SoCom (Social & Communication Support Group) is running remote (online) activities for any UWTSD student to attend.
SoCom offers ideas and activities which are aimed at encouraging a greater self-esteem, and the ability to understand and cope with issues related to social and communication difficulties, with potential for a new friend group and support network to develop.
What happens during the sessions?
The interactive learning and activity nights will be based upon either social and communication experiences and skills, or self-esteem and wellbeing strategies.
We work on developing strategies for mental and physical wellbeing, looking at ‘mindful’ ways of coping, how to promote personal reflexivity to gain better understanding of yourself and other people, and the importance of self-nurture for happiness and success.
These will be approached through:
- discussions,
- interactive learning of strategies,
- sharing experiences and knowledge, and
- social/interactive events
How to get involved?
The sessions take place every Monday evening 7:00pm to 9:00pm (running 4 January – 2 June 2021)
To sign up and find out more information please contact Mel Long.
Timetable of sessions available below
Timetable
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NEW YEAR’S INTRODUCTION SESSION
Repeating group introductions, content, aims and objectives.
Making SoCom your own; discussion on ideas for future sessions.
ORGANISATION
How to develop time-management, and rituals.
- DISCUSS: Strategies for organisation of time, work and other daily/weekly tasks required for keeping healthy and reduce stress.
ACTIVITY: Tools for organisation, planning and note-taking.
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PERFORMANCE ANXIETY STRATEGIES
Developing strategies to reduce anxiety and promote wellbeing at times of stress.
- DISCUSS: preparation tools, plus strategies for staying calm and in control when engaging with exams, interviews, presentations, team-working and performances.
ACTIVITY: Mindfulness of walking exercise, plus other ideas for calming meltdowns and pre-performance nerves.
-
PRESENTATIONS
Developing listening and communication skills and boosting confidence by supporting other people to present their ideas.
- DISCUSS: presentation and listening strategies
- DISCUSS: the difference between critique and criticism
- ACTIVITY: putting theory into practice. Tell the group about an interest, item or collection that you have that makes you positive / happy. The group will give feedback on your presentation skills, consider the difference between positive content and presentation criticism and personalized negative criticism.
DISCUSS: strategies / ideas to help in the future.
-
FILM NIGHT
Film: “The King’s Speech” (currently available on Netfilx)
Reflexivity can be more easily developed and understood through observation of others.
Remember to have hobbies or fidget toys handy while watching the film, especially if your attention span is short.
DISCUSS: How it is possible with strategies and determination to overcome performance anxiety.
-
TEAMWORK & NEGOTIATION SKILLS
Developing understanding of Sharing, Negotiating, Self-awareness, Conversation Skills and the Avoidance of Dominating and Selfish Behaviour in Self and Others.
DISCUSS: how to negotiate, share, be fair, listen, promote yourself and perform in a group.
-
MINDFULNESS OF WORDS (Craft night)
Developing the understanding of words, their use and abuse and their positive power.
- DISCUSS: Attributes, powerfulness & destructive ability of words.
- ACTIVITY: Mindful practise on how to use descriptive words to enhance CVs and develop a personal statement.
ACTIVITY: Making a Collage of positive words to create a poem or mantra.
-
MUSIC FOR MEMORY, MOOD & MINDFULNESS
Developing understanding of how sound, as a sensory experience, can support learning and wellbeing.
- DISCUSS: How sound impacts upon you.
- ACTIVITY: Mindfulness of sound
- DISCUSS: How music can aid memory and focus learning.
- ACTIVITY: Listen to music, to focus the mind, to help memory, to relax you
- DISCUSS: How music can calm thoughts and relax the mind.
DISCUSS: the positive use of headphones to cut out distraction, to focus the mind, to feel ‘safe’ (being held by the pressure/being locked in own world)
-
FILM NIGHT
Film: “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga” (currently available on Netfilx)
Reflexivity can be more easily developed and understood through observation of others.
Remember to have hobbies or fidget toys handy while watching the film, especially if your attention span is short.
DISCUSS: How music and other personal passions can help you to step out of your comfort zone and reach for your hopes and dreams
-
BULLYING, HEAD-GAMES, & ‘GASLIGHTING’
Developing understanding of power exchanges, how to behave in a healthy, balanced manner and how to recognise when other people are not; how to keep yourself safe.
- DISCUSS: How power exchanges occur and why people develop such strategies
- How to avoid bullying happening to you, or by you
- How to be positive, and recognise positivist attitudes in others
How to develop and maintain healthy relationships.
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CONFLICT AVOIDANCE & RESOLUTION
Developing strategies for conflict avoidance and how to resolve issues if they do occur.
Consider how to deal with disagreements or misunderstandings which are causing distress and how to avoid this occurring.
- ACTIVITY: view examples of stressful scenarios and how to deal with them.
- Stopping yourself from jumping to conclusions; how a conflict situation occurs; the impact of emotional responses; seeking support & dealing with stress; interpretation of situations and appropriateness of responses.
- DISCUSS: Personal experiences and share strategies.
-
ORGANISATION
How to develop time-management, and healthy rituals.
- DISCUSS: Strategies for organisation of time, work and other daily/weekly tasks required for keeping healthy and reduce stress.
ACTIVITY: Tools for organisation, planning and note-taking
-
INTERVIEWS, & OFFICIAL COMMUNICATIONS
Developing abilities for official or academic communication and self-advocacy.
- DISCUSS: different types of official communications and the best ways to approach these.
- DISCUSS: interview strategies
- ACTIVITY: fill in the personal pen-profile to flag up your strengths to an employer and to show what you may need help with or need other people you work with to know.
DISCUSS: any thoughts or questions you have about these
-
APPLYING FOR JOBS & WRITING CVs
Developing skills for job search and application process.
- ACTIVITY: Develop your own CV. Practice filling in application forms.
DISCUSS: Positive words to show transferrable skills.
-
PRACTICAL PERFORMANCE SKILLS
Developing skills for enhancing performance. Using humour and fun in your attitude and presentation content.
- ACTIVITY: Developing strategies for enhancing performance through positivist perspective of self and skills.
- DISCUSS: experiences and ideas about presentations.
- Consider how this impacts upon developing a positive attitude to finishing assignments.
ACTIVITY: Mindfulness of Thinking and Feeling
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POSITIVITY
Developing strategies to overcome negativity, meltdowns, and to promote sustainable positive practice.
Considering personal wellbeing and positive practice to develop a greater level of happiness. Exploring how strategies and tools can aid self-belief, enhancing ability to aim for and achieve future goals.
- ACTIVITY: Quick daily exercise routine. Mindful Meditation- Meta Barvna (Loving Kindness), to encourage development of positive relationships.
- DISCUSS: Theory of Mind (to understand self and others). Negative emotions and behaviours (loneliness, confusion, neglect, emotional triggers, meltdowns, etc.).
How to develop positivity (for a cup half-full attitude, to pursue and achieve goals, to process the behaviour of the self and others, and to develop & maintain healthy relationships).
-
VISIONS OF THE FUTURE (Craft Night – Vision-Boards)
Developing visual sensory tools to aid positivity for future plans and dreams. Using creativity to promote wellbeing.
DISCUSS: Future hopes, dreams, and expectations, and the positives gained from volunteering.
ACTIVITY: Produce a creative piece which focusses on positive perspectives.
-
FILM NIGHT
Film: “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?” (currently available on Netfilx)
Reflexivity can be more easily developed and understood through observation of others.
Remember to have hobbies or fidget toys handy while watching the film, especially if your attention span is short.
- DISCUSS: how hopes and dreams can overcome all sorts of things!
-
DEALING WITH ENDINGS & CHANGE
Consolidating all previous strategies and applying them to future application for continued positivity.
- DISCUSS:
- how to develop positivity towards change.
- The usefulness of rituals and responsibilities.
- Keeping self-motivated to attend to a dissertation over the summer, apply for jobs, changing location.
Develop new rituals and other strategies in the future.
ACTIVITY: create a plan for the short term (Hopes & Dreams Handout)
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STRATEGIES FOR THE FUTURE
Recapping on the strategies and tools learnt over the year and how they are transferrable into the future
Revisit:
- Organisation strategies
- To-do lists for keeping on top of things
- Effective strategies for management of time
- Transferrable skills for the workplace (group-work, presentations, communication, personal profile)
- Mindfulness strategies for wellbeing (relationships, meltdowns, etc)
Motivational strategies (vision boards, long-term use of hopes and dreams activity)
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CONCLUDING SESSION: MOVING ON
Strengthening group support for times apart and reflecting positively upon ‘change’.
ACTIVITY: create your own affirmations, and other tools to encourage positivity regarding change.
