Case Study: Working with Prostate Cancer UK
August 19, 2018 
Share This PostProstate Cancer UK is a charity that campaigns for men with prostate cancer to receive the best treatment and care wherever they live in the UK. By 2030, prostate cancer is set to become the most common cancer overall in the UK and, in the last 20 years, the charity has invested over £37 million into ground breaking research. Their goal? To stop prostate cancer being a killer within the next 10 years.
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Every month, thousands of people use Prostate Cancer UK’s online community, posting more than a thousand messages in hundreds of active conversations. Members of the forum are free to discuss whatever they want, from diagnosis to dealing with treatment. The conversation is usually frank and open and the community supports each other by sharing their experiences. The forum is a fundamental part of the charity’s commitment to those who have been diagnosed as well as their relatives and carers.
StrawberrySocial specialise in keeping charity communities safe and several of the team have worked with Prostate Cancer UK since 2012, moderating the community during evenings and weekends. The aim is to keep members safe and supported whilst also ensuring they have a space to be themselves and share what they need to. As part of this, we worked with the charity to compile clear community guidelines and put in place intricate escalation processes to resolve or escalate any issues
Our whole team have online safety qualifications such as CEOP and NSPCC as well as being Moderation Gateway certified and DBS checked.
Sue Boyes, Peer Support Manager at Prostate Cancer UK, says:
“We feel reassured that when we leave the office, StrawberrySocial carry on the job of supporting men and their loved ones. They are friendly and approachable with a light touch and are very good at flagging issues and solving challenges. They understand the context of highly complex conversations involving medical treatment, and side effects. We would recommend StrawberrySocial because they took the time to understand who we are and what we are about, and are always there when we need to get hold of them. They also save us significant costs.”
Rebecca Fitzgerald, Managing Director at StrawberrySocial, says:
“Charity forums require a different type of moderation to other forums and communities. A subtler touch, an understanding of the issue and/or illness and how it can affect people’s behaviour. Each community is different, each user important. At StrawberrySocial, we have the experience to understand how charity forums and social media works. Our community managers are flexible, empathetic, resilient and supported by Management. They are able to moderate emotive threads about sensitive topics, such as end of life discussions, and are trusted to help ensure that the Prostate Cancer UK community is a welcoming and supportive place where men and those close to them can openly seek and offer support, ask questions and share information.”