How can we improve the forums? Your suggestions and comments please

[Chris_B]

Hi all, this thread is a running commentary for all members on things for improvements to the forums. This can be anything from how it looks, the categories, to moderation, community rules etc.

While we might not be able to implement everything straightaway, or keep everyone happy all of the time, we'd like to hear about what you think we can do better.

This is not a thread for discussing the moderation or editing of individual posts - if you have questions about this please contact the team offline via email modsupport@beyondblue.org.au

To avoid repeating suggestions already received, below are some results from our last user survey giving an indication of which new features people would like to see on the forums. This survey was answered by 1,597 users:

44% - Email notification when I have a reply on the forum
39% - Access to the forums via an app
27% - Ability to block seeing posts by specific users
25% - Ability to contact users privately
25% - Ability to use emoticons
25% - Ability to follow posts by specific users
24% - Ability to share links
23% - Forum posts visible only to registered users
22% - A profile, viewable by others users, where I can introduce myself
21% - Ability to quickly access all posts by a particular user
15% - Ability to tag users in a conversation
10% - Ability to share images
6% - Ability to share videos
17% - None of these

Update July 2022 - This discussion has now been closed. Please go to the updated version below to share feedback and follow our updates:

How can we improve the Forums?

[golden82]

Hi Sophie and All,

This relates back to discussions a couple of weeks ago where Sleepy and mb20lover were discussing being ignored by some ppl. I must say I agree with them. Whilst I have only come across it with one or two ppl - so the vast majority of ppl on BB forums are super welcoming and inclusive. But certainly there is a person that has done this to me. And it is rude and as Sleepy and mb20lover point out it is hurtful and triggering. These forums are meant to have empathy and connection for all. I try to offer advice and connect with all; whereas this person seems more interested it cliques and overly friendly daily banter with them. So it is not a case of unable to reply to a post. Which of course, is completely understandable. It is just ignoring and exclusion. Which is not what this support forum should be about. I guess there is nothing that can be done about this. But I just wanted to add my two cents on this matter. As it is poor form and negatively impacts on mental health. I worry that if a new member or a younger member was treated this way, how they would cope with it. I know it has meant I have avoided posting for this time due to this. Thanks.

[Guest_4643]

Hey golden82, I completely agree with you, thanks for agreeing with me also. One of the people I was referring to ignores me even if I just say hello. That's discrimination if you ask me, and it's a form of bullying.  I try to make everyone here feel welcome, especially the new people. It's hard enough joining a forum and opening up enough as it is, no one deserves to be excluded regardless of if they're new or an old member here. It's unfair and extremely rude. I think if people continue to exclude people on purpose, they should be banned, because it is bullying. I understand people may feel comfortable with certain members but that doesn't give them the right to downright exclude people. Even if they just say something like hi back, it would still be including somebody.

[Matchy69]

Golden I'm sorry you have experienced this as well.You are a valued member of the BB community with great compassion and advice.
Take care,
Mark.

[monkey_magic]

Hi all,

I think a lot of people have felt ignored, left out, or like their heartfelt words didn't mean anything.

The more you engage here the more it happens since a lot of posters don't post back or only to certain people.

Sometimes a post will be delayed and missed, someone will acknowledge it by pressing this post was helpful, or perhaps they weren't in the right headspace to write back, forgot, or just didn't know what to say.

I will of course agree that certain members are friendlier to specific members bcas of the time they've spent with each other and impact they've had on each other. Some ppl may only be comfortable in a small clique or group.

I'm not discounting anyone's feelings at all. It's healthy to express them. And I agree in being inclusive and supportive.

I remember posting a lot in the past and feeling rejected because ppl wouldn't write back and disappear.

In all honesty I don't think we can really make friends here. We can't see each other, we don't truely know who we are talking to, what they look like, everything about them and there isn't enough engagement in my opinion, even after many years.

We can share parts of ourselves and connect on levels and share knowledge but ppl come and go sporadically - in most cases. Most ppl leave...
We can't call each other...

It's really just chat...and I wouldn't take it too seriously if that makes sense.

I'd take things with a grain of salt...

[demonblaster]

Hi Guest and everyone 👋

After posting I tap forums that gets me back fairly quickly.

Hope this is of some help ☺

[Not_Batman]

I tend to agree with you there monkey, and very well put. Its an anonymous forum that people come to for support, and maybe we can all look into things too much, and come to different conclusions.

i too am not discounting on invalidating anybody's feelings, its a matter of perspective. i havent felt left out by anyone.

Golden & MB20, im sorry you have both felt this way, and i hope that it can sort itself out. I wouldn't want you to leave the forums feeling unsupported.

Not_Batman

[quirkywords]

Hello Not Batman, monkey, golden, mblover, db, matchy and everyone ,

I think people can unintentionally not include people and everyone on here has struggles and problems. Also words can be misinterpreted .

I have mentioned before that I am sorry if people feel excluded. I hope by discussing these bad experiences we can work towards making the forum even better.

I feel the vast majority of people here are welcoming and supportive.

[Not_Batman]

Spot on quirky! On all accounts.

[Not_Batman]

Not sure if its been suggested yet, I wonder if it is possible to sort by the threads by the number of post that there are. Sometimes a thread may go unnoticed.

[Croix]

Dear Not_Batman

To be totally ignored after opening up for the first time would be horrible, and we do our best to see that does not happen. It concerns us greatly.

It is not possible for members to sort, let alone by number of posts.

The Moderators, the Coordinator and other staff do manually try to find threads that have not been answered in a reasonable time - as do Champs and others. Sadly one occasionally does slip though the net.

At the moment it is a case of everyone, staff, champs and posters pulling together to make this place the best possible.

If you see such a thread by all means have a go at answering, even if it is outside your experience, after all one can at least greet a new user and acknowledge their problems. If you find you simply can't then report the post if it has been sitting very long time.

If you have any ideas other than the above please sing out.

As you know we will be having a new platform and this very problem is being addressed.

Croix