Far and Away

There are those aspects to consider to @Faith-and-Hope I think I had a lot more voice in that regard with the previous 'structure' where I had regular contact with one of the Community Managers - much like what you would have now as a Community Guide I imagine. Part of being a CG I would also see as some of those things that are done 'behing the scenes' being more widely visible in the forums ...openness is something I am really passionate about - especially when it affects people here and knowing also that change is often something that many struggle with.

I will be very honest and say I have more than considered the role Hon and do believe that I do a large part of what it entails already.

I really hope you do apply @Zoe7 ... you should be a shoo-in. Perfect for the role.

Sherry

Thank you @Former-Member - I feel the same about you Hon but understand you have a lot going on as well and sometimes making that decision to not do something is just as important as the decision to do it. I still think you would be awesome though - you have so much to give on both sides of the forum and your posts are always extremely well written and heartfelt

@Former-Member ...... perhaps my greatest concern was not wanting to feel that I was “hogging” the role. Stability of continuity is important, which is why I wanted to hear how you both felt ...... but sometimes someone can stubbornly stay in a role that ought to be refreshed by a new way of doing things, fresh insight, etc ..... which is why your feedback is so important to me.

While I cant do a lot to help my own situation beyond trying to keep it stable, it really helps me to feel appreciated and helpful towards others, so the role is support me in that regard .... but by the same token, as you have both said, the role is actually there, without the role hat, so to speak.

There is a new management team here, and those of us who were familiar with the way the previous team had connected with us, and their “hand” over how things were done, have certainly felt the change-over, especially as it has happened fairly quickly and broadly ...... but with any such changes there will always be a getting-to-know-you and settling-in process ..... and communicating what works and why is an integral and important part of that. And there will be individual personalities in the mix too ....

The changes I see, apart from staff / personalities, is primarily structural @Former-Member. It is aimed at making the forums a clearer system to navigate ...... keeping things “tidy” so to speak, as the forums have expanded and needs can change along with that. Unfortunately, especially as we are a mental health based community, it is not possible to wave a wand and shift things around objectively. There is so much subjectivity, sensitivity, instability at times, and trauma here that while the changes may be wonderful, as we have seen, they require a process of communication, acknowledgement, perhaps debate, certainly feedback, and a sense of agreement broadly stabilised first ..... and it’s not something that can be rushed without confusion and alienation occurring.

We have re-applied as Community Guides previously @Former-Member , but that occurred through the CG Home page for us and would not have been obvious. It’s worthwhile for it to be known, in support of the openness that @Zoe7 mentioned, without it ever having been deliberately concealed. It was just a practicality in the moment.

Not wanting to interrupt but wanting to add in a show of support for all three of you, for all you each bring to the forum, and all you could (already do in your case F&H) offer to a CG program ❤❤❤ @Zoe7, @Former-Member, @Faith-and-Hope

As oppose to your feeling like you were 'hogging' the role @Faith-and-Hope I actually see you as a stabilising factor in what makes the forums work. I know by saying that it does put a lot of responsibility on your shoulders but it is also one I believe that you do so incredibly well. Ultimately it is a decision you need to make for yourself - and I suppose my opinion is a bit of a selfish one too as I would love to be able to be in a position to work more closely with some of these forum related things with you if indeed I was to have the priviledge of undertaking that role as well. But that should not in any way influence your decision - it needs to be soley yours to make on what you still believe you can give to the role.

Maybe with the 'new management' there also needs to be that stabilising factor with some of the current CGs helping to further aid that process. There is always going to be change - and I know from a personal viewpoint that some of these changes have affected me in a pretty big way - but have a 'heads-up' on some things have helped. That is a way that the CGs can help out the rest of the community as well ...by allowing things to be open and happening at a pace that the community can get used to. As you have said - there are particular vulnerablities within this tye of forum because of what everyone is dealing with and many of these changes need to be done with a little more consultation and sensitivity ...that is where I see my voice could be valuable knowing the effect certain things have had on me from a MH perspective.

It is the mutual admiration society here @CheerBear because we could all say exactly the same of you ...and super hope you continue in the role CB

Hear, hear 🎉 @CheerBear ❣️

I think you are right @Zoe7 @Former-Member in that the overall number of CG’s reduced in the last two (?) rounds of intake, probably ..... so more of us to reflect that the forums have grown might be helpful ..... although this can also be overdone to an unhelpfully-no-consensus-achieved point ..... as with everything there is need for some sort of balance.

There has definitely been a reduction in CGs and that has meant that responisibilities have fallen on just a few @Faith-and-Hope - part of that has been some CGs stepping away from the forum either permanently or part-time and that has further increased that responsibility falling to a few. It has been a long time also between the last intake and now and that time-frame (I see) has been way too long - as you have said ...so much has changed in that time and the forum continues to grow ...and whilst we do our best to be across much of what is going on there are going to be times that it is not possible - that is where the CG program is so important in the structure of the forum and it needs more than we currently have to be able to be across more threads, new members and structural changes as well.

It’s cool and raining here today ..... good study weather, if it doesn’t put me to sleep that is .....

@Zoe7 @Former-Member @CheerBear (NB: you will get these notifications tomorrow ..... it just helps me to post them anyway .... 😏)