Amplifying Community Engagement

We are thrilled that our new Community Platform Project team member, Abi Odell, is going to be at this year's annual meeting, Amplify. We are looking forward to having the opportunity to meet many AIUK activists in person and collaborate with you on our community platform project. We're excited to be part of such an inspiring gathering and eager to learn from you!

Why are we attending?

Abi is helping to co-create an online community designed for activists, by activists. This platform aims to support your efforts, celebrate your achievements, and provide a safe space for collaboration. Your input will continue to guide its development, ensuring it meets the needs of those who use it most.

How YOU can help

We have three key areas we're eager to explore with you:

1. Celebration and recognition

Key question: How would you like to be celebrated and recognised?

We know that it takes dedication to be part of a grassroots community working on human rights. We know that AIUK activists are diverse, talented and knowledgeable. We also know that AIUK could do a better job of helping our community members feel valued, so we want to understand the kinds of things for which YOU would like to be recognised. Maybe you’ve been part of the AIUK community for decades or maybe you’ve signed over a hundred petitions. Maybe you’ve grown your local group for three to thirty members or maybe you have an awesome niche human rights focused theater evening. Come and share your ideas on how recognition can be meaningful for you and other activists.

2. Safety Measures

Key question: What safety features are absolutely essential for you?  

We recently sent a survey around to gather thinking about what human rights activists want and need in an online community. One of the emergent themes from this had to do with online safety. We’re already thinking about updating the Community Rules to be clearer around what constitutes misinformation and anti-inclusive behaviour or language. We are also thinking about implementing trust levels for the community platform to ensure appropriate access and moderation privileges. At Amplify, we would love to hear from people what kind of features and processes they think will help make the new community space both safe and welcoming. 

3. Moderation

Key Question: What do you envision as “community moderation”? Another area we’d like to explore together with you is around moderation. In our survey, we asked people if they had ever used common moderation features such as:

• Reporting Systems: reporting inappropriate content or behaviour.
• Flagging Mechanisms: bringing to the attention of moderators posts that violate community guidelines.
• Content Moderation Tools: options like deleting, editing, or hiding posts.
• User Blocking/Muting: blocking or muting others to avoid unwanted interactions.
• Ban System: temporarily or permanently restricting users from accessing the platform.
• Keyword Filtering: detecting specific words or phrases that may indicate inappropriate content.

We found that most people had not used or come across these features, so we thought we should ask you what your thoughts around moderation are. We would also like to know if community members are interested in helping us moderate the platform. 

Get involved

Whether you're able to attend Amplify or not, your voice matters. Your commitment to justice and human rights inspires us all. Together, we can create something truly impactful.  Please do visit the community stand  for a chat as we'd love to hear from you! If you can't make it in person, feel free to reach out with your thoughts.