e50K Portal
Quincey Ankrett- Commercial Bid writer and Fundraiser
A PORTAL to a new world….through the eyes of a technophobe
I am a technophobe…not only that, but tech also genuinely seems to hate me and as such malfunctions around me constantly! I think it knows I hate it – it must.
So, you can imagine my friends, family and coworkers' surprise when, after joining e50K a community of military spouses and partners investing time into helping others enhance and develop their unique environments, I began to talk about how important the online portal project would be for the community.
If I am honest, when an e50K colleague first mentioned an online portal I thought – why? Isn’t that just social media platforms like Facebook/Instagram/twitter? – perhaps you are thinking the same? And you would be right too, most people don’t really know what a portal does (it’s me – I was most people)
So here is a layman’s understanding (please forgive me those of you are ‘live by the tech’) taken from google, obviously.
Broadly speaking, the definition of social media is any platform that allows you to share information, photos, or ideas with other users in an online community.
A portal is a website or web page providing information, photos, or ideas and access or links to other sites in an online community
Its obvious why we are struggling to interpret the difference right!
Perhaps a better way is to show you the difference:
When Christine post on a social media platform about med centre shortages her post appears and is viewed by those in the community and is shown at ‘the top of the news feed’ (her own and the group it was shared on’. Great stuff, until Issy posts about moving boxes and Claire about the need for a cleaner…and so on and so on…with new information appearing all the time. This means when you go back 3 days later to try to remember why there were shortages at the med centre you have to ‘scroll’ through soo much content to find out – or ask the same question again…..and so the content roles on..and on..
What is great is lots of information. What is bad is trying to get it ‘after the fact’
Now, when Christine uploads information to a portal about med centre shortages it appears in the relevant information section (perhaps medical updates or ‘what’s happening in your area this week?’). In this instance the upload appears and remains in the same ‘place’ until taken down or updated. In the meantime other content is posted to other relevant sections but when you go back 3 days later to try to remember why there were shortages at the med centre you can find the information immediately.
What is great is lots of information. What is bad is…….well nothing (providing that information it kept up to date). That’s were e50K comes in.
‘I don’t just use social media for information though’ I hear you shout. Very good point.
A portal also has the capacity for you to:
Search for jobs/post job adverts
Find a floor plan of the houses at your next posting
Have online chat and conversations with people – in real time
Find activities you like to wherever you are in the country (lets start small – world domination can come later)
Advertise your good /services
Signposting to great initiatives such as milspo, co-working network, military wives choir..etc
…and much, much more
The possibilities are endless and even someone who repels tech must agree – that could change the world of the military community where information is drip fed from chain of command, on Facebook, through Whatsapp, posters in the Hive, hubs, the local shop…hell even the occasional lamp post!
