Group Support Room Updates
In a continued effort to increase safety and ensure that each Group Support Room is adequately moderated, we will be making some changes to some of the rooms.
As of this Friday, January 4th, at 12:00 pm ET, the following changes will be made:
- Depression Support (adult room) will be closed and become a pop-up room to be used for scheduled discussions and sessions.
- Depression Chat will remain open 24/7 and will be available for anyone needing support for depression.
- LGBTQ+/MOGII Support (adult room) will be closed and become a pop-up room to be used for scheduled discussions and sessions.
- LGBTQ+/MOGII Community will remain open 24/7 and will be available for anyone needing support for LGBTQ+/MOGII issues
- Family Support will be closed and become a pop-up room to be used for scheduled discussions and sessions.
- Disability Support will be closed and become a pop-up room to be used for scheduled discussions and sessions.
Please let me know if you have any questions about these upcoming changes.
@Kate I am in tears... Disabilty means so much to the ones that go into the room... so sorry but i really am hurting for them.
@Tyedyedbutterfly65 Disability is becoming a pop-up and will not be removed or closed permanently.
@Kate They dont want a pop up Kate they want a place they can go too anytime .. i am so sorry it is still not right to do this too the disabilty room and the ones who come in and it had picked up.. :(
@Tyedyedbutterfly65 I agree with you here disability room has always been a room for people to beat the chaos this isn't completely fair to the regulars of the room, some how have in the past express that they spend long hours in there to keep this from happening. We are an emotional support site and I feel that disability support embodies the best of what the purpose of this site is for. Bad choice in my opinion *shrugs*
@LeetheUnicorn Thank you Lee. 
@Tyedyedbutterfly65 i couldnt agree more Tyed, disability isa huge community and i think a lot of people will be really upset with this
@Tyedyedbutterfly65 Do you have another suggestion on how we can get mod coverage throughout the site without closing any of the rooms? I totally understand the frustration. Any community is going to be upset if their room is chosen, and these are hard decisions to make. Nobody wants to go around closing rooms. We do however need to have enough mod coverage and be moving in the right direction to keep the site safe for all its users. This room is also welcome to be opened by any team moderator at any time they are available to be in the room. I know that it doesnt make it a 100% better and i really do understand that you're upset. Just know that its not something anyone wants however at this goven moment in time we simply need to have enough coverage for safety and any community that would have been chosen, as im sure you can imagine and relate to, would be frustrated by this. I'm really sorry it had to be your community and perhaps at some point in the future this can be different. We can only hope for more support and new leaders coming in the future <3 PMs are open if you ever need a chat
@Lorraine234 I think there is nothing more to be discussed in pms at this point. Nobody chose to discuss is with the community either or with the community leaders.
My pms are open if anyone wants to message me.
@kindSoul10 I was offering my PMs to a listener who may need Peer Support. That is all.
@Lorraine234 please excuse me. I was stressed out and misread your message. Thanks for offering peer support to those who might need it. 💓
@Lorraine234
there should be loads of steps before one closes rooms that don
@SouthernFlame I hesr your point and again, closing rooms is not want anyone wants to do. It is not an enjoyable task. Ccm has proved to improved the quality of our moderation. Its the thing that keeps members safe. It gives moderators a space to lesrn and grow their moderation skills before being able to go global. I do understand this frustration but if it was my choice I would not want to see quantity being put above quality. The safety of our users has to come first.
@Lorraine234
im sorry but this reply feels very paper cup and paste to me. Im sorry if thats not the case. But the fact that this is being shown as this is happening and not a way to discuss with the users of the community is a disgrace. Theres still loads of steps to implement before you close rooms. Especially if this is for safety youre closing rooms that dont have safety issues. Try again.
@SouthernFlame
Out of curiosity, what steps do you think should be taken? I was not involved in any way in this decision, I'm just learning now, but I'm trying to think out loud...if they wanted to close any room, every single room they picked out would understandably be mad about it. How do they choose? How would you choose? Genuinely curious.
@EvelyneRose
i wouldnt close any room due to the fact that it doesnt make it any safer it just displaces. I would work on coming up with ways to recruit more mods for each room. Make a time table. Maybe even make it where you cant be on a VPN to access the rooms but can use them to chat with listeners In PMs.
@SouthernFlame
good ideas. I think part of the issue is mods dont stick around long enough, so maybe figuring out solutions to that problem too.
@EvelyneRose
it took me so long to find this reply hah. Yes. We need to brain storm way to retain mods. Maybe even have limit on how many mods per team to help spread out the mods?
@SouthernFlame
i think the issue is both coverage and quantity. Theres not enough mods, or maybe there are but not at certain times. I also think its a acitivity issue. Its always weird coming into a dead room, so its probably a combination. I think what the goal might be is to have rooms that are active, anyone coming in can get support at any time, and rooms have mods for just incase issues arise. That would probably be an ideal room.
@EvelyneRose
maybe but if so close the non necessary rooms like thinking space
@Tyedyedbutterfly65
Thank you so much for say this, I agree it isn't fair for us, we spend so much time in our lives battling to be heard by medical professionals and now the one safe place we could turn to at any time is being taken away and we are having to battle about something that is meant to help us and does help us when we know it's there whenever we need it and we don't have to wait and suffer alone, you could use the argument the 1-1 but lots of listeners don't understand in the room we all understood eachother. It's so distressing knowing that it's only going to be a pop up 
@Tye your kind and thoughtful words are very much appreciated in your support for the disability room on behalf of those of us to who it is a dear resource . Thank you.!
It pains me to see this happen. I may be new to this community, but I know the benefits of having constant safe support available if needed. I have spent time in almost all of these rooms to see how they interact, and I can see how these rooms help people. So, I can see the devastating affect it will have on those people who use these rooms. I think that if you close these rooms, other parts of the community wont be as accepting as they would be in the individualized rooms. The rooms that you are closing are not subjects that are considered main stream/widely talked about topics, if they go into the more general rooms to seek support, I feel that they may not get the support that they deserve. If it comes down to not having enough people to watch, support and mod these rooms I will step up and do it. I have recently completed my Room Support training, and my goal is to become a room mod. It will take me a few weeks to become a mod, but I will change my rooms to the rooms that will be shut down to help keep them open. Someone please let me know if there is anymore I can do to help, my PMs are open. I am tagging the people who are actively engaged in and passionate about what is going on. @Kate @Tyedyedbutterfly65 @Lorraine234 @LeetheUnicorn @MidnightRaven999 @RockClimber18
@SpaceStation2 please PM me!
@SpaceStation2
I am in too. It may take time to take up the training and be a mod, but we can definitely do something to keep the room up.
https://www.7cups.com/forum/GroupModZone_168/KatesCave_1395/KeepFamilySupporta247Room_189388/
https://www.7cups.com/forum/GroupModZone_168/KatesCave_1395/KeepLGBTQMOGIISupportRoomopen247_189385/1/#1866314
https://www.7cups.com/forum/GroupSupport_168/KatesCave_1395/Keepdisabilityrooma247room_189381/
@Kate
My understanding regarding depression support, we are going to have a pop-up room for discussions, and having depression chat for support for everyday conversations. So, we are removing the lighthearted option is what I'm assuming?
@Jenna Yes. It's kind of switching up the purpose. We want everyone to still be able to get support in the room if needed.
@Kate
Okay, good luck. I hope this is positive to room safety.
@Kate
Can Member Community Room be reopened?
@Kate
@Kate Just like the deletion of MCR this is NOT a good idea. I'm not sure if you guys are aware of this but the deletion of MCR caused everyone who used to hang out there to be forced into other rooms. This mass exodus caused the topics that would usually be discussed in other rooms be disrupted or ceased entirely. If you start deleting other chat rooms you guys are going start forcing people who want to talk about other topics or friend groups into other rooms. Each room develops a small community of people who want to discuss certain topics and feel comfortable creating a welcoming environment. You guys are going to create chaos among the chat rooms. You guys already disrupted the balance once, things have finally settled down. Don't do it again.
@Kate
Thank you for letting us know. I totally understand that many people are going to be upset and this is going to take some time to process and adjust to the idea and we need to be understanding of that. I understand that many of our rooms have a group of regulars who participate and hangout most days.
I think we'd all love to have all of our rooms open 24/7 and be able to have as many options available as possible. This however unforunately isnt the reality when we look at how many leaders we have at the moment. Its not possible for us to have rooms open with no mods to keep it safe. At the end of the day safety is one of the most important aspects on a site like this.
I know the people who are affected most by this are going to be feeling "Why me?" and "Why this room?" I know its extremely hard to understand. I dont imagine that these decisions would be made unless they were absolutely necessary.
I hope that we can all take the time to sit and think on this with a clear mind. Change is difficult and thats totally understandable. Sharing your feelings and feedback is completely okay but I trust we will all tackle this with as much of an open mind as we possible can and do our best to make it work.
For example, the rooms are pop up. This isnt stopping any of it's moderators from opening the room for open chats at any time! We would actually encourage that! So perhaps thats something we can focus on for now.
welcome to the "end of support" on the support site. shame to see this change, and prevent support rather than spread it. remember what happens when classrooms become too full. people get left out. this is my prediction
@Fallen420angel So True !!!
@Fallen420angel It is so sad to see i really hope this does not follow through!.
i have fibromyalgia and suffer from ptsd from an abusive relationship and if i can overcome that and be who i am now, then so can anyone else if they want it
@katherine454 Disabilty chatroom has people that are disabled with being in wheelchair and more they can not overcome not being able to walk... I am so glad u have overcame things but for many like me and the others some things arent so easy... there are disabilities that are not curable that easily or if at all..
@Tyedyedbutterfly65 you are absolulutely correct. i was with a man for years with muscular dystrophy and he was in a wheelchair and eventually passed away. i am so sorry for the situation at hand for you. if you need to talk, always feel free to hit me up
@katherine454
It isn't as easy as going to any other chatroom and be accepted or understood. For some communities it is closing one out of existing 2 cooms, but disability is totally scrapping the room. Opening the room for open chat or discussions will not ensure all get support at all times.
This community needs a dedicated room, and I think we need to fix the issues if any rather than close down.
@Kate yea i have a question so for the list above why are you closing the support rooms? like dont people go in there for support?
@Kate i think this is going to be a bad decision honestly...a lot of members hang out in those rooms, and while they're not always seeking support, a lot of them have friends who they can relate to and who support them, and by closing this it may feel to them like they're being pushed away from their friends and their support system, espeically for those who do not have a community/chat room to go with the support room
@MidnightRaven999 Very True. Thankyou for your support.