atw: Re: Agencies, contractors and other gripes (another longish contribution)

Jill

I have been on this list since its inception - that's a LOT of years, and
any time anyone tries to do something, someone else deflates their balloon.
This time it was you amongst many others.  When does this miserable
negativity stop, or is it inherent in the nature of tech writers?  When do
we EVER stop complaining and DO something?  

Associations may run lovely conferences and publish beautiful magazines, but
despite huge volumes of volunteer labour over many years (yours included),
they have patently failed big-time to achieve anything measurable for the
Australian Technical Writing community which has gone seriously backwards in
the time I have been associated with it. Perhaps it is time to let them go
and find another way - to be creative and harness enthusiasm wherever it is
found?

This is my last hurrah - but I would love to see some energy build and
something achieved before I go, and if I can help someone do that, I will.  

So as another "elder" of the list, why don't you either provide the solution
yourself, or support those who still have some energy left?  I certainly
wasn't questioning your ability, just your motivation for pouring cold water
on someone else's attempt to do something that is both worthwhile and, in my
opinion, achievable.

Christine.   

-----Original Message-----
From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jill Nicholson
Sent: Thursday, 18 January 2007 9:52 AM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Re: Agencies, contractors and other gripes (another longish
contribution)

Sorry if I appeared to be knocking - maybe that is the in word for anyone 
who doesn't agree with you.
I am entitled to an opinion and if it is different to some - so be it.
I have no time at the moment and I think that after some 15 years of 
belonging to one society or another and volunteering time and energy to 
promote the technical communication profession I am all out of puff.
Thanks for the answer Michael - I can now see why editors accreditation may 
work and be 'easier' to set-up.

This statement appears to be 'knocking'  my ability not my opinion and I 
take great exception to it.

If you are too busy and too important to contribute to it, why don't you
 volunteer to review the first draft.  Or perhaps you have too many vested
 interests that would not be served by the average "untrained" TW becoming
 proud of their profession?

Jill Nicholson



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Christine Kent" <c.bkent@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 6:34 PM
Subject: atw: Re: Agencies, contractors and other gripes (another longish 
contribution)


> So join in Jill instead of knocking.
>
> Your attitude is exactly why we are so ineffectual.  I am totally behind
> Michelle on this one.  ANYTHING - absolutely ANYTHING that educates
> recruiters is better than the industry as it is now!
>
> >
> ck
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jill Nicholson
> Sent: Wednesday, 17 January 2007 5:10 PM
> To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: atw: Re: Agencies, contractors and other gripes (another longish
> contribution)
>
> Michelle you are taking on a lot - who will validate your document and 
> what
> say certain people don't believe in it? How is everyone going to agree on
> what we are worth??
> Jill
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Hallett, Michelle" <Michelle.Hallett@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2007 3:07 PM
> Subject: atw: Re: Agencies, contractors and other gripes (another longish
> contribution)
>
>
>>I just want to create a document we can put in front of agencies and
>> employers which:
>>
>> 1. tells them what we do
>> 2. explains how to assess our capabilities and our competence
>> 3. explain how much we think our skills are worth and why
>>
>> For the rest of it, you can argue about accreditation and grades and
>> guilds till the cows come home (or the sheep are kidnapped by aliens).
>>
>> Michelle Hallett
>> IT Trainer/Support Analyst
>> Leighton Contractors P/L
>> Tel: 02 8668 6047
>> Fax: 02 8668 6666
>> Mob: 0434 183 541
>> Email: michelle.hallett@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> [mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Christine Kent
>> Sent: Wednesday, 17 January 2007 2:23 PM
>> To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: atw: Re: Agencies, contractors and other gripes (another
>> longish contribution)
>>
>> Guys - you going to get bogged down again through lack of clear
>> thinking.
>>
>> First - there are TWO issues on the agenda which should be kept quite
>> distinct and separate.
>>
>> 1 Document and communicate the "what is".  This is the easy bit.
>> It
>> should bring quick reward, and be an essential starting point to looking
>> into accreditation anyway.
>> 2 Set up a system of accreditation
>>
>> Second - you will do nothing if you start to get bogged down in who
>> should
>> run this.
>>
>> As far as who is involved is concerned - let volunteers get on with it.
>> Michelle seems keen, so please let her get on with it. Or two people,
>> Michelle could run the document what is stage, and Warren could run the
>> accreditation stage.   If some of those who volunteer are also involved
>> with
>> one, two or a zillion associations, let them volunteer like everyone
>> else,
>> and add value where they can.  Who wants to set an agenda, book a room,
>> organise a hook-up of some kind, book the date and invite everyone else?
>> Then do it.  That's it.  Not complicated.
>>
>> ck.
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> [mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bruce Ashley
>> Sent: Wednesday, 17 January 2007 2:07 PM
>> To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: atw: Re: Agencies, contractors and other gripes (another
>> longish
>> contribution)
>>
>> I'm not knocking either society Michael. I have been on three previous
>> committees with the ASTC(Vic) (although the last one didn't last very
>> long)
>> so I'm familiar with a lot that goes on in the background.
>> All I was saying is that accreditation should be ASTC led.
>> But having said that, I haven't seen the code of ethics either. :)
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Bruce
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> [mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Michael Lewis
>> Sent: Wednesday, 17 January 2007 1:24 PM
>> To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: atw: Re: Agencies, contractors and other gripes (another
>> longish
>> contribution)
>>
>> Bruce Ashley:
>>
>>> As our 'representative' bodies, both ASTCs should not only be
>> involved,
>> but
>>> should be driving this (they have tinkered with it many times in the
>> past).
>>> In theory, the TW community appoints the committee members of both
>> societies
>>> to act on their behalf so why (in theory) would we need to go outside
>> the
>>> societies?
>>
>> Perhaps it's worth remembering that -- in NSW, at least -- the ASTC was
>> successful in getting a Code of Ethics defined and agreed. Whether it
>> has
>> made
>> any perceptible difference to the lives of technical communicators is
>> something I can't begin to guess. But it was a fairly tough problem that
>> many
>> thought was not solvable.
>>
>>
>> Michael Lewis
>>
>> --------------------------------------
>> Brandle Pty Limited, Sydney, Australia
>> www.brandle.com.au
>> --------------------------------------
>>
>>
 

-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.5.432 / Virus Database: 268.16.13/634 - Release Date: 17/01/2007
4:45 PM
 

**************************************************
To post a message to austechwriter, send the message to 
austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

To subscribe to austechwriter, send a message to 
austechwriter-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with "subscribe" in the Subject field.

To unsubscribe, send a message to austechwriter-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 
"unsubscribe" in the Subject field.

To search the austechwriter archives, go to 
www.freelists.org/archives/austechwriter

To contact the list administrator, send a message to 
austechwriter-admins@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
**************************************************

Other related posts: