Your feedback needed: Updating our forum categories

[Former-Member]

Hey there @Shaz51 🙂🌺

@espressologic 

yes, there’s definitely two sides when considering the benefits of combining the carers forum space with the lived expeirence forum space. 
I know personally that I would be hesitant to discuss matters if I wasn’t clear on which space I was in, because what if my carer is there anonymised but still able to read my posts - potentially figuring out it’s me? 
(In the instance I had a carer or family who cared and may like to discuss their experiences anonymously online in a forum). 
Also, if a carer is feeling they want to find their own unique space, having carer and LEx in the same place might also put them off in terms of feeling that need for a little bit of separation to be free to speak openly amongst their carer peers without offending anyone who receives care from a carer - sometimes, carers have difficult challenges that, when described, could be perceived by those with LEx and carers, to be demeaning (eg: a carer expressing how exhausting it can be to care for someone could be interpreted as rejection by someone reading who has LEx). 
I also feel that part of the problem isn’t so much the low volume of carer forum traffic, it’s the lack of widespread knowledge that there is in fact a carers forum on SANE, and that carers themselves have a dedicated space to be free to express their challenges, barriers, and need to relate to other carers. 
The solution in my mind is wider dissemination of the existence of the dedicated carers forum, along with targeted campaigns that empower and enable carers to raise and use their voices to both normalise what they go through, but to feel stronger in advocating for themselves as a unique group with unique unmet service delivery needs in society. 
Currently, carers have a much lower profile than people with LEx, and maintaining a dedicated space will eventually facilitate the continuation of growth of awareness that other carers want to talk, and need to talk, amongst themselves - just like years ago with those of us who were then living in isolated silence regarding our mental health 🙂🌺

I am supporting keeping the carer and LEx areas of the web site separate, to suit the unique needs and sensitivities of each community 💜🙂

@Ilovepenguins 

[Zoe7]

@Shaz51 The descriptor for SANE forums would need to explicitly include it is for those with Mental Ill-health and those supporting people with their mental ill-health ...that could help with carers, etc. find us and engage.

[Shaz51]

I totally agree @Zoe7 

@espressologic , a lot of new members go to the welcome session but you don't see them again 

Or a few I have tagged them to other thread that will be helpful for them , this works on the lived experience session but not on the carers 

[Shaz51]

I totally agree @Former-Member 

I just wish I could help there more but not sure how 

@espressologic 

[Ilovepenguins]

@Former-Member @espressologic @Shaz51 @Zoe7 @NatureLover 

Personally, I don't have too much of an opinion on the matter at hand. I feel there are some really good points made here from everyone and @Former-Member has pointed out some very interesting information in regards to emotional responses, as well as terms and abbreviations. 

A quick thought that did come into my head though, was an uncategorized thread for those of us who don't know which thread to post in. From there, that post could be left in that thread or moderated into a suitable thread 🤔

[Former-Member]

Hey @Shaz51 🌺🙂

@espressologic 

there are some great carer networks and community managed orgs out there that support advocacy in the carer space, however the current level of awareness in society isn’t high, nor is their funding from what I understand. 
And there’s also the stigmas that exist and surround carers and the carer spaces, which need to be actively countered with great marketing that targets raising the awareness in society and communities of the value and plight of carers. 
Just like years back when LEx didn’t have a known profile in society, and there was a lot of silence, stigma, and misunderstanding…I see these same barriers around carers now. 
I wondered if SANE would like to do a little blog about carer awareness..? I think our carer members could be a gold mine in what they are facing personally, in the courage they hold each and every day doing what they do, and how this impacts on them, and how they have found supports or developed coping skills..

love always to you Shazzie 💜🌺🙂 

[Former-Member]

Shaz51 wrote:

only problem I can see is -- that if someone looks up the Sane  forum for carer advice and sees there is no carer forum ( will this stop them from logging on )

Extremely valid point @Shaz51 💜💜🌺🌺🙂🙂👌🏻👌🏻

@espressologic 

[NatureLover]

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@Former-Member wrote:

I am supporting keeping the carer and LEx areas of the web site separate, to suit the unique needs and sensitivities of each community 💜🙂

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I agree with @Former-Member on this. 

[Shaz51]

I agree with @NatureLover , @Former-Member on this 

@espressologic 

[Zoe7]

I am unsure what terms you are referring to here @Former-Member If they are sensitive and trigger then they are words you also have used or have been talked about previously in this thread. Some clarification would be helpful 👍

Can you also direct me to some empirical research on ToES to get a clearer idea of how, what, where and with whom this research has been conducted - interested to learn more.