open forum discussion

[Admin]

the forum is coming up to its 3rd year online since its start date

Forum started : Thu 13 Apr 2017 - 18:30

id like to know your thoughts of the forum so far ?

what your not happy with what the forum does ?

would you like it thinned down a bit ?

id like to know what you think of its privacy policy

yeah i make mistakes id like to know them if you dont mind ?

this is an open questionnaire of your thoughts try to keep your comments truthful

its just to get an idea what could be improved or to be made better for everyone

gadily ( admin )

[Caker]

I think we need a specific category food bank usage and other poverty. This is a big issue for modern times but there is no category, on the forum, to sort these stories into. They get lost in 'media news'. Many have been moved to 'cooking and heating' but they don't really belong there, it is just the best fit for now.

I suggest the following 2 categories:-

HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS:

POVERTY AND DEPRIVATION: Food banks, fuel poverty and other deprivation.

Another option is a super category to combine the above:-

POVERTY: Housing, fuel poverty, homelessness, food banks.

Anyone else agree?

[Absolut]

the forum is coming up to its 3rd year online since its start date

id like to know your thoughts of the forum so far ?

I think it's easy to use, no fussy content and queries get answered.

id like to know what you think of its privacy policy

Personally I don't read them. I know I should but I don't

yeah i make mistakes id like to know them if you dont mind ?

Do you? I've not noticed any.

its just to get an idea what could be improved or to be made better for everyone

Other than fixing the ability to view hidden posts which works for some but not for others, nothing (and I don't think the viewing of hidden posts by some of us can be fixed anyway as you've clearly tried.)

[Admin]

I think we need a specific category food bank usage and other poverty. This is a big issue for modern times but there is no category, on the forum, to sort these stories into. They get lost in 'media news'. Many have been moved to 'cooking and heating' but they don't really belong there, it is just the best fit for now.

I suggest the following 2 categories:-

HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS:

POVERTY AND DEPRIVATION: Food banks, fuel poverty and other deprivation.

Another option is a super category to combine the above:-

POVERTY: Housing, fuel poverty, homelessness, food banks.

Anyone else agree?

is it better to adjust these 2

the housing part of the forum to include a homeless reference

heating and cooking could have a reference to Food banks, fuel poverty and other deprivation

[Caker]

I think we need a specific category food bank usage and other poverty. This is a big issue for modern times but there is no category, on the forum, to sort these stories into. They get lost in 'media news'. Many have been moved to 'cooking and heating' but they don't really belong there, it is just the best fit for now.

I suggest the following 2 categories:-

HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS:

POVERTY AND DEPRIVATION: Food banks, fuel poverty and other deprivation.

Another option is a super category to combine the above:-

POVERTY: Housing, fuel poverty, homelessness, food banks.

Anyone else agree?

is it better to adjust these 2

the housing part of the forum to include a homeless reference

heating and cooking could have a reference to  Food banks, fuel poverty and other deprivation

I think HOUSING could stay as it is because it already includes a lot of homelessness articles.

I think HEATING AND COOKING could just be name changed to POVERTY AND DEPRIVATION and include everything about food poverty, fuel poverty and any other effects of poverty.

[Committed Claimant]

I agree with Caker’s suggestion that there ought to be a ‘Poverty’ category.

It could be sub-divided into:
1. Food Poverty
2. Fuel Poverty
3. Rents and Homelessness

Most of the issues raised in the current ‘Housing’ and ‘Heating and Cooking’ categories could easily be incorporated under one or other of the above headings for discussion.

I don’t believe there is much call on this Forum for additional discussions on property portfolios and exotic, elegant cuisine. Try Country Life.

I would also suggest that we have a category on pensions and pensioners. All hell is going on in those areas of society and to our shame we pay little heed to it. Don’t ignore it until its too late to do anything about it. However rough we might find surviving under the current welfare system, just imagine how much worse it would be if you were old and suffered from all the additional issues that old age brings.

Events are unfolding, as we discuss whether or not to adopt those suggestions, the outcome of which will necessitate a complete review of the entire Forum. If those events have a favourable outcome, all well and good, we can indulge ourselves in minor adjustments to category headings and congratulate ourselves on having done a good job. If, however, those events have an unfavourable outcome, then I’m afraid to say that more than mere trifling will be required.

[Caker]

Events are unfolding, as we discuss whether or not to adopt those suggestions, the outcome of which will necessitate a complete review of the entire Forum. If those events have a favourable outcome, all well and good, we can indulge ourselves in minor adjustments to category headings and congratulate ourselves on having done a good job. If, however, those events have an unfavourable outcome, then I’m afraid to say that more than mere trifling will be required.

This site was set up with the intention of providing information and helping people affected by welfare issues. I think we do that quite well. Whilst we agree with all sorts of campaigns and good causes, we don't have the following or resources to act as a campaign site. I think we should just continue with what we do well.

[Committed Claimant]

Admin set the discussion off with his post asking for suggestions for improvements to the Forum. You then made a raft of suggestions with which I whole-heartedly and sincerely agreed.

I also responded to Admin’s call agreeing with you and took the liberty of suggesting that a separate category might be added to deal with pension and pensioner issues. Hardly revolutionary.

You are the guys who make the decisions. When suggestions are called for and then one is chided for even making suggestions with such comments as “I think we should continue with what we do well” then it is no great mystery why “we don’t have the following”. Why call for suggestions for changes at all for God’s sake if you are content with things as they are?

All the effects of austerity are worsening, all the deaths are increasing, homelessness is increasing, all the health, physical and mental, and welfare services are increasingly harder to access, food and heat poverty is increasing. Whatever it is that you think we do well I would like to know exactly what that is, likewise what we don’t do so well, or what I have said or done that might hamper that.

In 5 year's time it is getting more and more likely that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be so far devolved from the UK as makes no difference between their position and independence. That will leave the one nation Tories with only the population of England to exploit. All those they blame now for everything that is wrong will no longer be there to blame. What then, turn on each other?

I did not suggest this Forum becomes a campaign site in any sense of the term although I would hesitate to deny that it already is one: “This site was set up with the intention of providing information and helping people affected by welfare issues”. If that does not mean the same as campaigning for those affected by the welfare policies of the current government, then you might explain to me what you do mean. I am certainly not going to apologise for my part in furthering that campaign on this Forum or anywhere else.

There is one over-riding and vital decision to make in less than 2 weeks’ time. Do we accept the proposition that all is well and we’ll carry on with more of the same but with a mandate to be even more severe, or do we go with a radical agenda that will shake people out of their apathy and hold the ‘bastards’ who profit from our adversity to account?.

Admin regularly asks, pleads even, for claimants to become members and follow or get involved on the Forum and some of us back him up to the hilt on that. If they choose not to then it is not for want of effort on our part. Most of our brother or sister Forums appear to have gradually hit the dust. When the candle is snuffed out on this Forum nothing but darkness will cover the face of the earth. Admin appreciates that, knows and realises that we need to try different approaches.

The question for us therefore is; more of the same or get radical, get involved, kick ass.

[Caker]

CC, I appreciate what you have said and it was not my intention to chide anyone at all. I am sorry if it looked that way.

[Admin]

ive done a change around and added stuff to the forum

see what you think to it

[Paul61]

3 Years, How time Flys;
I Would Suggest a "WELCOME/INTRODUCTION" Section where new members can say Hello when they join the forum, Have noticed some new members are little lost when they first join, And are unsure where to start.

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