Circle Conversation for Professionals
In March 2020, concerned about the group of care professionals due to the COVID-19 pandemic scenario, we began offering an online space for those dedicated to caregiving, and this initiative was called Circle Conversation for Professionals.
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The meetings were designed to provide support and build a network for Brazilian professionals in different countries across Europe, Asia, North America, and Latin America.
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We invited professionals who worked with us at Ouvidos no Vondel, and our dear virtual assistant, Lilia Trigo, quickly joined the project to provide logistical support for these meetings. We also invited some medical colleagues and other professionals who expressed their concerns about what was happening and what was yet to come. The invitation was extended to anyone who wished to experience this unique opportunity for sharing in a safe space among peers.
We gathered online to share our anxieties and concerns, as well as to discuss possible strategies to help us navigate through that surreal period.
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This service offered:
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A space for careful listening and speaking committed to respect and generosity among all participants
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Facilitation led by a physician or psychologist from Florescer Holanda
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Promotion of building a professional network or study materials to support and cooperate during challenging times
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Organized exchange space to keep us connected with our Brazilian culture through cultural moments
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These (biweekly and later monthly) meetings took place between March 2020 and June 2021. During these editions, we had over 320 registrations and more than 220 participations from various regions of the world (where participants worked/lived): Portugal, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Canada, and Brazil (Brasília and the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Pernambuco, Paraná, Pará, Minas Gerais, Goiás, Bahia, and Amapá).
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This project was of immeasurable value for the well-being of the professionals involved in organizing each edition and also for those who participated with us.
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We survived the pandemic together and emerged even stronger!
Circle Conversation for Mothers & Fathers
Between February and May 2021, we also held the Circle Conversation for Mothers & Fathers, called Bem Maior. We recognized the importance of providing a space for dialogue and care for mothers and fathers who were facing the challenges of the pandemic alongside their children in the Netherlands and Brazil.
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We invited anyone who wished to participate and, for four months, we met online to exchange experiences among mothers and fathers and discuss their challenges in caring for children during the pandemic. Participants reported that our conversations greatly benefited them during this time of great human vulnerability.
