As part of the ‘Right to Thrive project’ we setup a group for socially isolated parents who have felt the impact of the pandemic on their social lives. At the beginning of this project many of them were hesitant to interact with the rest of the community. As expected it took them a while to feel safe and comfortable and to share their concerns and challenges that they have faced in the last two years.
To enable them to feel safe all members of the group collectively setup rules that everyone should adhere to. Emphasising the importance of confidentiality. Secondly, we provided refreshments and mindfulness activities in order to facilitate a calm atmosphere.
Halfway through the program we gifted our members pampering hampers in the hopes that it helps increase their self worth and lift their sprits. This definitely went down a treat!
The projects overall aims was to create a safe and friendly space for parents who have been socially isolated and just generally feeling overwhelmed to meet people in similar situations as themselves. Ultimately it was for parents to not feel alone and to acknowledge that support networks can be made and can be a fruitful experience for all. The aims of the project seemed to be met as WhatsApp groups were made so all could communicate online. They also setup walking groups were they would walk in their local parks daily. They also plan to arrange a once a month meet up that will give them the opportunity to socialise in a more relaxed environment. They agreed to going out for a meal at least once a month.
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