Towards A Scotch 82 Year Group Social Media Proposal...
Aim:
To provide a Summary and a more Detailed Overview of how a Scotch 82 Year Group Proposal might be drafted, between now and our 40 Year Reunion in 2022 (that can potentially be voted on by our Classmates), as well as what an Example Proposal to OSCA might look like.
Introduction:
Our Classmates, the Scotch College Melbourne, Class of 1982, or "Scotch 82" for short, are Legends!
We have continued to feel the importance of change in Australia towards Men's Health, and that includes giving each other hope that we can reconnect, and stay connect, between 10 year Reunions.
Has a new theme emerged to help explain this fantastic attitude our Year Group continues to display that was built in the class room, on the sports fields, during House Meetings, study groups, etc?
The Cardinal Thread...
A significant amount of time and effort has been put into our Scotch College Melbourne Class of 1982 - "Scotch 82" - Social Media Adventure, by our Classmates, especially since 2012.
Providing feedback to the Old Scotch Collegian Association about why approximately 1/3 of the Class of 1982 can be expected to attend a Ten Year Reunion was being discussed by some members of our Year Group, in 2012, following our 30 Year Reunion.
30 Year Reunion Invitations included a list of "Missing Classmates", and a Class of 1982 facebook page seemed a possible practical medium for discussion about 'reaching out' to peer groups who might be in touch with the "missing", via their Social or Business Network, to get the Missing's feedback.
Deterrents as to why we do not have a 100% turnout are may include: distance to travel from overseas, or interstate; attended a Reunion already; didn't get an invitation; loss of contact with peer group and/or friends; bitterness due to abuse, or perceived abuse of self or others; Australian Politics; left school behind, and haven't looked back; issues arising from changes at a Club; sense of inequality; didn't meet Teacher expectations ie. Astronaut, Doctor, Lawyer, Engineer, Chartered Account, Sporting Hero, Business Innovator, Comedic Genius, Hollywood Star, etc; family pressures; too expensive; passed away; and severed the Cardinal Thread.
In a recent interview with Great Scot, Scotch 64's "Big" Doug Lording speaks about why he and wife Liz severed the thread with Scotch for "about 15 years" (see p75 -> https://viewer.joomag.com/great-scot-161-december-2020-e-mag-v2b/0041026001608336930?short& )
Open the "Overview" and Comparison Infographics blog here -> https://scotch82oscafeatures.blogspot.com/2021/02/oscaconnect-oscanet-and-scotch-82.html
Arriving at a Year Group Proposal, or a Proposal that our Year Group might potentially vote on, put forward by one or two Classmates, or from a Group of Classmates, will be addressed in a Summary and a more detail Overview, in this blog.
The original 2012 Proposal for a facebook website/page, by Geoff Marum and Mick Arnott, is:
"Address a sense of Inequality"
Philosophically speaking, "a sense of Inequality" had different connotations to different students, and depends on the context it is being used in.
Scotch College, in 1982, had students from a variety of backgrounds, including Boarders and Day Boys, Scholarship holders, Overseas Students, Religious and Non-religious families, etc.
"Education Opportunities" was an issue that we were aware of, from time to time, because a Private School Education was considered a privilege to be able to receive, and was not consider easily affordable to the majority of Australian Families.
The High School Certificate (HSC) track record of Scotch College also played an important in the reputation it had maintained throughout it's long history, which included Alumni achieving awards they attributed to their time at Scotch.
High University Entrance Scores meant that terms like "spoon feeding" were familiar to us, as well as references to the "silver spoon" were unavoidable then, as it is still the case today.
Political Party preferences were also favouring the Liberal National Party Coalition, during the Fraser era, because the Labour Party was not considered Private School friendly during our informal play ground discussions (not to mention the odd letter sent to our parents).
Stoicism, boys don't cry, men don't show their weaknesses or say sorry, women are the 'fairer' sex, and lots of other 'social programming' messages, we may have picked up in the play ground, are being reconsidered 40 Years On from 1982.
Boys having troubles at school, due to bullying, any kind of abuse, or emotionally, perhaps were not identified for Psychological Counselling or Chaplaincy Care as we know is the case in 2021, and especially since the findings of the Royal Commission into Institutionally Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, established Federally, by Prime Minister Julia Gillard, in 2013.
Social Class Inequality was also a feeling some of our Classmates brought with them into our play ground dynamics. The adage "It's who you know, not what you know" also made it's way around the playground, however, merit based achievements, acknowledgement, and rewards, amongst peers, was by far the norm one could expect, but some questioned this kind of perceived Inequality more thoroughly during 1982.
Societal Expectations placed on Scotch Students was a dynamic Private School Boys had to get use to, and behaviorally, Private Schools were considered Institutions for producing young Gentlemen, in 1982, as they so often are today!
Catholic/Protestant Relations... The Reformation and the resulting Protestant Church's Doctrinal Statements regarding the Roman Catholic Church and Pope, and the Catholic Church's Inquisitions and Counter-Reformation perhaps help to explain the Gardener's Creek exchanges of landscaping materials, which added to the long standing rivalry between St Kevin's and Scotch, during 1982. On the 10 April 1998, The Good Friday or Belfast Agreement was signed that officially ended The Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Towards Drafting A Year Group Social Media Proposal (Summary).
Here is an example of a "Scotch 82 Year Group Proposal 2022" that Two or More of our Classmates may come up with, following on from our 3 Milestone Prototyping between 2012 and 2021, that started with the "Scotch 82 Original Proposal 2012", by Geoff Marum and Mick Arnott.
Some of our Classmates also belong to one or more of our Scotch 82 Groups, and therefore may decide they'd prefer to stick with a Group Proposal, rather than help create a Year Group Proposal.
The drafting of a OSCAconnect Group Proposal, based loosely on our "Scotch Original Proposal 2012" that Compares favorably to what we have Prototyped together as a Year Group, may come about by Classmates deciding they have an idea that they'd like to pursue, and put to OSCA (between now and our 40 Year Reunion in 2022).
Our Scotch 82 Support Influencers in Andrew Wilson (OSCA President/OSCA Collegians), Graham Bradbeer (OSCA Chaplain), and Scott Montgomery (OSCA Executive Director) are familiar with our Year Group's Social Media Adventure, and can provide valuable insights towards creating such a Proposal, for example.
In response, OSCA may decide to form a Working Group, or perhaps suggest our Scotch 82 Active Admins (Secret) Group has the experience to consider a Proposal for our Year Group...
Towards Drafting A Year Group Social Media Proposal (Detailed Overview).
The Original Proposal, by Geoff Marum and Mick Arnott, lead to the creation of our Scotch 82 facebook website/page, see -> https://www.facebook.com/Scotch1982 , and we added Albums according to how our Classmates were using other Social Media Sites, not just facebook.
By taking a Prototyping Approach, we embraced challenges and questions, set guidelines, received Action Requests, benefitted from OSCA's Friendship Pastoral Care and Support initiatives, took into consideration our Scotch 82 Support Influencers input, etc.
Our Prototyping Approach has helped us to see there is a need for an Updated Proposal, based (loosely) on the wording of the original Scotch 82 facebook page Proposal by Geoff Marum and Mick Arnott, that started our Social Media Adventure.
A summary of the Milestones reached during Prototyping can be found in our Scotch 82 End of Year Wrap for 2020 -> https://scotch82wrap2020.blogspot.com/2020/03/scotch-82-wraps-2020-milestone-3.html
Giving Classmates A Voice, by Voting On a Year Group Proposal, That May Include Amendments...
When we take a look at the example "Scotch 82 Year Group Proposal 2022" above, and compare it with the "Scotch 82 Original Proposal 2012", it becomes apparent our 3 Milestone Prototyping poses a significant Wording Amendment to the Original Proposal, therefore, a New Proposal may be needed (hence the example of a Scotch 82 Year Group Proposal 2022 above).
Our Classmates created Action Requests for facebook Groups, that are Linked to our Scotch 82 facebook page.
Here is the Proposal that lead to the creation of our Scotch 82 Active Admins (Secret) Group:
Our Scotch 82 Active Admins (Secret) Group has been very helpful for the Administration of our Scotch 82 facebook page, in addition to providing an oversight function for "Scotch 82" as an Admin of LINKED Groups eg. Scotch 82 Business, Scotch 82 Friendship Group (Archived).
Our Classmates have prototyped the integration of more than one Social Media Site eg. facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc, and our Active Admins Group has facilitated year group decision making, administration and oversite of our Scotch 82 Profiles, as well as provided an integrated approach to cross-site Posting.
Furthermore, members of our Scotch 82 Active Admins Group are Admins of our Scotch 82 Social Media Sites, and Linked Groups. Our Active Admins can Post Publicly as Scotch 82, on our Social Media Profiles, and Privately as Scotch 82 in our Secret Groups.
Active Admin Group Members have participated in a number of decisions that have proven they are able to work together as a Team, and could produce a combined Year Group Social Media Proposal, with feedback from OSCA House.
Giving Scotch 82 Active Admin Members A Voice, by Voting On Options for the Future of Their Group...
Our Scotch 82 Active Admin Group Members may decide to Vote (or Not) on one of the options below, a combination these options, or create further options, in the lead up to our 40 Year Reunion:
A.) #Scotch82 / OSCAconnect AND Create a New Group Through Merging
#Scotch82 has been a Social Media feature on facebook since 2015, also providing our Classmates with an opportunity to share publicly.
Consulting with our Scotch 82 Support Influencers may provide our Classmates with some insight into the viability of creating an entirely new facebook Group, that could come about by 'Merging' our current and Archived Scotch 82 Groups into the one group called "Scotch 82 (Melbourne) Connect".
Classmates can choose their future Social Media Support with OSCA's Wellbeing initiative in mind -> https://www.oscanet.com.au/osca-thrive/ , whilst enjoying the benefits of the growing OSCAconnect Online Business and Social Network.
NB. facebook does not have a Merge option, but important Photos and Albums from each existing group can be Copied into a newly created group, and Classmates invited to join.
B.) Migrate to OSCA Connect "Thank-you Scotch 82 Active Admins Group & Good-bye!"
OSCA Connect -> https://oscaconnect.com.au/ provides many great Alumni benefits to our Classmates who are seeking a Social Media Central Meeting Point, a place we can get-together Online with other Old Boys alongside OSCA Council Members, as well as join a variety of interest Groups...
If that's the case, our Classmates may decide to follow take this option, and wind up our Scotch 82 Social Media Adventure, which would lead to the eventual Deletion of our Scotch 82 Active Admins Group!
As illustrated below, there's a future possibility that a (Private) OSCAconnect Year Group Photo Album, and Class of 1982 Group could be created to replace our (Public) Scotch 82 Social Media Sites' and Albums.
Here is the proposal that lead to the creation of our Scotch 82 Businesses (Secret) Group:
A number of Business Opportunities have been discussed in our Scotch 82, and some of our Classmates have Business facebook page that our Scotch 82 facebook page has "Liked". Additionally, articles on Classmates, that have appeared in the Business New Pages, have been added to our Group Newsfeed.
Question. Might our Scotch 82 Businesses Group Members Come Up With a Year Group Proposal?
Some of our Businesses Group Members are also Active Admins, and, as a Group, have enough experience to produce a Year Group Social Media Proposal (see above).
Furthermore, some of our Scotch 82 Businessmen have gained experience in the Corporate Sector, and this can mean participation in Committee, Directorial, and Company Groups where Proposals are formulated.
Giving Scotch 82 Businesses Group Members A Voice, by Voting On Options for the Future of Their Group...
Our Scotch 82 Businesses Group Members may decide to Vote (or Not) on one of the options below, a combination these options, or create further options, in the lead up to our 40 Year Reunion:
A.) DELINK from Scotch 82
As a Group that has chosen to DELINK, our Scotch 82 Businesses Group continues to have a Classmate(s) Admin, however, the Group is no longer linked to our Scotch 82 facebook page, "Scotch 82", and our Scotch 82 Active Admins (Secret) Group no longer plays a role in the Group's future.
B.) #Scotch82Businesses AND Scotch 82 Businesses (Secret) Group
Choosing to DELINK, from our Scotch 82 facebook page, continues to give Group Members (and other interested parties) the great features of the Public Social Media "#" Hashtag feature on facebook, which can also extend across to other Social Media Sites.
If our Scotch 82 Businesses Group Members chose to DELINK, they may continue to use our Scotch 82 Guidelines, or perhaps create their own Group Guidelines!
NB. Rules/Guidelines for use of a "#" are set by Social Media Providers ie facebook, instagram, etc.
C.) LINK to a New facebook Page
Publishing a New facebook Page eg. "Scotch 82 Businesses" provides further choice when it comes to Post content governance, and Admin Opportunities, whilst retaining our Scotch 82 Business (Secret) Group for Private discussions, direction, and decision making.
If our Scotch 82 Businesses Group Members chose to Propose and Second a New Facebook Page, they may chose to use our Scotch 82 Guidelines, modify them, or perhaps create their own New Guidelines!
D.) Migrate to OSCA Connect "Thank-you Scotch 82 Businesses Group & Good-bye!"
OSCA Connect -> https://oscaconnect.com.au/ provides many great Alumni benefits to our Classmates who are seeking a Social Media Central Meeting Point, a place we can get-together Online with other Old Boy Businessmen alongside OSCA Council Members, as well as a variety of other interest Groups...
In that's the case, our Scotch 82 Business Group Lads may decide this is a great new "no cost" Business Opportunity and wind up our Scotch 82 Businesses (Secret) Group for Archiving or Deletion!
As illustrated below, there's a future possibility that a (Private) OSCAconnect Year Group Photo Album could be created to replace our (Public) Scotch 82 Social Media Sites' Albums. Likewise, perhaps a OSCAconnect Scotch 82 Businesses Photo Album, to highlight our Classmates Business Opportunities, could be created within OSCAconnect!?
E.) #Scotch82 / OSCAconnect AND Create a New Group Through Merging
#Scotch82 has been a Social Media feature on facebook since 2015, providing our Classmates with an opportunity to share publicly.
Consulting with our Scotch 82 Support Influencers will provide our Classmates with some insight into the viability of creating an entirely new facebook Group, that could come about by 'Merging' our current and Archived Scotch 82 Groups into the one group called "Scotch 82 (Melbourne) Connect".
Classmates can choose their future Social Media Support with OSCA's Wellbeing initiative in mind -> https://www.oscanet.com.au/osca-thrive/ , whilst enjoying the benefits of the growing OSCAconnect Business and Social Network.
NB. facebook does not have a Merge option, but important Photos and Albums from each existing group can be Copied into a newly created group, and Classmates invited to join.
F.) FUTURE Migration to an OSCAconnect Class of 1982 Group
Coming up with a Proposal for OSCA to create an OSCAconnect Class of 1982 Group, could happen if our Year decides Not to continue our Social Media Adventure, pre or post our 40 Year Reunion!
At the present time, OSCAconnect have not created a "Class of 1982 Group", however, if such a Group existed, before our 40 Year Reunion, this would give our Classmates who have enjoyed being a member of one or more of our facebook (Secret/Private) Groups a Group to migrate to.
Potentially, an OSCAconnect Class of 1982 Group might include sharing Scotch 82 Business Opportunities (as per David Klinger's Action Request), or Scotch 82 Business Opportunities could be shared in OSCA's LinkedIn Group.
NB. Guidelines for how OSCAconnect Groups function have been requested, by email, but no response has been received at the time of posting.
G.) #Scotch82Businesses AND Do Nothing
Keeping It Simple is sometimes the most effective way to ensure our Classmates do not get burdened with the desire to contribute to our Social Media Adventure together.
Furthermore, the pressure to create Posts can also act as a deterrent, therefore, an easy solution is to just add #Scotch82Businesses to appropriate business related posts, and this way our Classmates can check your posts out at their leisure.
This option provides many of the same benefits our Scotch 82 Businesses (Secret) Group Members enjoy, without the need of belonging to a Scotch 82 Group or an OSCAconnect Group.
If our Year Group decides/votes to end our Scotch 82 Social Media Adventure together pre or post our 40 Year Reunion, then "Scotch 82" as an Admin can Delete our Scotch 82 Businesses (Secret) Group, and then likewise our Scotch 82 Active Admins (Secret) Group, and other Scotch 82 Social Media Site will be deleted in due course.
The "Do Nothing" option leaves the future Action taken up to our Scotch 82 Active Admins (Secret) Group, as our Active Admins oversee the role of "Scotch 82" as an Admin in our Scotch 82 Businesses Group, because the Group is linked to our Scotch 82 facebook page.
Furthermore, it is envisaged the only time "Scotch 82" as Admin would Delete our Scotch 82 Businesses Group (without the Group's Member voting to Delete it) is following a Year Group Vote on a Social Media Proposal that leads to all of our Social Media Sites and/or Groups being Deleted, in consultation with our Scotch 82 Support Influencers, and (if deemed necessary) OSCA.
Question: How Far Off Is OSCA Connect Year Groups (and Certified Admin Training)?
Thanks to the team at facebook, this is already a very realistic community team building potentiality.
The Admin Leadership and Management training of future OSCA Connect Group Certified Admins, that might prove to be very attractive incentive for joining OSCA Connect -> https://oscaconnect.com.au/ need not be burdensome, as facebook have done a lot of the heavy lifting
which our Scotch 82 Group Admins can also tap into ->
image credits -> https://www.facebook.com/community/certification/
OSCA Well-being Contingency Planning...
With less than a year to go before we reunite at our old school, OSCA Well-being and Gotcha4Life offer a possible mateship model (see -> https://www.gotcha4life.org/mate ) that perhaps goes beyond our Scotch 82 Social Media initiatives.I have written to our OSCA Chaplaincy about the ongoing hurts some of our Classmates carry from our time at Scotch, and to discuss if there is a crossover between what Graham thinks about the OSCA Well-being Gotcha4Life mateship model, and what our Classmates can do to support each other, using Social Media and/or OSCA Connect.Contingency planning for the ongoing Support and Care of our Classmates is something that I pray about, as has Graham, so lets keep working together to ensure all our Classmates are not left behind, post our 40 Year Reunion.God bless, with love,Mick
OSCA Well-being Contingency Planning...
With less than a year to go before we reunite at our old school, OSCA Well-being and Gotcha4Life offer a possible mateship model (see -> https://www.gotcha4life.org/mate ) that perhaps goes beyond our Scotch 82 Social Media initiatives.
I have written to our OSCA Chaplaincy about the ongoing hurts some of our Classmates carry from our time at Scotch, and to discuss if there is a crossover between what Graham thinks about the OSCA Well-being Gotcha4Life mateship model, and what our Classmates can do to support each other, using Social Media and/or OSCA Connect.
Contingency planning for the ongoing Support and Care of our Classmates is something that I pray about, as has Graham, so lets keep working together to ensure all our Classmates are not left behind, post our 40 Year Reunion.
God bless, with love,
Mick
Conclussion:
Taking a Collegiate approach is something our Scotch Family does particularly well, and we can thank God for that strength!
Mick Arnott and Geoff Marum wanted to help each other, and our Classmates to Reconnect, Reconcile, and Reunite, by addressing a sense of Inequality that crept into our HSC Year, and created a facebook page. The converstation has continued, and I (Mick) personally feel confident the Inequality has been addressed to a significantly high degree.
OSCA have also embarded on their Social Media Adventure PLUS created a dynamic Young Old Boys Group who have provided feedback, which has lead to a totally new communications platform to help them stay Connected, and Old Boys to Reconnect.
What's Next? Reunite!!
The proof is in the 40 Year Reunion pudding, but perhaps "I Want to See No More Suicides" as one Campfire/BBQ Get-together Participant put it, is the ultimate goal for our Year to work towards!?
Whether it's a Year Group, Peer Group, Mind Your Mate, or Scotch Family combined effort, we can thank God we are keeping the converstation going and Speaking Up!
image link -> https://www.scotch.vic.edu.au/safeguarding.aspx
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