Participants are also invited to nominate others to join the roundtables. Most participants log in for a total of one hour each week for the length of each roundtable. Detailed agendas, summaries and final reports are posted to document the discussion. Membership includes search engine, news service, discussion forums, professional library, job bank, and action alerts as well as technical support and training as needed. Unlike chat, conferencing doesn't happen in real time, but happens over time.
Participants can log in whenever they want, catch up on the discussion and join in.
In an electronic mailing list, messages come chronologically to your email box. In conferencing, you go to the conference whenever you want to and the postings are linked by topic. The discussions are also searchable by key word. Technical support and training are available online and by telephone. HandsNet is a national non-profit organization providing online information and training services to help human services professionals strengthen programs and policy work on behalf of children, families, and people in need.