Tutorial Six

Provide the web address and the name of the community you are investigating:
www.thelowdown.co.nz


What is the brief or the focus of this community?
It provides information on depression.
It involves people sharing information on their personal experiences of depression.
It provides information on other available 'help' sites/agencies.


What services are provided? How interactive is this site? How can people contribute?
A self test on depression
Self help strategies
Chat
Free text and phone services to 'The Low Down Team'.
Details on other organisations - Helpline
Kidsline Buddies
Whats Up
Youthline
One Stop Shop
Counsellors
Information on other health professionals : Doctor, psychologist and psychiatrists.
It also provides a multimedia option and chat rooms.
People can contribute by going online and chatting to one of the team.



Consider material presented during the lecture and make a comment on why people choose to contribute to this community. What is it they are seeking?
Equality, the acknowledgement that they are not alone. Having someone to listen to them who understands what they are going to and may be able to give some helpul, realistic suggestions.
This is a place where contributers can just write how they feel and this can be a great way to 'unload'.


Cut and paste an example of the type of topics being discussed (you may have to provide a context to your experpt).
I am unable to cut and paste from this site, however, participants are talking about relationship difficulties, feeling inadequate, feeling sad, tearfullness, lack of understanding from others and difficulty with everyday activities.


Considering material presented during the course and make comment on the potential ethical issues that may arise in this community e.g. lack of identity and accountability.
People are able to say exactly what and how they feel and may make judgements/comments on others who are involved in the chat.
Participants may name people either correctly or incorrectly.
Participants may add information that is totally fictitious.


Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment on the benefits this community holds over traditional notions of community e.g. communities reliant on geographic proximity.
It doesn't matter where in the world participants are, they can join in the 'Low Down Community' whenever they wish. Unlike an actual geographic community where they are living, they do not have to be so conscious of what they say, who to, and when an appropriate time may be.
Also, it is likely to be much easier to cease contact with someone in the on line community than what it may be in a face to face communication with someone in the geographic community.


Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment what this community lacks or can not provide which traditional communities can.
The online community can not provide access to everyone - eg those who do not have a computer or the skills to use one.
It is not necessarily a valid source of information and can abused by people.
It also lacks the personal interaction as it any information can be viewed by thousands of people - the writer does not have control over who reads their information and what others do with it.