Just wanted to say a big thank you to DLF for re-opening the forum.

[Peter aka Sociable]

Some older members may recall me from my past life on the old forum and others from my continued membership of the Ouch message boards.

Those that do will be aware of my special interest in this vital part of support for disabled people and I hope to be able to be a fully active member here as and when the dust settles on my own on-going battle against the system as per my "Everest" thread over on Ouch.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/messageboards/F2322273?thread=7736332

It's good to be back at long last. :)

[Ro 1]

Welcome back Peter,it's good to see you on here,I have seen your posts on Ouch.

[AlisonB]

It is good the forum was reopened. I hope they will consider enabling the private message facility though

[Paul]

Hi Peter,
I do remember you from the old site, but since the closure I have only browsed tge other sites.
Just read your "everest" thread on ouch, I will be keeping upto date on that one.
Hope your bungalow wetroom is altered as soon as possible.

Paul

[susanl]

It's a shame that it took almost a year to reopen the site. Many needy people were left without a lifeline last Christmas and will probably not return.

[Cathycat]

Hopefully the word will spread that it's re-open and that ... fingers crossed, some of the other forums can be re-opened eventually. I found the medicine / illness discussion-type threads really useful.

[AlisonB]

Hopefully many will return but the numbers will grow, the bush telegraph will bring the people in

[Jay]

I agree Susan. Until the whole forum is revealed there is no way of knowing how many 'old YA'ers' will come, and with the threats of fines and that DLF can and will close it down without prior noice will put a lot of people off.

Personally, I fee it needs a new name. It's not the Youreable we all knew and loved and may benefit from being called something else?

Perhaps opening up the Feedback now rather than later might be a good thing?

[mrb]

Some older members may recall me from my past life on the old forum and others from my continued membership of the Ouch message boards.

Those that do will be aware of my special interest in this vital part of support for disabled people and I hope to be able to be a fully active member here as and when the dust settles on my own on-going battle against the system as per my "Everest" thread over on Ouch.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/messageboards/F2322273?thread=7736332

It's good to be back at long last. :)

Hi Peter

Another old face - if you pardon the expression! lol Yes, I do remember you from many cyber-moons ago. Not familiar with Ouch I'm afraid but good luck with your "on-going battle" against the system. Really nice to see you on YA again.

All the best

Mr B

[AlisonB]

The old yourable forum was well visited. Many people there. It had a private messaging facility which was very useful at times. The appearan ce of the site was different.. try internet wayback machine in google and you can find some archived pages,
What will deter some poterntial returners is the feeling that it disappeared once most uncomfortably just before christmas. They may feel it will happen again. This is a big moment in the history of the welfare state and so lets hope youreable weathers the storms.
A new name, maybe but it probably wouldnt make any difference to the 'once bitten twice shy' feeling, because its the same hoster. What is nice is that a number of knowledgable and enthusiastic old names HAVE returned and we should all be pleased about that

[diabeticguy]

So many days popping by to the Youreable site just to see if it had reopened; the one day I don't check the site reopens...hurrah. Just in time, I think hundreds will be needing some friendly support with all these benefit reforms looming.

[reddee]

This comment has been removed by a Moderator.

[Peter aka Sociable]

Twas ever true in life that for some the grapes taste less sweet than for others.

Just as some will mourn the old ways, some of us are only returning because we feel somewhat safer now than we did before precisely because of the changes that have come about.

The beauty is that none of us has to be a member of any board we do not wish to be subject of the membership rules involved in such membership and perhaps for that reason alone the troubles of the past should be left where they are which is firmly in the past.

Onwards and upwards as they say.

[treborc]

Unless they open it up a bit more all it will become is another self help group.

[DavidD]

Hear hear!

[Jay]

Twas ever true in life that for some the grapes taste less sweet than for others.

Just as some will mourn the old ways, some of us are only returning because we feel somewhat safer now than we did before precisely because of the changes that have come about.

The beauty is that none of us has to be a member of any board we do not wish to be subject of the membership rules involved in such membership and perhaps for that reason alone the troubles of the past should be left where they are which is firmly in the past.

Onwards and upwards as they say.


Perhaps when/if DLF open up the whole forum a true estimate of how many old/new members will feel as safe as you do Peter and return!

It may be that many have found new 'homes' in the year that the old YA was closed and are wary, and may be waiting to see the overall 'new look' and what members do return, may then feel safe enough to rejoin.

Can DLF please give an indication of when this might happen?

[susanl]

The threat of a £50 fine has certainly put me off returning and I know quite a few former members who will not be back.
Once bitten, twice shy I'm afraid.
What guarantees can DLF give that they will not simply pull the plug again without warning?

[Peter aka Sociable]

For those troubled by the new rules this is what DLF have already said in the Answers to Common Questions Thread in the DLF News section of the new forum:


DLF is not able to respond to every individual question about Youreable that crop up in discussions in the forums above. However, we shall use this post to provide answers to the most common questions that people seem to be asking where possible.

New forum policy
DLF’s new forum policy has been approved by our legal advisors. The clause relating to charges to remove posts refers only to posts made by people who have previously been banned for misusing the forum. It also only states that DLF reserves the right to charge to remove posts in these circumstances, not that we shall do so as a matter of course. Situations like this (which we sincerely hope will be very rare) will be dealt with on an individual basis.

Old Youreable forum posts
At present unfortunately DLF is unable to provide access to the archive of Youreable.

Moderators
As previously announced, only DLF staff will act as moderators of the forum. The role of these moderators will be solely to deal with reported posts that break our forum policy. These are the only type of moderators that DLF will be using.

Other forums
At present the benefits forum will be the only forum made available in Youreable. This is so that we can see how it develops before making any further decisions. If people have questions about equipment, you can ask in our ‘Living made easy’ forum at http://forums.dlf.org.uk/forumdisplay.php?6-Ask-a-question and one of our occupational therapists will respond if they are able to help. You may need to re-register as the two forums are separate.

At the end of the day this forum will be what we the members make it and if we can get back to what YA used to be, especially in terms of the quality of mutual support and advice given on benefits, then I can only see the forum growing from strength to strength and as it does so the argument for re-opening the other sections of the old forum will become self evident.

It's in our hands Guys please don't repeat past mistakes for too many need us to be here especially now.

[mrb]

I am heartened by the fact that almost every time during a day I look at the current total of YA members it has increased! This to me is a very encouraging sign. At least on this forum potential members are able to see the forum (although not of course post.) This however is by no means the case with all internet forums some of which are entirely "hidden" from ALL intrernet users until they actually join the forum! On YA the potential member is able to determine the nature of the forum and the way it's managed PRIOR to actually becoming a member and this enables them to make an informed decision as to whether or not they wish to join. By having an open and transparent YA forum 184 people, when I last checked a few moments ago, have decided to re-join YA or join for the first time. Of course I can not tell what MAY happen or MAY not. I MAY have some really nice Christmas presents but then I MAY NOT but I suppose between now and Christmas I could keep MAYing and MAY NOTting to while away an hour or three if I'm really bored and don't mind boring and irritating everyone else in the process!

Rather early I know but I hope you all MAY have a really nice Christmas - you MAY you know!

Mr B (MAY B perhaps! lol)

[mrb]

Now 186 members, up by 2, since I typed and posted the last post! I wonder how many more MAY join today, or perhaps MAY not......... Yes, it is a bit boring isn't it so time to stop MAYing isn't it.

[ambers]

I am so glad to see YA up and running again.

I didn't often post, but read the Benefits Forum everyday, and it is good to be able to recognise some of the old posters.

Ambers

[mike 2]

I am so glad to see YA up and running again.

I didn't often post, but read the Benefits Forum everyday, and it is good to be able to recognise some of the old posters.

Ambers

Same here, new username though.

[susie]

Loved the old YA and so have come back for more. Glad its' open again. I have a new name here now but an old YA'er.

[andypandy]

Hi guys

just saying hello and have to say, I am very surprised at YA coming back, even in any format. Lets hope things stay nice and friendly :D

[Cathycat]

I can remember an andypandy- have you used your old name too? (I'm using my old one!!)

[ambers]

I do hope that many of the people who gave advice on Benefit problems on the old YA come back.

Their experience and care about people who had problems with benefits was second to none.

Ambers.

I also remember an Andypandy

[andypandy]

Hi Girls

Yes it is me, the old Andypandy, still using my old name. I remember you both

Hope you are both as well as possible xxx

[Cathycat]

Aww -I'm glad you've remembered me- having a very achey day today but that's put a smile on my face now! Glad the forum's back!

[susanl]

Seems to be YA in name only.............hardly the old forum as we knew and loved it.

I wonder if DLF have any intention of opening up any other forums, or is this it?

[Peter aka Sociable]

As I said earlier the forum will be what we the members make it.

And the better we do that the sooner DLF will see that it is right to re-open the other sides of the old YA as well and personally I think we are doing pretty good already on that side of things given how new the forum is and already well over 200 members and heading for 250.

[mrb]

I couldn't agree with you more Peter. In answer to Susan's query,

I wonder if DLF have any intention of opening up any other forums, or is this it?

I would refer her to DLF's statement at the top of the forum page where their intention to re-open other parts of the forum is stated quite clearly, for her convenience I repeat the relevant sentence below:

Following a review we are re-opening the forums in a staged way, beginning with the benefits forum.

Of course I share Susan's, and others', eagerness for more parts of the forum to re-open, but IMO DLF's approach, which seems to me to be a "slowly but surely" one is the best one albeit a bit frustrating for some members at times. I know benefits forums are not everyone's cup of tea and that some former YA members rarely if ever posted there. I also knew of some members who only ever posted in benefits! It is particularly heartening, in the light of this, that so many people have joined in such a short space of time. This IMO bodes well for the future of YA as I believe there's every chance that more and more people will join or rejoin as more parts of the forum reopen therefore making it much more likely they'll find a particular part, or parts, that interests them.

Kind regards

Mr B

[trickiedickie]

Nice to have Yourable back sure did miss them.
I see many old faces from the pass. Ive come back under a new name.
Hoping to see more forums open but like its been said see how it goes but the membership is encouraging.

[clivegsd]

Sorry to say it but the place looks awful. The colour scheme is bland and the tight grip on forums/fora and posting is terrible.

Bad start that will put people off IMO

[susanl]

And the same type of censorship seems to be alive and well! Which is why you will not see me here.

Is there a PM system here as I would like to contact Maurice??

[beau]

Click on his name and then "view profile" the "send private message" tab is there.