Find Ancestors

and they have just issued another slap in the face to overseas members by apparently not deeming them worthy enough to be included in the Subscribers' Loyalty Club ............. in addition to not being included in the Genes Extra "thank you to members" promotion.


That lets me know what they think of my contributions over the last 9 or 10 years :-| :-P

This is typical of Gr..."love to hear your thoughts".....but judging by the lack of response don't actually care?

I've just posted on a thread where the OP had deleted an earlier thread because he didn't like the "uncalled for" responses. As I pointed out, if he asked for help then the responses are by definition "called for". This sort of "competition" setting up helpers to be complemented is also also setting them up to be shot at. GR has lost a lot of goodwill in help on the boards as it is without losing more

Jude

I agree this is a bad idea for all the reasons already stated.

Think its time Natasha came back and gave us her reply

I am not in favour of this suggestion, for the reasons given above. Also, I think that it is bad business practice.

It's pretty obvious I think that new members on FLR who are given the contact details of the person they are looking for may well be the ones who nominate helpers for a reward ?

That is my concern because it is clear that some (a very few) 'helpers' are ignoring the possible dangers to safety and privacy of people being sought...some of the helpers who do this, imo, are not able to keep a sense of detachment , because they empathise very closely with one side ( very understandably) , and there are always two sides to a story.

I recall one incidence where someone seeking their birth parent, was talking about turning up on the doorstep with no prior notice, that might work out, but even on Lost Families there is a degree of privacy and caution applied.

My further concern on that is that the search might be done entirely OFF the board, as some may decide to do in order to gain some kudos, and that would mean there is not even the chance of other members either giving words of advice or caution.

Guiding someone to where they can find a possible address, with the advice that they send a discreet letter is rather different to ( as I have seen) someone sending a phone number and address and saying in effect 'here's the phone number, call them'. This is particularly worrying when it involves elderly people, who are especially vulnerable.

And it's not just for the benefit of the person being sought, but for the person who is hoping to establish a relationship, to go slowly. 'Lost families' do this by first giving an introductory letter via a 'third party' and establishing that both parties wish to meet, that is fair enough.

As far as FA goes, team work is always better anyway for a broader search base and bouncing off ideas, on a recent thread several people worked well together to get as much good info as possible...it was a pleasure to be part of it, the reward of finding the info was enough, especially as the name being sought had so many variations lol :-)

Another reason why this is such a bad idea is it relies of people who have been helped to nominate those that have helped them most when those being helped may not wish to nominate anyone.

I was asked to be a Helper on the Help desk that didnt last that long!

It was very stressful . we had a daily number we had to post to still qualify for our Helper status.

I thought it would just be the same as when I was doing look ups voluntarily but no I felt I had to spend so much time at the PC that I didn't have time for what the family needed.

Plus too it wasn't made clear that people that had researched as far as the records went could still ask for look ups again so repeating ALL the research others had already done.

I fell fowl when I pointed out for one request that it had already gone as far as anyone could find.

Was I glad when the help desk was closed after only about 2 plus weeks. I felt an outcast from all the other members by all the negative comments that experiment engendered.

SO i really dont think making the look ups for this new program a competition is a good thing

:-|

sounds a good idea :-) ;-)

Sorry Sylvs, I guess that will mean collecting Nutty as well plus a bit of a divert to WA for Cherilyn and Gracie from Victoria.

Maybe we should travel in a charabanc all for under a £ you know..... and the wheels went round....

;-)

......... and what about collecting me in Canada???

:-)

Like Sylvs says .. for us on the outer regions of the world an English Store voucher would not be of much use.

NZ research is my main interest and a lot of your members once they find out that I have been helping someone I get quite a few private messages also in search of help. None of which go on the boards...

I am sure I am not the only one that does this.. the beauty of me being in a small country I can generally contact the Living Relative and find out if they want contact with a person but I steer well clear of adoptions and birth parents.. this should on the whole be a domain for the proper services and not us on chat boards.

I am with the others on this we do it because we want to and you may find that those who find the most and win the prizes have not used GR facilities but other means like Ancestry etc. That might not go down well with your team.


BUT Am quite happy to do the round trip and can collect Mo on the way at New York.

Persie

LK

There have been too many horror stories like that ........................

even one is one too many


but I can think of perhaps a dozen where the situation was very "iffy" sounding

If Cynthia is wholesome does that make her the best thing since sliced bread?
:-D :-D :-D

I agree with the above posts.

I have said before I think there should be a third party to make contact and check if they want to be found without giving either party address etc.
My son's fiancee was sought by her father on here and he is a violent man.
You could not tell that from his request.

I hope GR listen to the very good points already raised about this.

Nothing to add other than I think it is not a good idea

Quite agreed, I think the whole thing would cause disharmony.

I might have only made a couple of posts on a thread but spent hours and hours researching and tracking someone to break down a years old brick wall. In that time other people may have done dozens of quick and easy BMD look-ups and get more kudos. (Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking look ups, just making a comparison).

I've had free credits in the past, an extension to my membership but they don't matter at all (haven't even used all the credits yet). Biggest reward is someone appreciating what I've found.

A bad idea, in my opinion.

For all the reasons stated above.

Chris

He he all :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D

Bedtime now...long day yesterday two hour meeting which required a 0430 start and 8 hours on a train....was fine....until now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maureen

:-D :-D :-D

I agree with the opinions/concerns being voiced.

The fact is that most of us work as a TEAM on Find Ancestors queries. Someone may have access to a certain database...someone else will be good enough to post a census...another might have some insightful local knowledge,etc.

Listening to our opinions and an occasional "thank you" is reward enough for me.

Unless round trip airfare to the UK is involved-in which case-stand back!!! :-) :-) :-)

Maureen

Cynthia - you are so wholesome :-)

And so correct :-D