Getting the most from Indus Delta

Submitted by Daniel on Tue, 22/04/2008 - 4:52am

There's a lot of information on IΔ nowadays, and there's a fair chance you'll be able to find most of what you need. However, there are probably some things that aren't there. There's a solution to this. Log in, take a deep breath and create something!

Why post?
It's a great way of getting your questions answered and sharing information. Blogs and online discussions are read by more people than the occasional DWP press release can hope to reach. On this particular site, your post is likely to be read by senior managers from all the major welfare-to-work providers, support providers and the DWP. The chances are that at least one of them will have just the right information or advice.

Is it free?
Yup. We might introduce some paid services later, but the discussion forums, newswire and knowledge base will all remain free.

What can I post?

  • Questions - Do you want to know how to deal with a particularly truculent customer? Or what 'the impact of the environmental policy on the project design' means in English? Or who's good at delivering to people with drug and alcohol problems? Then ask!
  • Answers - If you see a question and know something, don't be shy.
  • News, gossip and opinions - The informal network sometimes takes weeks to reach the far corners of the industry. Shortcut the whole thing and tell everyone at once.

What can't I post?

  • Libels - Libel laws may apply if you post negative comments about an identifiable person. Companies can also claim similar protections about damaging, unfounded allegations. Letting everyone know that a company has gone bankrupt is fine if you're certain it's gone bankrupt. Telling everyone it's about to fall over sideways could land you in a certain amount of trouble.
  • Confidential information - Sharing experiences and knowledge in a general way are fine ('We've had problems getting people with mental health issues into work, but in-work support seems to help'). Giving away major organisational secrets or criticising your organisation by name could be career-limiting ('I work in the Birmingham office of Anyco and it's a total dump'). Whistleblowing is protected by law if there's good enough cause.

How do I keep everyone happy?

  • If you're open about who you are online, then be open about it with your employer as well. Don't post content that your employer wouldn't be happy with, and make them aware of the benefits of increased presence and reputation that can come with contributing to the public discourse on welfare-to-work.
  • If you're not open about who you are and want to post on controversial topics, then don't make it possible to identify yourself or the people you're talking about. Anyone can see your username - make sure you don't use it elsewhere on the internet. We won't tell anyone your e-mail address.
  • Don't post a video of yourself running around a football pitch if you're in receipt of mobility allowance.

What happens if something bad and wrong does get posted?

  • Get in touch and let us know about it.
  • If something's reported, or if we spot it ourselves, we'll look at it and decide whether it should be left on the site or not. If it's offensive, illegal, or otherwise not good, then we'll take it down and send the author a warning. Repeated posting of wrongness may lead to the user in question being banned.
  • If you change your mind about a post you've made, get in touch with us and we'll delete it for you.

Who owns what I write?
You do. The formal terms and conditions provide greater detail on this, but essentially, anything you contribute is yours, but by contributing it you grant Indus Delta the right to publish your contribution in whatever way suits us.

Resources for civil servants
Many civil servants already blog openly, and contribute to internet debates and discussions. This posting quickly and elegantly outlines why they should.

The civil service has published official guidance for online participation by civil servants here.

There's also:

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