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.
Professional support
Sometimes, you will need support and guidance from health professionals to help you through tough times. Reach out and seek support when you need to.
There are free health and wellbeing services on campus and outside of the University that provide support and information to students.