Get to know your member leaders!

@windflowers Thank you for this and thinking of me as well here! *hugs* (if you are okay with it) ^-^

I guess the first two is pretty much the same thing of me. I have came back after a longer break from 7Cups and I have decided to join sub-communities and try out the forums and so I subscribed to some and started to post in the check-ins but then after a few days I decided to go through the check-ins, in the LGBTQ+ SC and answer them aaand, generally I have just inserted myself to the SC. I mean, I just love to interact with people here and give to people. I mean, there is a need to it and I actually enjoy it and based on the feedback I am not too bad at it either so I have this sort of passion for it and that kept me going for a year now. I mean, funny thing, but I was already answering check-ins for half a year when I applied for Forum Supporter role, because I was all anxious about making it official and stuff like that. :P

Anyways, I am glad that I did, and even went for Member Leader later on but still for me the best part of this is to actually interact with people and help them. I never really enjoyed when like, you know, making events for the people in the SCs but rather just talking with them and listening to them directly, if that makes sense :)

Before that break, I have mentioned before, I have spent almost a year I think in the depression chatrooms doing generally the same thing and I actually enjoyed. I mean, there was really nothing, because back then there was not much recognition for members deciding to kind of take a supporter role like this on themselves in the chatrooms so, other than some really nice memories and some bad one, I have not got much out of that but now that I see that there are more focus on integrating chatrooms as well to the communities I could imagine myself doing that and helping out there if I would not have my current leadership positions :)

@windflowers

There is a need to provide support, and I feel an inherent need to provide support. Over the years in online games, I always played a healer class because I enjoyed providing support to other players. There are empathy and understanding throughout the process for members and supporters alike. I feel my calling is to help people, and I used to think this was the priesthood and later hospice care, but now I think this can be done through volunteer opportunities on 7cups.

If I didn't provide support in the Anxiety forums, I'd probably be providing more support in the Depression forums. If neither of these was possible, I would provide support for the workplace and/or bully forums. If a workplace bully forum didn't exist, I would petition for one to be created.

Have a great afternoon!

@windflowers

1. Why do you hold leadership positions?

I dont think of Forum Supporter as leadership position? I just enjoy posting inthe forums and replying to people so they know they are thought of and their post is read and not ignored or missed or forgotten. Not really sure what next though?

2. What's your favourite thing about being a member leader?

Umm see above lol!

3. If you weren't a member of the team that you're on now eg forum, what team would you want to be on and why?

Parenting or Family I think, I am a real family person at heart and I often read the posts there. But otherwise maybe Healthy Living, I would love to see forums devoted to special food diets and allergies etc as they really affect my family.

@windflowers

1. Why do you hold leadership positions?

I was asked pretty early on after signing up to help out with an area, plus it was something that I feel was lacking at the site. I guess I just took that and ran with it.

2. What's your favourite thing about being a member leader?

Being able to share my own issues while helping out others - I think the relatability can be really helpful at times.

3. If you weren't a member of the team that you're on now eg forum, what team would you want to be on and why?

It's not really an option (yet) as a member - but the quality team. I have connected to quite a few listeners and sadly at times the quality is really low.

Hey there @PhoenixAsh *hugs* (if you are okay with it)

It is still kind of weird for me to be in the limelight like this but I will try to answer things as best as I can >.<

I guess it is a bit specific but at one time, in the LGBTQ+/MOGII SC we have had three adult members (me and two other) in leadership positions and as an FML I found it really hard to try to properly organize things because of the lack of ability to communicate with...well...most of the Forum Team back then. So I guess that is one thing for sure that I have to not only face the barrier between adults and teens when it comes to communication but also I can only contact listeners.

Also, I often feel kind of stuck between two words. I mean, I know that there is a good support system out there for listeners who have had hard chats or facing issues in being a listener or even a leader I suppose but I am not sure if there is such for members. I mean, it's kind of hard at times, when I want to talk with someone but then I realize that my anxieties are related to the leadership position I have here or just vent about the stress of it at times. It's just kind of hard because you cannot exactly look for listeners for that like you can look listeners for anxiety, depression and so on.

I just generally like to be a member more than a listener for one reason tho. For me having these strict positions laid out that a member should only be there to vent and a listener should be just listening and stay professional and not really having it going both ways just feels so unnatural for me. So yep, I enjoy that I can both give and get in a conversation in the forums and I think this kind of freedom is really important for me. :)

Sooo....I actually have a programmer degree which I have never really used but I am always curious about these kinds of things so I would go with being a dev for one day :P

@PhoenixAsh

Hey!! :) I'm a pretty new leader, but here are my answers:

1. In terms of challenges, I'd say that member leaders probably have a harder time communicating with the forum/group/etc. than listener leaders. The reason I say this, personally is because listener leaders tend to have a lot more experience in communication (as they do it on a day-to-day basis on 7Cups) compared to member leaders, so that can pose as a bit of a challenge sometimes.

2. Again, just following on from the previous question, that confidence in communication is definitely key in a listener leader vs. member leader.

3. I'd love to be an ambassador! I know there are a LOT of people going through super difficult times that probably aren't aware that help is available, so to be able to introduce them to 7Cups and other counselling sevices would be awesome.

@PhoenixAsh

1. Not sure if this is entirely applicable but I've always struggled with reaching out for help as a member leader! I recognise this can be tough on listener accounts too, although I think the hesitance is minimised because your member and listener accounts are separate. That's definitely something I've struggled with XD

2. Oh, gosh - I refrain from answering this XD

3. I really want to be an admin! I think it'd be cool to see what they can do hehe and I would probably just explore the site from an admin's point of view. I think there's a lot of misconception surrounding the role of admins and I'd like to see for myself what it is!

@PhoenixAsh

1. What challenges do you face as a member leader, that listener leaders wouldn't face? (and, is there anything we can do to help with those things? :o)

Sometimes, just seeking out help while not doing anything in my roles. It can be hard to completely shut out some of the things on the site when I really am not in the place to deal with them. Also, I think sometimes some info isn't shared with members as much as it should be, so we're working on teams with only some of the information. Sometimes listeners on a team reach out to me more personally for a typical 1-1 chat which is nice.

For the first, I think just keep a lookout for what we've been saying, places where we can post about self-care, etc. and then hold off on sending messages related to 'work'. For the 2nd, I think places like the SC bubble where all on a team can see them are really useful - so keep in mind where to post things so they are accessible to everyone who benefits from them. I know there is a group mod zone as an exmaple, and I do wonder about some things that would really help keep all on a team up to date with changes. Sometimes some listeners pass info onto me via PM if it's posted in an area that I can't reach, and that's helpful.

2. What aspects of being a member leader do you prefer, as opposed to if you were a listener leader?

Being able to just be myself. I mentioned above about being able to share issues while also supporting others - I can share what's going on without worrying about cross identification with my listener/member accounts. Also just putting my opinions out there - in general I would say I don't treat people disrespectfully but giving criticism related to problems in a compliment sandwich isn't my style.

3. If you could have any role on the site at all (admin, tech, devs, ambassador, mentor, listener, member, etc) for one day, what would you be and why?

Just for a day - an admin but if I could also gain all the skills for that day then I would say tech/devs (I don't even know who does what between those 2 to pick clearly) I think it would give me a better idea of some of the things that do occur to give a clearer picture of how some problems can be solved plus remove some frustration regarding some things that are hard to solve but from my current perspective seem simple.

Hey there @River *hugs* (if you are okay with it)

You know this is an interesting question. I mean, I am just planning to go for a short, one week, self-care break and I realized that it would look like pretty different for me than it would for a listener in a sense that I will most likely not deactivate my account and stay away from 7Cups but actually use it as it was intended to be used by members just focusing on myself. :)

Other that that, music. A lot of music, listening mostly. :P
Also, this actually qualifies for me sometimes as self-care I think as I end up feeling better than I did before after being here for a bit and just talking with others here and replying to posts. :)

I don't know. I mean, I was never really going for a leadership role I just started to answer check-ins and did it for like half a year already when @RaCat finally got me to apply to Forum Supporter role so if you ask me just do what you enjoy and do not push yourself too much but also do not be afraid to reply to posts here and there or even in the check-ins, you are always welcome! :)

I LOVE the smell of freshly baked cakes but if it comes to eating them I would probably got with some vanilla ice-cream. :P

@River

Hey!

1. Probably listening to music and watching (a lot) of movies (and hanging out with my husband too but music/movies are wayyy higher up the hierarchy )

2. Go for it! It might seem a bit intimidating/demanding at first, but once you start, you really ease into it and there are some awesome mods and forum leaders to support you.

3. Oh man, cakes all the way! LOVE me some Black Forest!

@River

Thank you! <3

1. Reading, 100%! I just get lost in books and it's so satisfying to read good stories.

2. Yup - please don't take on leadership positions if you feel pressurised to do so! The core of being a member is being able to get support and it's honestly hard to do that if you're a leader as well - although of course this won't apply to everyone. Also, please know you are more than welcome to take breaks and reach out for support, always!

3. Ice cream - but then considering it's winter and it's awfully cold, I'll say cakes XD

@River

What is your favourite way to self care?

Playing with my nephews.

Is there anything you would like for those members planning to take on leadership roles to know?

Don't be afraid to speak up. Even if you don't know the whole picture, you can learn more as others fill in the blanks/correct mistakes.

Icecreams or Cakes?

Icecream! I have nothing against cake though!

@DaveTheDogisBestDog

Hi! Sorry, you're listed as a Team Member in the 35 & Over community which is why I tagged you.

@HopefulSprings

i'm glad to hear you like it <3 and ooh yay i like pineapples too!

@fluffyUnicorns84

would you mind moving it back, please? this is for everyone to get to know member leaders and the subcom leader bubble can only be accessed by current leaders <3