Tutorial Six

Provide the web address and the name of the community you are investigating
“The Lowdown” website is a community organisation that offers a person suffering from depression to talk and share there feelings and thoughts etc.


What is the brief or focus of this community
“The Low down” is a website that offers someone experiencing depression information on depression, and advice on dealing with it. You can hear from musicians, celebs and everyday people sharing their own personal experiences with depression

What services are provided? How interactive is this site? How can people contribute?
Thelowdown website offers information about depression and a place that a person can go and discuss with other the effect depression has on them and there stories. The website has interactive screen that people can post there thoughts and feelings, without any stigma attached.

Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment on why people choose to contribute to this community. What is it they are seeking?

Thelowdown website offers a place were a person can inquire about depression and learn about what it is. The website gives a person an opportunity to “self test”. It also offers a posting discussion board were they can ask questions from other people that suffer from depression and help services people can go to. The website is
monitored by qualified counsellors.

Cut and paste an example of the type of topics being discussed (you may have to provide a context to your excerpt).
My name is Jordyn Fisher, im 15 yrs old and I wish to share with you a piece of writing i created to give hope to those that suffer from depression. My poem is entitled "Merely A State Of Mind".
Hopefully this helps to make a difference or give some form of hope. Depression hits close to home as one of my friends has depression. Thanks for your time and I hope this helps :)

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.
“Thelowdown” website can be accessed worldwide but is completely confidential.
It is accessible 24/7 and is monitored by qualified counsellors.
The website is encouraged by New Zealand celebrities who have posted videos that express there struggles from depression but is used on the website to show that anyone can suffer from depression and how can be overcame by all types of people.

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
This defiantly is a step up from the more traditional ways of helping people who suffer or have questions about depression. I feel that this website is a great way for people that suffer or are inquiring about depression to be a part of a community and fell comfortable about asking question and share there experiences.
Instead of just going to a counselor a person can ask questions and share there feelings over line.
There thoughts and feelings can teach other people that access the website and they too can comment and give a helpful insight on what is being discussed over the posting section.

Consider material presented during the lecture and make comment what this community lacks or can not provide which traditional communities can.
This community is consistently monitored by qualified cancellers in “Thelowdown” Chat room, But it doesn’t provide any comments from the counsellors. This non human contact approached lacks in a real personal sharing and information learning approach and doesn’t focus or treat the client personally. Although you can text and email “Thelowdown” team it is very different to the more traditional way of dealing or asking about depression.