Devotion < Age?

[TheGesserGuy]

Dear those that may read this, here is my story.

Since I've joined the Roleplay UK community, I have always been willing to put my heart and sole into helping others. Hell, I made my own group called the Volunteer Medical Service so I could help people. This service used my own money and time to get others to not only join, but to lend them the thousands it costs us to even buy the equipment. I was told by several National Health Service members to in fact join, and that even if I told them I couldn't join because of my age, they said it would be fine. So I did.

I applied, then realizing that I was only fourteen not sixteen. I lied about my age, and I know I shouldn't have, but I've never not been mature, I've never tried to go against this wonderful community. I was then accepted by a member of the NHS administration team, that was one of the men that congratulated me on my devotion even if I'm not the age or part of the service. Then, they realize that I lied about my age, and therefore they ban me. 

My question is, why is age the way of signalling whether we are good or not? Why should the young people who are just or more devoted to saving or securing the lives of the Altis Citizens being denied by those who are the age? Myself and others agree that if you put your heart into it, if you put your mind to it, your age is just a number that doesn't mean anything. But, I mainly ask, why is a number, signifying the sets of 365.25 days you've been on this earth make what you can be any what you can't be.

Now, I've got to go write a ban appeal, because my age is what limits my talents. Thank you. 

 

[Shepherd]

It's not about whether 'you're good or not'. It's about safeguarding the younger members of the community. 

And you haven't 'got to' write an unban appeal. It is a choice.

Also you should have read the rules therefore it was your disregard for the rules that led to your ban, so don't try and play the victim - You knew full well that you was breaking the rules that have been set for a reason, well, at least you should have. 

(I apologise for the hostile approach but you're playing the victim and acting like the community owes you something because you were banned, like it isn't clear that people under 16 shouldn't apply)

P.S. Devotion doesn't mean that you should be allowed to break the rules, there are many devoted to their roles in a faction that are under 16. @Fergus the Hostage for one, and I am sure he knows full well if he was to leave the police he wouldn't be allowed to return for a couple years.

 

[FergusW]

I too, understand that it's hard. It feels like you are being discriminated against because of your age (I'm 13). I think it's because they have found that as a majority, not everyone, a majority of people who are 16+ are more mature than someone who is say, 14. It's just how it was picked - it probably was a bad idea to lie about your age but it's a bit late to say that now.
Best of luck on your appeal but there have been MANY posts like this and nothing has changed. Personally, I think it's better as it is, and there is also the safeguarding thing and the boring stuff! I don't think anything will change. Sorry.
Fergus

 

[Sonder]

Considering your situation, please hear me out. We have the rule, (1.9) in place. Now whatever the reason, it is a bannable offense to lie about your age when applying to a whitelisted faction. You said that someone from the NHS encouraged you to apply to them, you probably still should have taken the rules into consideration. What you could have done is come on TS in support rooms, listen to what we could have said. You most likely would get the answer "No, you need to be 16+ to apply", thus most likely not making you apply and you would have not gotten banned. Just because someone from NHS tells you that you can apply does not mean you are an excempt from the rules. If someone tells you to jump off a bride, you would not jump would you? I want to believe that all players reads through the rules, at least you should have so you should have been aware of the rule that now has gotten you banned. What you could also have done is to put the application in with your actual age, and if (I do not know the procedures of this, if any, so this might be a bit off) you have been recommended internally in NHS and they still wanted you in even though you are underage, then there could possibly be a workaround. But you chose to lie about your age, so I do not see why you borderline complain about your ban here on the forums. Do an unban appeal if you want to play on the server again, thats all you can do. 

Now keep in mind, the rule is not there to keep out underage players because they are underage, the rule is there for other reasons, like others have said, for example safeguarding underage players. I know fair and well that alot of players under 16 can be mature and function well in whitelisted factions, but the rule is still there, and if you break it you must be ready for the consequenses. 

Have a great evening, and best of luck with your unban appeal, if you so wish to put one in.

 

[Anonymous Capybara1]

I too, understand that it's hard. It feels like you are being discriminated against because of your age (I'm 13). I think it's because they have found that as a majority, not everyone, a majority of people who are 16+ are more mature than someone who is say, 14. It's just how it was picked - it probably was a bad idea to lie about your age but it's a bit late to say that now.
Best of luck on your appeal but there have been MANY posts like this and nothing has changed. Personally, I think it's better as it is, and there is also the safeguarding thing and the boring stuff! I don't think anything will change. Sorry.
Fergus

As a 15 year old INS, couldn't agree more with Fergus points. Bide your time and try and have fun.

 

[angellfall]

I for one have never understood the need of RPUK to manage their members by their age. Somewhat interesting idea that people under some age group cannot do x and y if they dont want to. Or it is RPUK's job to protect these members? Dunno what they need protecting from. IMO. RPUK is pretty(if you dont take into account of couble glitches here and there) healthy environment for player to play and should preserve these members instead of letting them go elsewhere to play. 

That being said, as healthcare professional I do understand the need for young people to find their path and that sets them to try lot of stuff in a short phase of time. When back in the days in police younger people where able to join I was well aware that the most % of people leaving where the ones being really young and this being totally normal if you compared it to the default actions of this set age group. However it does not make them bad players, we just need to find to way to have them in. Obviously easy solution to problem was to just ban them instead of trying out other ideas. That is if you dont take into account the young recruit program.

 

[ShadowDirector]

Look mate, we understand you want to Roleplay and if anything improve your experience here at Roleplay.co.uk however it is not advised that you lie on your applications as it can in fact get you in messy situations such as this. I fully understand your frustration and all I can do is wish you luck for the future, I want to also mention. No matter the circumstances its very impotent to respect the server rules that have been put in place. 

I see you have stated the following:

I was told by several National Health Service members to in fact join, and that even if I told them I couldn't join because of my age, they said it would be fine. So I did.

 The Medic who did that was in fact very wrong. I advise turning that person in to an MTO. 

I am sorry you have had to go through this and hopefully we here at the NHS will see you apply again in the foreseeable future when you are sixteen, again I wish you the best of luck. 

Kind Regards

PAR. Faheem

NHS Application Team

 

[Louie Austino]

We know that you love the Medic side of the RP, however, surely a rule break wasn't the best way to combat the fact you are unable to get in. it would be best for you to have respected the server rules and waited.

The 16+ Rule is there to not only protect those under the age of 16 but also those older, when people try to get in with different ages they not only put themselves at risk but also those who are older. The rule is there for reasons which I will not go into, however, may I say its there for a damn good reason. I hate having to deal with situations like this as the Deputy of the NHS Application Team, however, it's a rule which is strongly enforced throughout the community and is there to keep everyone safe. 

It's not there because of Maturity, believe me, I've met many people younger than 16 here and the vast majority of them are at times maturer than other people here. In the eyes of the Law and Government, if you are under 16 you are all but a child, and yes its wrong I agree, however, that's a debate to be discussed in the Commons for any sort of change to come about. I met you in game I believe and loved your RP and how even though you had the barriers before you, you still tried to do what you could, however, you threw that away by trying to bypass the rule.

Unfortunately, with rules come consequences and I have to follow said rules, not only to protect yourself but others here, and with my responsibility here, I will do that. I'm sorry you had to surcome to a ban but rules are rules. 

I wish you the best of luck in your unban appeal and wish to see you patrolling as an NHS member when you are 16.

Kind regards,

DR. Louie Austino

NHS Application Team Deputy

 

[Boyd Colt]

I understand that you have to be a certain age for safeguarding reasons. also your wanting to be able to help people does not go unnoticed, but if at all possible maybe you could come on ride alongs with the NHS if that has no age limit and i think that way you will be helping people till you are able to join when your 16, it's really not that long and by then you should know the ins and outs of the NHS. 

 

[angellfall]

I understand that you have to be a certain age for safeguarding reasons. also your wanting to be able to help people does not go unnoticed, but if at all possible maybe you could come on ride alongs with the NHS if that has no age limit and i think that way you will be helping people till you are able to join when your 16, it's really not that long and by then you should know the ins and outs of the NHS. 

If you understand the safeguarding reasons care to explain them?  I have stugled to understand: How is playing inside a well moderated and controlled group is not better than playing freely and doing what ever? Thing is the young players are going to be there in this community how ever we think about them. There is no way to limit them playing the game and parenting is not the bussiness the community should be doing. However appealing to these young gamers obviously would be a really good investment in a long run for the community, they currently go well unnoticed. 

 

[Boyd Colt]

as DR Louie Austino said. AND to be honest i do not know why safeguarding is in this current NHS age limit. as i do know safeguarding reasons IRL, being a member of SJA i have taken SG courses as we treat people of all ages and vulnerable people, also i know what you mean as in civilian side can be bad and anyone can get in.

 

[angellfall]

as DR Louie Austino said. AND to be honest i do not know why safeguarding is in this current NHS age limit. as i do know safeguarding reasons IRL, being a member of SJA i have taken SG courses as we treat people of all ages and vulnerable people, also i know what you mean as in civilian side can be bad and anyone can get in.

Most of the issues what players face at the server day to day basis are somewhat related to consept of new player doing something stupid. It is usually just ignored on the spot and sometimes when admins see something they can intevene. What differs players playing in whitelisted factions is that they usually play with someone in that faction. Polices rarely play alone, neither do NHS. Its lot of fun to play together and its practical. When a new player in a whitelisted faction does something what he is not supposed to do, he will get told off about it, there might be additional punishmets for doing somekind of behaviour etc. This all encourages and teaches new players faster and more efficiently than just playing as a civ. Im not saying that playing as a civ is a bad thing, what im saying is that the organizations behind police and NHS simply are more efficient teaching and quiding players than civ's do. This obviously is because civ's do not have any sort of infrastructure to do so.

Obviously in past the young players in police impacted the gameplay of civ's causing cases where players where unhappy to the actions of these "youngsters". However every time something like this happened these players where guided how to do this and that more efficiently in otherwords; They had the support structures behind them to teach them how to "play better". Now that issue is scrubbed under the carpet by removing these players from factions and setting them to be just at the civ side. What we got was more hobos than ever. I mean literally everyone can agree with me in this: % of you pumbing into a player who does not know anything he is doing is higher than ever before. Obviously its not the only reason for this issue, but its not the smalles of them either.

Its not that young people at the age of 14 or so are stupid. They just need to be told stuff differently. There are no legistlation issues about younger people not being able to play. Their parents dictate if they feel their child is old enough to play the game, or not.

 

[Boyd Colt]

So you think the age limit to the NHS is a good thing or a bad thing? 

 

[angellfall]

So you think the age limit to the NHS is a good thing or a bad thing? 

People keep saying that there are "damn good reason" none of which I have not seen explained? Did I miss something? Personaly just think these issues where categorized as "young recruit" issues and not dealt with publicly thus caused the pressure to shut down the invitations of younger people.

I do think that the limiting playerbase to not apply on based on age is NOT good thing to have. The current system simply causes more issues than it solves. I dont personally even think players age is a fact what should be a factor in application and publicly shown.

 

[Boyd Colt]

People keep saying that there are "damn good reason" none of which I have not seen explained? Did I miss something? Personaly just think these issues where categorized as "young recruit" issues and not dealt with publicly thus caused the pressure to shut down the invitations of younger people.

I do not think that the limiting playerbase to not apply on based on age is NOT good thing to have. The current system simply causes more issues than it solves. I dont personally even think players age is a fact what should be a factor in application and publicly shown.

I agree, It should come down to how well they know the game, and pretty much will know what there like in the interview and everything else can be learned while there a student.  

 

[angellfall]

I agree, It should come down to how well they know the game, and pretty much will know what there like in the interview and everything else can be learned while there a student.  

Or some other preset terms as how well they are able to absorb new information and if they are willing to do that. For example some of the people who join police do not even know what buttons do, but they are eager to learn. That differs people, if they can manage the information or not. Age should not be the defining factor.

Based to information what I have seen in police previously and seen at the server now: I would say boldly that it is possible to have under 16old people in police and NHS without negatively affecting stability or performance of those factions. If that would to happen I would say that the general environment would get somewhat better on the server and obviously it would serve as a huge investment for the community in a long run. Currently we are just pissing on people and rebelling good chunk of players to other communities.

 

[Chang_]

This is prob not Gonna change anything, But still +1, i Have seen people of the age 12-13 being more mature Then 16+

 

[Samatlewis]

The age restriction is nothing to do with player maturity despite what a lot of you in the comments think.. If you think RPUK staff/management are really that shallow and despise younger players that much then you’ve totally got the wrong impression of the situation.

The restrictions are in place for the well-being of younger players, older players and RPUK as a whole. As people are correctly always saying it’s majorly influenced by ‘SAFEGUARDING’ issues. If you don’t actually know what that means then feel free to ask a staff member/parent/person of authority IRL and they would be  able to explain it. Not a brilliant subject.

This topic comes up quite frequently and there’s nothing that’s going to be changed regarding this.

Locked.