Lufty Report post Posted January 12, 2013 Dear All As most of you will be aware we have recently added a few new moderators to the forum as some of our more established team currently have limited time to assist with moderating the forum. It is fair to say that the new moderators have been finding their feet with both the role and also the technical aspects of moderating the forum. This has caused some upset and frustration (some justified) which I would like to apologise for. However the moderators are appointed by the admin team to ensure that the forum rules are applied but with a light touch for the benefit of all members of the forum. This is to ensure that everyone touched by ASD can safely and supportively discuss issues and their opinions. Please support the new moderators and give them some leeway as they find their feet and tread the fine line between allowing discussions to flow whilst upholding the forum guidelines and rules which we should not forget are intended for the benefit of all members. Members have voiced their opinion some of which is accepted but now it is time to bring these discussions to an end. If anyone has any further issues with the moderation of this forum then I would appreciate that you PM myself or Kris rather than airing further views publicly. Any further topics will be removed by myself. Best regards Lufty Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matzoball Report post Posted January 13, 2013 It might be better to post this is General Discussion, as people don't really use this part of the forum as much. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeanneA Report post Posted January 13, 2013 Yes I agree I think it would be best to move it onto the general discussion board. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lyndalou Report post Posted January 13, 2013 Agreed - needs to be moved Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
robert7111a Report post Posted January 13, 2013 Yes...and can we have a list of all the present mods please? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suze Report post Posted January 13, 2013 Me ! Mossgrove JeanneA A-S warrior Trekster. ...............however my intention is to stand down when we have 4 active mods onboard, and I believe Mossgrove feels the same.So my belief is we to appoint 2 more new mods. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
robert7111a Report post Posted January 14, 2013 Thanks Suze... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lufty Report post Posted January 18, 2013 Dear All I am pleased to announce that matzoball and Merry have both agreed to become new moderators on the forum. Please welcome them, be kind and help them settle into their new role. Many thanks Lufty Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeanneA Report post Posted January 18, 2013 Congratulations to both of them :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oxgirl Report post Posted January 18, 2013 Good luck guys, enjoy! ~ Mel ~ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suze Report post Posted January 18, 2013 I,m really pleased xx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lufty Report post Posted January 19, 2013 Dear All I am also pleased to announce that Lyndalou has also agreed to become a moderator. Increasing the number of moderators helps ease the load and also allows a more co-ordinated and consensual moderating style. Best regards Lufty Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeanneA Report post Posted January 19, 2013 That is great news I'm so pleased lyndalou has said yes :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lyndalou Report post Posted January 19, 2013 Hi All Hope I can fulfil the role as well as I can! Thanks Jeanne! Lynda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeanneA Report post Posted January 19, 2013 Hi Lynda I'm sure you will do a great job so pleased you said yes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lyndalou Report post Posted January 19, 2013 That's very kind Jeanne - I think I'll need a bit of direction with the 'technical' side of things and it might take me a while to catch on with that as it's not my forte! Glad there's a few of us....that's what swung it for me Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sa Skimrande Report post Posted January 19, 2013 Dear All I am also pleased to announce that Lyndalou has also agreed to become a moderator. Increasing the number of moderators helps ease the load and also allows a more co-ordinated and consensual moderating style. Best regards Lufty Consensual is good in that one hopes the wild card approach to moderating will be a thing of the past, but consensual can be bad in that if a dislike is taken towards someone by an individual in authority, that individual can influence the group to unjustly oppress where it was never needed due to personal dislike. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suze Report post Posted January 20, 2013 Hopefully that won,t happen Skimrande , welcome Lynda really pleased xx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matzoball Report post Posted January 20, 2013 Skimrande, try and accentuate the positive. The new moderators are still finding their feet (me included), and hope to do the best they can for everyone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oakers Report post Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) Skimrande, try and accentuate the positive. The new moderators are still finding their feet (me included), and hope to do the best they can for everyone. He was being positive... he was saying he 'hopes' that the wild card approach will be a thing of the past. This in itself is a positive comment. I too hope that it will be as I feel the forum has been suffering a little lately and it would be nice to see an injection of positivity into it and see people helping each other and enjoying being on here. Nice to see that more people have been appointed moderators... hopefully being that there is a wider cross section of new moderators things will be easier for those moderating, and those being moderated Edited January 20, 2013 by oakers Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sa Skimrande Report post Posted January 20, 2013 Skimrande, try and accentuate the positive. The new moderators are still finding their feet (me included), and hope to do the best they can for everyone. You saw negative in what I said ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matzoball Report post Posted January 20, 2013 I did see a little negativity, but if it wasn't meant that way I apologize. As I said - I'm still trying to find my feet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oakers Report post Posted January 20, 2013 I did see a little negativity, but if it wasn't meant that way I apologize. As I said - I'm still trying to find my feet. Ok, without wanting to sound inflammatory here, but what does something sounding negative to you do with finding your feet as a moderator? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matzoball Report post Posted January 20, 2013 Because we were talking about Moderators. It's over and done with as far as I am concerned. I've apologised and that should be enough. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted January 21, 2013 Just a quick intro by myself to the membership to help you in getting to know me. P/Hello, I'm alexis and in my spare time I co facilitate autism social groups in Bristol and Bath, these have been running for a number of years. Im also autistic and have other related disabilities and was diagnosed as teenager. In my spare time apart from helping the moderating team here and running the social groups, I play facebook games, enjoy quiz, soaps and dramas on the tv (watching rescheduled Oscar wilde at the moment), cross stitch, stamp collect and support Liverpool fc. im also a wheelchair user due to my EDS/HMS and im currently looking for somewhere better accessible to stay, just put my house on the market and im a part time carer for my autistic relative and my granny. im also a Keane supporter because their music reflects the real life that I can relate to. Ive recently got my BPhil in Autism and im trying to decide whether to try postgraduate studying again. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lyndalou Report post Posted January 21, 2013 I think Trekster's set the ball rolling so here goes... I'm a married mum of two with one ear on the baby monitor, a continuous supplier of drinks and snacks, the person who picks the Peppa Pig DVD's off the floor and cleans them off, housekeeper and nose wiper. I've had a keen interest in mental health and in general how people 'tick' since my late teens. I gained a Fine Art Printmaking degree at the age of 22 and thought initially about becoming an Art Therapist but then followed a number of years of different jobs in different sectors; everything from a BT operator to a worker in an industrial laundry, a stint of nursing training and a PgDip in Heritage Management before I worked in an area close to using art as therapy. In my late 20's I eventually got a 'real' job when I worked for a mental health Social Enterprise as a Workshop Co-ordinator of first a paper workshop and then a picture framing workshop, the second dealing directly with the public. It is fair to say that this was probably the steepest learning curve of my life for many reasons! I then worked as an Advocacy Worker, advocating on behalf of older people with dementia and their families. It wasn't a good start when a senior Social Worker complained about me to my manager in my first week on the job saying that I had no idea that people with dementia had memory problems (insert indignation here). I've been very lucky since I met my husband to be able to travel a bit. I love now seeing in the flesh what for many years I only saw in books. Highlights include Pompei and Barcelona and as a family we've gone to 'far flung' places like Yorkshire, Cornwall and Caithness. Mostly though, I just watch CSI, Criminal Minds and Bones on telly, zombie flicks and I'm looking forward to the second series of 'This is Jinsy'. I'm a self diagnosed Aspie with a high functioning autistic little boy and an apparently NT daughter. On paper, I'm officially autistic 'some of the time' (yep, makes perfect sense ). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matzoball Report post Posted January 21, 2013 More ball rolling... I'm 35, in a long term relationship with my best friend Adam. Looker afterer of 2 furkids. Have had a varied career from journalist to advocate for people on the Autistic Spectrum. Diagnosed at 31 - have been playing catch up since then. Worked for Specialisterne Scotland for 2 years. Trained and worked with 11 other ASD people. Ended up managing them for a while and went on to train 12 other people also on the spectrum(teaching software testing and soft skills needed in the workplace). Now work for Specialisterne UK as a contractor, but trying to get a full time software testing job for a bit more financial security while I gain more advocacy experience. Have literally been the poster girl for Prospects through NAS which wasn't flattering but all in the name of raising Autism Awareness which is never a bad thing. Have John Peel style musical tastes, love science fiction and comics. Hate scary movies(didn't sleep for 2 weeks after Paranormal Activity) but am made to watch them by boyfriend. Moving to Berlin as soon as finances will allow! Hope to open my own bakery someday! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Merry Report post Posted January 21, 2013 Wow! Lyndalou, the first part of your intro was very funny! Reminds me of my own life! And Matzoball, I too am made to watch horror movies by my man and had the same problem with paranormal activity. It's my birthday on Wednesday, i'll be 33. Was diagnosed with aspergers beginning of last year. I've also had a lot of different jobs. From cleaning, bar work and working on the north sea ferries, to nannying, and childcare/SENco jobs. Also was a wedding photographer for a while. Trained in childcare, fine art, photography, and holistic massage and Reiki. I have a husband and a one year old daughter....my life feels good now most of the time, but hasn't always been that way. Been lots of downs, as with everybody, but now mostly ups! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted January 21, 2013 Wow learning quite a lot about my newest moderator colleagues Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeanneA Report post Posted January 21, 2013 I am married and have grown up children from a previous marriage, the youngest Glen 18, ASD and currently is in a hospital having a mental health assessment. I enjoy cookery, reading and this forum of course :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lufty Report post Posted January 21, 2013 Dear All Please join me in welcoming Sally44 as the latest and final new moderator for the forum. Kind regards Lufty Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
matzoball Report post Posted January 21, 2013 Yay! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trekster Report post Posted January 22, 2013 Welcome Sally44 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suze Report post Posted January 22, 2013 I,m really chuffed Sally is joining the moderating team, she is one of the forums best advisors regarding educational issues, welcome Sally xx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeanneA Report post Posted January 22, 2013 Yes it's good to have Sally as a moderator. :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LisaKaz75 Report post Posted January 22, 2013 I have not commented on all the changes and issues recently, as dont feel its appropriate But I think its wonderful how the forum had pulled together and its lovely to see some new moderators especially ones who are regular visitors and contributors to the forum Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A-S warrior Report post Posted January 22, 2013 I might as well follow suit: Even though i'm not new. My name is Ben, i'm 22, and from the sunshine capital of the Uk, Bognor regis. I'm a fan of many sports, Bodybuilding, Cricket, Golf, Wrestling, all sports basically. I'm currently unemployed though keeping busy! i hope to enter the youth offending service very soon, my CRB check came back ok, and i have completed my induction training. My obsession is learning, and being better than i was yesterday, i can be very hard on myself when things don't go right, and don't take failure very well. I'm also in love with nutritional science, and studying the effects of diet, and hormones and the effect that has with our minds, and our body's. I've determined that a high fat and low carb diet, is the very best diet for the human body, and is ideal for healthy hormone production as well. As you can see, i quickly go off topic, when i'm talking about something i love........... For further infomation, check the link in my signuture........ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
l'anima semplicetta Report post Posted March 2, 2013 Can I just say how well the current moderation seems to be working? I tend to drop in occasionally here, but time constraints and also uncertainty about whether to post or not have stopped me contributing in the past as much as I would have liked (- took me a while to even register). While I am not aware of the previous issues described, I think it is great to have taken such a proactive stance in reaching a consensual level of moderation. Many forums never achieve this (and nor do they try), so this bodes well. I have been actively put off signing up to other ASD forums due to the amount of trolling or just the rather combative nature that can be apparent at times (but there is another non-UK forum that I do like). People being people will never agree 100% of the time (and I love a good debate), but I agree that in terms of moderation it often means treading a fine line. Keep up the good work Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Suze Report post Posted March 2, 2013 Thankyou so much, that is a lovely thing to say , it means alot Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JeanneA Report post Posted March 2, 2013 Yes thank you so much for your kind comments, much appreciated :-) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites