This site is more than a website. It is a collaborative online platform. As a registered user, you will be able to share insights, learn from and with each other and collaborate on projects, free from the constraints of the geographical distance that separates us.

This platform contains several tools, like a blog (linked to your profile and can be used as your personal tool for sharing your experience with others), specialist forums on issues of particular concern to psychologists in the educational system across Europe,where you can discuss best practice,your experience and trends.You can download and have access to materials across the site, articles and publications, newsletters, access the latest news from N.E.P.E.S. etc. Whether and how you will use the tools available depends on how involved you want to be in the Community:

1. Reading only: "I just want to know what is going on in this Community. I want to stay tuned in"

2. Reading and first step writing: "I’m ready to try some postings."

3. Reading and writing: "I’m routinely posting my own content and reacting to what others have put."

The following text explains the how’s and why’s of the site. It also explains how to navigate the site. You may want to print this short "user guide"; In addition, there are a few important rules to follow when working with the site which we refer to as 'netiquette'

1. Reading only:

You don’t have to be logged in for reading only. But you are missing out on some content that is destined only for members. Nevertheless, you will find a lot already by clicking through the menu.

The forums are our conversation places.When you click on "Forums" in the left menu you will see the titles of the different forums and how many topics and who posted the latest comment. Just read along!

Some conversations are really interesting? If you are registered you can 'subscribe' to a forum by clicking on the “subscribe post” at the bottom of the page. This will give you email alerts when something is posted in this topic. And you can always “unsubscribe post”. In fact, you can subscribe to any posting (blogs, events, etc.) that you have read to be kept up to data on changes to it or comments by others.

Finally, to know what’s coming up, you can consult the calendar of events. Click on 'Events' in the top menu (or the calendar icon in the left menu) and you will go into the calendar. You can also add events to the calendar by sending us the information (and a link to the event website if you have one, or a link to a pdf or other format brochure). We will be happy to add your events to the calendar.

You can also access our various cybraries, online libraries where you will find useful Publications, Articles, Newsletters, Presentations etc.

If you want to know what’s new in the Community,you will also find on the left side of the screen Recent posts'

Remember, some content will be hidden unless you register.

2. First step writing:

Writing here is really easy. Everyone can learn to do it without much effort. It is more a matter of getting used to the ‘environment’, like when you first tried to send out your email.

But you need to be registered to write! In this way, you user name will let people know where the content is coming from.

Probably the first thing you want to write is your thoughts, your comments, your view on a certain subject or ask a question. As it concerns content that is already there, your starting point can be replying to a comment on a topic that is already present in a forum. Just click on 'add new comment,' at the bottom of the page, fill in a title and your text in the “body”; then click on 'preview comment'; once you are happy with what you've written, then click on 'post comment'. You will see your posting! Congratulations!

You want to do some editing? No problem: click on 'edit' at the top of the page and you come back to the posting-page; make the improvements and 'post comment' again.

One thing to learn: 'adding new comment' is different from 'reply'. The latter is a response to a comment,sometimes relevant only to the writer of the comment. You can see while reading that comments line up to the left side,and that replies move more to the right.

When posting you can also upload files as attachments: bear in mind there is a size limit for files of 1MB. Turning documents into PDFs can help stay under the limit.

If you are producing more substantial content, it is very important never to just copy/paste content out of Word, Excel, etc. into the site. The formatting can carry over to the menus of the site. If you want to copy/paste please first do this in 'notebook', which you can find in your Windows start menu, under programmes / accessories. Please don’t forget!

3. Navigating the site

In the top menu, you will see the 'Interaction Centre'. This is where you will find:

Who is a psychologist in ES
This space is dedicated to the development of a European description of what is a 'Psychologist in the Education System'

Specialist Forums
A forum area separated into specialist areas where as a member you can share your views, experience and practice with peers across Europe. What is new? What is changing? What keeps you awake at night? Each forum also has a cybrary associated with it to store any shared documents, reports, articles etc. that are relevant to that specific area.

Publications and Articles
'Publications and Articles' this is our general information cybrary, our online library. If you wish to add an article to the cybrary that you think may be of interest to peers, please send it to info@nepes.eu mentioning the category that it should be placed under.

Latest News
Keep up to date with the latest news from the N.E.P.E.S. network. If you'd like to make a contribution to this page please send your news item to info@nepes.eu

Press Releases
Latest press releases can be found in the press room

Books
If you are looking for a book, N.E.P.E.S. has made a selection of some of the best books available in the book section. You can order your book directly on line (through Amazon) by clicking on the book cover, and follow the instructions. If you have any suggestions for books that should be included in our selection, then please just let us know by submitting the details (Title, Author, ISBN or Amazon url) through the 'Contact Us' form

FAQ you can also consult the FAQ to see if your question has already been answered.

In the left menu bar - you can also see your colleagues who are online.

4. To become a registered user

If you wish to have access to some of the closed spaces and participate in the forum discussions then you will need to become a member and register yourself on the site. You can do this by clicking on 'Request New Password' just below the login box in the menu on the left of the site. You will then be asked to complete your personal profile which will introduce you to the N.E.P.E.S. community. You will then receive your username and password by email. Once you receive your login and password, enter them into the login box in the left menu to access the interaction centre.

Once you become a registered user 'My account' in the left menu, takes you to your personal profile page. You can upload your photo and make any changes that you wish to your profile. You can also change your password or edit information at any time. You can also set your subscriptions and email alerts here. You can also choose how and when you wish to be notified about content you have subscribed to.

Search box; you can use to fill in any term that the site will then look up for you.

Please don't forget to also visit the 'Netiquette'

If you have any trouble finding your way around, please feel free to contact us through the 'Contact Form'

We hope you will enjoy being part of the N.E.P.E.S. community!