Building up to self and collective care week
Preparing for selfcare week
Self-care week is a National event held each year. This year it will be the 17th to 23rd of November. Now I know this is a wee while away but practicing self and collective care would be a worthwhile practice to build into every day. So, for the next few weeks, I would like to offer some ideas which may be interesting and I would love to hear yours too.
In one way or another, most people are finding the times we live in strange, challenging, overwhelming even. We are all different and our experiences and circumstances may be different, but when we find a way to care about each other, be kind to each other and put our energy into finding a way through these challenges together then perhaps, even in a small way, that can help.
I often think about the people who volunteer their time to help and be kind to others and this wee blog I want to offer some resources which may be of interest.
This piece may be of interest, it contains a tips sheet around recruiting and retaining volunteers https://www.copescotland.com/resources/recruiting-and-retaining-volunteers This slideshow may also be of interest around mental health and volunteering and also, how to support someone who has a mental health condition to volunteer with your organisation. This is a general slide deck and not a replacement for more formal training or learning. However, the content may be helpful for reflection and contains a resource list for other sources of information. https://www.copescotland.com/resources/volunteering-and-mental-health-awareness
People who support others in an unpaid role can also experience burnout and compassion fatigue the these tips may be of interest too https://www.copescotland.com/resources/compassion-fatigue It is also important when people are volunteering that they maintain boundaries which work for them. This podcast was put together for a specific group, however, it may be of interest to anyone who finds themselves caring about others. https://www.copescotland.com/resources/boundaries-postcard It is good to care; however, we also need to remember that we can only do so much, none of us alone have all the answers. That is why we need each other. Being kind to ourselves, each other and the planet, we can be part of building a kinder, fairer, healthier, safer world for everyone, even if that is one act of kindness at a time, being kinder to ourselves can also help us have the energy to be kinder to others https://www.copescotland.com/resources/tips-for-being-kinder-to-yourself We all matter
Thanks for reading
Hilda