Forum moderator nominations 2024

As a new mod last year who stuck my head above the parapet and nominated myself! - why? Because I’d been here since the early days of 2009 when it was a lot smaller forum, and had the most amazing advice & support from others, I wanted to give back to the forum that helped me so much.

I was nervous of putting my hand up looking like the “class swot” or people thinking who does she think she is? but I did it & so glad I did! I’m part of a great team who work well to keep the forum a safe place and somewhere that feels like a community. It’s challenging like others have said and it’s also frustrating at times but it’s also very rewarding and satisfying to know your part of the team that keeps this place of safety ticking over.

So if you fancy it then put yourself forward then don’t be shy - put your hand up!

And as this thread is about nominating I would like to nominate @Paul_

lovinglife said:

So if you fancy it then put yourself forward then don’t be shy - put your hand up!

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You could even do this in confidence by PM to any current mod or @Administrator.

I would just like to encourage people to think about nominating others or themselves. We are currently a small team of 6 (for a 24hr Forum) we only have 2 mods in the Southern Hemisphere and only one Type 1 (who happens to be in NZ).

TheSecretCarbAddict said:

What's involved in being a moderator, and what is the expected time involvement?

While I'm a total newbie, this forum has given me an instant community and superb support when I needed the most, and I definitely want to give back to the community. I do check in regularly, multiple times a day, but I guess being moderator is not quite the same as skipping posts that might not be relevant to me right now and commenting on things that peak my interest without always having to think if I might say something too controversial in the context of specific conversation.

Are there any other qualifications that apply apart from the member vote?

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It’s basically keeping the forum safe & making sure any posts/members don’t break the forum rules, I’ve always said it’s not about knowledge of diabetes though it helps , moderating is more about being able to be objective & fair with an open mind and a tiny little bit of tough skin - why don’t you put yourself forward and see? I think you would enjoy it, you only commit the time you can. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been a member

Thanks for asking, @TheSecretCarbAddict . I am not sure what some people think about the moderator role, or the personalities of the moderators. Before I took on the role, I somewhat childishly saw moderators as the ’school swots’ ‘prefects’ who delighted in chastising the masses. Maybe I was a bit of a miscreant before.

Since taking on the role, I see things very differently. There is very little need to remind regular members to follow the rules. The role is more about safeguarding. We do get spammers and scammers, and have to sort that. We chuck them out, which is very satisfying. We also step in if a member needs help to post in the most appropriate sub thread. We check out any reports that are made. We actually encourage people to report anything that is amiss. That really helps, as we cannot always pick up on things that are wrong without that cooperation.

There have been so few mods this past year, which has made it quite intense, and has meant we have had less time to be more sociable and post without our mod hats on. So really would appreciate more nominations, and for people to consider accepting a nomination, or even stepping up themselves.

Anyone logging in regularly could be suitable for the role. The amount of time given over to mod duties varies depending on other responsibilities one has. We all have other priorities. Some have full time jobs, caring responsibilities, health problems, hobbies, families etc. Of course a full team would mean the mod responsibilities are spread giving all of the team more time to interact in non-mod ways in the forums.

I am sure some of the other mods will have something to add to what they consider to be important in the role, but for me, I think it important to be able to understand the forum rules and apply them without fear or favour. It can be difficult if a ‘forum friend’ has breached a forum rule. Be considerate, willing to accept a different point of view, as sometimes mods have differing opinions. Own up to mistakes (and be prepared to apologise) . -We all make them. Keep an open mind. Be able to adhere to the forum rules yourself. Even if you have been a bit naughty in the past, as a mod you have to set a good example. Don’t take it personally if a member doesn’t like one of your mod actions. Have a sense of humour. Some things are really funny in the mod forum, but members only get to know that if they become a mod. Be able to maintain confidentiality. Even after retiring as a mod.
Like the rest of the team, I have gained so much from the forum, and feel very protective of the ethos, and the members, former, current, and those yet to find us. Which is why I have served.
Hope my insights help some more of you good forumites to join our merry band.

edit typo

Ok two of my fellow mods are at the end of their 2 year stint but are eligible for another 2 years so I’m going to nominate them
@Pipp & @KennyA consider yourselves nominated