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SASKATCHEWAN TOWARDS OFFERING PARTNERSHIP SOLUTIONS TO VIOLENCE

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  • 6 Dec 2024 2:52 PM | Anonymous

    - by Shaylyn White

    Winter tends to be a time for quiet and stillness; the weather is cold, the days are short, and plants and animals alike tend to take this time to rest. These days, most humans follow different rhythms, but resting in winter is still seen as natural for us too, and I know I’m not alone in cozying up indoors when I can. 

    That still quality of winter is necessary as a way for us to conserve and recharge our energy. It’s impossible for us to simply go-go-go endlessly without rest; by taking time to slow ourselves down, we’re better able to prepare ourselves for the future. Spring, in comparison to winter, is often seen as a time for rebirth and renewal, for busyness and new awakenings, yet it’s impossible to have that bustling spring without first allowing ourselves a period of quiet.  

    Because of this, despite December (the month I’m writing this) being the end of the year, it doesn’t feel like an ending to me. It feels, instead, like a time of transition, the same way a cocoon doesn’t mark the end of a caterpillar’s life cycle. There is still something waiting to be bornit’s just a matter of giving it the time and space it needs to do so, and the New Year will take us into that.  

    This spring and summer past were certainly times of busyness for the Enhancing Impact project, but now, we’re in that still period—a time of reflection, consideration, and planning. Rather than lying dormant, we’re preparing to enter that next phase. And hopefully, the work we’ve done before now will be enough to see us through it.  

    This blog post marks the end of my musings about the Enhancing Impact initiative. I’ve already shared our reports on campaigns and tools and resources in previous entries,so to close us off, I’d like to now share the collective summary report, which combines the findings from both phases and touches on key learnings to be had. You can read the collective summary report here here.

    And if you have any questions or thoughts you’d like to share, you can do so by reaching out to Shaylyn at shaylyn@stopstoviolence.com.

  • 27 Nov 2024 1:52 AM | Anonymous

    - By Shaylyn White

    We’re
    in the season of ‘campaigns’, most of them political in natureThen there’s awareness campaigns, education campaigns, fundraising campaigns, marketing campaigns – campaigns, campaigns, campaigns. 
     

    But what, exactly, is a ‘campaign’? 

    YouTube video essayist Abigail Thorn has a running gag in which she attempts to explain complex philosophical topics by first reading from the dictionary, only for the “definition” to inevitably have nothing to do with the topic itself, instead being nonsense along the lines of “we have stolen your dictionary, send us this ransom if you ever want to see it again.” The joke is that referring to the dictionary is a total cliche, but I can only hope she’ll accept my apology, because I’m about to do exactly that.  


    When I do, I see that Merriam-Webster defines a campaign as “a connected series of operations designed to bring about a particular result.” Meanwhile, the Cambridge Dictionary defines a campaign as “a planned group of especially political, business, or military activities that are intended to achieve a particular aim.” As for Collins, they define campaigns as “a planned set of activities that people carry out over a period of time in order to achieve something such as social or political change.” What’s key here seems to be connection—that campaigns are a series of activities linked by a pre-defined strategy, with the belief being that said activities will help achieve a goal. But even that’s a little vague, isn’t it? How concrete a strategy does it need to be? How clearly-defined the goal? Could I call the steps I take to eat breakfast in the morning a “campaign”? (If I can, it’s a campaign I often fail at—sorry, Mom.)  


    These are the kinds of questions that arose while we at STOPs to Violence were trying to figure out the shape of the Enhancing Impact project. We wanted to know more about Saskatchewan’s violence prevention awareness and education campaigns, but the more we dug into it, the more we realized how difficult it was to pinpoint what did or did not count as a campaign versus, say, an education program. Because the first phase of this project involved a survey asking others to share campaigns they knew of or participated in, it was important to cobble together a working definition that would help us establish a common understanding of what was even being asked. This was more of a challenge than I expected, but it was a challenge that proved to be an invaluable learning experience about the way humans actually think versus how it would be convenient for them to think. Because, as it turns out, (and this feels obvious in retrospect), unique lived experiences mean unique frames of reference! People will always bring their own understanding of what’s being asked to any conversation, and part of our role is to meet them halfway, rather than unilaterally impose our own personal idea of what’s “correct.”   

     

    Want to see more of what we are learning about violence prevention and awareness campaigns in Saskatchewan? Click here for our summary report.   

     

    (PS: Is there a campaign you run or participate in that you don’tsee listed? Reach out to Shaylyn at shaylyn@stopstoviolence.com  


  • 27 Nov 2024 1:50 AM | Anonymous

    - By Shaylyn White

    I once read a story in which a character, anxious about the future, was asked to imagine they were surrounded by a mountain of laundry piled so high they couldn’t move. In this situation, if they let themselves worry too much about whether or not they could wash everything, the more anxious they’d become, and time would keep passing regardless. Because of this, the best thing they could do is start with the laundry at their feet. When people look too far ahead, they tend to get overwhelmed; by focusing on what’s within reach, they can gradually start to make progress, and eventually, the laundry gets done. 
     

    People have a tendency to become paralyzed when faced with something bigger than they are. But while most people intuitively know and accept this about “bad” things, they’re less likely to realize that this can apply toal most anything. Instead of laundry, imagine you’re surrounded by a mountain of your favourite snacks. Sure, you might like it better than laundry, but you still can’t move, can you?   

    I once had the opportunity to assist with a research project examining service responses to intimate partner violence within the 2SLGBTQ+ community. In this project, two seemingly contradictory ideas were found to co-exist: first, the belief that there were no tools and resources available for 2SLGBTQ+ individuals, and second, that people could find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of options they had, leaving them with no idea where to start. But these ideas cease to be contradictory when you consider the “proximity” of the individual to the tools and resources being offered. Did these tools and resources feel within their reach? Or did it feel like they were being asked to go across the room when they couldn’t even move?    

    The term “natural supports” refers to supports for those at risk of experiencing or using violence that don’t fall under the more traditional umbrella of formal service systems, such as family members, friends, neighbours, and coworkers. While traditional supports can appear to simultaneously exist in dearth and in abundance, participants in the aforementioned study spoke highly of natural supports, and I imagine that's because they felt more within their reach. There’s value in strengthening these natural supports, to ensure they’re better able to meet others where they’re at in times of need.  

    As part of the Enhancing Impact project, we at STOPS to Violence sought to gather information about violence prevention tools and resources specifically geared towards natural supports. To learn more about our findings, click here for our summary report. And if you happen to know of any such tools and resources yourself, reach out to Shaylyn at shaylyn@stopstoviolence.com 

     


  • 1 Oct 2024 5:16 PM | Anonymous

    By Shaylyn White

    Growing up, my mother didn’t really believe in “kids” media. Yes, we were kids, but she saw no reason why that should mean we only read or watched things branded as kid-friendly, and she saw it as her responsibility to explain rather than censure so that we’d feel safe exploring and broadening our cultural horizons on our own. 

    In practice, this didn’t translate to much more than the fact that no bookshelves in our house were off-limits to us and that family movie nights were as likely to feature Hitchcock as Pixar. Still, it had the interesting side-effect of meaning I was raised feeling slightly removed from the elementary school cultural milieu. As I got older, I began to realize there were a number of points of reference my peers shared that I didn’t—films I hadn’t seen, games I hadn’t played, websites I didn’t use—and I began to view those points of reference with an anthropological sort of fascination. Tell me, I’d ask my friend: what does it mean to do the cooking by the book?  

    (For those of you who, like me, never watched Lazy Town, you can see the answer for yourself here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZD71JeX4Vk0) 

    I think about this now because I’ve come to consider it the source of my fascination with the phenomenon of trends—the phenomenon of phenomena, you might say. What is it that makes some things take off with certain demographics while others don’t? What later puts those fires out? And what makes it so hard to do that kind of thing on purpose?  

    Campaigns for raising awareness about social issues like violence typically aim to be more than trends, as the word “trend” tends to connote something short-lived, but they do still aim to capture the attentions and imaginations of an audience. Yet it can be difficult to craft these bouts of collective interest intentionally, and that can lead to important work becoming stalled or siloed when it fails to spread the way we hope. And so, for the STOPS to Violence Enhancing Impact project—which has the goal of helping strengthen such initiatives—we decided to take a look at the elements of effective movements so we could take a crack at answering those questions on a greater scale.  

    We found that there are certain characteristics which make messaging more likely to affect behavioural change than others, and that most of it has to do with how messaging is framed. Our report “From Moments to Movements” goes into more detail about the how and why, and with these learnings, we hope to help lay the groundwork for the development of a more coordinated and collaborative approach to violence prevention awareness and education in Saskatchewan. So if you (like me) find yourself curious about what exactly makes things “catch on”, consider giving it a look!

  • 18 Sep 2024 11:48 AM | Anonymous

    At 7 PM, wandering the streets in search of vegetarian fare, I chanced upon a cozy restaurant recommended by a quick Google search on my recent visit to Tokyo. Inside, a modest crowd of four diners, along with a chef and a woman who I assumed was the owner, filled the intimate space.

    I had barely settled with the thought of perhaps taking my meal to go when my drink arrived. The owner and the chef approached with bright smiles, raising their glasses to say "Kanpai," a gesture I understood meant "cheers." This simple gesture instantly transformed my solo meal into a shared celebration, tethering me to the moment and to this new, welcoming community.

    When it was time to leave, I was surprised by the heartfelt farewells from the chef and other diners.

    In many cultures, farewells are as significant as greetings. As I prepared to leave this restaurant, the warmth of the farewell I received was as heartwarming as the meal. The owner, and his wife walked to the door with me to say bye. But wait… they ended by waving bye, not just at the door but until I was a speck in the distance! This simple attempt of wanting to fill the space in between us with “understanding”, was pure magic to me. Do we always succeed in understanding people that come into our space and lives? From all their lived experiences, different upbringing, language, etc.? No. And that is okay because the answer lies in the depth of our attempt.


    Creating Inviting Departures

    This experience inspired me to think about the importance of saying goodbye in a meaningful way. Whether you're leaving a restaurant, a neighborhood, a gathering, an event, someone’s house, a warm farewell can create a positive and memorable experience.

    The Psychology of Parting
    Goodbyes, often underestimated, play a crucial role in human interaction. They're more than a formality, right? More so of a profound psychological moment that can affirm relationships and set the tone for future engagements. A meaningful departure makes the last impression—often the lasting impression—creating a psychological bookmark in our memories of that interaction.

    A warm farewell can leave a lasting impression and help to build stronger communities. Reflecting on my restaurant experience parallel with our STOPS events and gatherings, I've realized that the ingredients of a memorable bye-bye are acknowledgment, gestures, mementos, appreciation, and plenty of smiles — are essential in fostering return visits and nurturing community ties. These gestures of farewell are powerful tools that invite a future 'welcome back,' enhancing the community spirit and interconnectedness at the heart of all our interactions at STOPS! Join us one of our upcoming events and see it for yourself!


  • 18 Jun 2024 2:29 PM | Anonymous

    I ventured to a Vietnamese temple, one sunny Sunday morn,

    Where community and togetherness felt freshly reborn.

    Inside the sacred space, eyes glanced with gentle grace,

    In this holy place, I stood, an outsider in the race.


    A tiny lady, old and wise, approached with a question kind,

    Her query about direction, reflecting the curiosity in my mind.

    'I'm here by chance,' I said, 'drawn by Sunday's crowd, so bright,

    An artist am I, captivated by this temple's light.


    Whether sun or rain, night or day, its beauty I admire from afar,

    Today, I thought to step inside, to see things as they are.'

    I spoke of Buddhism’s call, a childhood intrigue so deep,

    In values that felt like skin, in cells forever to keep.


    With a nod and a smile, she eased my wandering soul,

    Guiding me gently, making exploration my role.

    Shoes off, heart open, up the stairs I went,

    To discover golden statues and books, in serene content.

    A man spoke of their bible, a treasure in plain sight,

    His words a new melody in the morning light.


    I sat and meditated, planning to leave before the crowd,

    But destiny had other plans, in this temple proud.

    The kind lady returned, her presence a guiding star,

    Explaining the service, near and far.


    As the room filled, she invited me to stay,

    For service and lunch, in the most welcoming way.

    I was cautious, yet intrigued, by this gesture so sweet,

    In a community so warm, where heart and soul meet.


    Then the master monk appeared, a figure of peace and love,

    Inviting me to lunch, as if sent from above.

    An hour and a half of chants, a language I didn't know,

    Yet their rhythm and energy, in my heart did glow.


    Afterwards, an invitation to New Year’s came my way,

    From the grandmother, whose sparkling eyes did sway.

    She led me to a table, where friendship did await,

    Beside her and her best friend, an 80-year-old mate.


    A collective prayer we said, before the meal began,

    A simple act of unity, part of a larger plan.

    Introductions around the table, stories shared with glee,

    About temple visits, life, and how happy we could be.


    In this moment, I recalled a conversation from the past,

    With Tracy and the Ambassador team, questions vast.

    How should a community feel, for those both new and old?

    Welcomed, informed, embraced in warmth, never cold.


    Togetherness, joy, and conversations bold,

    Building relationships, stories untold.


    This temple visit taught me, more than words can say,

    It’s the people, the kindness, that makes us want to stay.

    To gather, to share, to act as one,

    In a community of warmth, under the sun.


  • 3 Mar 2024 10:28 PM | Anonymous

    I recently visited a Vietnamese Buddhist temple on a Sunday morning. Community and togetherness were foremost in my mind as I took my first look inside. Upon entering, I noticed people glancing at me from the corners of their eyes. Of course, I felt somewhat alien, lost, new, and out of place. I was a new kid in school!

    A tiny, elderly lady approached me, asking if I needed directions. I explained that my curiosity about the temple, often observed bustling with people every Sunday morning, had brought me here. As an artist, I am captivated by how different lighting—be it from the sun, rain, evening sky, or streetlights at night—plays upon the temple's exterior. That morning, I decided to venture inside. I've always been intrigued by Buddhism; its values resonate with me deeply, almost as if they were part of my own skin and cells. The lady gave me this warm smile, it put me at ease. She mentioned that on Sundays, services are held on the temple's second floor. I nodded, listening intently. It was 10:15. She invited me to remove my shoes and explore the temple with a welcoming demeanor.

    The lady gave me this warm smile.

    Upstairs, the place was stunning – golden Buddha statues, and rows of little books on these stands. While I was absorbed in a book, a man informed me that it was their 'bible'. I absorbed this new information with a smile as he returned to his prayers.

    I decided to meditate for a bit, planning to head out before their main service at 11. The lady I met earlier came upstairs and sat a few bookstands ahead. After a few minutes, she joined me and explained the service—its format, who leads it, and what follows. As we talked, the room began to fill. She encouraged me to stay for the service and even suggested staying for lunch, which was complimentary—a fact she conveyed with a wink. I was cautious, not wanting to be rude in a new community, so I remained gentle in my actions. I wondered if it would be impolite to partake in the meal without being a regular member.

    The master monk entered, and the Yin monk approached the lady, likely having observed our conversation. He asked her in Vietnamese to keep me informed and invited me to lunch. She translated for me, and my heart filled with warmth once more. I felt incredibly welcomed by this community. They had not only ensured that I understood their values and culture but had also invited me to be part of it.

    The service wrapped up after about an hour and a half. I might not have understood the chanting, but there was something about the sound and vibrations that just washed over me, leaving a trail of peace. As the service ended, the monk began handing out invites to their New Year celebration on February 9th. He even gave one to me. The kind-hearted grandmother, with a twinkle in her eye, urged me to come along, playfully pointing out that a lot of young folks would be there. Her warm, thoughtful invitation got me thinking about all the reasons I'd love to come back.

    After the service, she guided me downstairs to these long, welcoming wooden dining tables. She had already saved a spot for me right next to her and her charming 80-year-old 'best friend'. Just before we started eating, she let me in on a little tradition – everyone at the table would join in for a prayer. It was a beautiful moment of unity. From a distance, the monk, with a caring tone, let everyone know in Vietnamese about the peanuts in the food. The grandmother quickly translated for me, ensuring I was in the loop.

    Throughout the meal, the grandmother introduced me to everyone at our large table. We shared stories about our visits to the temple, our daily lives, and our collective love for Buddha, food, the sense of community that brought us all together.

    This whole experience took me back to a conversation I once had with the network hub Ambassador team and Tracy. We were brainstorming about how we wanted people to feel when they join the network hub community, and how we hoped we would feel if we entered a new community. This day at the temple, it hit me – this was exactly it. Feeling welcomed and informed, met with smiles and open arms. A sense of belonging and joy, comfortable enough for open, honest conversations. And, most importantly, building those connections that make you eager to come back. Because in the end, it’s all about the people, the bonds we form, and gathering around a cause that unites us all.

    Read our network values here

  • 22 Feb 2024 10:14 PM | Anonymous

    - Shaylyn White

    Lately, I’ve been finding social media exhausting. I know I’m not alone—social media is designed to generate a fear of missing out, and that compulsion to
    keep checking can be pretty tiring. I know some people who've gone so far as to delete their accounts completely to erase the temptation to revisit whatever feed they’re trying to wean themselves from.   

    Why am I feeling so off? The concept of crisis fatigue

    But I haven’t done that. Because for me, as with many others, social media has become one of my primary sources of news, and there is just so much news I feel obligated to keep up with these days. We’re living in a time of great political or social change, where something potentially globally significant is taking place at nearly every moment: how can I, in all good conscience, just turn that off?  


    Service providers may already be familiar with the term “compassion fatigue.” Compassion fatigue is also known as vicarious or secondary trauma—emotional pain that emerges in response to witnessing the emotional pain of others. A related but perhaps less familiar term is “crisis fatigue.” Crisis fatigue describes the sense of helplessness or despair that emerges from feeling overwhelmed by ongoing large-scale crises, such as climate change or the COVID-19 pandemic. The exhaustion I feel when I catch myself scrolling endlessly through feeds of bad news—that is a form of crisis fatigue.  


    While compassion fatigue can be considered a kind of occupational hazard, with professions most in contact with people who’ve experienced trauma (such as social workers and health care providers) being most at risk, the seeming omnipresence of social media means crisis fatigue can happen to almost anyone. All it takes is the feeling of being constantly bombarded by bad news. 


    No two people will experience crisis fatigue in exactly the same way, but symptoms are generally similar to those associated with burnout, such as weariness and a loss of appetite. However, one of the most common symptoms is apathy. People may struggle to focus on or care about news that would have normally held their attention because, while brains and bodies may be designed to recover from short-term stress, they’re less accustomed to ongoing stress. Over time, such stress can take a real toll on a person’s physical and mental well-being, and when paying attention begins to feel unbearable, even the most compassionate among us may find ourselves emotionally detaching.  


    It’s important to remember that crisis fatigue is not an individual problem. Crisis fatigue is born of people feeling overwhelmed by macro-level issues emerging from broader institutions, often at national or global levels. While people may be able to remove themselves temporarily, the problems themselves remain, as do the individuals still caught within them.  


    How, then, can we encourage people to work for social change without wearing themselves out?  

    Framing plays a key role in how social issues are understood and responded to by the public. When a problem is urgent, it’s common for people to use urgent framing in the hopes of getting and keeping the public’s attention. For example, when it comes to interpersonal and gender-based violence, awareness campaigns may use graphic imagery to emphasize the harm violence causes as a way of establishing the necessity of preventing further harm.  


    But crisis fatigue means such messaging can actually work against violence prevention efforts. The problem of interpersonal and gender-based violence may be urgent, but for people already feeling overwhelmed by the sense that the world is full of crises they cannot help with, all alarmist messaging does is reinforce their sense of helplessness. It can even lead people to settle on inaction—after all, it’s easier to tell yourself a problem is insurmountable than it is to keep struggling against it. If things are going to be this bad forever, why bother?  


    In some ways, crisis fatigue is the product of feeling distanced from the rest of the world. We see the impact of collective crises, but not how they’re being addressed, and so we struggle to believe it's possible for anyone to make a difference. That’s why, instead of framing issues around the severity of a problem, it can be more effective to keep discussions solutions-oriented and aspirational, as that’s likelier to reignite people's motivation.  

    It's important to seek to hold space for ourselves as well as others. Holding space for ourselves means staying grounded in our own needs so we can better recognize when it’s time for us to rest and replenish, and this, in turn, helps us better support others. The compulsion to engage with bad news is often a non-productive one, and it’s healthier and more effective in the long run to use our time and energy with intentionality.  


    For more information on holding space, you can visit this link. And remember: while it's not possible for any one person to solve every crisis in the world, we're not alone in the world, either. By showing ourselves what grace and compassion we can, we make it easier to bring ourselves more fully into our relationships with others, and if crisis fatigue truly is a product of feeling distanced from the world, then perhaps there is strength to be found in that. 


  • 7 Feb 2024 10:05 PM | Anonymous

    Learnings About Approaches to Education and Awareness

    -Shaylyn White

    When we gather people to talk about what’s needed to reduce gender-based violence in Saskatchewan, there’s always one thing that tops the list – education and awareness.

    There are any number of public education and awareness campaigns throughout Canada aimed at reducing and preventing gender-based and interpersonal violence and abuse. We’ve been asking ourselves: How do we work collectively and at scale to have the impact we are looking for? What is it that makes education and awareness activities and campaigns effective? If the goal is creating change, when are people more likely to…you know, change?

    Enhancing Impact: Violence Prevention Education and Awareness

    We’ve spent the summer a strategic learning process aimed at answering these questions. These are big questions to explore. Here’s some of what we have come to understand.

    Change doesn’t happen instantaneously

    You may already be familiar with the Transtheoretical Model of Change, also known simply as the Stages of Change. It’s a model in health psychology used to explain or predict an individual’s likelihood of succeeding or failing in achieving a behavior change. The stages are:

    1. Pre-Contemplation

    2. Contemplation

    3. Preparation

    4. Action

    5. Maintenance

    People aren’t likely to leap from never having even thought about a potential change to actually making that change, let alone keep it up long-term. Because of this, initiatives looking to create social change are likelier to find success when their activities are long term and include reinforcing the rationale for why the change should occur at all. Otherwise, there’s little chance of gaining or sustaining participant interest and investment.

    It’s about more than just the message

    In science communication, the Information Deficit Model suggests that if people are reluctant to engage with or act on new ideas, it must be because they don’t have enough information yet. The more they know, the likelier they are to embrace the ideas being put forward. But…is that really true? People lead complicated lives! They might be busy, tired or distracted—is bombarding them with facts and information they don’t have the time or energy to think about really the best strategy?

    Heuristics are mental shortcuts or rules of thumb that people use to speed up their decision-making process. When someone is busy, or tired, or distracted, they’re more likely to rely on heuristics to determine how they’ll respond to new ideas. These heuristics are typically informed by pre-existing mental models or dominant social narratives; in other words, when considering how to act, most people will subconsciously turn to their understanding of what has been determined to be “correct” by the social groups they value or align themselves with most.

    People are more likely to engage with new information when it supports or affirms their identities (who they see themselves to be) and aligns with their values. At the same time, they’re more likely to reject information that shames, challenges, or threatens them. If we want our messaging to be effective, the ideas we’re putting forward should make people feel good about themselves, their actions and how they want to be seen.

    Effective messaging

    If messaging is overly negative or jarring, people who rely on heuristics or conditioning are likely to reject it. On the other hand, if your message is empowering, people will be more willing to consider it. If message delivery is combined with follow-up opportunities for dialogue and reflection, the extent and direction of the consideration will be affected. This is likelier to lead to behavioural changes that are longer-lasting overall.

    In the article “The Science of What Makes People Care”, Ann Christiano and Annie Neimand cite the documentary “The Game Changers” as an example of effective messaging. Most experts agree that reducing meat and dairy consumption would be beneficial for both the climate and for individual health, but asking people to sacrifice a deeply ingrained habit of theirs for the sake of an abstract, faraway future isn’t likely to work. “The Game Changers” instead encourages people to adopt a plant-based diet to achieve their fitness goals. This re-framing gives people a stronger sense of control and fulfillment and is likelier to spread amongst other community members who also value fitness.

    Explore further with us

    You are invited to join us as we explore next steps in understanding and increasing the impact of violence prevention education and awareness in Saskatchewan. We’re hosting a working session on Monday, September 18 from 1-3 pm. In this session, we will look at the elements of successful education and awareness activities look like and how we might a coordinated, movement building approach to increase the chances of long term change.

    Click here for more information and to register.


  • 11 Oct 2023 10:09 PM | Anonymous

    - Marley Novotny

    The mechanics of reaching out.

    Throughout my time with STOPS to Violence this summer, I have had the opportunity to connect with many of the wonderful partners and people from different organizations and communities. Through this, I learned a good amount about relationship building and engagement, especially involving the personal responsibility that attributes to healthy and beneficial communication, and how important relationship building and engagement is to the network mindset.


    I believe much of my learning about relationship building and engagement came directly from exploring what a network mindset is. A network mindset is relationship oriented and excels and grows from the webs and ties of the relationships within the network. A network will only be as strong as its relationships and connections are. You can achieve much more through collaboration, and this requires the consistent cultivation of relationships and connections. Through my learning and exploration of these concepts, I’ve found imagining a network as one big spider web has helped create a strong mental image for myself. The structural integrity of the web improves more and more as new threads are added, just as the structural integrity of a network improves more as new relationships and connections are made.


    Exploring the process of outreach and engagement has caused some major self-reflection and thoughts about what engagement is, and how to adjust our approaches to be more accommodating to the people you want to connect with. It requires effort towards trust building, which needs focus on improving ourselves to be able to demonstrate consideration and respect, be open and transparent with the way we speak and to work on how we listen and process information that’s being presented to us. These are just a few important steps that I believe help in building a safe environment to communicate.


    Trust building is vital to the engagement process. The building of trust promotes transparency, respect, and active listening which raises the potential of better conversations, provides more benefit for both people and creates a safe space for communication. An important part of communication and connecting in a network involves creating these safe spaces for conversation to cultivate the necessary environment to openly share and feel comfortable as well. I feel as if there is an initial fear of connection and that focusing on showing respect, being transparent, and actively listening can combat the initial resistance that may come with engaging with others.


    While adjusting my approach to reaching out, I focused on showing respect for people’s time through increased preparation and planning to maximize the quality of time spent with others. I wanted to show that I value the time and energy someone is willing to offer to a conversation with me. I feel that this preparation and planning process can be an extremely good habit to follow in any form of communication, whether it be a large amount or even just simple preparation.


    As I focused on transparency and relationship building, I found myself diving further into conversations and sharing about my current studies. In return, I asked about the work and lives of the people I meet with. These conversations supported the building of trust I was aiming towards and allowed me to feel stronger relationships and connections being built in the process. Opening yourself up, sharing about your journey, and listening to someone else’s journey is important to establish a stronger connection.


    Finally, I focused a lot on practicing and improving my skills in active listening. I feel that many people can relate to having conversations where you share something with someone and their response seems to not acknowledge the information you’ve shared. It feels like they sort of glance over it. This can be very demotivating for genuine connection and meaningful conversation. I practiced actively listening to what I’m hearing, taking a moment to process, and responding with an answer that acknowledges what’s being shared with me. This was to show that I value the information that I’m listening to through my response. I believe active listening is a skill that everyone should practice as it supports the focus on what someone is telling you, rather than focusing on what you are going to say next.


    I believe that what I have learned and experienced this summer will translate beautifully into understanding the importance of networking for myself for career purposes and for social purposes in general. I believe that I am now much more well equipped with the tools to properly make deeper connections with others and cultivate stronger relationships in my everyday life. I feel very fortunate to have been a part of the STOPS team this summer.


    Want to learn more about the ‘network mindset’? Take a look at this article from Converge: The Network Mindset: Scaling Out, Not Up | by David Ehrlichman | Converge Perspectives | Medium.



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