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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/voluntary-sector-network/2014/nov/03/samaritans-radar-twitter-mission-charity
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Samaritans Radar: 'Charity deserves round of applause for putting mission front and centre' | Samaritans Radar: 'Charity deserves round of applause for putting mission front and centre' |
| (5 months later) | |
| Last week the Samaritans launched Samaritans Radar, a service which monitors Twitter feeds for words such as ‘depressed’ or phrases such as ‘need someone to talk to’ and then sends an alert to people who have opted in to the service to raise an alert of a potential cry for help. | Last week the Samaritans launched Samaritans Radar, a service which monitors Twitter feeds for words such as ‘depressed’ or phrases such as ‘need someone to talk to’ and then sends an alert to people who have opted in to the service to raise an alert of a potential cry for help. |
| The hashtag was trending in the UK on Wednesday – the day of launch – with, unsurprisingly, a lot of concern over privacy and questions around just how much the Samaritans had researched and thought about this service. | The hashtag was trending in the UK on Wednesday – the day of launch – with, unsurprisingly, a lot of concern over privacy and questions around just how much the Samaritans had researched and thought about this service. |
| There have been countless tweets from Twitter users with mental health problems who have voiced their concern and also from those of you who have volunteered with the charity. | There have been countless tweets from Twitter users with mental health problems who have voiced their concern and also from those of you who have volunteered with the charity. |
| The majority of the tweets seem to be rather critical of the service but there are people that support it. | The majority of the tweets seem to be rather critical of the service but there are people that support it. |
| I hope those behind #SamaritansRadar appreciate all the feedback they're getting. Turns out there are some serious concerns to address. | I hope those behind #SamaritansRadar appreciate all the feedback they're getting. Turns out there are some serious concerns to address. |
| Ever since I've been a @samaritans volunteer I've always defended them but I can't approve of this app. I am willing to bet other vols don't | Ever since I've been a @samaritans volunteer I've always defended them but I can't approve of this app. I am willing to bet other vols don't |
| I try not to tweet about my mental health too much because I got told off for being negative. But #SamaritansRadar puts me off even more | I try not to tweet about my mental health too much because I got told off for being negative. But #SamaritansRadar puts me off even more |
| @PaulbernalUK As an ex-Samaritan Volunteer, my view is that this initiative is marketeer driven and not fully thought-through. | |
| I like this a lot. Sometimes the only way people reach out is through cryptic statuses. http://t.co/GPrGuEji3O #SamaritansRadar | I like this a lot. Sometimes the only way people reach out is through cryptic statuses. http://t.co/GPrGuEji3O #SamaritansRadar |
| Well done @Samaritans for #SamaritansRadar - a clever use of social media with the potential to really help people: http://t.co/4MIdPwGHRy | Well done @Samaritans for #SamaritansRadar - a clever use of social media with the potential to really help people: http://t.co/4MIdPwGHRy |
| Antonia Bance, communications and policy director for a domestic violence charity, argues that it’s a valuable service that puts the charity’s mission above fundraising. She says: “How brilliant to see charity digital innovation that is about a mission, rather than fundraising. | Antonia Bance, communications and policy director for a domestic violence charity, argues that it’s a valuable service that puts the charity’s mission above fundraising. She says: “How brilliant to see charity digital innovation that is about a mission, rather than fundraising. |
| “In the fifties, Samaritans set up the world’s first telephone helpline so of course, now, they would be at the forefront of trying to help more people as how we communicate with each other changes. And that’s controversial – what innovation isn’t? Many charities would have played it safe, not willing to be out there for those who need them, for fear of criticism. Samaritans deserve a round of applause for putting their mission front and centre.” | “In the fifties, Samaritans set up the world’s first telephone helpline so of course, now, they would be at the forefront of trying to help more people as how we communicate with each other changes. And that’s controversial – what innovation isn’t? Many charities would have played it safe, not willing to be out there for those who need them, for fear of criticism. Samaritans deserve a round of applause for putting their mission front and centre.” |
| She believes Radar is just a new way to show you’re a friend – and a nudge to do what any friend would do. It’s a way of reminding us in an atomised world that we can reach out to others in distress – and that we should do so more often, according to Bance. | She believes Radar is just a new way to show you’re a friend – and a nudge to do what any friend would do. It’s a way of reminding us in an atomised world that we can reach out to others in distress – and that we should do so more often, according to Bance. |
| But, what about the charity. How does it feel amid all this criticism? Does it defend its decision? “At the heart of Samaritans’ work is the belief that ordinary people listening to the problems and feelings of one another can make a big difference to people struggling to cope,” says Sophie Borromeo, director of communications at the charity. | But, what about the charity. How does it feel amid all this criticism? Does it defend its decision? “At the heart of Samaritans’ work is the belief that ordinary people listening to the problems and feelings of one another can make a big difference to people struggling to cope,” says Sophie Borromeo, director of communications at the charity. |
| “We know from research that vulnerable individuals go online to call for help, in the hope that someone will reach out to them, so we developed Samaritans Radar particularly for those using Twitter for that purpose,” she adds. | “We know from research that vulnerable individuals go online to call for help, in the hope that someone will reach out to them, so we developed Samaritans Radar particularly for those using Twitter for that purpose,” she adds. |
| Twitter users who want to be notified if one of the people they follow Tweets messages which sound concerning, can sign up and receive an email alert about the tweets. | Twitter users who want to be notified if one of the people they follow Tweets messages which sound concerning, can sign up and receive an email alert about the tweets. |
| Borromeo says: “We want to emphasise that Samaritans Radar has been in development for well over a year, and has been tested with several different user groups who have contributed to its creation, including young people with mental health problems. We’ve also been working with academic experts from the University of Glasgow, and the University of Cardiff’s School of Social Sciences, whose research has helped develop the app.” | Borromeo says: “We want to emphasise that Samaritans Radar has been in development for well over a year, and has been tested with several different user groups who have contributed to its creation, including young people with mental health problems. We’ve also been working with academic experts from the University of Glasgow, and the University of Cardiff’s School of Social Sciences, whose research has helped develop the app.” |
| She says the charity is listening to concerns expressed on Twitter and as a result has extended its ‘whitelist’ function to individuals, as well as organisations, so people who don’t want Samaritans Radar to send alerts to their followers have the choice of ‘opting out’. | She says the charity is listening to concerns expressed on Twitter and as a result has extended its ‘whitelist’ function to individuals, as well as organisations, so people who don’t want Samaritans Radar to send alerts to their followers have the choice of ‘opting out’. |
| “The aim of the app is to highlight potentially worrying Tweets – which are already public – from people talking about their problems, to give their followers a second chance to see their Tweets and respond,” she says. “The app works in such a way that the alerts sent out are only seen by the subscriber, who would have sight of the information anyway. Samaritans does not monitor the tweets or view them – we’re just giving people who have signed up to Radar a second chance to see a call for help, which they might have initially missed, from a friend that is in need of support.” | “The aim of the app is to highlight potentially worrying Tweets – which are already public – from people talking about their problems, to give their followers a second chance to see their Tweets and respond,” she says. “The app works in such a way that the alerts sent out are only seen by the subscriber, who would have sight of the information anyway. Samaritans does not monitor the tweets or view them – we’re just giving people who have signed up to Radar a second chance to see a call for help, which they might have initially missed, from a friend that is in need of support.” |
| Kirsty Marrins is a content and community manager at JustGiving. | Kirsty Marrins is a content and community manager at JustGiving. |
| If you work in the charity sector, please join our free network for charity professionals. | If you work in the charity sector, please join our free network for charity professionals. |