New - What's the point?
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UPDATED: Fri, 12/21/2007 - 5:07am
epi_help
Chat Help and Mentors
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Dear community members,
For quite a while we have heard concerns about chat rooms and the site in general. While a variety of helpful comments have been received, one of the take home messages is to make sure the chat remains a safe supportive environment for everyone. Additionally, people new to epilepsy and new to my.epilepsy.com need some help getting used to the site, learning how to use chat or other parts of the site, or generally just feeling comfortable joining in.
In response to these issues, we are piloting the use of volunteer mentors. These mentors will have assigned times to check in on chat and help as needed, or just lend an extra helping hand to those getting used to the site or to epilepsy. Their role is not to be a 'policeman, but they can take limited action to keep the chat safe if need be.
The mentors are not administrators of the site and are not intended to be so. Right now they do have a different colored icon in chat so people can identify them, but if this bothers people, we can remove the colored icon. They are not in chat to 'spy' on people, but to help as help is needed. If it's not needed, great! The users who are piloting this with us will not be mentors all the time! They'll be in chat on their own, just as they have been before, but they'll also have 'mentor time' a few times a week.
Another important point - the use of mentors does not turn the my.epilepsy.com chat room into a 24/7 moderated chat. It's still an open chat with intermittent mentors. Of course, admin, mick02 and myself (epi_help) will be popping in as 'administrators'.
We are starting this volunteer role with a few people to see how it works. However, anyone on the site can apply to join in! If this works, we will rotate mentors and develop the mentor role in other ways. To do this, we need your help on how you feel mentors can be most helpful. If you want to learn more about the mentor role, please join the Community Mentor Group! Or email me at patty@epilepsytdp.org.
Please know that this mentor position is NOT in response to the site changes. People have asked us to consider an online mentor program for quite a while, but it was put on hold while we have been undergoing the site redesign. We think that now is a good time to try it out and see what works, what doesn't, and how we can develop this program over time.
Lastly, in response to ongoing bugs on the site changes, those of you who have been with us throughout the past 6 weeks know that we have been working hard on bugs, especially to fix the speed of the site. We have a Group for Bug Reporting where you can report any problems you are having and read up on technical fixes that have been done or are being worked on. I'll also set up a time for focused chat where people can join me to ask questions, vent or share your ideas!
Hope this explanation helps. Each and every one of you is an important part of this community and we look forward to working with you to make my.epilepsy.com your place to connect, learn, and share.
Best wishes,
Epi_help, aka Patty
Resource Specialist
By epi_help at Fri, 12/21/2007 - 5:07am | 330 views | 18 comments
Topic: Epilepsy.com Help
Recent Comments on this Discussion
just a thought.mentors are now in chat,so chats can be partially controlled.
sometimes people come in very upset,when this happens and a large crowd is in then the ones who are upset may be hoarded with private messeges from half the room possibly scaring them off?
i wouldnt mind letting a mentor controle private messeging in the room,so when someones really upset or having problems the mentor may have a feature to turn pvts off to all but mentors so mentors can calm them down when needed and the room dont go bezerk with pvt messeges to the ones upset.as if 10 can pvt one person possibly booting them.i would say with a feature only mentors could pvt a certain person when needed and they can still chat within the room also.
make sense?-well someone did come in saying he took way too many pills and disapeared after 10 minutes.if he was being ransacked in pvt by half the room then i dont blame him for leaving like he did.i heard an ambulance was called for him though but for the future,lets keep peace and sometimes turn pvts off when needed.
Thanks for your suggestion - lots of pros and cons to this but I'll pass it on. The best thing to do is to report a problem like this when it's happening. It's often hard to say how much help is too much help. Sometimes people respond to one person or responds better to a group. The person was on for quite a while so the group support must have helped!
In response to private messaging, a lot of this does go on and that's okay, however, it does mean that some people will get only part of a conversation and things can be difficult to sort out.
I think it's important for all of us to support each other but also recognize the limits that online support and chats can give and encourage friends to use professional help too. I think the group does a great job at this, though I also recognize how stressful this can be to the group as a whole.
Maybe one of our Q & A Sessions should be with an expert on coping with difficult situations? Just a thought.
Thanks again for your suggestions!
Epi_help
Epi_help Resource Specialist
epi_help I hope your gonna like do this to trusted people becuase I know this from runescape.com and they cannot trust alot of the players like they have forum mods and player mods and both type of mods are players who were trusted by jagex, theres not alot of trusted people now days
Hi everyone!
I just want to let everyone know our latest mentors who you will see around the site.
Colina, Raid, and Richie will be joining Spiz, Dayna and Siciliana as community mentors. When in chat, they'll have a green icon. Same rules apply - they aren't the police, just there to help as help is needed!
For those of you who have written to me about mentors, please know that we are just starting a few at a time.
To all community members, thank you so much for your help. You keep the site growing and providing so much support and help to everyone.
Have a great day!
Epi_help Resource Specialist
Who would know more about Epilepsy than Raid!! She has been through so much and has been seizure free now for a year..you go Raid !!! Love ya Hun.
I hope we get past what happened in chat that day and we all can move on. I hope you get a chance to become a mentor...if it is meant to be.
As Far as the name calling I know You are adult enough not to do that. So we have to turn the other cheek as they say and know what WE are and move on. *hugs*
First let me say that Raid is a wonderful person with great knowledge and experience in epilepsy. She would be a wonderful mentor.
There has been a lot of stuff going on in chat lately and it has been because of one person and one person only. I have kept quiet about this because I was just a by stander and not involved but it is getting crazy. We come to chat for support and the occasional laugh and fun. I have found this site as a wonderful resource, please don't let it be ruined by one individual.
In my eyes Raid should be a mentor.
Thanks for listening.
Sheri (Jacksmom)
been through a rough time lately and im staying indoors due to certain problems.recently ive had to change alot,as admin you got the email so i say nomore till things are resolved personally.
could use advice myself once in a while professinally.but even without a word from yourself im here and able to help.
i admit im in chat alot and i do stay quiet in chat and off the forums.
anytime you need me im there.
brodie
Hi Patty
Happy New Year to you. I hope 2008 is a great year for you. It was brought to my attention that you currently are looking for moderators. I used to be a moderator for some time in two seperate Chat rooms unrelated to Epilepsy. I had to quit because my epilepsy was acting up a lot at the time. Now that I am a year seizure free I am willing to offer my help if you require it. At present I help other people through different links who are considering surgery. But if you require any help I am willing to help out. I am also nearly 2 yrs a member on this site and I have made a lot of friends. I was also interviewed by Rita on this site by telephone back in May about my life story. Not sure if you are aware of this.
Kindest regards,
Miriad (Raid)
i wouldnt consider someone who was calling me names and being real nasty when her freind wa in an argue ment withme
had nothing to dco wit her !
I just want to say that Raid never once called anyone a name. There were some issues in the chat recntly taken care of by another mentor (thank you for that) . However I would like to say I would trust Raid 100% as a moderator and really hope she does get accepted! I have had my share of problems in the chat lately and am very thankful for the mentors we do have and believe that Raid would make an amazing addition to all of this. I will be the first to say I was not for mentors but I would like to see you add quite a few more. Please do not let one member taint your idea of Raid. I hope to see raid in a little green dress soon :)
Thanks
Sassy
i wouldnt consider someone who was calling me names and being real nasty when her freind wa in an argue ment withme
had nothing to dco wit her !
Hi Patty,
In response to Katelin's unpleasant comment. I
didn't call her a name in chat I only stood up for a friend who I know
very well is a fully stable person. I received pm's from Katelin in
the chat room on Monday saying that she was surprised that I stood up
for Kathy. I don't like nasty things being said to a friend and let
alone untrue things that were completely made up. The real truth is
Katelin was making up things that Kathy's husband said to her which
were competely false and then telling Kathy these lies in the main
Room. Lies like this can break up marriages easily
Just thought you should know the real truth.
Thanks
Raid.
always considered raid a smart cookie!i wouldnt mind seeing raid on as a mentor.even though ive said i wouldnt mind being one,i admit my mind is very very busy,so i dont mind it if i donnot become a mentor but raid i think enough is said!make raid a mentor,rais is a pal to alot of us.lets cheer,lets go on strike now!
WE WANT RAID!WE WANT RAID!WE WANT RAID!
LOL let the wish come true,we only trust so many people here,,,raid is trustworthy to most whos been here years. i vote for raid
i wouldnt consider someone who was calling me names and being real nasty when her freind wa in an argue ment withme
had nothing to dco wit her !
you know ,i am now with you also katelin
since the mentors have come ive seen more flareups than ever before,due to this i am bidding farewell to this site because of everything being put down on my back.
members come in with thoughts of hopelessness or even suicidle tendencies.they have had e very long they say and theres never hops.i try calming and things flare up between not only members,but mentors also.
i doubt i ever put any mentor down unless a troublemaker comes in just to start something where im stuck in the middle and im sorry i ever got involved now with this site.
and i know what you mean katlin
i sure know what you mean there
thats why i say good riddence to this site since patty was the only one who wouldnt bring somethin into an open chat.....well,col has always been ok but the rest,they need some help before a war between the entire site errupts.
Sorry you have had difficulties and please see my private note to you.
I will use this reply about the chat in general. It's important for everyone to know that mentors are volunteers, not police, and they are not health care professionals. They have given numous hours to help out the site, and I thank them for this. When a problem arises, let's not blame the mentors or other users right away. People should step back and look at their own issues and whether they need a different form of help than what an online chat can provide. And if issues aren't resolved between members or there's an issue of concern regarding use of the site or a mentor, members should let the webmaster and myself know so we can address it as necessary. Please remember that we, and the mentors, want to keep the site a supportive, caring site open to everyone!
Contact information: webmaster@epilepsytdp.org (webmaster) or myself at patty@epilepsytdp.org.
Sincerely,
Epi_help
Resource Specialist
and P.S.
im sorry i ever voted for someone who would rather take someone elses word over theis when two have known each other too long.more than the woman but hey,their mentors.
didnt think thered be any say.figures