AFK Room Program
We’re living life online these days, and that includes all the ways we come together. Take This is excited to announce the our newest program: AFKOnline!
AFKOnline is a moderated Discord server that has been specifically designed to offer peer-based, non-therapeutic emotional support to attendees. It will be active and staffed with volunteers throughout the course of the convention. Volunteers will offer empathic support, answer questions relating to mental health information, and provide resources. The server will also have moderators to maintain a calm space for folks to relax and discuss the convention. As always, Take This volunteers and clinicians do NOT provide mental health services or professional consultations at any time in our discord or during AFKOnline.
The AFK Room Program is more than just a quiet, mental health space. It is a full, comprehensive convention wellness program that operates for convention attendees and convention staff. It’s comprised of three essential factors:
• Programmatic evaluation
• Staff wellness and distress intervention training
• The AFK Room
The Take This AFK room is a staffed, relaxed space for anyone who feels overwhelmed and needs a place to regain their calm. It is run by local volunteers and clinicians, trained by Take This, to moderate and maintain the atmosphere. We strive to offer education, resources, and a listening ear to convention attendees without verging into offering therapeutic treatment.
The AFK Room Program currently operates in a number of conventions around the United States, including all US PAX events. For more information, please see our overview handout, our FAQ page or contact us.
If you are a mental health care practitioner and would like to volunteer for the AFK Room, please fill out our volunteer form.
Take This, Inc. seeks to educate, inform, and advocate about about mental health issues in our community. We do not provide mental health services or professional consultations. For information on when to seek dedicated clinical help and how to find it, please visit our “When to Seek Help” page. If you or someone you know is in crisis, in need of immediate intervention, and based in the US, please visit the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or call 1-800-273-8255. Information for other countries/areas can be found here.