This was the first quarter of the Community Lifeguard Initiative, with the proposal being passed on the 27th July. As the Community Lifeguard Coordinator my task was to work with Lido DAO contributors to build the framework and plan for the Community Lifeguards over the short, medium and longer term.
A lot has been planned, and there’s a lot of work to do over the next few months that will be the work of more than one lifeguard! Therefore, I will be reaching out to the other Community Lifeguard applicants who applied above (@enti, @Stakesaurus, @Nneoma_StableLab, @Emilie_hifi, @defiyeti, @concentricspheres) to discuss interviews and availability. If there is anyone else who would still like to apply but didn’t when this forum post was first announced, please let them know they can still apply.
Ok, so what has been achieved in Q3?
Community Staking Podcast:
The Community Staking Podcast series has been running weekly with a range of guests from Ethereum solo home stakes, staking educators as well as Lido DAO contributors. The aim of this series was to provide a space to allow for more nuanced conversations to be held about Lido rather than just the viral hate that is found on X/Twitter. Hosting a range of guests gives a voice to the wider staking community, not just the loudest voice.
I’ve enjoyed recording this series and I have also found it to be of benefit to Lido DAO contributors. The contributors to Lido DAO are passionate and motivated to improve the protocol and (despite what the loudest voices on X/Twitter say) they do want Ethereum to succeed and are aligned with the values of a decentralized and credibly neutral network. Are we living in that utopia today? No. Does that mean that all the contributors should simply turn off their laptops and resign? Also no. There are opinions other than hate for Lido and I’m glad that I have been able to give a voice to those opinions for the wider Ethereum staking community to hear and make their own decisions.
The full podcast series can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLhvXP1-8VKZQGEMRNteLRJ3xrxYvZlPEs
Community Staking Contributor Series Blog:
The first blog post in the Community Staking Contributor Series was published. I thought it was important to raise the question “Is Lido good for Ethereum?” as a way to articulate my own thoughts and experiences of Lido and the DAO contributors. The article was generally positively received and came at a time of heightened Lido discussions in the Ethereum staking community. There are more posts planned in this series, which I hope will provide additional context and nuance to a heated and complex topic!
Simple DVT Preparations:
The Simple DVT proposal is a big step towards permissionless operators running validators for Lido. As a Community Lifeguard, promoting and supporting this initiative is a top priority. This will be the first interface for solo stakers to participate directly with Lido until the Community Staking Module and will be the foundation for growing node operators. I supported NOM with creating and refining the questionnaires and forms used by interested stakers to apply to the initiative. This also involved extensive testing of both the Obol and SSV protocols.
Lido DAO Contributor Meetings and Discussions:
While less tangible than the other work (content creation, podcasts, etc.) a significant amount of my time has been spent in meetings and on calls with Lido DAO contributors. These meetings covered a wide variety of topics from V2 module designs, bonds and slashing analysis, hardware providers, staking software, and more! I have found them useful opportunities for providing a solo staker perspective and the feedback I have received is that my inputs have been valuable.
DVT Protocols
As a Community Lifeguard, I have been a part of the DVT module design discussions and focused on voicing the opinions and concerns of solo stakers. These conversations will continue as the DVT modules develop.
LEGO Grants
As part of the Community Lifeguards Initiative proposal, Community Lifeguards can propose grants for “exemplary participation and value add”. @Stakesaurus was awarded a grant of 1000 DAI for his work on staking documentation and supporting staking workshops. This is a “no-strings-attached” grant that I felt was well deserved and benefited the entire Ethereum staking community. You can view his documentation here: https://twitter.com/stakesaurus/status/1709419025435164696
Q4 Plans
The end of the year will only get busier, but I hope that if we can onboard additional Community Lifeguards we will be able to increase the pace of content creation and community outreach. DevConnect is a focus for Q4 with an in-person DVT workshop planned as well as attending the Staking Summit and the EthStaker Staking Gathering. Supporting the Simple DVT trial will be a big part of Q4 as I will be providing support for solo stakers as well as collecting feedback to relay back to the DAO contributors to improve the process for future trials.
Overall, my experience in this role so far has been hugely positive. I’ve enjoyed getting to be a part of the complex narrative that is the Ethereum staking landscape and I look forward to continuing this journey! My goal is for there to be more people running Ethereum validators from home each day, and I genuinely feel that Lido will be an important part of making that a reality for thousands of people.