Google’s video-sharing site wants volunteers to help moderate its content by flagging inappropriate content, fielding questions in YouTube Help forums, and contributing video captions and subtitles. Performing those types of tasks will help users earn points in the site’s new crowdsourcing program, called “YouTube Heroes.”

YouTube announced the “Heroes” program in a post on the site’s help channel on Wednesday that included a video showing prospective volunteers how they can participate and the perks they can earn. “You work hard to make YouTube better for everyone and, like all heroes, you deserve a place to call home,” YouTube says in the video, which was first reported on by 9to5Google.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wh_1966vaIA

Once users join the program, they get access to a “heroes dashboard” tool for online moderation as well as exclusive workshops and “Hero hangouts,” according to the video. Volunteers will be able to flag abusive or inappropriate content individually as well as flagging multiple videos at the same time. As the “heroes” accrue points by participating in the program, they will eventually be able to get sneak previews of YouTube product launches and test products before they are released to the general public, the site said.

The “Heroes” program comes as YouTube looks to build out more of a social networking experience with the recent launch of YouTube Community earlier this month. That offering, which is still in public beta mode, encourages users to interact more with the site’s large community of content creators by sharing messages, images, and other content with each other.