Community Guidelines

The SANE Forums are public - anyone can read the discussions.

However, a much richer experience is available to people who sign up as Forums members. Members can:

• set up an anonymous profile, with a member name and profile pic
• create discussions
• subscribe to discussions
• reply to posts
• show your support for posts
• get notifications
• see all their activity on the Forums
• much more.

Membership is available to Australian residents aged 18+. A person may have only one member account.

Each member has a 'rank' based on how many times they have posted:

• New Contributor - no posts
• Casual Contributor - 3 posts
• Contributor - 10 posts
• Senior Contributor - 30 posts
• Community Guide - Volunteer long time members who are instrumental in maintaining a productive and supportive community.

Membership of the Forums is governed by the SANE Forums Terms & Conditions, Privacy Policy and Community Guidelines.

1. At the top of any Forums page, click 'Sign up'.
2. Enter an anonymous member name and a password.
3. Enter your personal details.
4. Check the box agreeing to the terms and conditions
5. Click 'Sign up'.

It's a small world, so it's possible you could meet someone who tells you they are a member or moderator on the SANE Forums.

It's worth thinking ahead about what you'll say if that happens. Here are three options to consider:

• Don't say you're a SANE Forums member: even if someone is sharing with you, it's okay not to share in the same way if you want to keep your membership private.
• Say you're a SANE Forums member, but don't share your member name: you can say you're a member without revealing your member name. This is okay, even if the other member tells you theirs. Saying you'd prefer to keep that private is fine. You may wish to reassure your fellow member that you won't share their details with anyone. They might assume or try to guess which member you are - again, you don't have to reveal anything.
• Share your member name: before telling anyone your member name, think: how comfortable do you feel with that person being able to connect your real-life identity to all your posts, past and present? Would telling them make you feel less safe to share openly on the Forums in future? Share your member name only if you're sure you'll always feel safe with them knowing.

Whatever you choose, don't publish to the Forums information about meeting other members in real life. There is a risk of identifiable information being shared, so moderators will remove those posts. The only exception to this is if two members knew each other before joining SANE Forums, but even then, keep it general and non-identifying.

The Forums are anonymous, but when you sign up as a Forums member we ask for a few personal details. Here's why.

• We require your email address so we know we can contact you, and to be sure you're a real person rather than a spammer or some other automated attempt to get into the Forums.
• We ask for your phone number so we can contact you in case of an emergency - this is optional.
• We require for your postcode to be sure you're in Australia, to know generally where the Forums are being used, and to report on Forums use to government and other funding bodies.
• We require your date of birth so we can learn about the age groups who use the Forums.
• The privacy of all your information is strongly protected by our Privacy Policy.

All service user information provided to SANE Australia is handled in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (see our Privacy Policy).

Please note: Although the SANE Forums and Help Centre are run as separate services, confidential information may be shared between SANE staff. Only information essential for the support of service users will be shared in this manner.

Forums members can choose an anonymous profile picture to go with their member name.

To change your profile pic:

1. Make sure you're logged in to the Forums.
2. Click your profile image near the top right of the screen and select 'My profile'.
3. Click on your profile pic
4. Select an image to upload from your device.

Your profile pic must be anonymous. Personally identifiable pictures will be removed. Moderators will email you if there are any problems with your profile pic.

Forums members can get notifications for discussions they've subscribed to, or when their own posts are liked or replied to.

To change your notification settings:

1. Make sure you're logged in to the Forums.
2. Click your profile image near the top right of the screen and select 'My profile'.
3. Click 'Settings' then change your notification settings

1. Click 'Log in' at the top right of the screen.
2. Click 'Forgot your password?'.
3. Enter the email address you used to sign up and we'll send you an email with a link to reset your password.
4. Click the link, enter a new password and click 'Submit'.

Your profile page contains your recent activity. To see it:

1. Make sure you're logged in to the Forums.
2. Click your member name near the top right of the screen.
3. Select 'Profile'.

If you would like to close your account please email team@saneforums.org.

Forums members can join a discussion any time. All you have to do is find a discussion you like and reply to a post in it. A good length for a post is up to 300 words, or 1-4 paragraphs. Shorter is fine, but longer posts don't tend to get as many replies.

Be as clear as you can about why you're posting. If you need advice about a particular issue, ask specific questions. Or if you're just sharing your thoughts, it can be helpful to say so.

It's also a good idea to read the Community Guidelines before your first post.

If you're a new member and not sure where to start, try the 'Welcome and Getting Started' Space where you can introduce yourself, and let the community point you in the right direction.

Signed-up members can start a new discussion on the Forums.

Before you do, search the Forums to see if the subject you want to talk about is already there. If it is, you can add to that discussion and get the benefit of everyone's contributions. It's okay to enter a discussion after it's started.

To start a new discussion:

1. Make sure you're logged in to the Forums.
2. Choose the Space you think your discussion belongs to.
3. Click 'New discussion'.
4. Type in a subject title that clearly and briefly sums up the discussion you'd like to have. This increases the likelihood of relevant responses.
5. Write a short post to start the discussion. A good length is up to 300 words, or 1-4 paragraphs.
6. Finish your post with a clear question or statement that people can respond to.
7. Click 'Post'.

When you write a post, you can add member names to include other Forums members in the discussion.

1. Start a new discussion or click 'Reply' on a post.
2. Type @ then start typing a member name you want to include.
3. You'll see a list of suggested member names.
4. Select the member name and you'll see it linked in your post.
5. Add more member names the same way if you like, finish your post and click 'Post'. The member will get a notification saying they've been mentioned in your post.

1. Make sure you're logged in to the Forums.
2. Find the post you want to edit.
3. Click on the 3 horizontal dots in the top-right of the post.
4. Select 'Edit Post'.
5. Edit your post and click 'Save changes'.

1. Make sure you're logged in to the Forums.
2. Find the post you want to delete.
3. Click 'Copy link'.
4. Email team@saneforums.org and include the link with a request to remove it.

Your request will be sent to the team. Community Managers will usually respond to your request within one business day, but there could be a delay, especially outside of business hours. If it's urgent, edit your post and remove its contents.

To show your support for a post:

1. Make sure you're logged in to the Forums.
2. Find the post you want to support.
3. Click the 'Support' button at the bottom of the post.

Favourites are like bookmarks to help you quickly find a post you want to see again.

To favourite a post:

1. Make sure you're logged in to the Forums.
2. Go to the post you want to favourite.
3. Click the 3 horizontal dots in the top-right of the post.
4. Select 'Add to my Favourites'.

To see all the posts you've favourited:

1. Click your member name near the top right of the screen.
2. Select 'Profile'.
3. Scroll down to 'Favourites'.

If you see something on a Forum post that you think breaks the Community Guidelines:

1. Make sure you're logged in to the Forums.
2. Go to the post you want to report.
3. Click the 3 horizontal dots in the top-right of the post.
4. Fill the reason in the field under 'Flag for moderator'
5. Click 'Flag post'.

A moderator will review the post and take action. You may not receive a response from the moderator, but they may email you to clarify.

Report the post as inappropriate as described above.

A moderator will review the post. They may not get back to you individually, as they may need to take action for the safety of the member.

Moderators have a strict duty-of-care process that often takes place behind the scenes, so please don't be alarmed if you don't hear back from a moderator.

You are not responsible to keep someone safe, so you have no obligation to respond to a member who states they are at risk. However, if you want to respond, the most helpful way is to:

• let them know you hear them and you're sorry to read that they're distressed
• remind them that SANE Forums isn't a crisis service - point them instead to services like
  • Lifeline: 13 11 14
  • Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467
• wish them well and encourage them to take care.

If you have any problems using the Forums, a great place to get support is on the Forums - ask your community!

If you have trouble accessing the Forums, contact us at team@saneforums.org. We're always happy to see how we can help

Your first priority should always be self-care. If you're upset about something you read on the Forums, it may be helpful to work through the following steps:

• Pause. If your reaction is very strong, take some time out away from the Forums, or away from the thread where the discussion is occurring. Posting when you're agitated or upset can lead to feeling more distressed, so take a break to help your emotions settle.
• Check in with those emotions. Are you feeling upset? Angry? Annoyed? Is it only about this event, or has it triggered past memories or hurts?
• Emote. Use strategies you have found helpful in the past to manage strong emotions. For example, find an offline place to write what you feel. A notepad, a diary, anywhere only you will see it. It's not for anyone else to read, so you can express yourself without a filter.
• Seek help. If you're distressed, talk to your therapist, your doctor, a helpline, a friend, anyone who will help you vent and process your emotions.
• Soothe. Do the things you do to calm yourself. Listen to your favourite music, make a cup of tea, run, take a bath, watch your favourite movie. Treat yourself.
• Reflect. When you're ready, take some time to reflect on what upset you on the Forums, and decide if you want to respond. Responding and not responding are both valid options.

This also applies if you're not feeling up to giving support on the Forums. It's okay to step back for a while. You could avoid certain topics or discussions, or take some time out of the Forums altogether for self-care. If you want to stay on, you could visit some of 'lighter' discussions.

Find out how other members manage triggers and self-care.

Conflict is a normal part of communicating and connecting. It can be stressful, but it can also be an opportunity to work through and resolve issues.

If you decide you want to communicate with the other member and try to resolve the conflict, there are a few useful things to do:

• Practise empathy. Did the other member mean harm? Is it possible they put their point badly or didn't quite say what they mean? Is it a valid point, even if it upset you?
• Ask them to clarify what they meant. 'I'm not sure I understood when you said x. Could you explain a little more please?'
• Focus on the issue, not the person. 'I disagree about this topic' is better than 'you are wrong/hurtful/bad.'
• Use 'I' statements to describe your emotions. 'I felt upset' is better than 'you upset me.'
• Respect their point of view, while offering your own. If someone has expressed a hurtful opinion, see it as an opportunity to educate them on the impact it can have on others.
• Stay tuned into your feelings. If you get frustrated or upset, or the conversation becomes unproductive, it's okay to take a break. Self-care is priority number one, so return to those steps if you need to.

Forums moderators work behind the scenes reviewing posts. If a moderator spots a conflict, they may enter the conversation and try to help resolve things.

You can also email team@saneforums.org to alert them to the situation.

If you see any content that is harmful or triggering, or you believe violates the Community Guidelines, you can use the 'Report Inappropriate Content' function, which you can find in 'Post options' dropdown menu for the post you are concerned about.

A moderator:

1. in most cases will attempt to facilitate a resolution between the members within the thread
2. will contact each member involved via email to continue working towards a resolution if no resolution seems possible on the Forums
3. may temporarily close a thread to diffuse the situation If a discussion thread becomes unproductive
4. will remove the post and contact the member if the conflict breaches guidelines.

Remember: if you don't want to address the conflict straight away, that's okay. Breathing space can be helpful. Take some time out, practise self-care and revisit the discussion when you're ready.

For more guidance on how to respond to conflict, email team@saneforums.org.