Understand Mattermost channels

It is vital for getting started on Mattermost that you understand the channel list within the dark blue pane (left-hand side on a desktop device, the homepage on a mobile device). This works much like your WhatsApp group list or Messenger discussions list.

• Channels with new posts since you last looked at them will be highlighted in bold in the channel list.
• Click/touch on the name of a channel (from the dark blue pane) to be taken to that channel.
• If you’re not following a particular Mattermost channel, you simply won’t see any of the discussion (or files) on that channel in your view of Mattermost.

So, a crucial setup task for your use of Mattermost is to make sure to get on all the right channels.

BCPGP Mattermost channel list

Reproduced here for your convenience is the list of BCPGP Mattermost channels (as at July 2023). Even more conveniently, all the open channels are hyperlinked here, so you should be able to click on the name of a channel to be taken straight there in Mattermost. Instructions on how to join channels (the crucial bit) follow this channel list!

Town and constituency channels

• bournemouth
  • bournemouth-west 
  • bournemouth-east [General Election constituency channels]
• christchurch
• poole
  • mid-dorset-and-north-poole [General Election constituency channel]

Ward/neighbourhood channels

winton-east | moordown | queens-park-charminster | east-cliff-springbourne | boscombe | wallisdown-winton-west | west-southbourne | hamworthy

If a channel for your ward/neighbourhood hasn’t been started yet and you’d like to help get one going, you can create it yourself or request this on the general channel.

Topic channels

There are three overarching topic channels. Topic-based information/shoutouts/queries of likely general interest to all/most BCPGP members on Mattermost should generally go on one of these three channels:

• climate-eco-emergency [all Mattermost users have been added to this channel]
• social-justice [all Mattermost users have been added to this channel]
• politics-elections [this channel is set to private due to its sensitivity, but is open to any known and trusted BCPGP member – please request access]

There are also a range of channels for individual topics. Any posts which will likely be relevant for the smaller number of BCPGP members with an interest in that topic (who have chosen to be part of that individual topic channel) should go on an individual topic channel:

air-quality | animal-welfare | arts-hospitality | BCP Council budget and governance | children-young-people | divestment | drugs-policy | eco-education-engagement | health-socialcare | housing | local-green-economics | local-tourism | policing-crime-asb | renewable-energy | rewilding | transport | waste-recycling

General channels

• general [everyone added automatically by Mattermost by default]
• off-topic [everyone added automatically by Mattermost by default]
• Mattermost live meetings – a dedicated channel for running live BCPGP members’ meetings on Mattermost – we do the evening’s introductions, housekeeping, negotiations on discussions to be held, and participant status updates on this channel… so as to not clutter up the general channel for those not attending live.
• councillor-support (where councillors have posted directly looking for research help on different topics from any willing volunteers)
• opposition-leaflet-collection Have you received a leaflet through your door from any rival party? Please post it to this channel, so we have it on file.
• activist-status (for updates on activists’ availability)
• stash (for tracking and requesting BCPGP stash, e.g. general-use leaflets, hi-vis jackets, stakeboards, display posters and our feather banners)
• national-party-events (discussion among BCPGP activists of Green Party Conferences or other national party events)

And lastly…

Organisational function channels

These groups are for those who are, or wish to be, involved in back-office functions. (These channels broadly align with BCPGP’s 2020 constitution, which allows decisions to be officially taken on Mattermost channels between formal in-person meetings.)

action-network * [party database] | activism | admin-governance * | coordination *+ | events | finance-fundraising * | green-groups | media-comms | media-comms-newsroom | media-comms-production | media-comms-strategy | membership * | policy | prospective-activists-and-candidates | speakers *+ | students | training-skills-infrastructure

* denotes a channel set to private on Mattermost – ie you cannot see it listed or join it yourself. This is because of their sensitive content we wish to restrict to members trusted by the group. All appropriate requests to join by known and trusted BCPGP members will be granted (e.g. if you are working in one of these domains for a local group within BCPGP, or interested in getting involved in one of these fields at organisational level), please don’t be put off or shy!
+ Speakers Group and Coordination Group have constitutionally defined criteria for group membership.

How to join Mattermost channels

• Click the + icon at the top of the dark-blue navigation pane, to the right of the workspace name ‘BCP Green Party’.

• Click Browse Channels from the menu that appears.

• Then just scroll through the list of available channels, and click the blue Join button on a channel you want to join.
• You will be whisked straight to that channel!
• To join more groups, click the + icon again from the dark-blue navigation pane, and repeat.