Recently, Said posted an announcement on
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/talkingpoint/discuss/showthread.php?t=5858
I want to keep Talking Point members up to date on what is going to happen as time is passing quickly into spring now [hurrah!]
Firstly, an update on what happened prior to the announcement above.
History
The Talking Point moderators try to have at least one meeting, face to face, each year. It is the nature of the lives of the moderators that not all may be able to attend the meeting.
Some moderators live too far away to make the trip - so far meetings have been in London, but we would like future ones to take place outside the South East.
Alzheimer's Society does pay the travel costs - but it is the ability to be away from the caring role, the family, the job that determine whether a person can take a day out.
The meeting was a long one and the key issue that came out was the need for Alzheimer's Society to support Talking Point and the moderators and members in a more substantial way because the moderators, all volunteers, were under too much strain to continue without that.
I think to say that we put the point very strongly was an understatement.
The outcome from the meeting was agreement that Alzheimer's Society would fund six months of a person, part time, to define the role that a permanent post would take on afterwards. That role is defined in the announcement that Said made.
I took on the temporary role on 9 March because I care about Talking Point, its members and those who are cared for by the members.
March 9 onwards
Since then, Amy started the thread in Tea room http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/talkingpoint/discuss/showthread.php?t=5916 and this has proved helpful in clarifying things that had been unclear until then.
A big note of thanks is due to Amy, and to all who have responded. I know it took a lot for some of those who did, to return to TP.
Alongside this I have been considering what are the most important things to get started on. With help from the other moderators and AS, I have decided:
1) clarification of conditions of use and how they are made available
2) documentation of a moderator's role
3) making decisions by TP moderators more public, so members know what is going on
Regarding 1), the existing ones are hugely comprehensive, as they must be, but they are - in my view - a bit overenthusiastic in what they stop members doing.
I am already looking at that.
They are also lacking in words to define the area of copyright.
I am looking at that so we can say up front what is permitted, and what is not, in a clearer way.
When we have reviewed and modified the conditions of use, the full version will replace the current ones, in the current locations.
But frankly, who reads these things from start to finish? To be honest, the first time I actually read the whole document was after I started in this role. What I saw raised my eyebrows..... my fault, of course... we should always read these things.
So, we need the things we most regularly want to do detailed in a more succinct form - things like posting pictures, posting web addresses. We need to know when we can't use them, and more importantly, when we can.
Originally [item 2)] I wanted to produce some training/documentation materials for the moderators [and new moderators] to use as their guide.
Gradually, I realised that it would be more effective if ALL members could have access to them.
So that, when an action is taken by moderators, the membership can understand what the process has been.
Item 3) complements that, so we go public more often when there are problems we have had to address.
It is business as usual for Talking Point as all of this [and more] is worked on, but I wanted you to know that things are in hand, and what those things are.
In all of this we are taking into account what members have told us, and what they continue to tell us.
Sorry this has been such a long post!
Bruce
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/talkingpoint/discuss/showthread.php?t=5858
I want to keep Talking Point members up to date on what is going to happen as time is passing quickly into spring now [hurrah!]
Firstly, an update on what happened prior to the announcement above.
History
The Talking Point moderators try to have at least one meeting, face to face, each year. It is the nature of the lives of the moderators that not all may be able to attend the meeting.
Some moderators live too far away to make the trip - so far meetings have been in London, but we would like future ones to take place outside the South East.
Alzheimer's Society does pay the travel costs - but it is the ability to be away from the caring role, the family, the job that determine whether a person can take a day out.
The meeting was a long one and the key issue that came out was the need for Alzheimer's Society to support Talking Point and the moderators and members in a more substantial way because the moderators, all volunteers, were under too much strain to continue without that.
I think to say that we put the point very strongly was an understatement.
The outcome from the meeting was agreement that Alzheimer's Society would fund six months of a person, part time, to define the role that a permanent post would take on afterwards. That role is defined in the announcement that Said made.
I took on the temporary role on 9 March because I care about Talking Point, its members and those who are cared for by the members.
March 9 onwards
Since then, Amy started the thread in Tea room http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/talkingpoint/discuss/showthread.php?t=5916 and this has proved helpful in clarifying things that had been unclear until then.
A big note of thanks is due to Amy, and to all who have responded. I know it took a lot for some of those who did, to return to TP.
Alongside this I have been considering what are the most important things to get started on. With help from the other moderators and AS, I have decided:
1) clarification of conditions of use and how they are made available
2) documentation of a moderator's role
3) making decisions by TP moderators more public, so members know what is going on
Regarding 1), the existing ones are hugely comprehensive, as they must be, but they are - in my view - a bit overenthusiastic in what they stop members doing.
I am already looking at that.
They are also lacking in words to define the area of copyright.
I am looking at that so we can say up front what is permitted, and what is not, in a clearer way.
When we have reviewed and modified the conditions of use, the full version will replace the current ones, in the current locations.
But frankly, who reads these things from start to finish? To be honest, the first time I actually read the whole document was after I started in this role. What I saw raised my eyebrows..... my fault, of course... we should always read these things.
So, we need the things we most regularly want to do detailed in a more succinct form - things like posting pictures, posting web addresses. We need to know when we can't use them, and more importantly, when we can.
Originally [item 2)] I wanted to produce some training/documentation materials for the moderators [and new moderators] to use as their guide.
Gradually, I realised that it would be more effective if ALL members could have access to them.
So that, when an action is taken by moderators, the membership can understand what the process has been.
Item 3) complements that, so we go public more often when there are problems we have had to address.
It is business as usual for Talking Point as all of this [and more] is worked on, but I wanted you to know that things are in hand, and what those things are.
In all of this we are taking into account what members have told us, and what they continue to tell us.
Sorry this has been such a long post!
Bruce
