A plee to those at BSAC HQ, ITS, Regional etc.

[terryh]

Following on from the "what forum post" I'd like to make a few
comments.

I've been in BSAC now for coming up to 10 years. During that
time I've been TO, DO, heavily involved at club level, been
on Instructor courses, SDC's and work at Dive Shows.

Yet at best I can probably name, not much more than a handful
of BSAC names either at HQ or in the coaching scheme. Of these
I can count 4 that have posted on this forum.

Contrast that with other fora where idle conversations have led
not just to the odd dive, but to gaining several new members
over the past few years.

If someone like me who is supposedly immersed in BSAC has so
limited actual interaction with BSAC, then what of ordinary
club members?

If we are going to have a major revamp of fora and systems at
HQ can I make a plee to those running HQ, Regional, ITS and
SDC's etc. to actually use it.

We (the membership) are starved of both information and
news of this club of ours. When the means to contact us are so
easy, wouldnt the odd post or update go a long way to not only
keep us informed, but actually start to make us feel like we
belong?

This is not a rant, nor a pop at BSAC. Its a genuine plee for
more interaction on a personal level.

With a new chair, new council and new revamped fora this would
be an ideal opportunity to engage the membership.

Get talking BSAC, we (and you) need it!

Rgds
TerryH

[Taff Griffiths]

Following on from the "what forum post" I'd like to make a few
comments.

I've been in BSAC now for coming up to 10 years. During that
time I've been TO, DO, heavily involved at club level, been
on Instructor courses, SDC's and work at Dive Shows.

Yet at best I can probably name, not much more than a handful
of BSAC names either at HQ or in the coaching scheme. Of these
I can count 4 that have posted on this forum.

Contrast that with other fora where idle conversations have led
not just to the odd dive, but to gaining several new members
over the past few years.

If someone like me who is supposedly immersed in BSAC has so
limited actual interaction with BSAC, then what of ordinary
club members?

If we are going to have a major revamp of fora and systems at
HQ can I make a plee to those running HQ, Regional, ITS and
SDC's etc. to actually use it.

We (the membership) are starved of both information and
news of this club of ours. When the means to contact us are so
easy, wouldnt the odd post or update go a long way to not only
keep us informed, but actually start to make us feel like we
belong?

This is not a rant, nor a pop at BSAC. Its a genuine plee for
more interaction on a personal level.

With a new chair, new council and new revamped fora this would
be an ideal opportunity to engage the membership.

Get talking BSAC, we (and you) need it!

Rgds
TerryH


DITTO :)

[David Walker]

With a new chair, new council and new revamped fora this would
be an ideal opportunity to engage the membership.

*applause*

David

[Adrian Kelland]

Following on from the "what forum post" I'd like to make a few
comments.

I've been in BSAC now for coming up to 10 years. During that
time I've been TO, DO, heavily involved at club level, been
on Instructor courses, SDC's and work at Dive Shows.

Yet at best I can probably name, not much more than a handful
of BSAC names either at HQ or in the coaching scheme. Of these
I can count 4 that have posted on this forum.

Contrast that with other fora where idle conversations have led
not just to the odd dive, but to gaining several new members
over the past few years.

If someone like me who is supposedly immersed in BSAC has so
limited actual interaction with BSAC, then what of ordinary
club members?

If we are going to have a major revamp of fora and systems at
HQ can I make a plee to those running HQ, Regional, ITS and
SDC's etc. to actually use it.

We (the membership) are starved of both information and
news of this club of ours. When the means to contact us are so
easy, wouldnt the odd post or update go a long way to not only
keep us informed, but actually start to make us feel like we
belong?

This is not a rant, nor a pop at BSAC. Its a genuine plee for
more interaction on a personal level.

With a new chair, new council and new revamped fora this would
be an ideal opportunity to engage the membership.

Get talking BSAC, we (and you) need it!

Rgds
TerryH



Hear hear.

[Keith Lawrence(BSAC)]

Get talking BSAC, we (and you) need it!

Thank you for your feedback Terry (and others), all points noted. I can tell you that some of what you've asked for isn't being discussed - because we're actually getting on and doing it, right now! We're not just thinking about it, this is current work-in-progress, and that's just the first phase.

So please keep the ideas coming, we do listen and we do take action. In the coming months you're going to be seeing quite a few changes, some minor, some major - but all of them designed to improve our online (and other) services to our members.

Kind Regards

Keith Lawrence
BSAC IT Team Leader

[Adrian Kelland]

:=Get talking BSAC, we (and you) need it!

Thank you for your feedback Terry (and others), all points noted. I can tell you that some of what you've asked for isn't being discussed - because we're actually getting on and doing it, right now! We're not just thinking about it, this is current work-in-progress, and that's just the first phase.

So please keep the ideas coming, we do listen and we do take action. In the coming months you're going to be seeing quite a few changes, some minor, some major - but all of them designed to improve our online (and other) services to our members.

Kind Regards

Keith Lawrence
BSAC IT Team Leader

I think it won't necessarily be the new systems that make this in the end Keith, but how they are used. If we still have the same confusing info in a new CMS, then we will have the same complaints.

Adrian

[Keith Lawrence(BSAC)]

I think it won't necessarily be the new systems that make this in the end Keith, but how they are used. If we still have the same confusing info in a new CMS, then we will have the same complaints.

I agree, but what we have now is a 'chicken and egg' situation - the sites are so difficult to manage and change that we are very limited on who can make changes. The new systems themselves will solve nothing, I am well aware of that, but what we are providing are the tools to let people do the job.

Regards

Keith L

[Neil Carter]

Snip
:=I've been in BSAC now for coming up to 10 years. During that
:=time I've been TO, DO, heavily involved at club level, been
:=on Instructor courses, SDC's and work at Dive Shows.
:=Yet at best I can probably name, not much more than a :=:=handful of BSAC names either at HQ or in the coaching :=:=scheme. Of theseI can count 4 that have posted on this :=:=forum.
Snip
:=If someone like me who is supposedly immersed in BSAC has so
:=limited actual interaction with BSAC, then what of ordinary
:=club members?
Snip
:=We (the membership) are starved of both information and
:=news of this club of ours. When the means to contact us are :=:=so easy, wouldnt the odd post or update go a long way to not :=:=only keep us informed, but actually start to make us feel :=:=like we belong?
Snip
:=Get talking BSAC, we (and you) need it!

Once again, I find myself agreeing with Terry - this is becoming embarrassing!! Like Terry, I've been there down the years,and collected most of the tee shirts, and the biggest concern I have, and have had for many moons, is that as far as these Fora are concerned, lack of communication, and a dedication to Mushroom Management, is still the order of the day - with the usual caveats AFA KL is concerned.

By definition, most of the Forum traffic is from enthusiastic and/or concerned BSAC Members, and yet apart from our tendency to chat amongst ourselves, this is all we can do, because two way communication from the PTB, whether HQ, or Council, is significant mainly by it's absence. In this age of instant communication, the feedback which is sought rarely actualy shows up.

The worrying thing, which has been highlighted in one or two other threads recently, is that those of us who have been around the Forum a while, do notice a distinct lack of posts from many Members who have been prolific posters in the past. Nowhere does it say that our Forum sites are indeed intended for two way communication, but surely this should be inherent in intent. Keith can't manage it all single handed, and in any case his brief, in theory, is primarily for BSAC geekery, where are the rest of BSAC when we need you???

Neil Carter

[terryh]

:=Get talking BSAC, we (and you) need it!

Thank you for your feedback Terry (and others), all points noted. I can tell you that some of what you've asked for isn't being discussed - because we're actually getting on and doing it, right now! We're not just thinking about it, this is current work-in-progress, and that's just the first phase.

So please keep the ideas coming, we do listen and we do take action. In the coming months you're going to be seeing quite a few changes, some minor, some major - but all of them designed to improve our online (and other) services to our members.

Kind Regards

Keith Lawrence
BSAC IT Team Leader

Here's a simple one and covers my point about informing the
membership and an example of how the PTB should get
interactive.

Somewhere, either on fora or website how about an "ask Marcus"
section. An approachable chair is not that approachable if its
only at dive shows you get a chance to speak to him. Doesnt
have to be live, questions can be asked and he can make closed
awnsers. This way you can cut out the odd abusive or troll
post.

Result would be a very real feeling (by the membership) that
they can contact and be heard by those at the top.

Set this as an example and NDO, regional, ITS, HQ might also get
the message. What always gets me about all this is that time
spent on informing us will save twice that in repetition to
individuals. One question gets one post and after that all further queries are directed to that source.

Its new broom time with new councils etc. so as I said before
an ideal opportunity.

TerryH