This month we have not one, not two, but three opportunities to join Grapevine in conversation online – starting today!
Our deputy CEO Mel Smith and project workers Suzie Crowter and Agatha Devlin are the team members in the ‘hot seat’ during November alongside colleagues from other non-profit organisations around the country.
The first event, Solidarity Spaces (happening today), sold out quickly among people seeking a listening space for relationship-centred practitioners to come together for 50 minutes to think, listen and be heard.
A fortnightly experiment by the Relationships Project of three 50-minute conversations taking place over three months.
The Relationships Project works to connect, support and champion individuals and organisations who are doing the hard work of building relationship-centred practice and approaches where they are.
At the start of this year, Mel and eight others were appointed to the newly created Relationships Collective. A collective representing a diverse and enthusiastic cross section of thinkers and doers pioneering a relationship-centred future.
Mel says: “Working in relational ways can be tough, frustrating and lonely.
“So we thought it might be about time to leverage the power of relationships to help support and sustain one another. We’re calling these confidential, online gatherings Solidarity Spaces.”
Mel will lead these conversations alongside Fiona Carden (Colab Exeter), Joe Micheli (York Council) and Immy Robinson (Relationships Project).
How can we build relationships in an increasingly online world?
Event number two takes place on Thursday 23 November where people are invited to an online event… to talk about interacting online!
But that is a huge part of the world we live in and what better place to explore the best way to connect?
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, lots of people have learnt how to use digital skills to facilitate purposeful connection.
This session provides an opportunity to share tips and tools for how we build a ‘warm web’ of meaningful relationships and interactions online with Mel and the Refugee Council sharing their insights to get the conversation going.
Team Up For Good: A celebration of strengths-based work
New System Alliance influences systems change through delivering strengths-based work and sharing learning with organisations and areas across the UK.
Their recently launched Strengths-based Directory draws together work from across the country – categorised as either Community Development, People Seeking Support or Strategic Support – to inspire others, connect people and inform commissioners looking to grow strengths-based work in their areas.
Suzie and Agatha are their first speakers at Team Up For Good on Tuesday 28 November, representing the People Seeking Support category and sharing our work making people and communities fairer, stronger and more connected.
They will share stories of how we are able to move individuals through our strands of action – Strengthening People, Sparking Community and Shifting Power – taking a strengths-based approach to dealing with their initial issues, with the person later being able to use their strengths to make things better for others.
Going on to shift power as an Expert By Experience or spark community action, for example.
We can’t wait to share more!
What next?
- Explore these opportunities in more detail using the links above.
- Visit Shared Digital Guides for handy ‘how to’ guides on digital connection produced by the Grapevine team.