Community Building Tasks
The following are some examples of how Community Guides (CGs) may participate in their role. It’s not restricted to the following, but provides potential CGs with an insight into what they can get involved in.
Introduction threads
Check introduction thread to see if there’s any new members who are yet to be responded to.
Responses to new members contains;
- A warm welcome
- Reflective listening if they have disclosed their experiences
- Suggestions of appropriate action they can take on the forums (eg: suggest and link to threads that are related to what they have shared in their introduction, suggest starting a new discussion so other members can see and respond to their questions, suggest social threads if appropriate)
Special Events: Topic Tuesday, Career Chat and any new events
Topic Tuesday and Career Chat are live information sessions. Topic Tuesdays run for 2 hours once a month in each Forum. It’s typically led by a facilitator (SANE moderator) and often features a special guest.
Career Chat takes place on a Tuesday once a month and runs from 7pm-9pm AEST in the Lived Experience Forum. It is hosted by Ostara Australia and focuses on workplace and employment topics.
CGs can get involved by:
- assisting the SANE moderator / facilitator by acknowledging and ’Liking’ people’s posts, especially during busy sessions
- encouraging members to participate
- asking questions of the special guest
- responding to questions posed by special guest / facilitator
- asking members to expand on their responses where appropriate and helpful
- provide guidance to members who are having difficulties navigating their way through a special event or don’t understand the event format
Ask Anything Monday (not currently active)
Sometimes people will submit questions to team@saneforums.org for moderators to post on their behalf anonymously. This takes place most Mondays (depending on whether a question is submitted or not). Typically, these questions are submitted by non-members / new members who feel apprehensive about their question.
CGs can get involved by:
- using their own experience constrcutively to support and share advice
- suggesting and linking discussions about similar issues / topics
- @mention other members who have similar experiences where appropriate, encouraging them to respond
Friday Feast
Friday Feast is a weekly event in the Lived Experience Forum where people come together to share a virtual meal and chat about non-mental health related topics.
CGs can get involved by:
- kicking off Friday Feast on Friday evenings
- inviting members to the event (using the @mention function or posting in other threads)
- engaging with members and participate in the discussion
- assisting if the conversation gets too mental health focused, and suggest other helpful discussions for that member/s
Responding to new discussions
We want to ensure all members feel heard. In particular, we want new members to feel connected and part of the community. Often new members will start their journey in the Forums by posting a new discussion, which is focused on an issue or experience they want support with.
Where there is 3 or less responses, it’s important that a CG connects with these members.
They can do this by:
- welcoming the member and encouraging the help-seeking behaviour they have shown by posting for the first time
- reflective listening and empathy
- using own lived experience constructively to give advice and support, if appropriate
- providing links to similar discussion
- where appropriate @mentioning members that have been through similar experiences – check the member’s profile before doing this to see if in their recent posts to ensure they have not currently or recently in distress
- asking open ended questions to encourage discussion
Not all of the above needs to be done in every instance, but a combination of the most appropriate is recommended.
Keeping discussions on track
At times, discussions that are issue based (ie: started by a member about something they would like feedback, advice or support on) change into social threads. This can be problematic because –
- it’s confusing and disengaging for members who want to read about and discuss the original topic
- it can be discouraging for the author of the thread who may want to continue the discussion about the topic
- it can be seen as disrespectful to the original author
CGs are responsible for assisting in keeping discussions on track by respectfully helping the members who have gone off track to either bring the conversation back on track or move the conversation into a new or a relevant pre-existing thread.
CGs can do this by:
- Building community and creating a sense of belonging for members.
- Assisting in engaging the community as it grows
- Learning new skills, specifically around peer support and mental health
- Contribute to an increase in mental health
CGs are encouraged to get involved in whatever way they feel comfortable, to the capacity they are able to. Monthly check in’s with the Community Managers will provide support for CGs in the activities they choose to be involved in.
