During these trying times, Access Community Trust and Sams Café are looking at ways to support the established groups we have built prior to the current Covid-19 situation.
We have taken a number of our services digital in this period to ensure continuity of service for our customers and are very excited about launching our existing POP group digitally on Wednesday 22nd April from 6pm.
This initial group session hosted by Ellie, Jessica and with support from our Youth Services Manager Keith is an introduction to what we would like to do over the coming weeks, alongside inviting you to share your ideas, so we can provide a service that everybody will find helpful and fun.
Future meetings will then take place on Monday evenings from 5.30-7pm and Friday afternoons from 3.30-5pm.
After numerous trials with Discord, Zoom, Skype and House Party, we have decided to use Zoom for this service. Zoom offers the greatest functionality with video conferencing. It is professionally recognised and was most secure out of those trialled whilst offering anonymity for users.
The service preferably requires Access to know a users email address to share meeting links, but private links can also be sent discreetly to users via text message as an alternative. Users have the choice to download the app for greater functionality or can view in a web browser.
Security questions answered:
- The UK Government (the cabinet) uses Zoom for its meetings as does the Terrence Higgins Trust and 1000’s of other organisations.
- We have recently launched our Wellbeing Cafes digitally with extremely vulnerable individuals and it has proved successful and secure.
- An invitation is sent out to each user.
- The Host (Access CT – Ellie) controls who is allowed in the room and can refuse/eject/mute users.
- Users are only identified by their screen name (no numbers or emails are shared on this platform).
- Once users are in the ‘room’ it can be locked.
- Users can either join with or with out video.
- Ground rules at the start of the session are outlined at every meeting.
- Meetings are not recorded.
We hope to see you soon
