To not want to join a Facebook chat to join a committee?

[Maria53]

First world problem here. Never joined a committee, joining one for the first time. I have never met most of the members and said I'd first like to meet them in a zoom call and take it from there.

So now the chair has added me on facebook and emailed me to say she wants to add me to the group chat. I rarely use Facebook and when I do it is mainly for close friends and family only. My idea of hell is having to use it as the main source of communication as a committee member. Do you think this is weird/intrusive? Or is it just me.

Many people find it convenient. Messenger is a separate app to Facebook, so you don't need to be friends.

Yep it's normal to have a committee instant chat. Makes it easier to sort things between meetings.

The chair said she has added me as a friend so that she can add me to the chat?

I understand that. I am just not a big facebook user as it is and hate the thought of having to use it all the time now. I haven't met them so I dont know if they send 10 memes a day or if it is actually used to organise without constant chit chat.

In my experience this is very normal. Most committees in recent years have required me to be in a chat or group on messenger or WhatsApp. A committee is usually a pretty small group & the chat functions would only be active just before or after a meeting or if something really urgent occurs.

you can mute the chat on a messenger so you look when it's convenient for you. and no, you don't have to have them as friends on facebook.

If that’s how the committee works, you either put up with it or don’t join the committee. No one will thank you for trying to change things the minute you join.

@Wearywithteens

I hate Facebook and do not want to be coerced into using it. I would not join the committee.

This.

Glad I'm not the only one.

We had to for girlguiding. I was annoyed at first but it was useful and easy. If you rarely use then it doesn't seem intrusive.

Yeah I know I cant just breeze in and request for things to be changed!

I think I'll just need to join, make a friendly introduction and mention I'm not big on Facebook so may take me a day or 2 to reply. If I can mute the chat that is good news. I only see it being an issue if they are constantly chatting and I am clearly missing things as a result.