Connect well

Connect well explores the workshop topics of connecting, loneliness, assertiveness, and negotiating.

Online resources

• Try creating your own pepeha to introduce yourself in te reo Māori.
• Atu-Mai resources for confidence, safety and respectful relationships.
• Read advice on How to connect with friends and how a problem shared is a problem halved.
• Lydia Denworth talks about why good friendships are crucial to survival.
• Rainbow Youth Online Support
• Join a Club to meet students who have similar interests to you.
• Volunteer through Wellington Plus to meet new people.
• Check out these online games and activities to play with friends over Zoom:
  • Pictionary
  • Cards
  • Scattergories
  • Downtime dice generator from All Right?
  • Sleepovers and movie nights using Netflix party.

Loneliness

• Try out this worksheet on talking about your feelings and how communication is key for connection.
• Watch Kio Stark discuss how talking to strangers can create unexpected connection.
• Read about how to connect with friends, whānau, school, and nature and how connection is critical to your wellbeing.
• Watch a video about how to have a chat with someone you are worried about.
• Active listening exercises help you practise listening to people and respond in ways that make them feel understood to improve your relationships with them.

Homesickness

• Watch a video about what homesickness is and tips from meaningful travel experts to feel better.
• Listen to Kodrean Eashae talk about making New Zealand home.
• Listen to Kodrean on Voice of Aroha, Wellington Access Radio. Former refugees share local Wellington events, perspectives and opinions.
• Read about practical skills you can do to help you feel socially connected.

Assertiveness

• What is assertiveness, why it is important and why it is different from being aggressive.
• Read about how to be effectively assertive from Marcia Reynolds.
• Watch this video You Have the Right to Speak Up from the School of Life.
• Read about how to deal with friendship conflict and how to have hard conversations with friends and family.
• Recognise if you are experiencing bullying and tips to help.
• Read about implementing wise feedback for conflict resolution.

The Student Interest and Conflict Resolution team is a central point for students to receive advice and support about responding to threatening, inappropriate, and concerning behaviour.

Negotiating

• Read about the GROW coaching model that supports solution-focussed negotiation.
• Read about how to manage the challenges of making lots of decisions as you become independent.
• Try out the Are You Ok relationship quiz.
• Watch a video about the Art of Diplomacy in negotiation, friendships and relationships.
• Read about how to deal with friendship conflict and how to have hard conversations with friends and family.
• Work through the Conflict Resolution Checklist and the Social Problem Solving Worksheet to help you negotiate social problems.
• Watch a short video about how to deal with difficult or noisy flatmates.

Workshops

All of the content in our online resources aligns with the messages in our weekly wellbeing workshops.