Community Conversations for Care creates meaningful space for staff

As you do your best to manage the day-to-day responsibilities of your job and your personal life, it’s impossible to ignore the external events and issues that are rapidly changing our communities and the world around us. You might even feel it would be irresponsible not to pay attention. At the same time, how can we cope with things we may feel powerless to change?  How do you take care of yourself without feeling like you are turning your back on others? If these kinds of questions are on your mind, you’ll want to participate in Community Conversations for Care.

These facilitated online forums for staff – the first three of which have already proven to be meaningful among many in our community – provide opportunities to connect with others, learn about tools and strategies for self-care, and affirm that, while your contributions as an employee are invaluable to Stanford, you also deserve support for your own well-being. 

The first Community Conversations for Care (CCC) session, kicking off the series and grounding it in shared values, took place on September 26, 2024, with 138 staff in attendance. Staff representing 23 of 28 business units across Stanford signed up, showing a widespread desire for the kind of connection that the series aims to provide. In October, two additional sessions – focused on self-care and learning to balance chaos with calmness and compassion – were also well attended. 

“We often talk about how staff are the operational backbone of the university, and as staff we understand that our jobs are to support trainees, faculty, and advance the university’s mission. But staff also need and deserve spaces where they can receive care for themselves and connect with others who may be facing similar issues. While Community Conversations for Care is not the only option for staff, we wanted to create something new that was open broadly to address the time we’re in,” said Shaila Kotadia, PhD, director of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at the Stanford School of Medicine, and one of the CCC series organizers. “This quarter is bound to be stressful,” she continued. “The academic year is starting against a backdrop of really big societal and national issues. To honor that, we wanted to create a space where staff could be with each other, and to give them some purposeful ways to manage their everyday responsibilities without losing sight of their own well-being.”

Don’t worry if you missed the initial sessions! Forthcoming CCC sessions and topics of focus this year include: 

• “Meditation and Contemplation” (Nov. 7)
• “Managing Difficult Conversations and Conflict at Work” (Nov. 21)
• “Embodied Rest” (Dec. 12).  

Sessions take place from 1 to 2 p.m. PST via Zoom. All staff are welcome and warmly invited to attend. Sign up for any or all sessions on the Office for IDEAL Advancement website.

Stanford aims to create and sustain a community in which we all experience an equitable, safe, caring, and just environment. The Community Conversations for Care series is organized and sponsored by the Office for IDEAL Advancement, the School of Medicine Staff JEDI Team, and the Office of External Relations.