As a member of a Ben’s Friends community chances are you’re already working with Ben’s Friends by making comments and posting information. Why not spend a few minutes a day or a few hours a week expanding your good works? Become an official moderator!
“Being a moderator on the Ben’s Friends Network has been very much a rewarding experience for me. To be going through a life-threatening illness and to be able to share with others going through the same things what has done well for you, to gain insights into others going through similar circumstances was invaluable to me…”
Mark W., Moderator
Living with PSC
The saying “the pen is mightier than the sword” – or in this case, the keyboard – is proven true on a daily basis by everyone involved in Ben’s Friends communities.
“One thing that constantly amazes me is how we are able to help people all around the world, support them, even help them with their emotions, through the use of bare, written words. No gentle tone of voice, no speaking gently, just able to be there, use that narrow means of communication which is the written word to catch people who are falling and offer them some support. I’m amazed how effective that can be.”
Richard D., Moderator
AVMSurvivors
As a moderator you will keep a finger on the pulse of the community, making sure the integrity of the community is maintained. Mostly, moderators simply keep abreast of the different conversations happening, but occasionally they need to step in and make suggestions to help maintain the correct tone of the community or delete posts that are attempting to sell something or suggesting illegal activities.
Or, as Richard D learned, In some cases, deleted posts are actually the most important ones:
“…she had posted the cry for help, then thought better of it and deleted it. Her operation was a couple of days away. I was only able to see that post because I was a member of the moderator team. I wrote to her to welcome her, talk through some of her worries and encourage her that she would be in great hands at the hospital. She came out of the operation very well, had read my thoughts and taken some of them to heart.”
Moderating is mostly common sense and can take up as little or as much time as you have to offer. Most importantly, it’s about what you have to offer. As Mark W. says:
“We need more folks that have this heart and are willing to give of themselves for the needs of others. It will be an experience that will reward you in ways you would never have dreamed.”
For more information check out this fact sheet on](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HqVSPaCuPZ-A950RYExuWUhAQD0NwTEFWVHTxTwOHQE/edit?ts=5d6c6b7f)on) being a moderator, or email modsupport@bensfriends.org. We’d love to hear from you.
Ben, and the Moderator Support Team
The link to copy and paste, if you need it:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HqVSPaCuPZ-A950RYExuWUhAQD0NwTEFWVHTxTwOHQE/edit?ts=5d6c6b7f