UPDATE: SANE SERVICES

@AlwaysMyself Also, there’s just a small number of active people on forums and when we are all chronically ill it can be impossible to be there and support peers and friends without the active participation of PSW.

It is deeply concerning that the forums have been put to the wayside. It’s causing suffering and taking away a key support for many of us.

I have provided some feedback earlier on this thread.

While I agree that there are some issues, one of which the - 403 Forbidden is apparently resolved.

I just wanted to say I am grateful for the support that I have received from the Peer Support Workers and Moderators.

I am mindful that the PSWs and moderators are reading the posts on this thread (and similar ones) and are at the same time peer workers, so each have experience with MH issues themselves.

I think each PSW and moderator does their best within the constraints of the organisation.

I am aware that it can be difficult when the feedback for the organisation you work for is not positive.

So I just wanted to say thanks to these "front facing" people, who are the ones receiving the feedback even though the issues might be outside their control.

I also thank all the forum members for the support they give to each other, including me.

@tyme @Jynx @Ru-bee

@AlwaysMyself Query of PSW and Mods. I asked the question week or 2 ago what’s the difference, who does what. I’m still waiting for reply.

im find myself reminded of a saying some people used when I was working. Powers-that-be make the decisions, those on the front lines deal with the impact

am grateful to the PSWs and feel sorry for them whilst they try to juggle everything at the moment

@Flutterbug9 sorry you didn't get an answer to this earlier! PSWs typically have a more active role, they will likely take on mod responsibilities as well as providing more peer support and wanting to encourage community engagement by starting new threads or just by being involved in the conversations. Moderation is essentially more about making sure everyone's safe, responding to risk, reaching out when members need more support. That's a bit of a broad summary to give you can idea of the difference, I hope it helps!

@Ru-bee my question here was not answered around "auto-moderation". I am seeing this forum wide at present ie. questions asked not actually answered but the 'toeing the party line' responses instead (sometimes many days/weeks later).

Transparency has been brought up several times on this thread - something I have coninually and consistently brought up over time myself. I do know there are limits on what we are told (and need to know) however answers to the questions posed here by some members seem pretty simply to answer without going into service wide eternal details.

Equity of PSW and/or mod involvement is also a massive issue. Some members have continuous interaction and other members no response at all. This is not a training issue, this is a problem with the triage system and the time spent across the forums. It is obvious when there has been no response to a post and that is where a PSW/mod should step in to respond. It does not need to be a continuous conversation but leaving a member without any response is not okay. Why would that member feel like the forums are a supportive place if they are left 'out in the cold', by themselves, with no-one to support them. I can hear the 'this is a peer-to-peer' forum however NO-ONE should be left without ANY support and to be placing the majority of that support with a handfull of members continuously takes it away from all the other members we have here on the forums.

I understand duty of care becomes an issue also but that extends to ALL members - especially when that time is taken away from the wider forum and the thousands of other members we have here.

This is not about change, it is about consistency, clarity, transparency and ultimately suppport for ALL.