Let’s get you in

Welcome to ALStogether. We’re so happy you’re here. Here’s how you can get the most out of this community. This is Slack. Slack is a communication and collaboration tool that helps people work together. We built ALStogether on Slack to create the ALS headquarters that can move at the speed of ALS and be accessed anywhere, anytime. ALStogether allows for real-time collaboration, resource sharing and support, so we as a community can improve patient care and accelerate ALS research.

When you first join, you’ll land in the #welcome-to-alstogether channel. Channels are like chat rooms for specific topics. You join the channels relevant to you, and Slack organizes your channels on the left-hand side. When you’re in a channel, you can see the channel description and open the channel’s canvas. A Slack canvas is like a digital notebook. In this welcome canvas, we have the community guidelines, Slack tips and private groups, so you can always come back to review. Because this community will continue to expand across the entire ALS community, we understand the need for confidential, trusted spaces.

That’s where private channels for certain topics come in, like this pALS support group, which only admits people living with ALS. Members need to request to join these. To show you how to join, I’ll click that I’m a person living with ALS, and we’ll see all the channels for pALS. From here, I’ll select Start workflow under each group I want to join. But not all groups are private, because we want the ALS community collaborating. Want to explore our public channels? Head to the left sidebar, select Channels, then Browse all channels, and join channels that interest you. In Slack, all public messages and files are searchable, so you can find important information easily.

Do you have questions about adaptive equipment and tools? You can search and see if someone has already discussed the topic. See a message you’d like to respond to? Select Reply in thread and reply there. No need to check the “Also send to channel” box. This keeps conversations organized and makes content easy to search. And don’t forget about emoji. They’re the most fun part of Slack. Use them to react, celebrate or just share how you’re feeling.

You’re almost ready to dive in. Just a few final steps. Update your profile so people can see where you’re from and your relationship to ALS. Click the blank avatar icon in the lower left corner, then click Profile. Add a picture and fill out the fields. Be sure to identify yourself, for example as a person living with ALS. Then introduce yourself to the community. Visit the #intros channel and share a little about yourself. Most importantly, start connecting.

Share your experiences, join discussions and find the support you deserve. You can always check out #slack-tips-and-tricks for helpful tips to make the most of your experience. Have questions? Post in the #help-admins channel. We’re here to help. Again, welcome to our ALStogether community. We are so happy to have you here.