Poor standard of Outhouse website

Make and Do · 31-03-2011 7:48pm #1

How does an organisation with 250,000 Euro in Funding not have a professional or presentable website? You can't even log onto the site today. A lot of info is missing or outdated. How can our Community Centre be positively represented with such an outdated website?

Morag · 31-03-2011 8:09pm

Well if you think you can do better and have the time to spare why not offer to help?

Chuchoter · 31-03-2011 9:00pm

I don't really care about the website I just wish they'd fix the rather terrifying floors! You can see downstairs from upstairs :P

They actually don't have very much money, its all volunteer led and they have had to do loads of renovations in the last couple of years. City centre rent isn't exactly cheap either.

Annasopra · 31-03-2011 10:11pm

they don't rent

Make and Do · 31-03-2011 10:11pm

Sharrow wrote: »

Well if you think you can do better and have the time to spare why not offer to help?

That's not a response to my question.

Outhouse get 250,000 Euro Funding per year. They have paid staff and volunteers. They own Outhouse so no rent is owed.

So back to my original question, is there any reason why they don't have a great website?

Annasopra · 31-03-2011 10:16pm

Make and Do wrote: »

That's not a response to my question.

Outhouse get 250,000 Euro Funding per year. They have paid staff and volunteers. They own Outhouse so no rent is owed.

So back to my original question, is there any reason why they don't have a great website?

where is the 250k from?

L1011 · 31-03-2011 10:48pm

Make and Do wrote: »

That's not a response to my question.

Outhouse get 250,000 Euro Funding per year. They have paid staff and volunteers. They own Outhouse so no rent is owed.

So back to my original question, is there any reason why they don't have a great website?

Because they have far better things to be doing with the 250k than spunking it out on a website, clearly.

If you want it improved, offer to help.

Make and Do · 31-03-2011 11:03pm

MYOB wrote: »

Because they have far better things to be doing with the 250k than spunking it out on a website, clearly.

If you want it improved, offer to help.

Haha I love open honest discussions with a view to making things better in our Community :rolleyes:
This attitude of 'if you question something... do it yourself' is unhelpful.

Clearly a great Outhouse website is needed to communicate with new and old members of our Community. I don't think it's a lot to ask for in this day and age of advanced technology. If they don't have the money to pay someone to design a website surely they could recruit a volunteer with technology skills.

Aard · 01-04-2011 12:07am

And what did the people at Outhouse say when you raised this concern with them?

Nebit · 01-04-2011 1:39am

Why are people slaying this person with unhelpful rude comments..... in this day and age whenever one wants to look up information they consult the internet, ergo having an updated and easy to navigate website is key. Especially when people who are struggling/ coming to terms with their sexuality are involved.

It is a valid point.

baby and crumble · 01-04-2011 2:51am

To be fair, I emailed them weeks ago telling them that half their events pages had been hacked (because the hacker put up a calling card on the various pages) and I haven't heard a peep. It does seem like they don't really care much about what is essentially their business card. Of all social groups, gay people (I'd imagine) are more likely to be looking up exactly what's going on online rather than risk turning up expecting something gay and possibly leaving yourself at risk. I think in this day and age there really is no excuse for a shoddily designed website- you can do up some very professional looking pages for free using basic software. I know this because I do it for a few voluntary organisations.

ztoical · 01-04-2011 8:36am

250K might sound like alot of money but it really isn't and the cost of creating a clean content managable website is actually alot of money.

ztoical · 01-04-2011 8:46am

zoegh wrote: »

you can do up some very professional looking pages for free using basic software. I know this because I do it for a few voluntary organisations.

You can but then you need the person who designed it to be free to update it when needed and for some place like Outhouse that has events information that needs to be updated regularly that can cause issues. There's a huge difference between creating a static website and one that needs constent updating. I've seen it happen to loads of organisations were some person has created the website and then left and someone else comes along and tries to alter it but they're not as knowledgable or have a different webdesign background and they end up getting it to work but only after patching alot of code together which means when they leave and the next person tries to update it it just becomes a bigger and bigger mess and the only way to fix it is to rip the whole thing down and start over which is alot of work. Looking at the Outhouse website I'd say it's very good chance that's exactly what's happened.

Aard · 01-04-2011 6:33pm

They should either get a blog-format CMS, or a static page. With the former, at least they'd be able to update it relatively easily. Posterous have a system whereby you can just email in the new post, and it uploads it automatically. Little experience required. At least that way, the only things they'll need to do is make sure the bill for the domain name gets paid, and to remember the password for the email a/c.

TylerIE · 01-04-2011 7:00pm

AFAIK I did ask not too long ago and they are planning to fully renovate it - no point doing a half hearted attempt and wasting money on it being a botched job...

On the previous posters comments re did you offer, I have to concur... There are a very small number of very dedicated volunteers who assist in Outhouse.

Without them dozens of LGBT related groups would be without a home. Furthermore as each service that uses it often has their own page and Outhouse is just their base, It means its not as fundamentally necessary for them to have their own sparkly page.

shoegirl · 02-04-2011 12:21am

Make and Do wrote: »

How does an organisation with 250,000 Euro in Funding not have a professional or presentable website?

250k isn't a lot of funding, given the breadth of their interests.
I am sure they have better things to spend money on than web design.

If you feel its poor, why don't you volunteer to help improve it?

Make and Do · 03-04-2011 5:05pm

If I had the IT skills to help Outhouse why would I be posting on Boards about this issue? Btw Outhouse have never replied to any emails I have sent them.
If groups using Outhouse have their own websites then is it not just as important for Outhouse to have a decent updated website, since it will serve as a 'gateway' for members of our community? Especially for members who are just coming out & are looking for supports/updated information.

ztoical · 03-04-2011 5:35pm

Make and Do wrote: »

If I had the IT skills to help Outhouse why would I be posting on Boards about this issue? Btw Outhouse have never replied to any emails I have sent them.

Why are you posting on boards then? If they are not replying to emails then have you tired asking in person? If the website is crap then most likely no one is looking after it and there's a good chance there's no one checking the website email. What does posting on boards do other then letting a few people moan? Even if by chance someone here works at Outhouse it's still a hell of alot quicker to go direct to the source and if they say they're open to someone coming in and doing the work then by all means post on boards and see if someone who does have the design skills is willing to give up some time.

Make and Do · 03-04-2011 8:23pm

Boards is a 'discussion' forum. Why is asking questions and raising awareness about issues, labelled as moaning? Discussions are for opening up issues not for closing them down. I have to say I am surprised by the level of negativity with regard to responses, which stunts the process of healthy discussion. It seems that my valid question has been experienced as criticism by some members. Anyway......perhaps if anyone connected to Outhouse could respond.... that would be great.

Unconvinced · 07-07-2011 10:50pm

Make and Do wrote: »

Boards is a 'discussion' forum. Why is asking questions and raising awareness about issues, labelled as moaning? Discussions are for opening up issues not for closing them down. I have to say I am surprised by the level of negativity with regard to responses, which stunts the process of healthy discussion. It seems that my valid question has been experienced as criticism by some members. Anyway......perhaps if anyone connected to Outhouse could respond.... that would be great.

What you say about valid discussion appears fair enough to me. But I might say, as an aside, that the way you have phrased it appears rather dismissive and critical, and not accounting for the work that they actually do achieve - and that might account for people reacting how they have. Perhaps you are not conscious of that?
I do a small amount of voluntary work for OH, and am not in any position to speak for the Centre in any official capacity but am clear on what I am saying because of some involvement.
I am sort of surprised by your assertion of 250K as an annual grant or state subvention or whatever you are saying. I have never heard of anything like that amount. And I would love to see your evidence for it as it seems to be the basis of your critical remark/tone. I understand that no-one gets paid very well, that there are continual costs, and that they have to work really hard to get the individual grants that they have done to get the building into some sort of good shape - a grant for windows, another for roof, etc etc. I know there is no philanthropic organisation funding OH, unlike various other gay groups around,
I also understand that their primary goal is provision of space for groups to meet to self-organise. Some groups like Belong To or TENI started there and moved on as they grew in capacity. OH saw its function as enabling them to get started and get moving by providing safe space. Many other groups meet there, groups that have no wish to expand into national organisations - like AA, or GOLD, Gay Switchboard, Gay men's health service, sports groups, etc - around 50 in total I understand. This is a vital service that no-one else provides and is of central importance to very many people who engage or need these groups. Keeping that going does not just happen - it tales dedicated work and management.
So, to your website issue. I think that OH would be the first to agree that what was in place was crap. The maintenance of a site takes work and two things pertain here - they did not have anyone to do it, and they did not have the support to do it.
But you will be happy to hear, I hope, that there is a new website up at the moment. It has been done by voluntary effort entirely, or nearly entirely I understand. It is not perfect, there is still work to do on it, but it is pretty good. And my understanding is that, through voluntary effort, it will be maintained, perhaps not as professionally or slickly as you may like, but till usefully. It does reflect a pride in community and a pride in itself, and I know the folks in there feel that is necessary to project.
Outhouse also developed a 'venue' space - a small intimate theatre and performance space to house LGBT talents of all sorts. This needs support as the funds raised (off cheap ticket price to keep it accessible to all) go back into running the building, paying its mortgage, and doing what it does do better.
So Outhouse needs the support of the community through volunteerism on al levels of its operations. It may not be perfect, and maybe it could do some things better, but my call is that it does do a great job and provides a vital service in pretty adverse conditions.
www.outhouse.ie

Poor standard of Outhouse website

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