My Week is part of a new occasional blog series to give you insights into what we do here at Centre For Thriving Places, and also what our team members do alongside work to feed their own wellbeing – particularly during the quieter summer months. Here’s Rosie Maguire, our Policy and Programmes Manager talking us through a sample of her learning, listening and reading.
I have a personal practice of writing weeknotes. This came from a desire to reflect on what I was doing, thinking and learning. It’s a great way of documenting my work and – also – the great books, blogs and podcasts I consume, in a narrative way (so much better than than a spreadsheet!)
Things I have been working on
- Many things at the intersection of care, power and collective action. Extraction from the care system – ie tracking where the money flows and goes (and looking carefully at who profits), retrofitting houses, building alliances of people working on both these things.
- Writing a literature review on extractive practices. Working on many things, especially when so much of our work is relational, means that I basically have to disappear when I need to write. The quiet summer period helped to carve that out as there are fewer meetings and deadlines.
- Designing workshops and materials for others to deliver. Designing and running my own workshops. No matter the topic, it’s all about getting people to imagine beyond what we have, reflect on where we are, then commit to what we can each do. I now need some time to map out the prototypes of these so they can be used again and again.
- Reading new policy docs, structural changes and trying to keep up with the speed and scale of it all. There’s a lot going on – the NHS 10 year plan and devolution to name a couple.
- Participating in two learning and reflection workshops for my own work. Nice to be on the other side of the table!
- Reflecting and acting on what I need in my work week to do great things WITH people and also protect my energy and cognition. More blocking of time, less immediate flexibility – take a breath before saying ‘sure!’
Things I have been reading/ listening to
Some relate directly to work, some help expand my ideas and imagination in other ways…
- The NHS plan, and the many critiques around it (not enough nature, not enough on care and human connection, too much emphasis on nascent tech)
- Podcasts: Computer Says Maybe on many topics. Your Brain on Climate for an episode about home and listening to people. Lining up Bad Bridget about Irish women’s experience of emigration to the US in the 1800s.
- The Island of Missing Trees
If you’d like to talk to me about any of the things I’ve been working on, or you have any suggestions on other podcasts or media to listen to, feel free to email rosie@centrefrothrivingplaces.org
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