Room Supporter: Monthly Requirements Update w.e.f. February 1, 2021
Hi everyone,
Hope you’re all keeping well.
This post is a follow up to the proposal we made about updating the requirements for maintaining the Room Supporter role. We are thankful for all the valuable feedback that was provided by each of you and taking it all into consideration we have decided upon the following:
Monthly requirement: 2 hours (30 minutes per week recommended - flexibility of clubbing hours into certain weeks available)
What is to be done during these 30 minutes? Based on the nature/topic of your room, you’re more than welcome to host:
- Open Chats: Welcoming members in to talk about anything on their mind and provide them support with the same
- Discussions: Topic based discussions are available for all teams
- Fun events (Based on your team)
Scheduling: 24 - 72 hours prior
Tracking of hours: We will have one time tracking dashboard for all the teams that everyone is expected to fill out at least 24 hours prior to help with scheduling. Please find the link to the same here. Please set up a banner for whichever type of session you’re choosing to host as this also helps us in verifying your logged hours.
Where will this schedule be available for the community to easily view and access? This view only dashboard containing the schedule will be alerted every week for the community to have easy access to.
Clarifications:
1. If I’m already hosting sessions for my team, do I have to do extra 30 minutes per week?
No, if you’re a support session leader, you do not have to do any extra time. Your support sessions will count as hours for your RS role too. You’re also encouraged to apply for the role of Group Mod for your team if that’s something you’re interested in.
2. What is the difference between the community calendar and our dashboard?
The community calendar schedules weekly sessions which have a set time every week. In our case, since scheduling is left up to 24 hours prior, for ease of access, timely updates and editing, we will be sticking to the dashboard for RS scheduling.
3. How to find a doorkeeper in a timely manner? Can I apply to be a doorkeeper?
Steps to ensure your room is opened in a timely manner:
1. Fill out the Group Support Chatroom Management Form at least 10 minutes prior to when you need it opened.
2. Contact the Community Mod on shift at least 15 minutes prior. Find the weekly schedule attached here. Community Moderators are also frequently spotted in the Sharing Circle room. If you see them in there, please be mindful to not interrupt the session and message them 1-1.
How can you become a doorkeeper? This role is for users who host 3+ sessions in a week (at least 1 session of 3 have to be in a pop up room). Find out more here.
4. So many sessions using the same script can get monotonous:
It’s not necessary for all to use the guided discussion scripts, as mentioned above, all are welcome to choose what kind of session they are willing to host. If you’re interested in using discussion scripts and have suggestions for more topics, you’re welcome to draft up a script following guidelines mentioned here and submit them for approval here.
5. How to have more participation in your rooms/sessions?
Check out our ‘How to advertise discussions effectively and respectfully’ post!
6. How to deal with members not behaving according to the guidelines in our room?
Community Moderators are around 24*7 and you’re requested to fill out the emergency mod form attached to rule #14 in the chatroom rules. You can also bookmark this form for handy access.
7. Can we have more than 1 session at the same time?
Yes, it’s recommended that we don’t schedule more than 2 sessions for the same 30 minutes slot (as you can see on the dashboard, examples of how to schedule 1 session or 2 are provided). If you’re unable to make it to any other hour and would like to schedule a 3rd session for the same 30 mins slot which is already booked, please PM me (Isha) and I will help you out with scheduling it. Scheduling RS sessions don’t have to consider other session times such as Sharing Circles/Healthy Habits but it’s good to check the community calendar to be sure that no discussion is scheduled for the same time in the same room by support session leaders.
Thank you for your continuous efforts in making the Group Support Rooms a supportive and safe space for all.
If you have any questions or thoughts, please feel free to add them to the comments space or message me 1-1.
Taglist: Room Supporters: @adventurousBranch3786 @anotherfrenchtoastmafiaa @Asi1 @awesomeHeart38 @BeigeMoonlight @BlissHope @bookworm274 @BrightHeart116 @CateGrace @CheeryPotato @Clara139175 @CognitiveACE @Containedchaos @curiositycrayon @cuteOrange213 @dani3579 @DearDaphne @Dino12 @Fireskye13 @FrostyIris5554 @generousBreeze169 @Gozzil @healingTime2480 @heartofgold2001 @HoodWink @hopebeyondpain @Ines1229 @JamieF @JoeyTribbbiani @Justopenup @Kaeky @Kassy7Cups @KatLis123 @kayla3mcr @Klemen @LightofWorld @littlePapaya2167 @littlepony @Magicalmoongirl @MarissaHope @MoonlightPrimrose @msteacups @MyNameIsNicole @NimoSayeda @ouiCherie @PinkDahlia22 @positiveTurtles @SerenityAndDiscourse @She13 @Shimmersofhope @shiningDay80 @ShiningPuppy49 @shiningSound31 @SilentSerenityy @Siripiri @SofiaT2000 @sophiasanae @Sotdspec1 @spectacularSunrise7824 @StarlitSky4762 @Sunisshiningandsoareyou @Sydney113 @SyedaFiyaz @TheAtticusFinch @TheGoodFairy @TheResilientDancer @ToniJane @Yourstruly2000 STLs: @GrahZeymahzin @CaringBrit @GlowingHeart4796 @Vivelespatates @blitheEmbrace27 GS Team: @Asilentobserver @KindSoul10 @alwayseli @wendybird15 @vickyP @Peaceloveandpaws Admins: @hope @heather225 @asilentobserver
@Isha Thank you so much, Isha for posting it.
I am grateful to all the room supporters and I hope you all find it helpful! If you have any questions, need any guidance, support! please feel free to reach out and discuss! We all are here with you.
Let's take good care of our community in the group chatrooms! 
@Isha
I have a question: what sessions would be counted for a community projects and events room supporter? I already host a sharing circle and an anxiety discussion every week - are these enough? Just slightly confused on what rooms I can use for the hours as an RS for community projects and events!
I also host the anxiety discussion with another person so if hosting that discussion does count then would it still count towards the hour because it's with someone else?
Thank you for any clarifications 
@bookworm274
Hello Bookworm,
Session you host for your focus rooms chosen during your RS application will count as hours for RS requirements. Sessions for community projects and events could be lighthearted and fun sessions just as games, icebreakers, quiz, trivia, etc!
Cohosting does count and it looks like you're not an RS for the anxiety support team but a support session leader so let me message you about that real quick and we can discuss it! :)
@Isha
Tagging my co-STL @PeaceLoveandPaws
Just some clarification questions:
- Room Supporters will be required to be an active host in their room(s) for 2 hours each month. Does this apply across all team you're part of? For example, if I'm RS for 3 teams, would I be required to host 6 hours (2 hours/team) or 2 hours total (where I could accumulate that time in any of the teams I'm part of in any manner I please, so 1 hour for one team, 30 minutes each for the other two)?
- I viewed the dashboard linked above. Will Room Supporters still be expected to schedule their sessions on the Community Calendar as well as on this sheet? Or is that waived for these sessions in favor of the sheet?
- We're STLs in the Family & Caregivers Sub Community. On our team, we require all group support team member (RS and Mods) to participate in our room and host, since it's a pop-up room and is only as active as we are. We accommodate individual schedules best we can and have a mix of regular weekly open chats and guided discussions, as well as a pop-up host where their session times vary. Currently we have no Room Supporters as all team members are now mods, but this is should we onboard new RS in the future: since we already expect Room Supporters to be active in our room and schedule them for regular hour-long sessions, would those sessions need to be logged on this sheet for them to log their hours each month? And for that, since our sessions are an hour long, would they just log themselves as hosting for both 30-minute slots available on the sheet every week? Or?
- With that too, we often add RS to support our mods in their already-scheduled regular weekly sessions. I noticed that we're wanting to avoid having more than 2 of these sessions running at the same time to encourage the most engagement. If our regular sessions overlap time-wise with some other RS who do 30-minute sessions, would the time conflict be an issue? Would the RS need to find another time to host separately in order to not have too many sessions running at the same time?
Thanks so much for this update/post! Looking forward to seeing how this update changes the dynamics in group support.
Check out the Family & Caregivers Subcommunity
@LuLuRings
Hi Lulu,
- The 2 hours requirement will be spread out over all the chosen focus rooms and is up to the discretion of the Room Supporter and how they wish to spread it out. 3 focus rooms still mean 2 hours of minimum requirement and not 6 hours.
- Room Supporters are not required to schedule their sessions on the community calendar unless they are a regular support session leader. As mentioned before, 'For RS, since scheduling is left up to 24 hours prior, for ease of access, timely updates and editing, we will be sticking to the dashboard for scheduling.'
- Truly love the structure that you have going on for your team, it should not be a problem if they're expected to host hour long sessions. As mentioned in the post, RS are more than welcome to club their hours into weeks so if they host an hour per week, they can put it down as an hour itself. 2 hours a month is the minimum requirement that we're setting but they're always welcome to go over and track their total hours on the sheet.
- Cohosting is not an issue at all! RS can cohost sessions with Mods for sure. I'm not sure if I fully understand your last point but RS are encouraged to check the community calendar or run it with their team lead to make sure they're not scheduling for a time with is a regular weekly support session time to avoid overlap in scheduling, however, if they want to help out with that session by cohosting, they're more than welcome to.
@PeaceLoveandPaws
@Isha " - The 2 hours requirement will be spread out over all the chosen focus rooms and is up to the discretion of the Room Supporter and how they wish to spread it out. 3 focus rooms still mean 2 hours of minimum requirement and not 6 hours. "
I thought part of the purpose of this was to ensure people who are leaders of a subcommunity are actually being active in the subcommunity. Ie. I used to be on SCs for 2 forum teams, at the time I had to make a minimum number of posts in each of the subcommunities every month. Posting to teh forums in general or even double the minimum amount in jjust one subcomunity wouldn't get me to my minimym requirements for both.
If this time isn't being applied to every room someone is a leader for though, then it sounds like they don't have a mimumum. Someone who is listed for 2 different rooms may spend 2 hours in one room for the month and not at all for the other.
Hello!
Thank you for the update, that sounds like a solid and doable set of requirements and I'm excited to switch up my routine as a Room Supporter!
One question I have is how I would indicate an Open Session, do I just type it into the "topic" part of the Discussion banner?
- Vic
@MoonlightPrimrose
Hello Moonlight,
Thank you for being onboard with the update!
For Open Chats, an example of your banner can be: 'Open Chat - LGBTQ+/MOGII Support' and yes, you would type into the 'topic' part of the discussion banner. Hope it helps! If you have any more questions, you're also more than welcome to message me. :)
@Isha
Scheduling will be very difficult as I never really know what ima doing 24hrs ahead of time much lesser 72.
@Isha this is not a form. It's a spreadsheet and it is very not user-friendly. This will take me at least 15 minutes each time to fill out.
@StarlitSky4762
Hi StarlitSky,
Yes, it's a link to the time tracking dashboard, we're not using any form for this. I've tried to make it as user friendly as possible with an example tab and options for responses so if there's any other suggestion you have, I'm always open to it. You mentioned that it will take you 15 minutes to fill it out each time so if you could please let me know what exactly about the sheet is looking difficult for you, maybe I can help you out? :)
Hi there,
I find all these things so confusing. I am still uncertain if this means I have to do pop-up discussions every month or if co-hosting is enough?
This is so much more work than before and it changed the role of a room supporter dramatically.
@spectacularSunrise7824
Hi Sunrise,
If you're already hosting/co-hosting weekly sessions for your RS focus rooms, you will not have to host any extra hours.
If you have any other questions, please do feel free to reach out to me and I'll be happy to address your concerns.
@musicalHarmony
I agree. I like the idea of having the messages I sent in my designated rooms being enough. We're just room supporters, not hosts. We're there to support the chatroom and hosts. It's not mentioned anywhere we have to host.
I'm happy to host occasionally when I feel I can and have the time, but to suddenly be required to do so to keep the role is a little unfair. Additionally, I've had no-one reach out to inform me of my role fully. I still don't know whether I can host discussions without having to schedule it or where to even schedule for one.
This is why, for a long time, I've not been volunteering as much. The site is expecting so much of people and the number of roles there are has been so confusing. It used to be so much simpler years ago. It feels member run, not admin run. :\
CC: @Isha
How do we mention what type of session we're hosting in the Monthly spreadsheet?
@Isha
Thanks for all the information. When and why would you need a doorkeeper?
@jovialButterfly6752
Hi Butterfly,
A doorkeeper is needed when you're an RS for a pop up room. Since your room is not open 24*7, when you're looking to host your session, you can request a doorkeeper to open the room for you and also close it once you're done.
Also, for your previous question, you don't need to mention the type of session you're hosting on the dash.
@Isha
Thank you! The Disability room is 24x7 right?
I firgure out to select the commite but how do you get your username in space
they was no way I get key board showing to type my username in.
@Isha
I got it to work this time around