Transcript Document
Mindfulness Friday 24th October 2014 Session • A bit about Now Unlimited • What is meant by the term “mindfulness”? • Benefits of mindfulness • Why might it be relevant to the VCS? • How is mindfulness taught? • Learning opportunities Now Unlimited • Social Enterprise • Improving the health, well-being and performance of individuals, organisations and communities • Undertaking research and sharing the learning • Team of associates and volunteers Current activity • Local authorities – stress management, leadership, communications • Unemployed – 6 week programme • General public – adult and community learning and mentoring • Primary School – 7 week programme for Year 6 • Young people- social and emotional learning programme • Carers – emotional resilience programme What is mindfulness? • A way to train the mind • Buddhist in origin but now secularised – MBSR and MBCT • Neuroscience – why it works • Adaptations – mindful eating, mindfulness and addiction, mindfulness and cancer, mindfulness in schools, mindfulness in business • Cross – party parliamentary group Benefits of mindfulness • Improved learning and memory processes, emotion regulation and perspective taking • Improved psychological functions of attention, compassion and empathy • Calms the stress response • Improves medical conditions • Improves psychological conditions e.g. anxiety Why might it be relevant to the VCS? • Improved resilience/ability to manage stress • Heightened emotional intelligence • Improved decision making and strategic thinking abilities • Heightened ability to focus and enhanced creativity • Helps people to become more engaged • Increased ability to cope with change and uncertainty How is mindfulness taught? • Formal practices – body awareness, breathing, being with difficulty, the importance of self-care • Informal practices – adopting a more mindful approach to everyday tasks • Moving away from autopilot and responding not reacting • Stopping mind-travelling Learning and development opportunities • In house leadership and management development • Incorporating into other programmes • 8 week Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction programme starting 2nd December • I day Introductions to the Application of Mindfulness • Underpinning coaching and mentoring For more information Maureen O’Callaghan T: 07939 845920 E: [email protected] W: www.nowunlimited.co.uk Facebook and Twitter