Looking for helpers for a new Social Anxiety Charity

[Neil123]

Hi Everyone - Just to let you know some hopefully good news:

The Social Anxiety Alliance (Registered Charity Number 1195520) was formally registered on Monday 16 Aug 2021. We are only just beginning the process of putting together a website and need your help!

The website is very much in draft format at: https://socialanxietyalliance.org.uk/

We are looking for helpers to be involved in writing content or shaping and developing this new charity. You will be helping other people with social anxiety by making it easier for them to access information, support and treatment. It may also be good for your CV.

We are reaching out to everyone on SAUK. Can you spare 1-2 hours per week?

What we need:

1 – People to help write articles about social anxiety e.g. on self-help, blushing, how to manage anxious feelings and negative thoughts, self-esteem – and many others.

2 – People with time to compile the information we need e.g. a list of the best YouTube videos about SA, celebrities with SA and information on UK-based therapists, workshops and courses.

3 – Anyone with experience of attending/running SA workshops and courses, NHS therapy or who has had sessions with UK based therapists

4 – People with Wordpress or web building skills

5 - People you may know with experience running a charity – governance, fundraising, policies, marketing, communications, campaigning, networking with other charities

6 – People to review the current website content and let us know what isn’t working or other pages, links, books, articles, websites we could add

Please let us know if there’s anything you can do to help the SA community!

Feel free to post any thoughts/feedback on this thread - or feedback via the contact form at https://socialanxietyalliance.org.uk/contactsupport/.

Many thanks, Neil and Sarah
(On behalf of the newly registered Social Anxiety Alliance)

[biscuits]

Lovely! This is something that I'd be interested in helping. At the weekend when I feel a bit more awake, I'll take a look.

[Tonkin]

Good idea! Website looks good already.

[Bored]

Well done.

[mancman71]

This looks positive...Not sure I can be of any assistance at the moment but would like to see how this evolves as I'd really like to start a meeting group in my area because there's nothing locally and I know there's a lot of people suffering.

[Consolida]

The new website looks really promising!
Anything that provides information and support to SA sufferers gets a big thumbs up from me.

[Neil123]

Hi mancman - yes take a look at the meetup group list here :
http://socialanxietyalliance.org.uk/...s-and-support/
Meetup zoom groups (or physical meets) seem the best option to meet others with SA. If you attend a few zooms (or physical meetups) you will hopefully one day be able to do your own group - we need more groups
p.s Meetup users do not need to pay a fee to sign up for the website, and the service itself is free to use for individual users.

[Neil123]

Originally Posted by biscuits

Lovely! This is something that I'd be interested in helping. At the weekend when I feel a bit more awake, I'll take a look.

Thanks biscuits- just look through the list above and let me know something you fancy researching or doing.....

[anxiouslondoner]

The website looks pretty detailed and thorough. Good work!

I'd say that the "wall of text" is a bit much for a random visitor though, that would probably be best placed into a subcategory or at least scrolled down to - I'd open with a picture of someone looking anxious, maybe a stock photo, to give a warmer and more human face to the organization.
What's hidden but important is "who are we" and "what do we do".
Also there's no good reason for "About" to be on it's own line when you could shift everything left, but maybe that's just my browser settings.

Please don't be discouraged by my criticism, it's only opinion and I can't claim to be some sort of website expert but those are the slight negative impressions I got from the site. It's really good.

[Consolida]

Originally Posted by anxiouslondoner

I'd open with a picture of someone looking anxious, maybe a stock photo, to give a warmer and more human face to the organization.

Yes, the opening page is in need of a picture for the reasons you give

[AuroraSky]

Many thanks for all your hard work getting this resource and charity off the ground. I don't know about people today, but I was at least 30 before I knew of the term "social anxiety" as an actual condition that I could search for and find articles, books and forums and meets for. Just the simple fact of raising awareness about social anxiety will help a lot, and maybe in the longer term there will be more recognition by the NHS and groups run by them too, not just individual Meetups and such. I can see why the NHS prioritises people in crisis such as potential suicides, and SA people tend to be self-deprecating types who don't like to make a fuss, but SA can have quite bad effect on both career and personal life so I think more could be done.

[mancman71]

@Neil123
Thanks...I've already seen the one listed in my area but it's still a tricky one to get to...Thanks.

[Neil123]

Thanks everyone – thanks for all the comments so far - I should really have explained in the original post that there are just 3 of us doing this charity at the moment - all 3 of us have been members of SAUK at some point in the past.
I have been a member since 2005 and I was a member with a different name prior to that. I did attend some of the AGMs that happened in London in the early 2000s - they were really good meets and such an amazing feeling to share and talk with others - despite the SA.
There really is such a long way to go with charity - there is so much to do.
We realise the website is a lacking in colour and content and images - we definitely welcome the feedback and we know we need to make the website so much better - including graphics and colours and better articles etc
We (the 3 of us) are also looking for a freelance UK social anxiety therapist to clinically review the content in the same way the excellent Arlin Cunic does for https://www.aboutsocialanxiety.com/social-anxiety/ . If anyone knows any UK therapists please let us know.
Keep writing – we welcome all feedback !

[Neil123]

Thanks Nanuq - yes it would great to get ajax_asterdam involved - I had PM'd him in the past and have done so again now - but yes - if anyone has his actual email and could ask him to help that we be great!

[AutumnLeaves]

Fantastic idea, good on you! Don't think it's on your list, but despite my anxiety, I am not bad at doing qualitative research to hear people's views and experiences, and delivering them to an audience. Much easier for me than initiating and sustaining friendships or sticking up for myself in the workplace. So if you were doing campaign or research work sometimes, I could maybe help out now and again.

[Bored]

Celebrity Patrons? How about Rhod Gilbert? I'm pretty sure he had anxiety

[Neil123]

AutumnLeaves - thank you - yes research and surveys are really important - to find out what people really need to help them in the process of get better. Also we would like to get an insight to all the different types of SA out there - everyone's experience can be so different.
I will PM you - thanks
Neil

[Neil123]

Bored - yes great idea - we definitely need celebrity patrons - Rhod Gilbert despite his stage and TV appearances struggles with some things like "shopping, talking to strangers, eating in public" - that what he mentions in the BBC programme he did on "standing up to shyness" - link here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMn7i6jdL6c&t=31s
He would be great to have as a patron although we are probably not ready to make contact as we still need to develop website content .
But thanks so much - yes in time we definitely need celebrity patrons to help raise awareness of SA - thanks again, Neil

[biscuits]

I'm happy to write articles

[Bleaney]

Originally Posted by mancman71

This looks positive...Not sure I can be of any assistance at the moment but would like to see how this evolves as I'd really like to start a meeting group in my area because there's nothing locally and I know there's a lot of people suffering.

There is a local group, or there was last month: self help services

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1129332717402983

Nick Shs shared a link.
Admin
· November 2 ·
������Talk it Through Tuesday ������
Join our lovely facilitators this evening at 7pm here online, or in person at The Kath Locke Centre, Manchester for the Manchester Social Anxiety Drop-in group.

[Bleaney]

Originally Posted by Neil123

Hi Everyone - Just to let you know some hopefully good news:

The Social Anxiety Alliance (Registered Charity Number 1195520) was formally registered on Monday 16 Aug 2021. We are only just beginning the process of putting together a website and need your help!

The website is very much in draft format at: https://socialanxietyalliance.org.uk/

We are looking for helpers to be involved in writing content or shaping and developing this new charity. You will be helping other people with social anxiety by making it easier for them to access information, support and treatment. It may also be good for your CV.

We are reaching out to everyone on SAUK. Can you spare 1-2 hours per week?

What we need:

2 – People with time to compile the information we need e.g. a list of the best YouTube videos about SA, celebrities with SA and information on UK-based therapists, workshops and courses.

I have personally collected a huge amount of links etc.... Researching the **** out of topics affecting my mental health, and looking at ways of helping myself is what I do. When I get chance I can post a selection of some of the best You Tube videos and other resources that I have found. If that is any help.

I don't just collect the links, I watch and assess the content too. I watch the good ones more than once.

The first one that comes to mind is Paige Pradko's You Tube channel, which is very good indeed, and she has lots of real life experience of living with social anxiety.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP2x...ist=LL&index=4

Sorry but I can't commit to regularly giving time at the moment.

[Neil123]

Originally Posted by biscuits

I'm happy to write articles

Hi Biscuits -
that would be great - I will PM you but the current list of articles are as follows:
On how to get the best from self help - someone to summarise the very best of the following:
www.aboutsocialanxiety.com/category/self-help
http://www.aboutsocialanxiety.com/ca...lp/facing-fear
http://www.aboutsocialanxiety.com/ti...social-anxiety
On how to increase self esteem - someone to summarise the very best of the following:
http://www.aboutsocialanxiety.com/ho...ve-in-yourself
http://www.aboutsocialanxiety.com/ho...our-self-worth
www.aboutsocialanxiety.com/positive-self-esteem
www.verywellmind.com Living With Social Anxiety Disorder
On blushing :
someone to summarise the great work already done by someone at SAUK - the pages are at https://www.social-anxiety.org.uk/ . Just follow SA Information link and then the blushing tab. We cant use the personal stories as they were given by people to be used at SAUK and are personal to them but there is lots of great content and links that could be brought together for a page or two on the charity website.
If any of these topics appeal please let me know - but yes - as said I will PM you too, thanks, Neil

[Neil123]

Hi Bleaney Yes that video is great - I have just watched it and will add to to the youtube video page on the charity website - yes please post some more youtube videos that you recommend - it would really help.
I will PM you too
Many Thanks, Neil