April Online Listening Post – Covid-19

We seem to be living in an unprecedented time. ‘Social’ distancing arrangements designed to flatten the curve of the coronavirus pandemic are now firmly in place. For many of us, working arrangements and social interactions are shifting online. Those of us working from home may be discovering that the boundary between home and work responsibilities needs to be managed in new ways. Others are still commuting to their workplaces to provide products and services. Meanwhile, many casual workers are suddenly without work, wondering how to gain income. Many small businesses are struggling, supermarket shelves are empty, events have been cancelled, and libraries, museums and leisure centres are closed. There is a palpable fear of what is still to come. At the same time, digital connectivity creates new and innovative ways of connecting.

We invite you to participate in an Online Listening Post to explore the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. Listening Posts are opportunities for participants to think about the society they are part of. The group discussion is unstructured – no agenda is set or issue identified beforehand. Any themes that emerge are the work of participants taking up their citizen roles. The concept of a Listening Post is based on certain propositions: that people may with some encouragement take up a reflective citizen role, mobilising their observing ego. That the dynamics of the group may be such that even a small group may nevertheless act as if it is a microcosm of the large group that is society. So that, the themes that emerge through associative dialogue may legitimately be analysed for their societal content.

The event is for GRA members and guests who are interested in exploring and processing their pre-occupations and experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, to gain a better understanding of the social experience, the preoccupations and experiences of all as citizens.

Venue: Zoom online meeting platform

Date: Thursday 30 April

Time: 6.30 – 9.00pm

Convenors: Nuala Dent, Jinette de Gooijer, Jenny Smith

This event is FREE, open to the general public, and limited to 15 people. Please register to administrator@grouprelations.org.au by Sunday 29 April 5 pm AEDT to secure your place and receive joining details.

Please note this session is fully booked. To register your interest for the May session please contact the email above.

We may schedule further sessions at regular intervals, dependent on interest.