How to Search the Helplines
Directory
WHAT'S AVAILABLE
The Helplines Directory contains local information,
addresses and websites on a range of issues from addiction to youth services. For
anyone wondering where to start looking for advice, it provides some useful
contacts and start points. It does not claim to cover all topics and all lines
of enquiry. If you cannot find what you are looking for, please contact the
learningline (see below). If you know of an organisation that you think should
be in the Helplines Directory or you have spotted some information that is now
out of date, don't hesitate to contact us via the learningline on:
Freephone:
0800 5 979 979
E: learningline@ckcareers.org.uk
There are over 430 organisations listed in the Helplines Directory. Each entry
contains: a brief description of how the organisation can help; a direct link
to their website, if they have one; and how to get in touch with them,
including all the main addresses from which they work.
The
Directory - Quick Search
It's easy to find the information you want!
- Type the word or words in the box then click 'Search'.
- Records that match your search are shown on the 'Summary Results' page.
- To see details of each record, click 'More Info '
N.B. To return to the search screen use the blue <<Back button or
‘Search’ in the breadcrumb trial. To see
your search use the Back button on your Internet Explorer or Netscape
Navigator grey browser tool bar. The
blue ‘<<Back’ button will take you back to the previous screen
Quick search of the Helplines Directory searches the organisation, description
and subject fields.
Tips on Searching
To find information using the subject drop down list, you can open the list and choose one of the subjects to search for. To empty the box, open the list again and choose the ‘Please select from below and click search button above’ line at the very top.
-
Finding words
Type the word you want to find, for example 'disability' and click 'Search', the
search will find all the records with the word 'disability' in any of
the fields searched.
To find variations of a word, type an asterisk at the end of the word,
for example disab* will find all records with the words
disability or disabled.
-
Finding phrases
Type the phrase you want to find, for example homelessness and housing
to find all the records with the phrase 'homelessness and housing' in
any of the fields searched N.B. the search looks for the words in the same
order you typed them in.
To find variations of a phrase, type an asterisk at the end of the
phrase, for example ‘advice on sex*’ will find all records with the phrase
‘advice on sex’ or ‘advice on sexual’.
-
Advanced Seaching
To increase or decrease the number of records you find try using the
symbols '&' meaning 'AND', '/' meaning 'OR', '!' meaning 'NOT' between
words or phrases. Include a space before and after the symbol.
Examples:
1) Type Drugs & Drink to find all records with both the word drugs
and the word drink N.B. records with only one of the words in will be ignored.
2) Type Drugs / Drink to find all records with either the word drugs or
the word drink. This search will find more records than example 1) above.
3) Type drugs ! drink to find all records with the word drugs but not
the word drink. This search will find fewer records than both of the above
examples.
You can do more advanced searches by combining the symbols '&', '/'
and '!' with more than two words.
Example:
To find records with the words 'drugs' and 'drink' or records with the
word 'addiction', type drugs & drink / addiction N.B. the search is
carried out from left to right so the search looks for records with drugs and
drink in, then records with addiction in.
To find words near each other in a record, use the symbols 'w' or 'p'
followed by a number. N.B. this does not work on phrases.
Examples:
1) to find records with the word 'children' within 5 words before or after
'care', type children w5 care
2) to find records with the word 'information' preceding (in front of) 'advice'
by 3 words or less, type information p3 advice
Capital letters and punctuation
Capital letters are usually ignored when searching (a search for
citizens advice bureau finds Citizens Advice Bureau). Punctuation is also
ignored, except for the and-or-not symbols '& / !' If you want these
symbols or punctuation to be part of what you are searching for, use quotation
marks, for example "self-employment" or replace the punctuation with
a space, for example self employment.
Having
Problems?
Having trouble with a search? Some of the most common problems are listed
below.
If you don't find an answer here, take a look at WPMSG.HTM, which
lists error messages in alphabetical order.
I
got the message "Unable to recognise as a correctly formed
query."
The program cannot understand your search. Possible problems include:
· typing mistakes
· extra search symbols (e.g. you should have typed HIV / aids instead of HIV / aids / )
· missing the opening or closing quotation marks from around the words or phrases you are searching for.
If you cannot understand what caused the problem, try an easier search, for example just type a word in the box to see if it works.
I
found too many records.
If you used an asterisk, leave it off the end of the word and try an exact
search instead, for example search for voluntary instead of volunt*
Try using one of the symbols '& / !' between words to say exactly what you are searching for, for example:
drugs & drink OR alcohol / drink OR drugs ! alcohol
If the item you're searching for includes punctuation, use spaces instead of punctuation, for example search for Calderdale Kirklees, not Calderdale & Kirklees or use quotation marks, for example "Calderdale & Kirklees"
I
didn't find any records
If you are not sure of the spelling, use an asterisk after the first letters,
for example independ* or separate several possible spellings with a forward
slash, for example:
search for independant / independent
If
your search uses symbols '/ & !', put spaces around the symbols.
Do not use words (and, or, not) for the symbols. You must use a symbol '& /
!'
Try using / instead of & between words. Using / means either word can be present, for example jobs / employment finds jobs or employment. Using & means both words must be in the record jobs & employment will not find just jobs or just employment.
Search technology supplied by Inmagic, Inc. http://www.inmagic.com