Introduction to using Telegram to share images and give and receive feedback.
- Step 1 is to sign up for the Telegram app on a device. You will need a phone number to do this.
- The age restriction on Telegram is 16. This means that students who are under 16 will need to use this with their parents permission and supervision using a parents phone number and age.
- The program can then be loaded on to a computer or tablet.
- Do not give yourself an @name. Just leave this blank and then no one outside of our group should be able to contact you.
- Our Telegram channels are open from 9am to 9pm. Please do not message after 9pm.
- Set notifications to OFF otherwise you will be disrupted with all of the bings and notifications.
- We recommend setting a time each day where you check out the messages and post your images and give feedback so your creative playtime is not disrupted by the app.
- Do not feel that you have to read all of the messages. Cruise them as you would a lively group conversation at a party. You do not need to be in every conversation at once.
- Joining Telegram is where we have found students can get lost. If you are having trouble please contact us at craig@clickhappy.org.
- For some of our students the Telegram channels can be overwhelming if they are trying to read every message...the only messages that they need to read are the ones from me which will be broadcast on the first link above. It is not a requirement to use Telegram but it does make the experience richer and this is where they get more support and direct feedback. Over time as your learning increases your ability to give and receive better and better feedback increases, this is one of the strongest ways to develop your visual storytelling skills.
- While I am writing this a group of the leaders are currently having a retreat planning session for their magazine that they created at my studio - They have turned my Loft into a Marae style sleeping station. They are from all over the country, met for the first time live and in person this week, and the laughter hasn't stopped. Students who go through the ACA program are able to be considered as contributors to the Create Happy Magazine. This meeting is of the leaders of the magazine. They organize themselves mostly over Telegram and Zoom sessions so students who would like to contribute to the magazine will most likely need to be part of the coms channels there.
- We did try a couple of other options but all of the students preferred Telegram because of the Gifs feature and so we have stayed with it.
- Telegram safety points
- Most online apps can be used for good and not so good purposes. If you have access to a cellphone it is important that you learn skills to keep you safe.
- #1 don't give yourself an @name as this makes it possible for others to contact you that are outside of our channels.
- If for any reason someone does private message you. First check and make sure they are part of the group. If they are not, block them.
- If anyone from the group tries to organize meetings that are not online, your parents need to be present for any of these meet ups.
- We encourage parents to scan messages especially Private messages from time to time on the channel for students who are under 16 years of age just to keep you safe.
- The links to our Telegram starter channels:
- The main channel where I send you the information
- The channel where you share your work and get Feedback
- This is where you can socialize and meet the other young artists from around the country. Please keep the above "Share you work" channel clear of social conversations so that people can access feedback easily and not have it buried in chatter. But feel free to go for it chatting on this channel. The only rules are that the channel is only open from 9am -9pm as last year it went a bit nuts and we got parent complaints. So 9am to 9pm and keep the notifications button set to silent - trust us on this one.