend asks you to remove their ban. What do you do?

Scenario 2

A user posts a password publicly. What do you do?

Scenario 3

You apply the wrong channel ban. What do you do?

Scenario 4

A staff member asks you to keep an undocumented action secret. What do you do?

Scenario 5

You are unsure whether a message violates the advertising policy. What do you do?

Scenario 6

A DWShells user asks you to increase their quota, but you hold only a DWIRC role. What do you do?

Interviewers should evaluate reasoning rather than expecting candidates to memorize exact wording.

23. Interview Record

INTERVIEW RECORD

Application reference:
Candidate:
Date and time:
Interviewers:
Location:

Motivation:
Communication:
IRC knowledge:
Judgment:
Security awareness:
Response to feedback:
External roles:
Conflicts:
Suitable trainee path:
Concerns:
Candidate questions:
Follow-up required:
Interview recommendation:

24. Decision Requirements

Where practical, acceptance or rejection should involve at least two authorized reviewers.

The decision should consider:

Application.
Candidate history.
Interview.
Security concerns.
Conflicts.
Current network needs.
Mentor availability.
Available training capacity.
Suitable trainee path.

A candidate should not be accepted when safe supervision cannot be provided.

25. Acceptance

An acceptance notice should include:

Application reference.
Accepted status.
Assigned training path.
Required first module.
Training channel.
Trainer or coordinator.
Completion expectations.
Code of Conduct requirement.
Privacy reminder.
Statement that appointment is not guaranteed.

Example:

Your application to the DarkWorld IRC Staff Training Program has been accepted.

Application reference: DWIRC-STAFF-YYYY-NNNN
Training status: Accepted
Assigned trainer:
Initial training path:
Training channel:
Start date:

Acceptance permits participation in training only. It does not grant IRC
operator, Services, server, or other DarkWorld project access.

26. Deferred Application

An application may be deferred because:

The candidate needs more network history.
Activity is insufficient.
A mentor is unavailable.
A relevant issue remains unresolved.
The candidate needs more IRC experience.
The training group is full.
The candidate is temporarily unavailable.
Management requires a later review.

A deferral should state:

General reason.
Whether the candidate may reapply.
Recommended improvement.
Earliest review date, where applicable.

27. Rejection

A rejection notice should be respectful and should avoid exposing confidential reviewer information.

Example:

Your application has been reviewed and has not been accepted at this time.

This decision does not create an entitlement to confidential reviewer notes.
Where appropriate, we may provide general areas for improvement and information
about whether a future application may be considered.

A rejection should not be used to publicly shame the applicant.

28. Withdrawal

A candidate may withdraw voluntarily.

Withdrawal should:

End active review.
Cancel pending interviews.
Remove unnecessary temporary access.
Preserve the minimum record needed for administration.
Record whether reapplication is permitted.
Protect the application’s confidentiality.

29. Application Appeal or Review

Where management permits a review, the candidate should provide:

Application reference:
Decision being reviewed:
Reason for requesting review:
Factual error alleged:
Relevant additional information:
Conflict concern:
Requested outcome:

A review should not be decided solely by the original reviewer when a credible conflict or serious procedural concern exists.

An appeal does not guarantee acceptance.

30. Reapplication

A rejected or deferred candidate may be allowed to reapply after:

Completing recommended learning.
Establishing additional network history.
Resolving conduct concerns.
Demonstrating improved security.
Completing a stated waiting period.
Providing missing information.

Management may decline reapplication after serious malicious conduct, impersonation, credential theft, or deliberate security abuse.

31. Application Retention

Application records should be retained only as long as required for:

Training administration.
Staff selection.
Security review.
Appeals.
Repeat applications.
Access and conduct accountability.

Access should be restricted.

When information is no longer required, it should be removed or minimized according to the adopted retention procedure.

32. Application Audit Record

Important changes should record:

Application reference:
Previous status:
New status:
Date and time:
Action performed by:
Reason:
Candidate notified:
Next action:
Review date:

Reviewer notes should not be overwritten to conceal earlier decisions. Corrections should be appended or versioned.

33. Application Workflow

SUBMITTED
   |
UNDER REVIEW
   |
   +--> INFORMATION REQUIRED
   |
   +--> INTERVIEW
   |
   +--> ACCEPTED --> TRAINING
   |
   +--> DEFERRED
   |
   +--> REJECTED
   |
   +--> WITHDRAWN / CANCELLED / EXPIRED

34. Candidate Checklist

Before submitting:

[ ] I am at least 18 years old
[ ] I have a registered DarkWorld IRC account
[ ] I have access to my registered email
[ ] I use or will configure TLS
[ ] I use or will configure SASL
[ ] I answered truthfully
[ ] I disclosed relevant external roles
[ ] I disclosed relevant conflicts
[ ] I did not include passwords or tokens
[ ] I understand training does not guarantee appointment
[ ] I understand DWIRC authority is project-specific
[ ] I am willing to accept supervision
[ ] I am willing to complete all assessments
[ ] I am willing to follow the Staff Code of Conduct

35. Reviewer Checklist

Before accepting:

[ ] Eligibility confirmed
[ ] Account history reviewed
[ ] Conduct history reviewed
[ ] Security concerns reviewed
[ ] External roles reviewed
[ ] Conflicts reviewed
[ ] Interview completed where required
[ ] Second reviewer consulted
[ ] Suitable trainee path identified
[ ] Mentor available
[ ] Training capacity available
[ ] Decision recorded
[ ] Candidate notified
[ ] No privileged access granted prematurely

36. Next Step for Accepted Candidates

Accepted candidates begin with:

Module 1 — DarkWorld IRC Network Introduction

They should also review:

Program: DarkWorld IRC Staff Training Program First module: Module 1 — Network Introduction

DWIRC:Staff Training/Eligibility and Application