Share your experiences – support yourself and others – shape the future
Connections Through Covid is as a series of hour-long online discussions on the themes of:
Your experiences in the pandemic
Ideas and activities which have helped you cope, and might be useful to others
How to use what we’ve discovered during Covid-19 to build a better future
Whether it’s working on your wellbeing - learning new skills – reading - improving resilience - personal challenges - writing about these unprecedented times – sports – hobbies – exercise - the joy of nature, or anything else, share it and together we can navigate the way ahead by making Connections Through Covid.
The idea came from a discussion between a group of friends, who noticed there was a lot of talk about dealing with the impact of Covid in Cambridge, but much less action.
For many, with this unprecedented Christmas approaching, new support mechanisms will be particularly important.
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In the first session, Simon Hall, an author and journalist will discuss Chronicling Covid, how writing about your experiences of the pandemic can help you cope.
“It’s remarkable how many people through the ages have found writing an effective way to deal with turmoil and trauma,” says Simon. “From Samuel Pepys describing his experiences of the plague in London in 1665, to the poets of the First World War, to today.
“I’ve written my own diary about the pandemic, and it’s helped me cope. I know many others have done likewise, as we’ll be exploring here, and hopefully hearing from some of those who come along about their own writing.”
The first webinar will be held on Tuesday, 1st December at 7.30pm.
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The second session will see Sheila McDerment, a business psychology and coaching consultant discuss Reconnecting for Resilience, the link between feeling connected and mental health and wellbeing.
Sheila says, “For many, the feeling of connection has been challenged by lockdown and virtual working, and the sense of disconnection is strong. This session will explore the importance of reconnecting with our purpose, our support networks, our emotions, our environment and ourselves.”
The second session will be held on Tuesday, 8th December at 7.30pm.
The third session will be led by Alison Wood, a Cambridge University academic, and will discuss Being a Good Ancestor.[[{"fid":"289926","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","alignment":"","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"link_text":false,"type":"media","field_deltas":{"5":{"format":"default","alignment":"","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"attributes":{"style":"float: right; margin: 15px;","class":"media-element file-default","data-delta":"5"}}]]
Alison says, “The pandemic situation is a chance to think about questions Covid raises for our hopes and ambitions; what we are seeing in new ways; what we’re learning, or not; the things we want to keep from this experience; the changes we want to see and build here in Cambridge.”
The third session will be held on Tuesday, 12th January at 7.30pm.
And Tyler Shores, head of the University of Cambridge’s ThinkLab will talk about How Can We Manage Our Digital Wellbeing During COVID?
Tyler says, “Nowadays we are all spending a lot more time online than we have in the past. But the crucial question is about quality of time online, rather than quantity. What’s the right balance? How can we best think about what does and does not work for our everyday digital routines?”[[{"fid":"289929","view_mode":"default","fields":{"format":"default","alignment":"","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false},"link_text":false,"type":"media","field_deltas":{"7":{"format":"default","alignment":"","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":false,"field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":false}},"attributes":{"style":"float: right; margin: 15px;","class":"media-element file-default","data-delta":"7"}}]]
The fourth session will be held on Tuesday 19th January at 7.30pm.
The sessions will be highly interactive and are open to all, younger and older, from University professors to those working in utilities, to those who currently aren’t working at all.
If you’d like support through these difficult days, and think you can help others, you’re eligible, so please come join us. All the sessions are completely free.
For more on them, and to book, see the website: https://www.connectionsthroughcovid.co.uk
Or use Eventbrite (linked to the website)
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/connections-through-covid-tickets-128848811263
For further information, or to arrange an interview, contact Simon Hall
Image (top) by Shane Rouce on Unsplash