Hosting forums for free confidential advice from community
About
Ditch the Label provides a forum that allows users to get free confidential advice from trained mentors and other people with lived experience.
Key guidance
Allow users to preview what they might be signing up for so that they can read what other members of the community have asked.
During login, provide users with the option to choose an alias, so they can post anonymously.
Reassure users that the service you’re providing is confidential.
Remind users of rules and policies to engage in the online forum.
Have a backlog of keywords and topics related to mental health.
If you are running an online community, this needs to be moderated by ‘digital support mentors’ and people that can ensure that the rules are respected.
Risks
You might face misbehaviour or rule breaking from community members, so be prepared with an action plan for this.
The moderator needs to monitor if users are expressing suicidal thoughts. If spotted, they need to be signposted to appropriate support.