Discord Server

[TheLionQueen2021]

Is there a discord server for this forum? I would appreciate if there was one!

[Capulet]

Unfortunately, no.  

We do have a FB page but it's not currently being monitored or maintained.  I will see what I can do about that - I do think we should be more 'out there.'  

❤️ 

- Cappy

[Croft]

I have a neutral mental health support discord. It's not specific to this but I tried/am trying to make it a place for everyone. 

[8888]

No, but it's a good idea, especially since we had to close our chat room.  In my experience Discord has a lot of trolls though, something we don't deal with too often here.  The trolls may be triggering to some people and have it feel like less of a safe place.  Just my thoughts.  

[TheLionQueen2021]

Oh really? I did not know about trolls on Discord, so far my experience has been positive and it feels more private than an online forum.

I did not know there was a chatroom, but I would love to chit-chat sometimes in "live"  

[Len523]

I agree that there should be a discord, and I also haven't really dealt with trolls on there but I know it's possible for it to happen. I think its worth a try, and maybe starting off with a semi-private discord might help (not able to be searched but the link is shared here)

[Capulet]

I cannot guarantee that I can make this happen for After Silence, but I will promise to at least explore some options for our members wanting to live-connect.  I will agree it is a nice thought, to be able to communicate with another survivor at a moment's notice and to not have to wait for a response on a post.  Connections, when made quickly, can be a beautiful thing and a game changer during times of struggle.

My primary concern is the safety and security of our members.  This includes anonymity.  I cannot guarantee any of these things off-site, and should anyone's personal information be leaked/compromised, AS could not be held responsible.  I would also need to know whether or not chats can be monitored/moderated (and I would have to have moderators agree to take on the task) and I think that extra security perk might be a paid feature/one that we cannot afford.  

If we were in a better financial position, I would just opt for trying to reinstate our chat room (closed for some time now) so that we can keep everything in one place.  As is, we only make enough in donations per month to cover server costs.  We would have to generate a lot more in donations and then ensure donations are consistent before considering a chat room return - so that might not happen for some time.  Right now, I do not have any business looking into that - not while we are trying to keep up with the very basic fees.  

If there is enough interest in making this happen, perhaps the community can engage in some collective fund-raising efforts.   I'm always open to ideas/thoughts on how to improve the quality of AS and its services provided to survivors.

In the meantime, I'll do some thinking.  

Love and light to you all!

- Cappy

[Finchy]

Yeah, my main thought is moderating the discord. There would need to be dedicated discord moderators, and with how fast chats can move, I worry that things might be lost if a moderator is not online at all times.

It would be a nice feature to have, but it might not be doable currently. It's obviously not up to me though.  Just my thoughts.