Fostress
Fostress shares a desk (and a lot of tea) with ** Helen**, Jo7 and LauraO at YouthNet. Here she talks about modding, living by the sea and bad arguments.
What's been your most memorable experience as a moderator so far?
I really appreciated it when I received a private message from a user who said they had read my posts in other threads and the advice I gave really made sense to them - and asked me if I would have a look at their thread. I was so chuffed that the things I was saying actually struck a chord with users.
Do you ever have any difficulty balancing TheSite.org's editorial line with your own personal beliefs, how do you deal with this?
I tend to find this quite easy, probably because I believe strongly in TheSite.org's editorial line. Although every now and again I find it hard not to jump into arguments with people in Politics and Debate - I did philosophy at university so one of the things that frustrate me most is a badly argued point. Of course badly argued points are a rare thing on TheSite.org boards, but every now and again.....
What do you do other than moderating?
Within YouthNet I do a lot of work training and supporting volunteers and partners who work on askTheSite (our expert question and answer service) as well as helping out with the community, thinking about and trying to improve the advice and support we offer and making sure that YouthNet's users and volunteers are represented in the organization. Outside the office I do a lot of running and swimming (outdoors where possible), reading and crafty things (with varying success).
If you had to be locked in a lift with another person who would it be and why?
Is it sad to say my boyfriend Al? I think he's the one I'd want with me in a crisis - or in a small locked room with mirrors on the walls ;)
If you could change peoples' opinions on one subject, what would it be and why?
It would definitely be the need for humans to be more aware of the impact their lives are having on the planet. Our species seems to constantly make decisions for short term gain which are destroying both our own habitats and those of the other species we share our planet with. Unfortunately, it looks like the sort of magical planet wide opinion change that this question offers is the only way there will ever be a substantial difference made.
"It makes me sad that I could fly up north for about a tenner, but it costs me nearly £100 on the train!"
Do you learn from the users' experiences?
All the time. The range of experiences, opinions and advice within the forums is incredible - and often gives me food for thought.
If you could set up one new forum what would it be?
This gets harder and harder the bigger the forums grow! Do we have a gardening forum? I'd like that.
How does being a moderator fit with your career aims, if at all?
It depends which aim you're talking about. It's not going to help massively with my *write a bestselling children's book and live by the sea with lots of dogs, children and books* dream - but I'm not sure that really counts as a 'career aim'.
What's your favorite thread at the moment?
I like the one with a picture of Randomgirl when she met JimV. I love Jim's celebrity status on the boards - and he's becoming almost mythological now there are newer users who don't remember him.
If I was... I'd be a... because....
If I was in charge of transport, I'd make trains cheaper than flights, because it makes me sad that I could fly up north for about a tenner, but it costs me nearly £100 on the train!
Fostress
Fostress shares a desk (and a lot of tea) with ** Helen**, Jo7 and LauraO at YouthNet. Here she talks about modding, living by the sea and bad arguments.
What's been your most memorable experience as a moderator so far?
I really appreciated it when I received a private message from a user who said they had read my posts in other threads and the advice I gave really made sense to them - and asked me if I would have a look at their thread. I was so chuffed that the things I was saying actually struck a chord with users.
Do you ever have any difficulty balancing TheSite.org's editorial line with your own personal beliefs, how do you deal with this?
I tend to find this quite easy, probably because I believe strongly in TheSite.org's editorial line. Although every now and again I find it hard not to jump into arguments with people in Politics and Debate - I did philosophy at university so one of the things that frustrate me most is a badly argued point. Of course badly argued points are a rare thing on TheSite.org boards, but every now and again.....
What do you do other than moderating?
Within YouthNet I do a lot of work training and supporting volunteers and partners who work on askTheSite (our expert question and answer service) as well as helping out with the community, thinking about and trying to improve the advice and support we offer and making sure that YouthNet's users and volunteers are represented in the organization. Outside the office I do a lot of running and swimming (outdoors where possible), reading and crafty things (with varying success).
If you had to be locked in a lift with another person who would it be and why?
Is it sad to say my boyfriend Al? I think he's the one I'd want with me in a crisis - or in a small locked room with mirrors on the walls ;)
If you could change peoples' opinions on one subject, what would it be and why?
It would definitely be the need for humans to be more aware of the impact their lives are having on the planet. Our species seems to constantly make decisions for short term gain which are destroying both our own habitats and those of the other species we share our planet with. Unfortunately, it looks like the sort of magical planet wide opinion change that this question offers is the only way there will ever be a substantial difference made.
Do you learn from the users' experiences?
All the time. The range of experiences, opinions and advice within the forums is incredible - and often gives me food for thought.
If you could set up one new forum what would it be?
This gets harder and harder the bigger the forums grow! Do we have a gardening forum? I'd like that.
How does being a moderator fit with your career aims, if at all?
It depends which aim you're talking about. It's not going to help massively with my *write a bestselling children's book and live by the sea with lots of dogs, children and books* dream - but I'm not sure that really counts as a 'career aim'.
What's your favorite thread at the moment?
I like the one with a picture of Randomgirl when she met JimV. I love Jim's celebrity status on the boards - and he's becoming almost mythological now there are newer users who don't remember him.
If I was... I'd be a... because....
If I was in charge of transport, I'd make trains cheaper than flights, because it makes me sad that I could fly up north for about a tenner, but it costs me nearly £100 on the train!