This 3-part webinar series will discuss how as a PGR to cope and manage during the unusual times COVID-19 has thrown us into. Each of these three expert webinars are tailored to a PGR context. They are all underpinned by a foundation of core research, drawing on educational development, sociology and psychology.

These webinars will include opportunity for peer discussion and reflection with other webinar participants through virtual breakout rooms and through the embedded chat function.

Neil Gilbride will facilitate the three webinars. Neil is an adult-developmental psychologist, with a multidisciplinary professional and academic background, covering secondary school teaching & leadership, counselling, social work, and academia. Neil trained as a biomedical scientist before moving on to a Masters’ in psychology and education at the University of Cambridge, and a PhD in educational leadership, management, and administration at the University of Bath. He works as a researcher, lecturer and consultant across leadership development, organisational development, coaching, inclusion, psychology, and wider education services.

Monday 1st June 11-11:45am, Webinar 1 : How to stay mentally well

This webinar will provide insights, suggestions and actionable tips on how to stay mentally well when working from home, and when working away from your colleagues. It will cover the importance of routine, active planning, managing your own expectations, and managing personal boundaries. It will include specific support regarding working away from your supervisor, and on managing changes to the level of supervisor contact that you are receiving.

Tuesday 9th June 11-11:45am, Webinar 2: How to maintain life/work balance

This webinar will provide insights, suggestions and actionable tips on how to manage, and take active decisions regarding, competing priorities. The session will help participants reflect on short and medium-term work goals, as well as personal goals away from the work environment. We will make use of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, and include a focus on personal expectation management. In particular we will explore expectations regarding returning to campus, and the management of associated pressures (internal and external) The session will also include exploration of barriers to balance (such as damaging wellbeing narratives, over-reach, and neglecting the basics), and will conclude with success tips for a healthy life/work balance.

Tuesday 16th June, 11-11:45am: Webinar 3 – How to connect with colleagues

This webinar will provide insights, suggestions and actionable tips on how best to stay connected when working away from your colleagues. It will cover how we look to connect with others and the difference between communication and connection. The session will cover dynamic relationships as well as network analysis, with a focus on the specific network role(s) we need to play during lockdown. In the webinar we will call out the challenge of how communication methods can, in some cases, prevent us from feeling connected. In particular this session will explore the supervisor relationship and the unique challenges that are inherent in the supervisor/researcher dynamic.

'Thriving through Change' 3-part webinar series for PGRs