Advice Forum

[Matt08]

After the rows involving threads on advice do you think that the forum should have a new 'Advice' area so people dont get annoyed with them in the 'General Chat' and 'Chat and Games' areas?

[Matt]

Not a terribly bad idea.

It could be a subforum in Serious Debates.

[Matt08]

Originally posted by Matt
Not a terribly bad idea.

It could be a subforum in Serious Debates.

Sometimes advice isn't a serious debate though.

[Billy]

I think it should definitely get its own subforum

[Matt]

Originally posted by Matthew
Originally posted by Matt
Not a terribly bad idea.

It could be a subforum in Serious Debates.

Sometimes advice isn't a serious debate though.

True, I just think that if it was to be a subforum Serious Debates seems most relevant.

[Scarlett.]

I like the idea :thumbs:

[Bells]

I think that’s a good idea. With there being more members, a lot more going on and generally more advice threads, people may feel more comfortable about discussing issues if there was a separate sub-forum.

[Matt08]

Maybe General Chat could be merged with Chat and Games and then that would free up some space for it's own subforum on the homepage.

[Matt]

Originally posted by Matthew
Maybe General Chat could be merged with Chat and Games and then that would free up some space for it's own subforum on the homepage.

I don't see the need for that.

[Ann]

this is a brilliant idea matthew :banana:

[Scarlett.]

Originally posted by Matt
Originally posted by Matthew
Maybe General Chat could be merged with Chat and Games and then that would free up some space for it's own subforum on the homepage.

I don't see the need for that. General Chat and Chat and Games kinda sounds like the same thing

[Matt]

Originally posted by Chewy
Originally posted by Matt
Originally posted by Matthew
Maybe General Chat could be merged with Chat and Games and then that would free up some space for it's own subforum on the homepage.

I don't see the need for that. General Chat and Chat and Games kinda sounds like the same thing

They're quite different to me. I see it like this:

"General Chat" is for threads that are relevant and have a point but don't fit in any other forum.

"Chat and Games" is for extremely off-topic chat (such as what's seen in The Lounge) and for playing games in.

[Ruth*Star]

Thats a very good idea, it could lessen the arguments here aswell.

[~Kizwiz~]

I really like this idea. But I'm unsure if it needs its own section... a subsection of a part of the site maybe better

[Scarlett.]

Originally posted by Matt
Originally posted by Chewy
Originally posted by Matt
Originally posted by Matthew
Maybe General Chat could be merged with Chat and Games and then that would free up some space for it's own subforum on the homepage.

I don't see the need for that. General Chat and Chat and Games kinda sounds like the same thing

They're quite different to me. I see it like this:

"General Chat" is for threads that are relevant and have a point but don't fit in any other forum.

"Chat and Games" is for extremely off-topic chat (such as what's seen in The Lounge) and for playing games in. True:spin2:

[Captain.Remy]

I like the idea, but where the mod will put it ?

[Billy]

Couldnt they just put it under General Chat

[cepb]

But isn't this forum: Suggestions/Help an advice forum?

[Matt08]

Originally posted by cepb
But isn't this forum: Suggestions/Help an advice forum?

It's a suggestions/help forum. Mainly for posting in when it comes to forum techincal things.

[Matt08]

Because of the popularity of this idea, will it be carried out James?

[Sunny_01]

I will be perfectly honest here and say I think it is a bad idea. We are not here to give people advice about their personal lives in such a way as has been asked of members recently. I truly believe there are far more appropriate services out there for people who need, advice, guidance and support about serious issues affecting them in their personal lives.

Where do we draw the line at what kind of service we as a Big Brother forum offer to it's members.

[Matt08]

Originally posted by Sunny_01
I will be perfectly honest here and say I think it is a bad idea. We are not here to give people advice about their personal lives in such a way as has been asked of members recently. I truly believe there are far more appropriate services out there for people who need, advice, guidance and support about serious issues affecting them in their personal lives.

Where do we draw the line at what kind of service we as a Big Brother forum offer to it's members.

I half agree with you. I think advice about a relationship or friends is acceptable but I think advice about suicide is something for childline etc. to deal with. I think if there was an advice forum created then there should be some limits.

[Bells]

Or, perhaps members who know more about alternative methods of help, numbers, organisations etc. can point them out to those seeking more major advice within the threads. Although it's not always difficult to find out who can help you, it can sometimes be easier to ask for help/advice to do with personal issues within a comfortable environment.

[Sunny_01]

We need to remember the focus of the forum though. I dont know of any other big brother forum's that have advice sections for personal issues!

I am not sure what Mark or James will decide but I am simply opposed to the whole idea of it.

[Bells]

Like Matthew, I do half agree with you as well. Especially because we do have the 'General Chat' and 'Chat and Games' sections, and the odd threads aren't always too much of a problem. It'd be interesting to see what Mark or James decide.

[James]

Yeah, I don't like it either to be honest for the same reason that Sunny said. Also we don't want to split the forums up into too many sub-forums.

[Matt08]

Originally posted by James
Yeah, I don't like it either to be honest for the same reason that Sunny said. Also we don't want to split the forums up into too many sub-forums.

I think as long as the situation given isn't too serious like suicide or something then the advice forum could work.

[Sunny_01]

And you are not the one that has to moderate things when arguments break about about peoples sincerity when people dont believe them! It is far to easy for everyone to think they are counsellors and agony aunts when in fact we are all just keen to help. Who are we to decide which advice is good advice?

[Matt08]

Originally posted by Sunny_01
And you are not the one that has to moderate things when arguments break about about peoples sincerity when people don't believe them! It is far to easy for everyone to think they are counsellors and agony aunts when in fact we are all just keen to help. Who are we to decide which advice is good advice?

Childline don't have a rule book which says what advice is good advice, they have to use their brains and decide just like we'd be doing on here. If the advice was in a separate area then there would be less arguments because the people who don't want to give anyone advice wouldn't visit it.

[Sunny_01]

we are not an advice forum though Matthew and the people at childline are highly skilled trained counsellors who do in fact have specific advice to give to people about situations. I worked for a helpline very similar to childline for 3 years and am more than aware of the complex range of issues that can be presented and the training that is required to deal with them.

This is a big brother forum, dear denise is there for the problems not us

[Billy]

Originally posted by Sunny_01
we are not an advice forum though Matthew and the people at childline are highly skilled trained counsellors who do in fact have specific advice to give to people about situations. I worked for a helpline very similar to childline for 3 years and am more than aware of the complex range of issues that can be presented and the training that is required to deal with them.

This is a big brother forum, dear denise is there for the problems not us


But its not just a big brotehr forum. If someone asks me what tibb is, i dont say its just about bb. Its a community imo, the chat and games and general sections are just as popular if not more so, than the BB ones

[Matt08]

Originally posted by Billy
Originally posted by Sunny_01
we are not an advice forum though Matthew and the people at childline are highly skilled trained counsellors who do in fact have specific advice to give to people about situations. I worked for a helpline very similar to childline for 3 years and am more than aware of the complex range of issues that can be presented and the training that is required to deal with them.

This is a big brother forum, dear denise is there for the problems not us


But its not just a big brotehr forum. If someone asks me what tibb is, i dont say its just about bb. Its a community imo, the chat and games and general sections are just as popular if not more so, than the BB ones

I think what has made this forum popular is the variety of other things on here.

[Sunny_01]

Matthew I understand the reason behind the idea I simply dont think it is a good one for this site, sorry thats just the way I feel and I will not support it as an addition to the site. We need to draw the line some where with what type of site we are.

Billy I accept what you are saying about your feelings about what the site is to people but it's primary function is as a big brother site.

[Matt08]

Originally posted by Sunny_01
Matthew I understand the reason behind the idea I simply dont think it is a good one for this site, sorry thats just the way I feel and I will not support it as an addition to the site. We need to draw the line some where with what type of site we are.

Billy I accept what you are saying about your feelings about what the site is to people but it's primary function is as a big brother site.

If Big Brother ever finished for good I would like to see TiBB turn into a chat, games and discussion site.

[Nicola]

Yeah I think an advice forum would work out best for general problems such as bullying at school or exam issues etc, as a lot of members will be going through the same things. I would also post advice lines such as Childline or Samaritans for any bigger problems or encourage members to speak privately with a friend whom they know online or offline rather than post about a personal matter that people might judge them on or think they're saying it for attention when they could genuinely have a problem with, say, self-harming. I often make the mistake of talking to people about my problems and finding that they're not always interested or willing to listen, or that I've gone on about it for the 100th time and they're fed up with it.

I often feel that there's not always a clear boundary between "General Chat" and "Chat and Games", but now I know that the "Chat and Games" is for fun topics that don't belong anywhere else and the "General Chat" is for conversation.

[Mark]

Sorry folks, not happening :bawling:

As Sunny said, we need to draw the line somewhere in establishing what we allow on the forum. It seems like a good idea in principle, especially because the forum caters for a lot of teenagers -- but in practice it would a) be opening your personal life up on a public forum for all to see, b) be touching on subjects in which people might feel uncomfortable reading/participating about. c) the amount of topics created in it would be very low and as a Big Brother/Reality TV forum I could think of more popular discussion forums that would be more suited for the board as a whole.

We aren't saying you can't post any problems you are having... a lot of the time you will get some helpful replies, with names and numbers of places that can help you.

But as far as having a sub forum for it, I don't think there's enough demand or need at the moment.

And as for the confusion about General Chat and Chat and Games, maybe I'll rename it Fun and Games - if that would make it easier in deciding where to post?

- Mark

[Matt]

Originally posted by Mark
And as for the confusion about General Chat and Chat and Games, maybe I'll rename it Fun and Games - if that would make it easier in deciding where to post?

I think that's a good idea - it should help stop the confusion :)