Safe Sharing… what does that even mean?

Safe sharing is one of the ways we keep everyone in the community safe. Livewire is a space where we love to chat (obviously!). While it is fine to have a vent* (something is annoying, a niggle, a bit frustrating), Livewire isn’t the place to come if you are experiencing big feelings, like worry, panic, or fear. If you are feeling big emotions, it is important that you seek help in real life and only come on Livewire once things have calmed down, to keep you, our facilitators, and our community safe.

*Venting typically involves something that happened in the past (maybe you missed out on free cookies that day, or your neighbour did something annoying), rather than something going on in the moment that is distressing you.

It’s also important to refrain from discussions surrounding mental health, or any dark topic matters, as these things can be unsafe for our members. If you have any concerns, it’s important to reach out to your in person supports and health professionals 💙

Safe sharing is important in all areas of the Livewire community from what’s posted on the newsfeed to what is shared in PMs and the chat groups. If you are ever unsure if something is okay to share, you are always welcome to message one of our facilitators who can help you!

A very important note – our facilitators are not trained counsellors, so it isn’t safe to come to them with your problems. Instead, reach out to your healthcare team, or check out our Mental Health & Wellbeing Resources page for other places to get support.

When people don’t safely share on Livewire we will at first moderate and check to make sure they understand, then if it happens again we might need to give a short break from chat, just to keep everyone safe.

To make sure Livewire is a safe place for everyone, here are some guidelines on how to do it:

• Let the chat hosts and other members know that you are safe

It’s important if you are talking about a topic where people may be worried about you, that you let us know you are safe at the start of the conversation. We may ask you things like “Do you have someone with you?” and  “Are you safe right now?” if we are worried. It is important you respond when people are checking in, and if you aren’t safe, please seek support in real life rather than on Livewire.

• Use safe language if you are describing things that may be upsetting to other people.

Be considerate of the language you’re using and avoid being too graphic. For example, if sharing about medical procedures we don’t need the graphic details around things like blood or gore that might scare others who are going through something similar.

• Use content warnings.

If you are making a post about something that might be upsetting to people, write “content warning- (whatever it is)” at the top of your post. It might be something like “surgery”, “feeling sad”, “natural disaster”, or “death of a pet”. If you are unsure about this, check in with a facilitator and they will be happy to help.

Note: We have used an image of Scar from the Lion King in place of an image of a real scar. Hehe.

Additional support

If you’re experiencing overwhelming feelings, consider when it’s the right time to share on Livewire and when to seek other support.

The chat hosts are not trained mental health professionals, so in order to get the best help possible we might direct you elsewhere. We have info including a bunch of people we trust here:

Australia and New Zealand

If the chat hosts are worried about you, or think you might not be safe, we will call both yourself and your emergency contact to check in. This is why open communication with the Chat Host really is important.

Remember, Livewire is a space where we want you to have fun, feel safe, and comfortable with those around you. If you ever wish to share something and are not too sure whether its okay, always ask a Chat Host! 🙂

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