Participating in an online help group

Online help run by the sector for the sector can be a valuable tool, as a shared understanding of the issues and context exists. Support can be accessed from anywhere with a connection to the internet. Unlike a helpline or one-to-one email messages, forums allow information and experiencet o be shared between all the users of a forum for mutual learning and support.

Discussion

For many years now, people have been able to search the internet for solutions to ICT problems. A typical model is an interactive ‘online forum’, also known as message or bulletin boards. These generally take two forms: a self-help group where those with specific ICT issues can ask questions and explore and share solutions; or an 'expert' forum, typically run by a software or hardware company or a group interested in a particular program or computer language, where individuals respond to user queries.

More recently, these types of online forum have been started by VCOs to help others in the sector. When an initiative is sector-run, it ensures some shared understanding of the issues and context, and efforts are made to explain technical jargon or keep it to a minimum.

Some forums are free - and some of those which are free are supported by funding, so the service may be better maintained than those which rely entirely on goodwill. Other services offer more personalised answers to a specific message and may ask for a membership fee to help cover the cost of greater time needed to provide answers. Fees may be presented as a contribution to administration costs – the guidance you get once registered is more like a self-help club than a pay-per-query service.

Pros

• often more up-to-date than books, magazines or other websites
• they can be accessed from anywhere with a connection to the internet
• they can be accessed at any time
• unlike one-to-one help, information and experience can be shared between all the users of the forum
• services can serve many users
• using the medium builds skills and confidence in further using the medium
• a good site will speak to you as one VCO to another

Cons

• some confidence with ICT is needed to feel comfortable and confident using such a service
• to frame a question in a way that will convey the issue requires a reasonable understanding of ICT
• finding what you want can be difficult and take time
• attitudes of the unseen users and moderators of the forums can feel initimidating
• jargon can be an obstacle
• can be frustrating, time-consuming and difficult for beginners to navigate

Case studies: ICT Hub and Experts Online.