If anyone has ANY recommendations about how we can improve either of those places, or the support on LiveWire generally, I'll make a list and get it to David's attention. I'll give this topic ONE WEEK here.

Please post any new ideas that you have, and I'll compile it all into a list of sensible ideas, and submit it to David for reviewing.

GO (:

-------
oh, she's a dreamer ♥
be the change you wish to see in the world
-------
currently studying in france

okay, the main problem i see here, that i've always seen, is a pretty basic conflict.

we have something called "emergency help", somewhat implying that if you use it, you can get a quick answer.

while, at the exact same time, we have people applying to be able to answer ehelps, and they're told that they need to have long, detailed, thoughtful replies.

we need to change one side of this.

Post edited at 1:22 pm on July 9, 2008 by hithere

Maybe we should talk to David to see what can be done?  I think we should just get rid of the Serious Forum altogether and just focus on the eHelp system.  We should make it mandatory that each Support Leader provide a quality reply to at least one eHelp a week.  There could also be a three week leeway to accommodate those who have a perfectly good excuse for not responding to any eHelps in a while.  Failure to do so should result in demotion.

What do you guys think?

-------
You're like a bullet to my brain, I'm numb, can't kill my fun.
If you're good and done then thank you just the same.
I don't owe you anything.

Post edited at 12:39 pm on July 9, 2008 by hithere

---

We should make it mandatory that each Support Leader provide a quality reply to at least one eHelp a week. Failure to do so should result in demotion.  

---

What I don't like about this is that we can't FORCE people to reply. Like it or not, becoming a support leader is voluntary, and I think that making them reply to a certain number of eHelps per week will discourage people from applying. Otherwise, it will just mean we lose a lot of good support leaders for a fairly pointless reason.

-------
oh, she's a dreamer ♥
be the change you wish to see in the world
-------
currently studying in france

---

i think we should give the serious forum more time...it's only been back for 5 months...

---

But the reason it was scrapped before is because no-one used it. Over half the topics in there have no replies.

-------
oh, she's a dreamer ♥
be the change you wish to see in the world
-------
currently studying in france

---

i think we should give the serious forum more time...it's only been back for 5 months...

---

However, I don't feel that we have the right to make the determination between a severe and a non-severe issue.  Like I mentioned before in the other topic:

---

I've seen some eHelps remain unanswered and eventually drift into the pile of old eHelps.  It's sad when that happens.  Even if their problem isn't that big, it means a lot to them.  Just because it doesn't seem like a big problem to us, it is a big problem to them.  I hate it when people underestimate the severity of some problems on here.  I totally understand if it's really stupid.  But, in some cases, just because the person doesn't feel that it's a big problem, they feel that they have the right to ridicule it and underestimate its severity.

I don't agree with that because no one can tell someone else that their problem is not severe and it is not important.  We all have problems and its severity is determined by our experiences in our lives.  A big problem for me could possibly seem like a small problem for you.  But due to my experiences with problems, it could really take a toll on me.  Therefore, I try to address each problem as if I were looking through the other person's eyes and try to see and understand their perspective on the situation as opposed to my own beliefs.

I know some people who refuse to reply to eHelps or topics in the Serious Forum due solely to the fact that they feel the problem is not important, which is wrong.

---

I agree that we need to be able to reply to eHelps we make, with the OP remaining anonymous if that's how they posted their eHelp, because I think that would be HUGELY beneficial.

-------
oh, she's a dreamer ♥
be the change you wish to see in the world
-------
currently studying in france

In terms of the e-help system.  I feel like we've been getting MORE recently.  It's not that the support has dropped, per say.  But more that there is now more of a demand for it.  I can answer one topic, and suddenly there will be four more.  I mean... the support has lowered?  But it's the same people doing the same thing as before...

This being said, possibly bringing up the standards of what can be an e-help.

I don't know how many people would be opposed, but in the e-help section, there can be a quick link to ALL support leaders (or all the one's that are interested).  This way, if they have a specific question, they can message an SL individually... likewise, a forum group can be made (private of course) for an SL to ask a question if they don't know how to help that particular person, and reference them to someone else...?  I mean... if there are sections too... support leaders to deal with depression, anxiety, pregnancy, sex, relationships, family, etc... and I dunno.  Just a thought... the only thing is, this might ultimately cause SLs to become even MORE stretched out, and that's teh last thing we need.

So, my thoughts in a nutshell.

-Get rid of the serious forum OR open it up to everyone with stricter moderation and guidlines for posts.

-Tighten up on the guidelines for what can be put in the e-help system.  Give links to other options before an e-help is created to see whether or not it can be done without an e-help being created.

-Limit e-helps to one per person per week (they can always talk to support leaders or use the serious forum otherwise, though that may not work)

I dunno, just some thoughts.

---

In terms of the serious forum... why not make it accessible by everyone.  Not just support leaders... and instead, tighten up the moderation in that forum.  Posts can also have a minimum length to it, like in the intellectual forums, so you can't have any short replies...?  Then again, I can also see that failing miserably and many people complaining about having posts removed... I mean, otherwise, the serious forum and e-helps don't have much of a difference.

---

How would this be different than the regular support forums?

Anyway.

As I stated in my topic, I agree with the trashing The Serious Forum. It's too spread out, and harder for us to get to everything. It'd be much easier if we had everything in the eHelps, and if it ISN'T an emergency, we'll just vote to delete and the topic will be moved to the main forums.

I agree with Sabrina that there should be SOME requirement for support leaders, although I do believe one eHelp reply is a bit too tight. I was thinking, maybe twice a month. Just to make sure you're still here.

Another idea -- this may confuse things, but would it help to split the support leaders into two categories, and you can only apply for what you want? eHelp PSL's and forum PSL's. Maybe this will take the pressure off, and we won't feel like we're forcing people to support? eHelp support leaders would have to submit some amount of eHelp replies per some amount of time as discussed, but this way it's something we choose (to what Nikki mentioned).