# data[].attributes.headline
Zoom dilemmas solved! Expert advice on making video chats less awkward and more fun

# data[].attributes.subject
Zoom dilemmas solved! Expert advice on making video chats less awkward and more fun

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
With many parts of Australia still in lockdown, connecting with others can feel increasingly challenging.

Whether video calls are stifling your usual banter with friends, or the problem is actually hearing them at all over a patchy internet connection, Zoom fatigue is real.

Fortunately, after 18 months of video conferences, virtual classes and online events, lessons have been learned when it comes to making digital connections feel a little less alienating - particularly by those who now run them for a living.

We've asked professionals at the coal face of the pivot-to-virtual to share their insights into solving some common video chat dilemmas.

What to do when ... you have little kids

Tim Cuthell, a youth librarian at Casey Cardinia Libraries, recommends keeping video calls with kids interactive. Stories and songs are a great way to make that intimate connection. If you're reading a story, he suggests bringing the book close to the screen so the child can see the pages.

Consider telling stories using your hands or props. Lots of songs and rhymes involving hand claps or hand movements (such as finger rhymes, like five little ducks) work really well on a screen. If you want to use a puppet, it doesn't have to be bought, you can make your own using cardboard cutouts you move around the screen.

Cuthell says having fun with what you've got is one of the challenges of lockdown, and recommends activities like making a shaker with rice in a jar that kids can use to groove along.

For older kids, digital coding is a good activity, with Scratch and Python two languages you can learn for free at home. If they create something like a video game with newly acquired coding skills, it can be shown to family or friends with functions like share screen on Zoom.

For adults interacting with kids on Zoom, Cuthell advises "be prepared to laugh at yourself". He says wearing bright colours, dressing up and having a disco, or playing around with filters and backgrounds are ways to make the online experience more fun.

He also recommends bringing the same level of energy as you would for doing an activity in person. "It's about getting the energy up and not being put off by there being a distance between you."

What to do when ... you find video socially awkward

Brett Blewitt, from team building and event facilitators Masters of Fun, is well aware that digital catchups can quickly spiral. "If all you're talking about is the word that won't be named, you lose motivation to catch up with friends because you leave the conversation more anxious."

His solution is to add a bit more structure. "When you put a game behind it, you're moving away from talking about the obvious, which is the whole reason we're on Zoom in the first place."

Here are a few of Blewitt's suggestions:

You can download online board games to play in a group, like Monopoly or code names, with websites like Horse Paste. Turning quizzes or crossword puzzles into group activities can also work.

Create an at-home MasterChef experience with your friends. Give everyone a core ingredient and 20 minutes to cook something with it. At the end of the time, everyone comes back to show what they've created and eat together.

Have a roster with friends and take turns each week running a 20-minute fitness class.

Blewitt says at the end of the day, "the most important thing is finding the impetus to have fun".

What to do ... for a special occasion

When it comes to organising celebrations from birthdays to baby showers, Joshua Mason Browne, a creative director at FCM Meetings and Events, recommends coming back to basics. He says despite being socially distanced, thinking about ways to connect over shared food, music and play are "simple things ... that make us feel less stressed" and more "connected to one another".

Before the event, Browne also says you can encourage a sense of occasion by designing a virtual background so everyone feels like they're in the same room, or suggesting a theme everyone has to dress up for.

Food: Being able to share food and drink can be as simple as sharing a recipe or designing a cocktail that everyone prepares before the event. If all your guests are in the same city, you can also consider ordering everyone the same food to be delivered.

Music: Playing music over video calls is hard, because you end up losing the ability to communicate. That issue can be overcome by using an app everyone can tune into, like Spotify's Group Session function. Have your guests collaborate on the playlist so everyone gets to hear the music they want. They can also add songs throughout the event like a jukebox.

Play: Organising game activities will depend on the group of people you're catering for, but aim for any activity to be designed around collaboration. Browne recommends free gaming platform Kahoot because it offers the ability to personalise games, or play standard versions. For a baby shower, he recommends the game Who's That Baby? where you have guests send through baby photos of themselves, and create a multiple choice competition to guess who each photo is during the party.

Finally, he suggests opening up the video chat an hour before the formal proceedings start. This gives early arrivals an informal moment to connect casually, or potentially cook and prepare together.

What to do ... if your internet is really slow

Zoran Tasevski, the managing director of Technetics Consulting, says there are a couple of workarounds for joining video calls when you have a slow internet connection:

Option 1: Connect to a phone hotspot. "If you don't have a 4G or 5G connection on your own phone, ask someone else who does to enable the hotspot on their smart phone and connect to it, which will allow you to wirelessly connect to the internet. Depending which area you're in, if Telstra doesn't have a strong 4G or 5G signal you can try another provider by asking someone else in the family if they have a different connection with Optus or Vodafone."

Option 2: "Buy a 5G wifi hot spot device like this one ... Then you can connect your laptop or iPad wirelessly to it."

Option 3: "Buy a data sim card from any provider that has good wireless internet coverage in your area and insert it into a wireless router like this one from TP-Link. Everyone in the house can connect to this wireless router and you can also take the wireless router with you anywhere. Sometimes it works faster than an NBN connection!"

Other ways to stay social instead

Stephanie Bendixsen, presenter and video games content creator, has a curated list of virtual games to play together with friends or family you can't see in person.

Gartic Phone: "All you need is access to a web browser to play this free version of the telephone game. One person will be prompted to write out a sentence or idea, the next person will have to draw it. The third person will receive the image without the message and will have to interpret what the drawing is. You don't need fantastic art skills, in fact it's funnier if you don't."

Jackbox Party Pack: "Includes several kinds of word games, drawing games, trivia games, which are really well produced with fun graphics and voice dialogue. One person needs to own the game via video game platform Steam and everyone else who is participating just needs access to a browser."

Among Us: "This game came out a couple of years ago, but became really popular in the last 12 months because of live streaming, people saw how fun and social it is. It's a deception-based game where you play astronauts trying to repair a ship, but two unknown players are trying to sabotage the effort. It's fun because it's discussion-based, you watch people trying to keep a straight face when they're lying to their friends or sometimes people sound guilty when they're not. Everyone does need to own the game."

Fall Guys: "Can be played on PC or console, and is fun for everyone, even kids. In a candy world aesthetic, you play a jellybean thrown into an obstacle course. It's very simple but very funny and chaotic."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Zoom dilemmas solved! Expert advice on making video chats less awkward and more fun

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
With many parts of Australia still in lockdown, connecting with others can feel increasingly challenging. Whether video calls are stifling your usual banter with friends, or the problem is actually hearing them at all over a patchy internet connection, Zoom fatigue is real.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What

Set up Teams Meetings to record and transcribe by default. Providing an instantly searchable digital asset to your information management system.

Why

Meetings are an important information asset. By automatically recording your meetings by default, you can then use the native transcription capabilities in Stream to generate a searchable record of each meeting - or leverage this transcript to publish your meeting recording publicly, thus improving SEO for your shared content.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Top 20 Microsoft Teams Tips And Tricks | MS Teams Hacks | AvePoint

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
What Set up Teams Meetings to record and transcribe by default. Providing an instantly searchable digital asset to your information management system. Why Meetings are an important information asset.

# data[].attributes.headline
OSWP UCC Website - all webinars and tools

# data[].attributes.subject
OSWP UCC Website - all webinars and tools

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
COVID-19 Resources
Thank you all of you who've got in touch with useful resources to share with each other.
We have collated a list of information and resources below. Please feel free to share these resources with anyone you think would benefit.

Please email cpdofficer@iasw.ie with any information, supports and resources for social workers so we can keep sharing relevant information with each other.

It might also be helpful if you could let us know of specific information you need, and we can include requests in the next mail. There may be members who have the information you need.

------------------
THE LIAISON SOCIAL WORK ROLE IN NURSING HOMES AND RESIDENTIAL SETTINGS: GUIDANCE FOR SOCIAL WORKERS
The Irish Association of Social Workers (IASW) developed these practice guidelines for liaison social workers in nursing home and community settings in response to the distress, hardship and grief caused by the Covid-19 crisis. A similar model of practice is already used in hospital and palliative care settings and is adapted here for use in nursing homes and community residential settings to ensure equity in access to social work support for all people and families regardless of their location of care and death.

------------------
THE LIAISON SOCIAL WORK ROLE IN NURSING HOMES AND RESIDENTIAL SETTINGS: A MODEL FOR PRACTICE
In April 2020, social workers deeply concerned about disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on vulnerable residents in nursing homes and a wide range of residential settings, came together to share their professional expertise on how social work was adapting and responding to the needs of residents and their families. Social workers listened to the experiences of residents and families, drew upon existing and evolving messages from research and shared learning, resources and tools developed since the onset of Covid-19 across a range of Irish social work agencies and settings.
The model outlined in this document is informed by this collaborative expertise and provides a way to share learning across the profession so that social workers can provide the psychosocial supports that residents and their families urgently require. The model has been operationalised in varying forms in St Mary's Hospital in the Phoenix Park, the Navan Road Community Nursing Unit, St Clare's Community Nursing Unit, Clarehaven Community Nursing Unit, Lusk Community Nursing Unit and CHO 7 in Hollybrook Lodge Residential Care Centre. It has also been adapted for use in mental health services in CHO 9.
------------------ GUIDANCE FOR THE MEDICAL SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION RESPONSE TO COVID-19
This guidance document has been developed by Sinéad McGarry & Kaylene Jackson and it aims to support the professional response of Irish Medical Social Work Departments to the Covid19 pandemic. It is informed by the limited literature available on role of social workers in epidemics, broader research on the implications of epidemic/pandemic work on frontline staff and by preliminary consultation with healthcare staff in Italy. This guidance will be modified and updated as our professional experience and knowledge expands in the weeks and months ahead. You can download the document from the right side of this page.

------------------
A TOOL FOR MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKERS
Beyond the Door Visualisation is a social work tool developed to help patients feel connected to home and those outside at a time when they cannot physically be with them. The poster is available from the downloads section on this page: https://www.iasw.ie/IASW_COVID19_Resources
------------------ C19REGISTER.COM : A FREE ONLINE TOOL FOR VISITOR REGISTRATION WITH COVID-19 SELF-SCREENING
Because of COVID-19, it is recommended that anyone attending in person at a premises, clinic, club, training-hall or office should pre-register and make an appropriate COVID-19 declaration before arriving. The COVID-19 Register project is a community funded initative set-up to allow anyone who needs it to setup their own online COVID Visitor pre-registration / self-screening form and attendance record within 5 minutes. It's totally free. Grab a free covid-19 form for your website
------------------ GUIDANCE FOR BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT PROVIDED BY SPECIALIST PALLIATIVE CARE SOCIAL WORKERS IN IRELAND, 2019
This document provides evidence informed guidance to all specialist palliative care social workers who are involved in the delivery of bereavement support to patients and families. While acknowledging that most bereaved individuals manage their grief with good quality information and their informal support networks, a significant minority of bereaved people may require additional supports. The guidance recognises the differing levels of need which may emerge after a significant loss and advocates an appropriately matched response. The document was developed by members of the Palliative Care Social Workers Group with the support of Dr. Audrey Roulston, Senior Lecturer in the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work in Queen's University, Belfast. The document is available to download from the right side of this page.
------------------ BEREAVEMENT WORK
The Hospice and Palliative Care Social Workers Group have developed an addendum on The Impact of Covid-19 to their Guidance for Bereavement Support provided by Specialist Palliative Care Social Workers in Irelanddocument. The addendum can be downloaded from the downloads section on this page: https://www.iasw.ie/IASW_COVID19_Resources

Anam Cara have recently updated their online support and resources for bereaved parents at https://anamcara.ie/ Also available are Anam Cara Information Packs - 8 leaflets written by Bereaved parents for bereaved parents. These can be posted out or downloaded from the Anam Cara Website. Further information about supports available at 01 4045378 /085 2888 888 or info@anamcara.ie
------------------ SOCIAL WORKERS RESPOND TO COVID-19
Read about how social workers are adapting and responding in the Irish Social Work Blog, a blog for contemporary issues in Irish Social Work practice https://irishsocialwork.wordpress.com/

The British Association of Social Workers update their Covid-19 resources section regularly so do check in for updated resources and guidance at https://www.basw.co.uk/coronavirus-updates/social-work-resources-during-coronavirus

The Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) has made available free learning resources, including a child development app, which you can find at https://learningzone.niscc.info/learning-resources?category=9
------------------ NON-VIOLENT RESISTANCE
In response to queries about how to use Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) over the phone or via on-line platforms, the committee of NVR Ireland developed some guidelines. Although aimed at practitioners who are trained in NVR, the suggestions there might come in useful for social workers and allied practitioners offering to support and work with clients remotely throughout the time of COVID 19. The guidance document is available from the downloads section on this page: https://www.iasw.ie/IASW_COVID19_Resources
------------------ LEGISLATION & COURTS
Notice for practitioners and members of the public requiring services from court offices in respect of criminal, family law and civil law business effective from 30th March 2020.

The Mental Health Commission have introduced several changes to help simplify their regulatory and tribunals processes at this time. Detail on these changes can be found at https://www.mhcirl.ie/About_Us/Covid-19/Covid-19.html

This comprehensive hub has been developed by the Family Law Clinic, UCC School of Law and provides details of local and national resources regarding access to justice, courts and state supports services, domestic violence, children in care, financial support and other related family law matters. See https://www.ucc.ie/en/covid19familylaw/
------------------
WORKING ONLINE

The School of Applied Social Studies (social work), UCC have put together a free to access

Padlet with resources that may be of use to you and your team https://padlet.com/kenneth28burns/uvpu626mvd5k

Useful article on using Zoom https://therapists-network.com/using-zoom-for-your-clients-in-therapy/amp/

Zoom statement on EU GDPR compliance https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/360000126326-Official-Statement-EU-GDPR-Compliance

HSELanD is the Health Service Executive's online learning and development portal.

HSELanD contains over 170 eLearning programmes, resources, assessment and planning tools to support you in your current job role and with your personal and professional development as well as supporting resources in the fight against COVID-19

BASW have partnered with SCIE (Social Care Institute for Excellence) to develop a section on Digital Capabilities for social workers to support practice, education and development. View and download the resources at https://www.basw.co.uk/resources/publications-policies-and-reports/digital-capabilities-social-workers

You can also sign up for access to free SCIE resources and their ebulletin at https://www.scie.org.uk/index

The HSE eHealth HSCP Advisory Group has developed a blog on general online resources for the 16,000 HSCPs working in the HSE. You can follow the blog at https://hscpshare.com/ Get in touch with the group if you would like to write a blog from a social work perspective.

The free Padlet developed by the School of Applied Social Studies, UCC has been thoroughly updated with newer versions of resources and additional information: https://padlet.com/kenneth28burns/uvpu626mvd5k The Padlet is open access and anyone can contribute a resource / link.

North Dublin Mental Health Services have shared a document on the use of tele-health during COVID19 pandemic. You can access the document in the downloads section on this page: https://www.iasw.ie/IASW_COVID19_Resources

The UCC "Online Social Work Practice" series has developed new tools which, alongside other resources, are available on this link: https://padlet.com/kenneth28burns/uvpu626mvd5k

1. Running an Effective Online Meeting Using Microsoft Teams (updated to version 2)

2. Running an Effective Online Meeting Using Video Conferencing Software (new)

3. Communicating and Rapport Building Online (new)

4. Communicating and Rapport Building Online - short version (new)

A webinar is planned for early June to showcase online initiatives by front-line practitioners. If you know of any interesting initiatives led by front-line social workers and/or related professionals, please forward relevant details to Kenneth Burns at K.Burns@ucc.ie
CPD Certificate in Remote Working:
The HSeLanD team delivered 'HSeLanD - Supporting Training Conversion' webinar last week. You can view the insights and content delivered by watching the recording in the Share Centre Hub on HSeLanD. Go to http://www.hseland.ie/dash/Registration to set up an account if you don't already have one.

The @UCCsocialwork webinar on Online Social Work Practice took place last week. A video of the event and all of the Q+A resources are now available to view on this link: https://bit.ly/36s5xHs The Padlet has more information on links and resources: https://padlet.com/kenneth28burns/uvpu626mvd5k
------------------
HSE HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE PROFESSIONS REPOSITORY

The National HSCP Office is pleased to advise that a HSCP repository is now available in the HSCP Hub on HSELanD. This repository has been developed to support the Health and Social Care Professions to deliver services in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is intended that this central repository will enable a sharing of COVID and non-COVID-related resources to reduce duplication of effort for HSCP frontline staff and managers at this time. This development will be an iterative process with new content being added as it is received. The format may change over time in line with content requirements and user feedback.

Location of HSCP Repository on HSELanD

Once logged in to www.hseland.ie*, users can access the repository in three clicks:

1. Go to Hubs

2. Go to Health and Social Care Professions (Hub)

3. Click Resources to Support HSCP Delivering services in Context of COVID-19

*If you do not have an account, you can create an account as a staff member or 'volunteer'.

Structure of the Repository

Resources are available in the following three categories. See navigation details for more information.

Digital/eHealth Resources for HSCP

Clinical Resources for HSCP

Operational Documents

We invite HSCP frontline staff, professional bodies and other interested parties to continue to send relevant resources to the National HSCP Office by emailing hscp.nationaloffice@hse.ie

The HSE have collated information for staff which includes updates on testing, working from home, virtual health and managing fatigue. See https://healthservice.hse.ie/staff/news/coronavirus-news/?source=banner-hse-staff
------------------
INCOME SUPPORT

Information for employers, employees and the self-employed can be found at https://www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-employment-affairs-and-social-protection/

Citizens Information have brought information together very useful information on social welfare, employment rights, etc. https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/covid19/

Information about social welfare and immigration for migrant workers, documented and undocumented, can be found at https://www.mrci.ie/get-info/#updates

Information, advice and an Emergency Care Plan Booklet for family carers at https://familycarers.ie
------------------
SUPPORTS FOR OLDER PEOPLE

ALONE https://alone.ie/

Age Action https://www.ageaction.ie/

ALONE have an information booklet to support work with older people concerned about Covid-19. You can found it on the downloads section on this page: https://www.iasw.ie/IASW_COVID19_Resources

Alzheimer National Helpline has a free Dementia Nurse and Dementia Adviser call-back service to deal with increased need during COVID-19 crisis. Open Monday to Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday 10am-4pm on 1800 341 341.
Wellbeing Initiatives

Age & Opportunity have plenty of resources to support older people during the pandemic. (Call (0)1 805 7709 for more info)

#InThisTogetherTogether National Initiatives: local authorities are developing, supporting and expanding wellbeing initiatives during COVID 19.

Fitness 15: daily 15 minutes of exercise on RTÉ One at 2.20pm Monday to Friday

Access to Technology for Older People

The Age Action Getting Started KIT materials supports older people to learn, use, and be confident using smartphones and applications so they can keep in touch with their loved ones during the Covid-19 pandemic. The material can be downloaded here or older people can call 01 8730372 leave their name and address and Age Action will post the How to Guides within 10 days.

COVID-19 Tech (01-9633288) Volunteer tech helpline for older people cocooning in Ireland.

Vodafone have launched a new Tech Advice/Smart Phone support line for older people. (01) 8731166, open Mon- fri 9am to 6pm

THE HomeShare provides an innovative alternative to social support. Living independently for older and younger adults is very expensive in Ireland today. THE HomeShare provides a medium to long term solution for both generations to live their best life. If you are looking for affordable accommodation or support to remain living in your own home: https://thehomeshare.ie/
------------------
SUPPORTS FOR WORK WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

Advice and information for children and young people struggling to understand what is happening and how to cope is available from the Ombudsman for Children's Office at www.oco.ie.

In addition, the Children and Young People Services Committees have great tips and links for children's wellbeing while we work together to stay safe and well.

The Children's Rights Alliance website will also be updated with links and information with regard to the resources that our members have created and are available to all Barnardos' have launched a dedicated telephone and email support service to provide advice to parents on a wide range of issues that may have come up during this time. This service will be staffed by Barnardos project workers who are trained professionals. You can make contact with this service by phoning 1800 910 123 between 10.00am and 2.00pm Monday to Friday or by emailing parentsupport@barnardos.ie. Some resources to support children and adults around anxiety, worry, stress, and fears; including specific Covid (updated on a very regular basis)

http://www.safehandsthinkingminds.co.uk/covid-anxiety-stress-resources-links/

Resources for talking with children about Coronavirus can be found at https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/coronavirus/

The Children and Families Special Interest Group (SIG) have an article on Challenges for
Children and Families in Time of Containment, Quarantine, and Isolation: An Irish Perspective available on the downloads section of this page.

The Dublin Children and Young People's Services Committees have developed a directory of Covid-19 wellbeing resources accessible at https://www.dublincypscdirectory.ie/

The UNESCO Centre for Child and Family Research NUI Galway are hosting weekly webinars on Thursdays at 6pm live on Facebook on the theme of Living and Learning Empathy in Covid-19: A Virtual Global Conversation. You can play back the webinars that have already taken place at http://www.childandfamilyresearch.ie/cfrc/weeklywebinars/

The Children's Principal Social Workers Network (UK), in association with What Works for Children's Social Care have run a COVID-19 Webinar Series.
------------------
SUPPORTS FOR WORKING WITH ADULTS WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES/ ADULTS WITH AUTISM

Supports are available from BASW and SCIE at

https://www.basw.co.uk/media/news/2020/mar/supporting-autistic-adults-and-adults-learning-disabilities-during-coronavirus

Simple free booklets to explain re virus to people with intellectual disability as well as resources on coping with lockdown and when someone dies https://booksbeyondwords.co.uk/downloads-shop/beating-the-virus

The All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care is collaborating with the Trinity Centre for Ageing and Intellectual Disability along with The Daughters of Charity Disability Support Service, St Francis Hospice, Dublin, and Tallaght University Hospital to deliver a Project ECHO AIIHPC Webinars for Intellectual Disability Services to provide information and guidance to Intellectual Disability Services during the COVID-19 outbreak http://www.professionalpalliativehub.com/covid-19/project-echo-aiihpc-webinars-intellectual-disability-services#2

Supports for those with Autism/Aspergers can be found at https://asiam.ie/asiam-and-covid19/
------------------ SUPPORTS FOR WORKING WITH OLDER PEOPLE/NURSING HOMES
AIIHPC is collaborating with the Age-related Health Care Department of Tallaght University Hospital to deliver Project ECHO AIIHPC webinars for Nursing Homes during COVID-19 http://www.professionalpalliativehub.com/covid-19/project-echo-aiihpc-webinars-nursing-homes#2

Irish Gerontological Society Webinars/Conferences/Blogs https://www.irishgerontology.com/news/blogs/nursing-home-care-and-covid-19

Sage Advocacy have a section on Supporting vulnerable adults, older people and healthcare patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic https://www.sageadvocacy.ie/resources

The Liaison Social Work Role in Nursing Homes and Residential Settings: A Model for Practicehas been developed by IASW members to respond the unmet needs of those dying, bereaved and unwell in nursing homes and residential care. You can access the document from the downloads section on this page: https://www.iasw.ie/IASW_COVID19_Resources

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) has made available new COVID-19 guidance for carers in care homes who are supporting residents living with dementia during the pandemic. Some useful information for social work as well https://www.scie.org.uk/dementia/
------------------ SUPPORTS FOR TUSLA STAFF
Tusla have provided information and advice for their staff which can be found at https://www.tusla.ie/staff/covid-19-information-and-advice-for-tusla-staff/ There is plenty of information here that will be helpful to social workers in other settings.
------------------ SUPPORTS FOR FOSTER CARERS
Online mindfulness sessions for IFCA members. Niamh Barrett is a mindfulness teacher who has been facilitating mindfulness-based interventions since 2010. At IFCA she's the Learning and Development Co-ordinator. She is offering mindfulness meditation sessions for foster carers, as a resource and source of support and has put together a short introduction video here. If you have any questions for Niamh you can contact her on email on niamh.barrett@ifca.ie
------------------
KEEPING WELL WHILE WORKING

City Mental Health Alliance UK has good information on "Supporting colleagues to stay mentally healthy in unusual working conditions" and this document has links to other international and national agencies: http://citymha.org.uk/supporting-colleagues-to-stay-mentally-healthy-in-unusual-working-conditions/

Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress US has two new documents one of which is Psychological Effects of Quarantine During the Coronavirus Outbreak: What Healthcare Providers Need to Know: https://www.cstsonline.org/resources/resource-master-list/coronavirus-and-emerging-infectious-disease-outbreaks-response
------------------
SUPPORTS TO MENTAL HEALTH

HSE LIVE Phone, Twitter, Find a Service https://www.hse.ie/eng/hselive/

HSE - Minding your mental health during Covid-19 https://www2.hse.ie/wellbeing/mental-health/minding-your-mental-health-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak.html

St. Pat's - Managing Anxiety https://www.stpatricks.ie/media-centre/blogs-articles/2020/march/coronavirus-anxiety

Jigsaw - coping with the Impact of Covid-19 https://jigsawonline.ie/young-people/coping-with-the-impact-of-coronavirus/

The Mindfulness Centre https://mindfulness.ie/

Headspace https://www.headspace.com/

Mental Health Foundation UK - Looking after yourself during the corona virus pandemic https://mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/looking-after-your-mental-health-during-coronavirus-outbreak

Mental Health Reform have collated a list of services and supports at https://www.mentalhealthreform.ie/news/mental-health-services-supports-available/

An interesting website developed to support the mental health of healthcare staff https://www.mindthefrontline.com/
------------------
SUPPORTS FOR HOME VISITS

BASW have developed a Professional Practice Guidance for Home Visits for social workers and their employers. The guidance does not replace employer or national public health guidance. It will be regularly updated so do check back for revised versions https://www.basw.co.uk/professional-practice-guidance-home-visits-during-covid-19-pandemic
------------------
REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS AND DEATHS

Birth and death registration is now online. Register a death at https://www.gov.ie/en/service/49c66f-registering-a-death-in-ireland/

Births can be registered at https://www.gov.ie/en/service/64a092-registering-a-birth/
------------------
LEARNING FROM SOCIAL WORKERS ACROSS THE WORLD

Check out our UK colleagues at the BASW for updates on what's working in social work https://www.basw.co.uk/media/news/2020/mar/covid-19-what-working

Find out how social workers worldwide are responding and about our role at this time https://www.ifsw.org/updated-information-on-ifsw-and-the-covid-19-virus/

The British Association of Social Workers updates their resources every few days so do continue to check for the latest supports to social work at https://www.basw.co.uk/coronavirus-updates/social-work-resources-during-coronavirus
------------------ CURRENT RESEARCH
A suite of reports, based on data from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), has been published to assist Government and the health services to plan and deliver the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Ireland. The reports respond to emerging national and international data on key risk factors associated with COVID-19 and can be found at https://www.tcd.ie/news_events/articles/v-ital-research-reports-released-to-aid-health-officials-response-to-pandemic/

To assist health workers and researchers working under challenging conditions to bring this outbreak to a close, The Lancet has created a Coronavirus Resource Centre. This resource brings together new 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) content from across The Lancet journals as it is published. All of our COVID-19 content is free to access at https://www.thelancet.com/coronavirus

The WHO has collated and made available global research on COVID-19 and links to other free resources https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/global-research-on-novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov

The HSE library have collated a number of articles in response to the question What is the role of social work and family liaison during global pandemics such as COVID-19?View the relevant articles at https://hselibrary.ie/social-work-and-family-liaison-during-covid-19/
------------------ ONLINE CPD
Developed in collaboration with Johns Hopkins Open Education Lab, some of our members have found this online course in psychological first aid useful https://www.coursera.org/learn/psychological-first-aid
------------------
SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE

The Wheel have developed a COVID-19 Community Outreach (CCO) initiative with excellent information to

Inform and empower our CCO Community Champions, the people who will serve as the glue for communities across Ireland, providing up-to-date details of Government resources and supports on offer to support citizens throughout the duration of the COVID-19 crisis.

Provide an overview (in the form of an interactive map) of the Community Champions, along with local non-profit organisations, who are participating in the CCO initiative.

https://www.wheel.ie/covid-19-community-outreach#champions
------------------ REPRESENTATIVE WORK
The IASW has been lobbying the Office of the Taoiseach, the HSE, Tusla, Government Ministers and other stakeholders on behalf of our members. Issues raised include access to PPE while carrying out home visits and recognition of Social Workers working at the front line of the COVID-19 crisis. Copies of these communications can be found in the 'Downloads' section on this page.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Thank you all of you who've got in touch with useful resources to share with each other. We have collated a list of information and resources below. Please feel free to share these resources with anyone you think would benefit. Please email cpdofficer@iasw.ie with any information, sup

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
HSE Press Release: 2.00pm, Tuesday 8 June 2021

Health care services continue to be severely impacted by the cyber-attack

Health services are planning to operate essential services within contingency arrangements for the next number of weeks

Our EDs are open for all emergencies but are very busy. Only attend if you need urgent care. Please consider all other care options including Injury Units, GP out of Hours services and your local pharmacy

Steady progress is being made across the acute services however significant delays remain across many areas.

Our community services progress is slow, but we continue to work to get our systems back up and running

Health Services update:

While good progress has been made in restoring some of our systems, services around the country are continuing to see significant impacts and disruptions to services. Although essential services are continuing, our systems are not functioning as usual and patients may experience delays and in some cases cancellations. People can check updates on services that are affected on the HSE website service updates page.

Our main focus has been to get our priority systems back online, including radiology and diagnostic systems, maternity and infant care, patient administration systems, chemotherapy and radiation oncology, most hospitals are still dealing with substantial challenges and limited functionality. As a result, patients may find their experiences far slower and less integrated compared to normal.

Many health services are operating essential and urgent services, without access to critical IT systems or with limited access and functionality to these systems.

This means that essential services, like blood tests and diagnostic services are taking much longer to operate than usual, using manual processes, and increasing turnaround times for patients in our care.

Many of our emergency departments are very busy today. As always the patients requiring the most urgent care will be seen first. People who present to emergency departments may experience much longer waiting times for non - urgent care and should consider all available alternatives before presenting to the Emergency Department.

Health services are being asked to plan for operating essential services within contingency arrangements for the next number of weeks.

The HSE's Chief Clinical Officer has provided guidance to all clinicians on patient safety and priority focus while our services respond to this attack - see HSE Clinical Guidance

Services nationwide and the HSE centrally is assessing risk on an ongoing basis and putting in place new arrangements to maintain care and patient safety in hospital and community services.

Hospitals and community services nationwide are seeing varied impacts, but all teams are responding with contingency arrangements, including redeploying staff, rescheduling some procedures and appointments, and adjusting processes as needed.

Vaccinations and COVID-19 test and trace are operating, without the GP referral system for testing, and people with symptoms may attend test centres without an appointment. Full details of walk-in testing centres available at hse.ie

Reports from some parts of the country regarding a rise in COVID-19 cases are concerning and we urge people to continue taking sensible precautions and abide by social distancing guidelines.

The National Ambulance Service is operating normally and all systems and services are working as usual.

Medical card services have been significantly disrupted and our processes are slower as a result. As it's not possible to register medical card applications online at the moment, we are asking people to send in postal applications. While we are processing emergency cards as quickly as possible, applications for non- emergency cards have been impacted. Call 1890 252 919 (9am - 5pm Monday to Friday) if you have any medical card queries. For more information go to here

Our IT teams continue to work around the clock seven days a week to restore services, but this restoration work has to be done in a very safe way. It will take a number of weeks to safely restore the 2,000 impacted IT systems.

The HSE has a high court order to stop personal and medical information that may have been stolen in this cyber-attack from being published online.

Specialists and our legal team are monitoring websites used by criminals to check for activity involving any data stolen in the cyber-attack.

People receiving any suspicious calls, texts or other contacts seeking personal or banking details are advised to report these contacts to their local Garda station or the Garda confidential line 1800 666111.

Information Systems Response:

The decryption tool continues to be deployed on individual systems based on clinical priority.

Many of our priority systems are back online on local sites including radiology and diagnostic systems, maternity and infant care, patient administration systems, chemotherapy, radiation oncology, radiotherapy and laboratories. But our work in these areas remains challenged and far slower and less integrated compared to normal. Restoration is technically challenging and needs to be done in a safe way.

Our priority remains on bringing back key patient care systems in line with clinical priority.

Interim solutions and options to continue to treat affected patients on an emergency basis have been put in place on sites particularly where we anticipate IT systems may be impacted for an extended period.

There are approximately 2,000 IT patient facing systems, each supported by infrastructure, multiple servers and devices. They are still being put through a rigorous process of assessment and recovery in a controlled and structured way based on clinical prioritisation.

In addition, there are 80,000 HSE devices which are being assessed. The IT system has grown and evolved over 30 years, and we are trying to bring it back online. Different sections will need to be brought back online in a structured, co-ordinated, safe way.

Restoration of HSE staff email is taking place on a phased, controlled basis. This is a key service priority as it impacts on the delivery of services particularly in community services. This will take some time to ensure it is done safely.

HSE website service updates HSE Clinical Guidance
Follow @hselive on Twitter

Last updated on: 08 / 06 / 2021

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
HSE Press Release: 2.00pm, Tuesday 8 June 2021 Health care services continue to be severely impacted by the cyber-attack Health services are planning to operate essential services within contingency arrangements for the next number of weeks Our EDs are open for all emergencies but are very busy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Child and Family Agency has said children are still being admitted to care in the normal way but admitted that the cyberattack has caused other difficulties in childcare proceedings.

Tusla operates with much of the same IT infrastructure as the HSE and has had its systems crippled as a result of the ransomware attack that was launched last month.

Solicitor Gareth Noble of firm KOD Lyons tweeted that the impact of the cyberattack was "worse than Covid" when it came to child law proceedings.

Mr Noble said social workers and others had been working extremely hard to mitigate the effects of the ransomware attacks, but that it had placed additional work pressures on them, particularly when it came to providing relevant records and reports that were not now accessible.

He said that initial childcare proceedings, and full care orders, were most impacted as a result of the cyberattack.

"Very few full care orders are going ahead," he said. "They cannot produce the reports before the courts."

Mr Noble said that these applications were evidence-based but that social workers and others were now "locked out" of their email and had limited access.

It meant some social workers having to handwrite reports for the court and social workers were now required in court, in many cases, to give oral evidence whereas during the earlier stages of the pandemic their attendance was not required.

"During Covid you could rely on social work reports and there was agreement that they did not have to come to court," he said. "Now they all have to come to court."

The Chair of the Irish Association of Social Workers, Aine McGuirk, had already warned that social workers faced going back to a paper system until such time as they could access the online systems compromised by the cyberattack.

Last week Tusla CEO Bernard Gloster said the recovery from the cyberattack would be "costly in many ways". However, the Child and Family Agency has said there is no evidence of any Tusla data appearing on the dark web.

In a statement, the Child and Family Agency said: "Following the cyber attack on HSE systems, Tusla's Head of Legal Services engaged with all member firms and with the Office of the Court Office to advise of the attack and the subsequent impact on services, specifically, our inability to access file information/documentation.

"During this period, Social Work staff have provided oral evidence or have completed new written reports for Courts as required.

"To date, there has been no indication of any significant issues and children have continued to be admitted into care since 14th May 2021 as required and Interim Care Orders (ICOs) have continued to be reviewed."

A Tusla spokeperson said the issues caused by the cyberattack came after the Agency was trying to overcome other, longstanding issues that arose as a result of the pandemic.

Separately, the backlog from Covid on the Court system has caused ongoing delays in getting Court dates for applications and this continues to present challenges," the spokesperson said.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Impact of cyberattack 'worse than Covid' on child protection cases

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Child and Family Agency has said children are still being admitted to care in the normal way but admitted that the cyberattack has caused other difficulties in childcare proceedings. Tusla operates with much of the same IT infrastructure as the HSE and has had its systems crippled as a result of the ransomware attack that was launched last month.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The CEO of Tusla has said the significant challenge for the Child and Family Agency, following last week's cyber attack, is that social workers do not have access to the background sensitive information contained in case files.

The Health Service Executive was forced to shut down all of its IT systems following the "significant" ransomware attack, which focused on accessing data stored on central servers.

Speaking on RTÉ's News at One, Bernard Gloster said Tusla has about 20,000 open cases including child protection and welfare and children in care, as well as many tens of thousands of other interactions, but all of that information is on the National Childcare Information System (NCCIS), and not available to them.

He said Tusla does not at this stage have any indication that the data is compromised other than being potentially locked by the attack, but will not know for sure until the system comes back as part of the HSE recovery process.

Mr Gloster said that over 90% of Tusla's connectivity is gone, and its databases and operating systems have been affected.

He said he is confident that the child protection work that needs to happen today is happening and the knowledge available to its local social workers is quite significant.

He said Tusla would usually receive about 1,500 referrals a week, and people can still make referrals about a child by ringing their local duty social work office and these numbers are available on the Tusla website.
Read More:
Cyber attack a heinous crime during pandemic - Varadkar
Justice Minister meets Garda Commissioner over cyber attack
'Number of days' before systems back working - HSE

Speaking on the same programme, the CEO of the Saolta University Health Care Group said all elective procedures and outpatient services have been cancelled for the coming week.

Tony Canavan said patients are being contacted directly if their scheduled appointment is going ahead.

"All other services and appointments are cancelled, unless you hear from us", he said.

Mr Canavan said there will be delays associated with radiology, but the situation is being "assessed every hour" and that systems will be back up and running "when we can ensure that it is safe".

He said the hospital group is able to access support from three private hospitals in the region "to help share the burden of patient care."

The Saolta University Health Care Group includes University Hospital Galway, Letterkenny University Hospital, Mayo University Hospital and Sligo University Hospital.

UL Hospital Group CEO Colette Cowan said clinics are running today but there will be significant cancellations for the rest of the week to ensure patient safety.

She said that access to diagnostics including x-ray and bloods is impacting the provision of services, including surgery appointments.

The hospitals will continue to deal with all time-critical patients in emergency care and will contact patients directly about attending appointments from tomorrow.

Ms Cowan said emergency departments, maternity emergency, injury and chemotherapy units are still operating despite the difficulties and the group has discussed outsourcing emergency care to the Bons Secours private hospital if required to do so for time-critical, emergency care.

Hospitals in the group are University Hospital Limerick, University Maternity Hospital Limerick,
Nenagh Hospital, Ennis Hospital, Croom Orthopaedic Hospital and St John's voluntary hospital.

Meanwhile, the director of St Luke's Radiation Oncology Network urged people who are feeling unwell to contact one of their three centres and said arrangements will be made for patients to be reviewed by medical teams.

Dr Claire Faul said the network, which is part of the Dublin/Midland Hospital Group, treats around 300 cancer patients a week.

She said they have been unable to use their machinery since Friday morning due to the ransomware attack and patients have not been able to receive treatment since then, but a "short break" in treatment has a "negligible" impact, "if at all", she added.

Dr Faul said the network has a contingency plan which has allowed for patients to be treated in the private sector since Friday and over the weekend, for emergency care.

She said the network's record system was isolated so patient lists and numbers were not affected and said she is "hopeful" that machinery will be back up and running this week.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tusla facing significant challenges after cyber attack

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The CEO of Tusla has said the significant challenge for the Child and Family Agency, following last week's cyber attack, is that social workers do not have access to the background sensitive information contained in case files.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
During the COVID-19 pandemic we have seen support being offered from all parts of society, as well as innovative solutions and tools being developed and implemented. Nevertheless, in a rapidly changing environment, it's important that we all take steps to ensure that we stay safe in our online interactions, particularly when there are so many COVID-19-related scams to trick people into sharing their personal data or to gain access to their devices.

Here are some tips on how to stay safe online and ensure that your personal data, particularly sensitive data such as health data, is only shared with or accessed by trusted recipients.
Read more: Protecting Personal Data When Working Remotely
Tips for Staying Safe Online

Always consider who you are sharing your personal data with, and aim to limit your sharing of sensitive personal data (such as health data) with trusted recipients, such as government departments, public health officials, healthcare professionals, or other recipients suggested or endorsed by them.

Pause and take a few minutes to read over the privacy policy or data protection notice of a service, app, or website, to be sure who your personal data is being shared with, where it will be stored or processed, and what purposes it will be used for, amongst other important information.

If data protection or privacy policy information is inadequate or not available, you should be wary of sharing personal data with this service, app, or website, and may want to take further steps, such as contacting them, to clarify.

Even when you are considering sharing personal data with a trusted recipient through an app, website, SMS, or email, make sure that it is actually them you are sharing the personal data with, and not just and app, website, phone number, or email address, which is disguised to look like it's theirs.

Be wary of links that are forwarded by SMS, messaging apps, or email, particularly if you're not expecting them or you think it has been automatically forwarded, as this is a common way to spread malicious links.

Avoid clicking links or opening attachments that you are unsure about. In particular, be wary of attachments which you were not expecting. Keep in mind that displayed text for a link can look like a legitimate URL, but the link when you click it may lead somewhere else.

Pay attention to links in emails and on webpages that you connect to. Try hovering over the link before you click it; you should see the destination URL at the bottom right of your browser. Is it familiar to you? If not, think again about using it.

Ensure you have up-to-date antivirus or online security software installed on all of your devices - don't forget that smartphones and tablets are just in need of antivirus and malware protection these days as laptops or desktops.

Read more
Data Protection and COVID-19 Common Online Risks Guidance on Phishing and Social Engineering Attacks Guidance on Data Security

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
During the COVID-19 pandemic we have seen support being offered from all parts of society, as well as innovative solutions and tools being developed and implemented. Nevertheless, in a rapidly changing environment, it's important that we all take steps to ensure that we stay safe in our online interactions, particularly when there are so many COVID-19-related scams to trick people into sharing their personal data or to gain access to their devices.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the DPC knows you might need to share or collect information quickly to adapt to the demanding circumstances we all face and to maintain normal functions as far as possible. One of the heightened risks at this time is that you might suffer a ' data breach', which leads to the accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorised disclosure of, or access to, personal data.

Whether you are an organisation whose employees are working remotely, a school or college adapting to online education, or any organisation that needs to develop new ways of staying in touch with people during these unprecedented times, below are some tips to help you keep personal data safe and avoid data breaches:

Before using the many freely available social media platforms and apps, carry out a security check and ensure that security settings you are using are up to date and share only personal data that you wish to share.

When creating new forms within your existing document management system, continue to use all the necessary security measures to ensure that personal data is kept safe and not shared unintentionally.

When using templates to collect personal data, always ensure that a blank template is issued at all times.

Use complex passwords that are different on all platforms, using a password manager to assist you.

Continue to use common sense and make sure that you are taking care of things like people's names and addresses. Take particular care for more sensitive data, such as information about persons' health, political or trade union affiliation, or religion.

Remember that working from home can place us in a different mental space from our usual workplaces. Remind home workers that procedures such as double-checking addresses and attachments, and using the BCC function for group emails, are just as important when working at home as in the office.

Home workers dealing with personal data for which their organisations are responsible must remember to maintain privacy. Work files, email and databases should not be used where visible to family members or housemates, or left open and unattended. Work computers such as laptops should never be used by family members or for non-work purposes.

Many essential businesses, for example, pharmacies and medical practices, have had to make physical alterations to premises such as temporary reception desks and workspaces. Remember to take account of privacy when making these arrangements so that people can speak privately and other people's records are not visible to members of the public.

For more information on the obligation to notify the DPC of data breaches, see our Quick Guide to Data Breaches. We have also developed guidance on data protection when taking steps to mitigate COVID-19, on how to protect personal data when working remotely, on handling access requests, and some tips for video-conferencing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the DPC knows you might need to share or collect information quickly to adapt to the demanding circumstances we all face and to maintain normal functions as far as possible.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It's been a year since many of us said goodbye to our offices and started working from home, and for a lot of us, this was our first experience of working remotely, so it took some time to get used to this new normal.

During this time, Zoom has become more than a descriptive word, it has become integral to the way we work and stay connected. I am of course referring to Zoom, the video communication software - at some point or another, we have used Zoom to host or join a meeting with a colleague, client, friend, or family member.

Thanks to the pandemic, Zoom added more users in the first quarter of 2020 than they did during the whole of 2019. Zoom took off over other platforms like Microsoft Teams and Google Meet due to its easy setup, useability, free meetings for up to 100 people. However, its rapid and unexpected growth led to an increased focus on the company's security practices and privacy promises. So, one year on, is Zoom finally safe to use? Read on to find out.

What are our main security concerns regarding Zoom?

Before we come to a conclusion on whether Zoom is safe or not, let's take a look at some of the biggest security and privacy concerns around the platform.

Zoom phishing scams

At the end of last year, the Better Business Bureau warned Zoom users that scammers were trying to steal their usernames and passwords via phishing emails and text messages.

The messages, designed to cause panic, warned that "your Zoom account has been suspended" or that "you missed a meeting," and offer a helpful link to log back in. By clicking the link you would be taken to a fake login page designed to capture your Zoom user credentials, allowing hackers to use or steal your Zoom account. While we're seeing fewer zoom phishing campaigns like this, as long as Zoom remains popular, we won't be free from these scams - so stay alert and think twice before clicking on any links.

Zoom-bombing

At the start of the pandemic when Zoom's popularity grew, Zoom-bombing became the newest threat to anyone using the platform. In a move to combat these intruders, Zoom released two features:

Suspend Participant Activities: lets the meeting host pause the meeting, kick out disruptive participants, and then resume the meeting.

Report by Participants: extends to meeting participants the ability to report disruptive participants, a solution that previously had been given only to meeting hosts.

While these features don't stop the zoom-bombs from happening, it does enable hosts to swiftly get rid of unwanted meeting attendees.

False end-to-end encryption claim

Zoom landed themselves in hot water last Spring when it was discovered that their end-to-end encrypted (E2EE) wasn't what it said on the tin. Instead of calls being E2EE between participants, the data was only encrypted between each meeting participant and Zoom's servers - meaning it wasn't truly end-to-end encrypted.

In May last year, Zoom finally announced their plans to build an actual E2EE meeting option into their platform, during 4 phases. The first phase was rolled out in October, however, enabling E2EE in your meetings disabled certain features, including join before host, cloud recording, streaming, live transcription, Breakout Rooms, polling, 1:1 private chat*, and meeting reactions*.

*Note: As of version 5.5.0 for desktop, mobile and Zoom Rooms, these features are supported in E2EE meetings.

So, while Zoom has begun to roll out their E2EE service, it's not in full swing just yet. There is no public roadmap for Zoom's E2EE journey, however, they have stated that they "plan to roll out better identity management and E2EE SSO integration as part of Phase 2, which is tentatively road mapped for 2021." You can read more about Zoom's plans here.

Endless security flaws

Zoom has a long list of security flaws. Many of them have now been fixed, but it raises the question of how many more undiscovered vulnerabilities are still available for hackers to exploit.

Can Zoom be trusted?

Zoom is far from being the only video conferencing app with security issues. Services such as Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and Webex have all received flak from security experts over privacy concerns. However, Zoom has been involved in multiple lawsuits over the last year. In 2018, Zoom secretly installed a web server on Macs that let websites spy on users and re-installed the Zoom meeting software even after the user had deleted the program. And it told customers that recorded meetings stored on Zoom servers would immediately be encrypted, which wasn't always true.

Most recently, the Federal Trade Commission announced that Zoom "misled users" and "engaged in a series of deceptive and unfair practices" regarding its own security.

The decision, issued by U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, comes in a potential class-action lawsuit that includes claims related to "zoombombing," encryption practices and data-sharing with Facebook and other outside companies.

It was agreed that Zoom would have yearly internal security reviews and external security reviews every other year and must implement a vulnerability management program. Another stipulation was that Zoom offer customers multi-factor authentication, which it has already implemented. "Zoom is also prohibited from making misrepresentations about its privacy and security practices," the FTC said. Certainly, a big step in the right direction.

Is Zoom safe to use yet?

Despite Zoom's checkered past, it boils down to what you are using the platform for and how you use it. For example, Zoom isn't the place to discuss confidential government, corporate, or patient information.

But for social get-togethers and workplace meetings (that stick to routine business), Zoom is safe enough. Of course, there are a few security best practices to follow when using the platform to keep you extra secure.

Zoom security best practices

Back in April last year, I wrote an article about how to stay safe on Zoom that included tips on how to set up your account and how to schedule, share and host your meetings safely. Since then, Zoom has faced more criticism over its security, so what else can you do to keep your business safe?

Safeguard your account

Treat Zoom like any other account and apply the basics to protect your account. Never use the same password twice, if Zoom were to suffer a breach that password could be used to try and access other corporate accounts. Be sure to use a strong and unique password, if you have a password manager, they should generate one for you. Add another layer of protection with two-factor authentication - this requires you to enter a special code sent via text, email or app when logging in, to prove it's you.

After you register, you'll get a Personal Meeting ID, it's best to avoid making it public. And because Zoom offers an option to create public meetings with your Personal Meeting ID, it's quite easy to leak that ID. If you do, anyone who knows your PMI can join any meeting you host, so share this information wisely.

Learn to identify fake emails

As mentioned above, Zoom phishing campaigns are a popular way for bad actors to steal your account details.

There are some common red flags to look out for when it comes to phishing emails such as bad grammar, misspelt words, urgent calls to action, discounts, or fonts, logos, colours that don't match the brand. Check out our blog on " How to Spot a Phishing email " for more details.

Another scam to be on the lookout for is unexpected Zoom meeting links - whether it's from someone you know, or an account you're not familiar with - don't' click on the link. Use the tips above to determine whether the email is legit. If in doubt, get in touch with your IT department for advice.

Protect your meetings with a password

Setting a unique and strong password for each meeting remains the best way of ensuring that only the people you want in your meeting can attend. Last year, Zoom made the sensible move to turn password protection on by default. But just to be clear, your zoom account password and meeting password are not the same - they are two different passwords.

Remember, we're trying to keep the baddies out - never share your meeting links, meeting ID, or your meeting passwords via social media or any other public channels. You should also avoid reusing meeting passwords.

Join Zoom meetings through your web browser

While you may find that the quality of your video call is better on the app, the web browser version gets security enhancements much faster.

And aside from the updates, the web version is still more secure. That's because it lives in a browser's sandbox, meaning it has far fewer permissions and a reduced ability to cause issues across your entire operating system.

When you click a link to join a meeting, your browser will open a new tab and prompt you to use or install the Zoom desktop software. But in the fine print, there's a link to "join from your browser." Click that instead.

So, there you have it; providing you take the right preventative measures and only use Zoom where it is appropriate, you should be okay.

Netitude has been delivering secure, reliable and productive IT for business growth, since 2001. If your business needs advice, additional IT support or business technology solutions, get in touch with one of our experts today, we're always happy to help!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
One year on, is Zoom safe to use? Here's what you need to know

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's been a year since many of us said goodbye to our offices and started working from home, and for a lot of us, this was our first experience of working remotely, so it took some time to get used to this new normal.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Apple has officially taken the wraps off of iOS 15, the next version of its operating system for iPhone users. The company says it designed iOS 15 with four different things in mind. The update was presented by Apple VP Craig Federighi. Here's what's new.

Federghi says that iOS 15 was created with these four focuses:

Staying connected

Finding focus

Using intelligence

Exploring the world

iOS 15 includes a handful of new features for FaceTime, including new features to help it compete with services like Zoom.

Spatial Audio support

Grid view for videos

Portrait mode for videos

FaceTime links

Join FaceTime calls from the web on Android and Windows

SharePlay for sharing content during FaceTime, including screen shoaring, music, and more

SharePlay can work with third-party apps and streaming services using an API available to developers. Apple is already working with Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max, TikTok, NBA, Twitch, and more.

Messages

Apple has also announced new features for Messages, including new ways to easily access content that people send you. Shared Stacks will bring over content from Messages to the News app and Photos app.

Notifications

Notification summary can be delivered at anytime you choose.

When you enable Do Not Disturb, your status will be shown to other people via the Messages app

Notification design has been revamped with larger icons for improved glanceability

You can set different "Focus" statuses that change your Home Screen, notification preferences, and more.

Photos

The Photos app now includes a new OCR feature for recognizing text. Apple says the feature uses AI to detect text images automatically.

Photos also now appear in Spotlight search.

New interactive memories feature

Wallet

Apple Pay VP Jennifer Bailey is here to talk us through new features in the Wallet app.

iOS 15 includes new keys for your home and work in the Wallet app, as well as automatic hotel keys, Hyatt to roll out Apple Wallet support to hotels later this year

Identify cards are coming to Apple Wallet later this year, encrypted and safely stored in the Secure Enclave

Weather

The Weather app has been redesigned with a ton of new data

Layout design of the Weather app changes based on the weather in your current location

Maps

New Apple Maps interface coming to Spain and Portugal today and to Australia and Italy later this year

A variety of design updates for Apple Maps to bring a ton more details for cities in commercial districts, buildings, and more.

New Nearby Transit features for Apple Maps as well, notifications for when to disembark

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Apple unveils iOS 15 with new FaceTime features and more - 9to5Mac

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Apple has officially taken the wraps off of iOS 15, the next version of its operating system for iPhone users. The company says it designed iOS 15 with four different things in mind. The update was presented by Apple VP Craig Federighi. Here's what's new.

# data[].attributes.headline
Working Online Productively  with Microsoft Teams

# data[].attributes.subject
Working Online Productively  with Microsoft Teams

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Teams across the globe are moving to remote work. Microsoft aims to keep teams connected while they work apart by making Microsoft Teams available to as many people as possible. Teams allows you to chat, meet, call, learn, and collaborate all in one place. Sign up and start using Teams for free today, plus read on for tips for working from home.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Work from home, work remotely with Microsoft Teams

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Teams across the globe are moving to remote work. Microsoft aims to keep teams connected while they work apart by making Microsoft Teams available to as many people as possible. Teams allows you to chat, meet, call, learn, and collaborate all in one place.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
woman who grew up in the former Yugoslavia told me how they used to live their days by the three eights: eight hours of work, eight hours of free time and eight hours of sleep. Nice. I assume weekends were free. It's odd how quaint this 8-8-8 notion sounds, but eight-hour working days add up to 40 hours a week, which was once standard here, wasn't it?

I suppose there are two reasons you would work for longer than that. It could be that you need to do so to put food on your table, which is fair enough - or most unfair, if you see what I mean. On the other hand, you could be doing punishing hours because your employer, or your industry, demands it, in the interests of making the company as much money as possible and, in some cases, enriching yourself along the way. Either way, it's no good. You need non-working waking hours for your own sanity, your family's sanity and the good of the community.

This week, some junior employees of the US bank Goldman Sachs have had a grumble, daring to point out that they are putting in as much as 95 hours a week. If they were squeezing those hours in Monday to Friday - which I appreciate they are not - their numbers on my Former Yugoslavia Work-Life Balance Index (FYWLBI) would be an awful long way from 8-8-8. Ninety-five hours work over five days comes out at a punishing 19 hours a day. That's some shift. I've got their FYWLBI at 19-2-3 - 19 hours' work, two hours' free, three hours' sleep. But if the BBC drama series Industry is anything to go by, the general pattern is nearer 19-4-1, or even 19-5-0. If you spread the 95 hours over seven days, you are still averaging a gruelling daily regime of 14-5-5.

Goldman's boss, David Solomon, would doubtless point out what a sticky end Yugoslavia came to - to which I would retort that this possibly wasn't down to issues with work-life balance. Anyway, Solomon seems to have taken notice. He has gone as far as to commit to better enforcing a rule the bank already has, which ringfences junior bankers' time off from Friday evening to Sunday morning. Slackers.

And lest potential clients think he might be getting soft, in an address to his 34,000-strong global workforce, Solomon said: "Just remember, if we all go an extra mile for our client, even when we feel that we're reaching our limit, it can really make a difference in our performance."

This quote is pure gold. How can working to the point that you feel you are "reaching your limit" be anything but negative for your performance? People working those kinds of hours can't be at the top of their game. You wouldn't want to get in a cab driven by someone who has been at the wheel for 13 hours and is reaching their limit; why would you pay huge sums for the services of a banker who must be just as knackered? Would you want a surgeon at his or her limit operating on you? Of course not, even though that most likely does happen. But let's not go there.

Apparently, working from home has made things worse. Not least, I would have thought, because even if you are not working terribly long hours in total, the way work and home life bleed into one another does your head in. What is as important as a balance between hours worked and hours not, is keeping the blocks of time separate.

This has been a challenge for everyone in the past year, but I have long struggled with it. As a freelance writer and broadcaster, there's always something I could or should be doing. I'm not looking for pity here; in most ways, I love it, but I find it impossible to focus entirely on working or not working. As a loved one says to me, in jest as well as exasperation: "Your life is always half holiday, half work; it's never one or the other." I kind of alternate an hour worked and an hour not, all day long. So on the FYWLBI, I'm at 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-7.

Of course, this ends up feeling like 17-0-7; all work and no play. In the end, this drives me and those around me quite mad. I sense homeworking has made more people feel this way.

I would have thought the march of human progress, be it through AI or whatever, should be towards the goal of eight hours' work, eight hours' play and eight hours' sleep. But we seem to be getting further away from it all the time. The management consultants I have come across all seem to put in absurd hours, too. These, as I understand it, are the very people who are paid to tell us how to run things better. Yet they can't even organise themselves well enough to hire enough people to do the necessary work in a reasonable time. I can only imagine it helps the clients of banks and consultants believe they are getting their money's worth if they see all hours God sends are being worked.

And who, bar that small band of turbulent Goldman juniors, is really bothered? Perhaps this is the deal: run yourself into the ground until your mid-30s. Never mind the exhaustion; eventually the bonus bulge in your pocket will be so big that everyone will be pleased to see you. Trouser your fortune, then jack it all in before you are 40.

But what do I know? Like most people outside the business of moving money around, I have a very sketchy understanding of what goes on. But what I know for sure is that, whatever it is these people do, I definitely couldn't do it to any degree of competence if I were doing those hours. I couldn't do anything for those hours. Good grief, I don't know which way is up after presenting a three-hour radio programme. Banking? I wouldn't trust myself to use an ATM.

Instead, I'll continue to try, and doubtless fail, to get my FYWLBI down to the hallowed 8-8-8. Those have got to be the right numbers to chase.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The 8:8:8 rule could give us the perfect work-life balance. So why aren't more of us following it? | Adrian Chiles

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
woman who grew up in the former Yugoslavia told me how they used to live their days by the three eights: eight hours of work, eight hours of free time and eight hours of sleep. Nice. I assume weekends were free.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Today we publish What helped the UK cope with the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns? looking at the wellbeing impact of different coping strategies - the cognitive and behavioural efforts that we use to manage stress.

Covid-19 and the restrictions from the lockdown have affected, and continue to affect, all aspects of our lives.

We have been working with the University College London, to summarise data from their Covid-19 Social Study , which explores the effects of the virus and social distancing measures on adults in the UK - in order to understand the psychological and social impact of the pandemic.

How did we cope?

We wanted to find out what behaviours and activities people have used to cope with lockdowns and how they have helped our wellbeing. Data from the start of the first lockdown in March and April 2020 found that:

Staying connected to friends and family was the most important coping mechanism and helped more than 75% of people to cope.

Gardening, exercising or reading for 30 minutes or more was most effective at lowering anxiety.

Withdrawing from others, watching films or substance use helped to reduce short-term stress, but left people feeling hopeless or self-blaming.

Following Covid-19 related news had the most negative effect on our wellbeing.

Our habits also changed during this time:

Volunteering increased, particularly among older people.

Source: Bu, F., Steptoe, A., Mak, H. W., & Fancourt, D. (2020). Time-use and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a panel analysis of 55,204 adults followed across 11 weeks of lockdown in the UK.

Different strategies for different people

We found that predictors of coping styles were the same as before the pandemic, suggesting that the strategies that people use can be influenced by their individual traits and circumstances - time, money, social capital, the type of adversities that affect them, and also their personality type.

For example:

People that were most likely to increase their food intake were women, adults aged 30-45 years or people with depressive symptoms and loneliness.

Younger people, females, those with education qualifications past the age of 16, with high annual household incomes, and with an anxiety disorder were more likely to drink more than usual.

People with an emotion-focused coping style were more likely to increase their arts engagement, along with young adults, non-key workers, and those with greater social support.

People likely to gamble more than usual were highly bored, employed, who frequently drank alcohol, and had depression and anxiety.

People with a diagnosed mental health condition were more likely to volunteer formally or for social action initiatives than those without a diagnosed condition.

A wellbeing based recovery

How we spend our time matters. While work plays an important role in supporting our life satisfaction and purpose, how we spend the rest of our time can enhance our wellbeing and be protective during times of stress and uncertainty.

Understanding the coping strategies people use in these times - and why - can help with a wellbeing based recovery process by:

Supporting people to manage activities and behaviours that may be detrimental to their wellbeing.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What helped the UK cope with the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns? - What Works Wellbeing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Today we publish What helped the UK cope with the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns? looking at the wellbeing impact of different coping strategies - the cognitive and behavioural efforts that we use to manage stress. Covid-19 and the restrictions from...

# data[].attributes.headline
@UCCsocialwork webinar #3 video: A new year of online innovative social work practice: where to next? (free video)

# data[].attributes.subject
@UCCsocialwork webinar #3 video: A new year of online innovative social work practice: where to next? (free video)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Online Social Work Practice Webinar #3 (Jan 2021)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
I'm a psychologist and a neuroscientist by training. When I first began my career, I began with a question: why is it that some people are more vulnerable to life's slings and arrows and others more resilient? And that question is still central to all the work that we do. And we're particularly interested in how we can nudge people along this continuum to nourish and nurture the qualities that promote human flourishing. In the early part of my career, I focused almost exclusively on the negative side of the equation, on adversity, on the brain circuits that were important for understanding why some people are more vulnerable to stress, why others may be more likely to develop a depression or anxiety. And then something very significant happened in my life. In 1992, I first met His Holiness the Dalai Lama. And this picture of His Holiness was taken in Madison, Wisconsin, and he's visited us several times. And he was the chief inspiration in our turning toward the positive. And in that critical moment, in 1992, he challenged me, and he said, "Why can't you use the same tools of modern neuroscience to study kindness and to study compassion in addition to studying anxiety and fear and depression and stress?" And I didn't have a very good answer for him on that day other than that it's hard. But you know, when we first began to study kindness - when we first began to study anxiety and depression, that was hard too, and we've made some progress in that area. So the work that we and others have been doing is predicated on a critical insight in modern science: the insight concerning neuroplasticity. Our brains are constantly changing, constantly being shaped by the forces around us. But we have, typically, very little awareness of what those forces are. Our brains are changing, wittingly or unwittingly. Most of the time, it's unwittingly. Most of the time, we're not aware, and we also have little control over those forces. And the invitation in the work that I'm sharing with you today is that we can actually take more responsibility for our own brains by transforming our minds. But first, let me share with you what some of the consequences of having our brains being shaped unwittingly are. And I'd like to focus on four challenges that have been critical in our society today. And these challenges are failures of well-being in very important ways. The first is distractibility. Research indicates that if we take people out and about in the world, and we text them - and this has been done in a study that was published a number of years ago, very influential study with several thousand people - we text them, and we ask them three questions. The first question is "What are you doing right now?" And they check off from a list of activities. Second question, "Where is your mind right now? Is it focused on what you're doing or is it focused elsewhere?" And the third question is "At this very moment, how happy or unhappy are you?" Here's what was found: the average American adult spends 47% of her or his waking life not paying attention to what we're doing. Folks, we could do better. (Laughter) And when they were not paying attention to what they're doing, they were significantly less happy. The scientific paper upon which this is based was titled "A Wandering Mind is an Unhappy Mind." In addition, there is a huge increase in the incidence of attention deficit disorders in children in this country. This is a graph showing a trend over the last decade. There are many reasons for this increase, but some of them have to do with a genuine increase in distractibility. If we're all honest with ourselves, our nation is suffering not simply from a fiscal deficit but from an attention deficit. We also are suffering from loneliness. Despite the fact that we're all so much more interconnected, 76% of middle-aged Americans report that they have moderate to high levels of loneliness. And this loneliness is not an ephemeral, subjective state; it also impacts our bodies, our physical health. Recent research shows that loneliness is actually a more significant predictor - by more than a twofold magnitude - of early mortality compared to obesity. So this exacts real tolls on our brains and our bodies. And, again, research shows we can do better. Negative self-talk and depression. We all have a narrative in our mind that we carry around about who we are, and sometimes we have negative beliefs about ourselves, which can culminate in depression. And this turns out to be a very serious problem. Depression is on the rise. If you look at trends just over the last few years, what you see is a very large increase, particularly among women. Over the last three years alone, there's been a 33% increase in diagnoses of major depression in women. And this trend is occurring in teens as well. These are disturbing trends in kids ages 12 through 17, and the gender difference also is, very unfortunately, robust, where the incidence is much greater in females, and this trend is getting worse over time. And, again, the evidence suggests that we can actually train our mind and harness the power of neuroplasticity to change these qualities in our mind. Suicide rates are very disturbing. During the Great Depression, there was a huge elevation, and those rates have come back down. And then since the year 2000, there has been, unfortunately, a steep rise in suicide rates. And, again, this is not something restricted to adults. Our teens are showing more than doubling over the last 10 years in suicide, so that today in the United States, unfortunately, more than one teenager, every single day, is taking her or his own life. There also is a pervasive loss of meaning and purpose that people are reporting. And this loss is not simply, again, a subjective quality but also exacts a toll on our health and other aspects of our well-being. Research shows that a lack of purpose predicts an early death. In a recent study, people who are in their 60s with a low sense of purpose had more than twice the likelihood of dying within five years compared to people who reported a high sense of purpose. So, again, there are intimate connections between our psychological well-being and our systemic health. Each of these challenges affects the mind and the brain. We're not thriving, but the invitation is that we really could be. So we've developed a framework for understanding a healthy mind, and this framework includes four pillars. The first pillar is awareness, and awareness includes the capacity to focus our attention, to resist distraction. It also includes a quality that psychologists and neuroscientists call "meta-awareness." Meta-awareness is knowing what our minds are doing. How many of you have ever had the experience of reading a book where you're reading each word on a page, and you read one page, you may read a second page, and after a few minutes, you have absolutely no idea what you've just read? (Laughter) That is an example of a lapse in meta-awareness. But the moment we recognize that we've been lost and come back, that is a moment of meta-awareness. And we have reason to believe that meta-awareness is crucial - actually, it's necessary, we believe, for real transformation to occur. The second pillar of a healthy mind is connection. Connection refers to those qualities which nurture harmonious interpersonal relationships, qualities like appreciation, like kindness, like compassion, having a positive outlook. And, again, the research shows that it doesn't take much to start activating these latent qualities, which can flourish and become stronger. The third pillar of a healthy mind is insight. And insight is about insight into the narrative that we all have about ourselves. At the very extreme end of the continuum, there are people who have a very negative narrative. They have negative self-beliefs, and they hold those beliefs to be a true description of who they are. That is a prescription for depression. And a healthy mind entails changing our relationship to this narrative. Not so much changing the narrative itself but changing our relationship to it so that we can look at the narrative and see it for what it is. What is this narrative? It's a constellation of thoughts. And when we can see it as that, we can foster more room, more breathing room, and this leads to increased well-being. Finally, the last pillar of a healthy mind is purpose. And here, we're talking about having a sense that our life is headed in a particular direction. And most importantly, it is about taking more and more of the activities in our lives as belonging to this sense of purpose. Can you envision living your life so that taking out the garbage and doing the laundry is still related to your sense of purpose? Being able to broaden it in this way is a very crucial ingredient of a healthy mind. Have you ever trained your mind? Research from neuroscience leads us to understand that there are two fundamentally different kinds of learning. One form of learning we call "declarative learning," which is learning about things. I can learn the value of kindness by sitting down and studying texts about kindness, but this won't necessarily lead us to become kinder. We can teach people the value of honesty, but this will not necessarily make them an honest person. In order to cultivate these qualities, we need a second form of learning, and that is called "procedural learning." Neuroscience teaches us that these kinds of learning operate through totally different brain circuits. We need both to produce real transformation. The wiring in our brains is not fixed; it's adaptable. And we can harness the power of neuroplasticity to change our brain. Let me give you one example. This is an example from research that we did, where we randomized people to a group that received compassion training for two weeks, another group that received training from cognitive therapy. We put people in the MRI scanner before and after the two weeks of training, and lo and behold, we see systematic differences after just seven hours of practice. Our brains can change in a remarkably rapid period of time. The changes that are displayed here are changes in a circuit that involve the prefrontal cortex and the ventral striatum - a circuit very important for certain kinds of positive emotions, which gets strengthened after just this short amount of practice. So these and other kinds of data indicate that the brain really can change quite quickly. It doesn't mean that these changes will last, but it means that they can occur, they can begin, and with systematic practice, they will endure. We view this as an urgent public health need. So we need to start someplace. I would recommend three minutes a day. When human beings first evolved on this planet, none of us were brushing our teeth. And yet, today, we all do. This is not part of our genome; this is a learned behavior. And it doesn't take much to start these mechanisms in the brain to change. So, we can do this when we're doing other things. We can do this while we're commuting. We can do this as we're literally brushing our teeth. We can do this as we're having our first cup of coffee or tea in the morning. We can do this as we're walking. This can be incorporated in routines of our daily life. So we can nourish our mind, and through it, we can change the world. We can reduce implicit bias, bias that gets under the skin - this is something that we've shown can occur with strengthening connection. We can increase school achievement, and we and others have shown this with training and awareness. We can reduce healthcare costs, potentially, by cultivating well-being, as the connections that I've illustrated show. We can cultivate a strong sense of purpose, we can reduce distraction, and we can increase productivity and focus. And I'd like to end with just a one-minute, short period of practice to give you an experiential taste of this. So if you all just sit for a moment, put down your pens and devices. And I invite you to bring a loved one into your mind and your heart. You can leave your eyes open or closed. And for those who are viewing this online, please share this one minute with us. And as you bring this loved one into your mind and in your heart, cultivate the strong aspiration that they be happy and be free of suffering, and they share the same wish for happiness and the same wish to be free of suffering as all human beings. And you can envision a time in their life when they may have been having some difficulty, and you can say a simple phrase in your mind, "May you be happy, may you be free of suffering." And simply notice whatever may come up for you. And then we can do this for many categories of people, including a difficult person. So I invite you to join us on this journey, and the very future of humanity, we think, depends on it. Thank you very much. [Applause]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Transcript of "How mindfulness changes the emotional life of our brains | Richard J. Davidson | TEDxSanFrancisco"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
TED Talk Subtitles and Transcript: "Why is it that some people are more vulnerable to life's slings and arrows and others more resilient?" In this eye-opening talk, Richard Davidson discusses how mindfulness can improve well-being and outlines strategies to boost four components of a healthy mind: awareness, connection, insight, and purpose.

# data[].attributes.headline
Barnardos and Google Advice: webinars and resources for parents

# data[].attributes.subject
Barnardos and Google Advice: webinars and resources for parents

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We know that parents want the best for their children, but many would like to learn more about how to keep their children safe online. Here you will find information and support to guide you in helping your children stay safe online, as well as the next available webinars that you could attend to upskill yourself.

What's new?

As part of our Digital Offering, we are delivering webinars about online safety to parents. Delivered live by a Barnardos trainer, these free 45 minute parent webinars about online safety are taking place between January - February 2021.

See below to register your place on a webinar, and download this flyer for more information.

Our objective is that parents leave these webinars feeling empowered; they will have an awareness of the risks online for children and practical tips that will help them keep their children safe and resilient online.

After completing a webinar on online safety, parents will be able to:

outline the key risks for children being online

implement practical solutions and tips to help their children stay safe online

reflect on how they might help their children if they were cyberbullied or cyberbullying

identify helpful websites and signpost them to others

Register for Parent Webinars

Choose your date and time below and book your place for free through Zoom. Once you book your place, Barnardos Online Safety team will email you a link to the webinar. Each Webinar lasts 45 minutes.

More Information

To help parents who may have been worried at the increased screen-time of their children, in collaboration with Google, we developed 5 short videos that we hope will help. Many of these online safety messages are still relevant now.

Video lessons for parents

We couldn't deliver our face to face workshops because of Covid19 restrictions and developed these videos for parents about online safety to help. Each video is under 5 minutes long and you can choose to watch them one by one, or as a mini-presentation. Please click on the title below to watch more

Many of the videos signpost to Be Internet Legends, an interactive game about online safety for children aged 7-11 that allows them to explore different lands and learn about cyberbullying, scams and how not to over share personal information. There is also information about Family Link, a form of parental controls, this app allows parents to monitor how long their child is online for and keep track of what they are downloading.

For more information or to book a workshop please contact our team, email: onlinesafety@barnardos.ie or phone: 01-4530355

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We know that parents want the best for their children, but many would like to learn more about how to keep their children safe online. Here you will find information and support to guide you in helping your children stay safe online, as well as the next available webinars that you could attend to upskill yourself.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

When Apple unveiled major privacy upgrades at the WWDC 2020 for its iOS14, a battle royale broke out between the tech giant and Facebook. The social media giant claimed user data was critical to its ability to serve relevant ads and that Apple's policies would stymie small business.

As the world now grapples with Facebook's privacy changes that require users to compulsorily share their Whatsapp data with the social media platform, Apple's privacy labels update all but confirms what we always knew. That, data collected by Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger is far in excess of what its competitors do.

Having announced the upgrades in September, Apple had confirmed that the new policy would be actively enforced only from early 2021. We are committed to ensuring users can choose to allow or disallow apps to track them, a developer note from Apple had said, while clarifying that developers had till early 2021 to make adequate changes to their apps.

Though a specific date for implementing the new privacy regime isn't known yet, Apple's new privacy labels update suggests that messaging apps owned by Facebook were collecting more usage data and location details than competitors such as Signal and Telegram. Both Facebook Messenger and Whatsapp collected data that was way more than Telegram and Signal, which is why we suggested these alternatives.

(Image credit: 9to5Mac)

The details made available on App Store, though an image shared by 9to5Mac clearly indicates the quantum of user data that Facebook's messenger apps acquire, compared to rivals. In fact, the latest celebrity to launch a broadside against Facebook's data gluttony is Elon Musk, who tweeted his preference for Signal.

The data from App Store indicates that Facebook Messenger leads in user data collection and is closely followed by Whatsapp. The user data that these two messengers compile include the purchase history, financial information, location details, contacts, phone details, email ID and usage data, among others.

What's more, Facebook has taken a like-it or lump-it approach with its new guidelines, which means that in case users aren't kosher with sharing data, they need to stop using it. Of course, we must bring it to our readers' notice that Apple's data is based on developer submissions and isn't manually reviewed by the company as yet.

However, this still does not explain Facebook's war of words via newspaper ads against these policies. They accused Apple of implementing anti-competitive policies with these updates and even created an FAQ section to explain some of their user data collection habits on Whatsapp. What they did not explain is why their quest for data is substantially higher compared to the rivals.

With more than 400 million users in India, Whatsapp's new privacy policy is surely going to get some of its users thinking. Of course, past research has suggested that a substantial number of Indian users aren't too bothered about data privacy. And the iPhones only account for a minuscule 5% of total smartphone sales around here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Apple's privacy labels reveals Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger's hunger for user data

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
(Image credit: Shutterstock) When Apple unveiled major privacy upgrades at the WWDC 2020 for its iOS14, a battle royale broke out between the tech giant and Facebook. The social media giant claimed user data was critical to its ability to serve relevant ads and that Apple's policies would stymie small business.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
WhatsApp's nightmare week has continued to get worse-a backlash against the scale of its data collection quickly followed by its sudden forcing of new terms of service on its users to share their data with Facebook. Agree to this now or delete your account, it has said. And so, as many users look for alternatives, should you do the same?

Getty

WhatsApp has a serious issue-one that hit home hard in the last week. The world's leading messaging platform claims security and privacy are in its DNA, but it is owned by the world's most avaricious data harvesting machine. Now this WhatsApp balancing act has just become much harder, as it finds itself threatening users with deleted accounts unless they accept new terms that take effect on February 8.

The inevitable backlash prompted WhatsApp boss Will Cathcart to take to Twitter to set the record straight. The risk for WhatsApp, though, is that defending its awkward relationship with Facebook is a high-risk bubble that may have just burst. And millions of users around the world are now looking at alternatives.

In reality, WhatsApp has had this Facebook issue ever since the social media giant acquired the messaging app back in 2014. So, what has suddenly changed?

If you've been following the story over the last month, it will all seem to have started with Apple's introduction of mandatory privacy labels. Facebook has been the most vocal critic of Apple's new privacy measures. But everyone knows that Facebook is a data machine. WhatsApp, which was arguably hit harder by these privacy labels, complained that its data collection was misrepresented, and that Apple's own iMessage was not subject to the same scrutiny, which was unfair.

Be careful what you wish for, as I commented last week. After WhatsApp complained, Apple published iMessage's privacy labels-almost as if it had been choreographed. The contrast was stark. WhatsApp's metadata went much further than iMessage, all of it was linked back to a user and device identity, all those security reporters and protesters that had raised concerns over WhatsApp metadata appeared vindicated.

iMessage Vs WhatsApp
Apple App Store 'Privacy Labels'

WhatsApp continued to defend its data privacy-attesting that little was shared with Facebook, that the labelling overlooked its security measures, that all the data was needed to operate a platform serving 2 billion users and 100 billion daily messages. Somewhat missing the point, WhatsApp also suggested that its commercial services and its plans for shopping made comparisons with iMessage unfair.

But the seeds for this latest backlash were actually sown earlier, back in October, when WhatsApp confirmed those shopping plans. Everything that has now prompted such angst was evident back then, including data linkages and WhatsApp messages between consumers and businesses potentially hosted by Facebook. All of this, WhatsApp said at the time, would enable it to "continue building a business of our own, while we provide and expand free end-to-end encrypted text, video and voice calling."

And this is the crux. WhatsApp is free. But now the price we need to pay for that free service is becoming clear. "Has Facebook finally broken WhatsApp," I asked back then, when it was already clear that this risk "radical" change to WhatsApp was in train.

And so back to this week. Whether a case of woeful timing or an attempt to get all the bad news out at once, WhatsApp followed the privacy label debacle with the controversial implementation of its forced change in its terms of service. Again, this has been on the cards since last year. And, critically, it has been largely misunderstood.

This isn't about WhatsApp sharing any more of your general data with Facebook than it does already, this is about using your data and your engagement with its platform to enable shopping and other business services, to provide a platform where businesses can communicate with you and sell to you, all for a price they will pay to WhatsApp. It's also important to note that there are differences in Europe in what WhatsApp can do, given GDPR. WhatsApp does not share data for its European users with Facebook for the enhancement of its products and services-that hasn't changed.

"As we announced in October," a WhatsApp spokesperson told me, "WhatsApp wants to make it easier for people to both make a purchase and get help from a business directly on WhatsApp." But the combination of the words Facebook and data is a red rag to the media, and the backlash has quickly intensified. The fact that the changed terms of service were mandatory, that users would need to accept the change or lose their accounts, made headlines globally and caused a viral stir on social media.

And then Elon Musk stepped in.

The primary beneficiary from WhatsApp's nightmare week has been Signal, a smaller but more secure alternative. I've long advocated for Signal, which has managed to combine the usability of WhatsApp without the same holes in its security and data practices. Signal even offers genuine multi-device access, unlike its larger rival.

"This was inevitable," says security researcher Sean Wright. "There's a reason why Facebook bought WhatsApp, I am really surprised that it has taken this long to do it. It's interesting to see the volume of people appearing to be switching to Signal. And this is a good thing, it means there are alternatives. Personally, after past actions from the likes of Facebook, it's going to take a lot for them to restore my confidence in them regarding my privacy. I'd much rather use something such as Signal instead. The challenge however is getting others with whom you communicate to switch as well."

Signal installs have been flying in recent days, and such is the viral nature of messaging that each of those new users will likely attract others. Signal's marketing doesn't need to go much further than we're not Facebook, in reality, WhatsApp has actually been doing the marketing for its rival these past few days. WhatsApp even uses Signal's own protocol for its encryption, albeit it has a proprietary version of this which is not open-source, unlike Signal itself, which shares everything to enable the open-source community to find and report bugs and vulnerabilities.

And so, should you stop using WhatsApp? The short answer is no, nothing has really changed. WhatsApp's data sharing hasn't really changed, its security hasn't changed, it remains the largest end-to-end encrypted platform available, and one that's likely be used by all those you communicate with. WhatsApp is materially better than SMS and Facebook Messenger, its mainstream alternatives. It is secure cross-platform unlike iMessage, and it's end-to-end encrypted by default, unlike Telegram.

That's the short answer. The longer answer is more complicated. WhatsApp has turned a long-expected corner, it is now embarking on a journey to better monetize its users. But while your messages are secure, protected from prying eyes (while that level of encryption is allowed by governments worldwide), your data could become fair game as the platform builds its commercial offerings and risks falling to the temptation that data might provide as it looks to accelerate those revenue models.

As ESET's Jake Moore points out, "privacy-focused apps are the flavor of 2021, but the small print has often been missed. Unfortunately, being told that an app is unavailable unless you agree may not be best. It is inevitable that we will see people move away from these apps to those that better protect our data."

WhatsApp's response to Apple's privacy labels should not have been to defend its data collection-Signal, iMessage and others manage to operate without linking all that data back to their users. WhatsApp should have accepted that its data collection is out of step with other secure messengers and changed its practices.

WhatsApp needs to decide whether its priority is commercializing or securing its userbase. For a time at least this week, Signal found itself going head to head for installs with Facebook, beating Messenger, and with just WhatsApp to catch. But, the reality is that WhatsApp can afford to lose millions of concerned users as a trade-off to its commercial plans, knowing that it will retain the vast, indifferent majority.

January 9, 2021
Apple App Store

"I get the ire of people that hate that WhatsApp being a Facebook asset is now being brought seemingly under its rod of monetization through data sharing and targeted advertising," says cybersecurity analyst Mike Thompson. "But who knows what normal users out there are thinking. No one asks them and so they will continue to use WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger and life will go on. People will have more of their personal data utilized in monetization campaigns as the Earth continues to rotate."

And so, for those of you weighing up the decision as to what you do next, here's my advice. First, regardless of the specific changes being implemented, there are no short term risks. You can take your time. But this is clearly the new direction for WhatsApp, running counter to promises it has made in years gone by to keep the platform commercial-free. If you value secure messaging above all, this is a good time to play with alternatives-you'll find many of your contacts now doing the same.

Second, there is a longer-term aspiration on Facebook's part to fully integrate the backends of WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram-and while there are questions around WhatsApp's data, the privacy labels for the other two are shockingly bad. And so whatever your view on this current change to WhatsApp, you'd be brave to bet against further changes in the future. It comes down to those competing priorities-are you Facebook's customer or are you its product.

The Facebook Factor
Apple App Store 'Privacy Labels'

Ultimately, once the dust has settled on this week, the question will remain as to whether this is the beginning of the end for the simple messenger Facebook acquired all those years ago. Has the data giant made a decision to take WhatsApp down a different path, step by step, until it aligns with the rest of its empire? If so, all those fears from 2014 will have been proven true.

... Read More

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Do You Suddenly Need To Stop Using WhatsApp?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
WhatsApp's nightmare week has continued to get worse-a backlash against the scale of its data collection quickly followed by its sudden forcing of new terms of service on its users to share their data with Facebook. Agree to this now or delete your account, it has said.

# data[].attributes.headline
@UCCsocialwork webinar #1 video: showcase of practice examples (free video)

# data[].attributes.subject
@UCCsocialwork webinar #1 video: showcase of practice examples (free video)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Free Social Work Tools and Resources: SocialWorkersToolbox.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Activities Archives - Free Social Work Tools and Resources: SocialWorkersToolbox.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This workbook has been developed for use with teenagers who experienced one or more traumatic events. The activities in the workbook correspond to the treatment components of the Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) model, which was developed by Judith Cohen, Anthony Mannarino, and Esther Deblinger...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In academic training, intellectual rigor is prized. We aim to challenge students to think in multiple ways, question old and new ideas, and demonstrate creativity and flexibility of mind-just as they will need to do in practice. This training is crucial; complex social problems cannot be addressed without complex thinking. Yet, this training is also incomplete.

Preparation for social work practice must also include emotional rigor to prepare practitioners for the personal and professional emotional demands of practice. Emotional rigor is a process that invites us to feel deeply and fully, while challenging us to skillfully and constructively work with our emotions and all their nuance and contradictions. The process involves emotional honesty, humility, persistence, and flexibility. Emotional rigor involves emotional risk and offers the opportunity for reflection and growth.

One foundational question facing the social work profession is how to continually embrace and participate in the emotionally rigorous contexts while sustaining energy, resilience, and hope. That is, how can we work to understand, move close to, and make space for others' suffering without being consumed by it, instead maintaining needed emotional separation?

The current realities of practice-greater workload demands, increasingly complex contexts of service provision, limited resources, and the profession's high turnover rate-complicate this question and underscore its importance. The aforementioned trends have contributed to a growing interest in the concept of self-care. Particularly during this time of uncertainty and crisis, arguably no training remains more critical to caring for others than caring for oneself.

One framework offered conceptualizes self-care as having both personal and professional dimensions (Lee & Miller, 2013). Personal self-care is understood as "a process of purposeful engagement in practices that promote holistic health and well-being of the self" (Lee & Miller, p. 98). Five structures of support-physical, psychological and emotional, social, leisure, and spiritual-can be used to categorize personal self-care strategies. Professional self-care, however, focuses on "effective and appropriate use of the self in the professional role" while still attending to one's holistic health and well-being (Lee & Miller, p. 98). Six structures of support comprise professional self-care-workload and time management, attention to professional role, attention to reactions to work, professional social support and self-advocacy, professional development, and revitalization and generation of energy. The framework suggests self-care is behavioral, individualized, and responsive.

Yet, the behavioral aspect of self-care is secondary. The ground floor of self-care is mindfulness. Mindful self-care combines these concepts. The practice of mindful self-care involves:

observing our inner experience;

relating to the inner experience with present-moment attention, acceptance, and an attitude of curiosity, non-judgment, and compassion; and

responding to the inner experience with conscious and intentional self-care practices.

Popular conceptions of mindfulness often misunderstand the practice, narrowly characterizing it as a stress reduction technique, an escape from uncomfortable feelings, or a quick fix to happiness. In contrast, mindfulness simply offers a gentle way of relating to one's authentic moment-to-moment experience-a way of relating that is profoundly contrary to cultural messages about caregiving that can encourage martyrdom, subjugation of self, and even self-abandonment.

Jon Kabat-Zinn (1994) defines mindfulness as "paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally" (p. 4). The practice offers permission to be with the thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations that are truly present. The practice honors our lived experience, supports well-being, and empowers us to make conscious choices-personally and professionally.

Often, our instinct is to move away from ourselves-to avoid, minimize, invalidate, suffocate, control, or manipulate the truth of our own experience. We may be particularly at risk for this when we're feeling uncomfortable, frightened, or overwhelmed. Mindfulness invites us to instead practice four A's:

attention: intentional attention to the present moment

acceptance: acceptance of the truth of what is happening in the mind and body

attitude: an attitude of curiosity, non-judgment, and compassion toward the inner experience

action: responsive (versus reactive) action with awareness

Whether or not we acknowledge our inner experience, we are always carrying it with us, perhaps in an invisible backpack. Right now, our backpacks may be filled with thoughts about what has happened around the world, how to support our clients from a distance during the coronavirus pandemic, plans to be made, plans that were lost, what we've learned about ourselves, and the health of our families. Our backpacks may be full with feelings of worry, grief, fear, gratitude, and disappointment. Our backpacks may be holding the activation, restlessness, numbness, agitation, tightness, and calm we find in our bodies.

The work we have in front of us, particularly during this crisis, is to be intentional about how to relate and respond to our experience or, that is to say, how we carry our backpacks. Mindful self-care can help us brainstorm strategies to observe what is being carried, carry our backpacks with kindness, set down our backpacks, pack carefully, share the load, and strengthen our lifting muscles if and when we are ready.

Observe What is Being Carried

The consequences of our history, social training, and/or occupation may leave us more comfortable or used to habitual focus on what others are carrying rather than our own backpacks. Observing what is being carried is a skill, and skills require practice. Observing what is being carried involves asking:
What thoughts are here right now? What feelings are around? What sensations am I experiencing in my body?
Noticing is simple in concept but, at times, complex in practice, particularly given our tendencies to overidentify with our experience and privilege busyness. At these moments, noticing the thoughts, feelings, and sensations in the body that arise is still the practice. Maybe we think, "I have so much to do. I don't have time for myself now," which accompanies feelings of frustration and tension in the body.

The act of noticing with clarity can identify the thought as simply a thought, a mental event, and not a fact (e.g., "The thought 'I don't have time for myself' now is here."). Noticing "frustration is around" highlights the temporary nature of feeling states and acknowledges that you are not the emotion (e.g., "I am frustrated"), but rather, you are experiencing the emotion (e.g., "I am feeling frustration"). Further, observing the body in the present moment often lessens the intensity of physical sensations, giving us more space to respond to them.

Importantly, curiosity about what we notice, without judgment, allows us enough groundedness to compassionately respond (versus react) to our observations. We may want things to be different, and that's okay. However, resistance to acknowledging what is happening for us only increases our suffering. Noticing what we're carrying includes observing that thought or urge as it arises, too. Centrally, observation of what we're carrying involves the acceptance of what is truly happening for us.

Carry with Kindness

Particularly when what we observe we're carrying is heavy or difficult, carrying with kindness toward ourselves is essential and necessitates asking:
How can I honor my experience, and what do I need?
When we uncover suffering in our personal or professional lives-however we choose to label it (e.g., stress, pain, discomfort, unease, tension, or an unpleasant emotion), self-compassion is a helpful strategy. Neff (2003) suggests that self-compassion requires mindfulness of our suffering instead of mindlessness, common humanity instead of isolation, and self-kindness instead of self-criticism. To practice self-compassion, we notice, "This is a moment of suffering," remind ourselves, "I am not alone. Others have experienced this, too," and give ourselves the kindness we would show a friend (e.g., "I'm so sorry this is happening for you now. What do you need?"). As we experience this particularly emotionally rigorous time, offering ourselves kindness can support us in navigating our emotional experience skillfully and constructively.

Set Down the Backpack.

Setting down our backpacks entirely, even for a brief time, can be helpful when our backpacks get too heavy. This practice is meant to be an intentional, judiciously used self-care strategy, versus a means of avoidance. After observing what is coming up for us, we may choose to ask:
How can I get some space from the thoughts, feelings, and sensations I'm experiencing right now?
This strategy helps us respond to what we notice in a way that gives us distance. The first step is the aforementioned strategy of de-identification-I am a person having an experience versus I am the experience. This distance in language inherently decreases intensity. Other strategies may include intentionally shifting our attention to sources of nurturance, inspiration, joy, meaning, or fulfillment. Professionally, we may choose to shift tasks, re-structure our workday to limit exposure to people or activities that may be activating for us, or draw boundaries around the workday and tasks. Setting down the backpack does not mean we ignore or diminish the importance of its content, but rather, acknowledges that we need a break to return to carrying with greater clarity and stability.

Pack Carefully

Arguably, much of what happens in the mind and body is automatic. Our history and biology have created well-worn mental paths, and our body moves into flight, fight, freeze, or fawn often without us even noticing, particularly in a time such as this. Yet, we can work on carefully packing our backpacks by asking:
How can I intentionally generate thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations that are helpful to carry with me?
After noticing what's around for us, we might follow up with questions like, "What would be helpful for me to hear right now?" "How can I turn down the volume on this feeling state and turn up the volume of another?" and "How can I self-soothe or calm my body right now?" Answers to these questions will look different for everyone, but personal strategies to consider include: acknowledging our strengths, looking at mementos or items that bring up pleasant emotions, listening to soothing music, or taking a warm bath. Professionally, strategies that could be helpful may include considering progress and successes made-no matter how small, making a work gratitude list each day; expressing encouragement to a colleague; reminding oneself of positive feedback received from supervisors or co-workers; reviewing thank-you notes from clients or colleagues; or short meditations to transition between clients, meetings, or tasks. In addition, we may give extra consideration during this time about our consumption of information and social media, considering how we are affected in our minds and bodies. When we pack carefully, we construct our experience.

Share the Load

Packing carefully and setting down the backpack are not always possibilities, so another strategy we may use is sharing the load we're carrying, asking ourselves:
Who can help me with what I am carrying?
Personally, we may choose to seek out friends or loved ones to share our experiences, participate in a faith community, see a therapist, or join other organized or community groups. Consultation teams, professional conferences, peer or other supervision, and mentors can be resources professionally. During this time, we are seeing a rise in virtual connecting through social media and platforms such as Zoom, which helps to share the individual and collective loads we are carrying, both personally and professionally. Connection keeps us able to carry heavy things.

Strengthen Lifting Muscles

Mindful self-care typically begins by building our muscles to endure emotional rigor, but this practice may or may not be available for us right now. We can build our strength to carry a heavy backpack by identifying strategies that generally support our overall health and well-being, personally and professionally, to the extent it feels useful. We can ask:
What can I do to build my mental, emotional, and physical strength?
Consistency of practice helps in the moment and builds our reserves and resilience for when the load gets heavier. In general, reading, journaling, meditation, and movement may be choices to consider for personal self-care. Professional self-care may include setting boundaries around work hours, designating specific times for checking email, saying "no" to tasks that are not essential, connecting with supportive colleagues, and taking work breaks (see Lee & Miller, 2013, for more ideas).

In our current situation, particularly helpful techniques may be sticking to a schedule, staying connected to loved ones, prioritizing both social and personal quality time, and pursuing activities that provide normalcy. Conversely, conventional self-care strategies may not feel nurturing, available to us, or helpful at all, particularly if we are very activated at this time. In this case, we need to listen to ourselves and only look to strengthen our mental, emotional, and physical strength in ways that feel useful, even if counter-intuitive.

Emotional rigor has much to offer us. Familiarizing ourselves with the present moment without demanding it to be different or grasping for it to stay the same helps us to practice embracing the only constant: change. Mindful self-care supports us in skillfully responding to our inner world, so we can be empowered to care for ourselves and one another.

References

Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994). Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life. Hyperion.

Lee, J. J. & Miller, S. E. (2013). A self-care framework for social workers: Building a strong foundation for practice. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 94(2), 96-103.

Neff, K. D. (2003). The development and validation of a scale to measure self-compassion. Self and Identity, 2(3), 223-250.
Jacquelyn J. Lee, PhD, LCSW, is an associate professor of social work at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Dr. Lee's program of research includes four distinct but overlapping areas: trauma/secondary traumatic stress; pedagogical and curricular innovation; workforce development and well-being; and caregiving; cross-cutting themes that include mindfulness, self-care, and self-compassion.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What's in Your Backpack? Mindful Self-Care and Emotional Rigor During the COVID-19 Crisis

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In academic training, intellectual rigor is prized. We aim to challenge students to think in multiple ways, question old and new ideas, and demonstrate creativity and flexibility of mind-just as they will need to do in practice. This training is crucial; complex social problems cannot be addressed without complex thinking.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
IASW Social Work During Covid-19 Survey_Final Report

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
n the pandemic, our eyes are working harder than ever. With the majority of our communication nonverbal, and all but the upper third of our faces covered by masks, we are more reliant on them to express tone, emotion and even individuality, with a recent explosion in online tutorials for "mask makeup looks" emphasising long lashes, bright eyeshadows and statement liner.

Yet as we rely on our eyes to do the talking, we may also be putting them under greater strain. In June, a survey by the College of Optometrists, the professional body in the UK, found that 22% of people polled believed their vision had worsened during lockdown. The reason why they might feel this way is obvious: when the mask comes off, most of the time our gaze is trained on a screen.

In the pandemic, devices are the new site of work meetings, exercise classes, socialising, school and other activities that used to take place in person, as well as the go-to means of passing the time. Nearly a third of survey respondents blamed the increase in screen time for the apparent deterioration of their eyesight.

Daniel Hardiman-McCartney, a clinical adviser with the College of Optometrists and a practising optometrist in Suffolk, says the results mirrored anecdotal reports, and the commonly held belief that devices pose a threat to our vision that must be managed. The thing is, it's not true. "We know that screens are safe: they don't cause any medical problems to the eyes," says Hardiman-McCartney.

Most conditions or prescriptions become apparent in childhood. When we reach our late 30s or early 40s, we start to lose our ability to focus on nearby objects, known as presbyopia: a natural (and inevitable) part of ageing. Risk for eye-related conditions and diseases also increases with age. But, in general, from age 21, "your eyes are pretty much broadly fixed to how they will be for the rest of your life", Hardiman-McCartney says - regardless of how much time you spend looking at screens, reading in low light or sitting close to the TV.

In fact, because it is possible to alter the size, brightness and contrast, it can be easier to read from a screen than on paper. The idea that devices cause damage to our eyes often centres on their "blue light". In fact, tech tends to emit less blue light than the sun - and there is no evidence to suggest it is harmful. (By the same token, support for "night mode" dimmers is inconclusive.)

Rather than damaging our vision, it is the effect of the light from screens on our circadian rhythm - and the content they display stimulating our brains - that might disrupt our sleep and otherwise contribute to the sense that tech is detrimental to our wellbeing, Hardiman-McCartney says.

The best course of action is obvious: "Don't use a device for an hour before you want to go to bed," he says. But that "common-sense, really boring advice" does not stop us from trying to solve a tech problem with more tech. In 2015 the Advertising Standards Authority banned an advertisement by Boots Opticians for falsely claiming that "a certain kind of blue light ... can cause your retinal cells to deteriorate over time" to market glasses that were said to "block" blue light. "Our advice is, save your money," says Hardiman-McCartney.

The fact that such spectacles exist (and are heavily marketed - often, tellingly, from territories outside the ASA's purview) speaks to our deep-seated anxiety and ambivalence about our reliance on tech. This has been exacerbated by the pandemic - so it is no surprise people might believe their vision to be at greater risk too.

While it is true that there may be long-term repercussions for our eyesight, they are not what you might expect. For children, whose vision is still developing, time spent outside between the ages seven (and potentially five) and 11 has been established to protect against the onset of shortsightedness.

The reasons why are unclear, says Hardiman-McCartney. "The truth is, we don't fully understand the underlying mechanism of myopia." It could be a result of light intensity, physical exercise, focusing on distances further away - or perhaps a combination. But the protective effect of children spending 11 hours or more outdoors a week is well established - prompting concerns about the increased time spent indoors (and inevitably on screens) during the pandemic. If some of these changes stick - for example, remote learning or exercising at home, cutting down on time spent outside - Hardiman-McCartney says there is risk of a "myopia boom".

"If lockdowns continue, or if we live in a world of more screen usage, it's not about restricting it, it's about countering it, by making sure children have more time outside," he says.

Though they might not be at risk of doing permanent damage in the same way, adults also need to practise good habits for eye health. Minor fluctuations in our sight (with prescriptions so small as to not justify wearing glasses or contact lenses) are natural, says Hardiman-McCartney, and may with time resolve themselves. But intense use, such as poring over finely detailed plans or hours staring at small text on a screen, can exacerbate the symptoms.

"Architects or accountants might come in complaining about eye problems at an earlier level than a landscape gardener," says Hardiman-McCartney. "It's often about how they're using their eyes."

If you have noticed your sight seeming to deteriorate since the pandemic started, the answer might be simply that your eyes are tired. They are certainly likely to be working harder from home than they were at the office, with ergonomic desk setups and widescreen monitors widely replaced by laptops on crowded kitchen tables.

To reduce eye strain, the College of Optometrists advises positioning your monitor so that it is between 40cm and 76cm (16in to 30in - roughly arm's length) from your eyes. The screen should be tilted away from you at a 10-20-degree angle with the top roughly level with your eyes. The monitor should also be positioned so as to minimise distracting reflections and any document holders should be placed close to the screen so that your gaze can move between the two without needing to refocus.

With phones and tablets, Hardiman-McCartney's advice is to hold them on your lap with your elbows at roughly 90 degrees, like you are reading a book. "There's a temptation to lie down on the bed or sofa and hold it above your head - and that's terrible for your eyes." That is because it is less labour-intensive for our eye muscles to look slightly down than it is to look straight ahead.

If we are sitting in front of a screen for long periods, Hardiman-McCartney says, most of us don't look away at all. "You're staring 40, 45cm away for long periods of time, and that's just unnatural. Our eyes aren't set up to do that." He advocates following the 20-20-20 rule: looking at something 20ft (six metres) away for 20 seconds, every 20 minutes - "just to give your eyes a break". He suggests setting a timer to remind you to do so three times an hour.

His other tip is striking in its simplicity: make the text larger. "Blow things up to 125%, 150% - it's much more efficient on your eyes." Adjust the brightness, too. "These small changes can make a world of difference."

And remember to blink. We do so less when looking at a screen, which can cause uncomfortable dryness. "If you screw up your eyes, have a big forced blink, that lubricates your eyes with a fresh layer of tear film," says Hardiman-McCartney. "It's a really simple, chemical-free way of helping."

This year ophthalmologists described widespread instances of "mask-associated dry eye", where air exhaled into a mask is forced upwards over the surface of the eyes, evaporating the tear film (and causing glasses to fog). It speaks to the combination of "ocular and nonocular factors" that might be contributing to discomfort or differences that we experience in our vision, beyond simply increased screen time, says Hardiman-McCartney.

"Maybe it's tiredness, maybe it's stress and anxiety with the situation, maybe it's acclimatising to a new world where we might not be as good about when we start and finish work. I didn't think: 'I've got half an hour to rest my eyes' when I walked to work - but of course it's all having an effect."

Should there be cause for concern, Hardiman-McCartney says it is important to remember that help is available during the pandemic. Though most optometrists have remained open, the survey that showed a significant number of people who felt their vision had got worse during lockdown also found they were reluctant to seek help, due to the risk of contracting coronavirus.

"It does raise the question that a lot of people are struggling unnecessarily," says Hardiman-McCartney. The College of Optometrists has advice for how to safely seek help for your sight during the pandemic at its website, lookafteryoureyes.org.

But as with every aspect of our wellbeing, the significance of the shift on our sight cannot be summed up by more screen time alone, says Hardiman-McCartney. "A whole population has suddenly changed how they use their eyes."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Blinking hell: how to keep tired eyes healthy during a pandemic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
n the pandemic, our eyes are working harder than ever. With the majority of our communication nonverbal, and all but the upper third of our faces covered by masks, we are more reliant on them to express tone, emotion and even individuality, with a recent explosion in online tutorials for "mask makeup looks" emphasising long lashes, bright eyeshadows and statement liner.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This guide will enable employers and employees to understand the requirements when working from home. Appendix 1: Homeworking Risk Assessment/Checklist is included to help employers and their employees to carry out an assessment of the home working environment as an online fillable form contained within the guidance document or available as a seperate file below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Guidance on Working from Home for Employers and Employees

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This guide will enable employers and employees to understand the requirements when working from home. Appendix 1: Homeworking Risk Assessment/Checklist is included to help employers and their employees to carry out an assessment of the home working environment as an online fillable form contained within the guidance document or available as a seperate file below.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The first wave of Covid-19 caused huge suffering, and has led to warnings of an 'epidemic' or 'tsunami' of mental health problems. But there is another, more hopeful story to tell, about how people coped and even thrived during the adversity of 2020. It's important to remember this as we head into the winter and a likely second wave.

The Collective Psychology Project has been researching how people coped, for a report for the Wellcome Trust called Collective Resilience . We were interested in how people discovered the ' active ingredients' of mental health, not just through therapy and pills, but also through self-care and mutual aid activities - from poetry to philosophy, from baking to cycling, from online learning to joining a neighbourhood support group.

What we discovered tallied with a lot of evidence, including from the , about how people cope and thrive through non-medical activities like exercise, gardening, the arts, faith, philosophy and spirituality.

Arts and creativity: from pop-up public art to TikTok dance trends , from pandemic poetry to a baking craze that drove the price of yeast up by more than 6,000% , people have found joy and meaning in the arts and creativity. UCL's study of 70,000 adults' mental health during the pandemic that 22% engaged more with arts during the lockdown period than usual, and that engaging in creative activities - art, gardening, hobbies, reading fiction - was the single most helpful activity for people's well-being.

Family and relationships: in one , 25% of parents said the lockdown had brought them closer to their children, while only 5% said it had made relations worse. Young people were the worst hit by loneliness, but also the most connected online. And neighbourhoods became closer knit too: in the UK, 64% of adults that their communities had 'come together to help each other' during the crisis.

Religion, philosophy and meaning-making: Google searches for prayer reached their highest ever level during the pandemic. Young people reconnected with their inherited faiths through a wave of online religious observance , and one in five Brits they turned to psychology and philosophy to find meaning during the crisis. There have been sharp in the sales of Seneca's Letters and Marcus Aurelius' Meditations (itself written during a pandemic).

Nature and green spaces: One survey that 63% of people felt more connected to nature during lockdown; a in cycling has led to calls for the redesign of cities to make them more bike-friendly; seed shops as people around the world started gardening; and the sudden improvement in emissions and air pollution globally have shown us what rapid cuts look and feel like. We rediscovered the importance of connecting to other species as well - although the spike in puppy sales raised concerns about impulse pet shopping. A majority of people don't want the world to go back to how it was, and want green policies to be at the heart of recovery plans.

Post-traumatic growth
People had to develop new ways to say goodbye to loved ones at both the bedside and the graveside, while health workers and Covid patients have faced high levels of trauma. But there was also a renewed sense of meaning and transcendence among health workers: so-called ' post-traumatic growth '. And the crisis has also created an opportunity for a fresh and more holistic approach to trauma treatments (like, say, whole-person approaches using the arts, nature, spirituality or psychedelic therapy ).
What conclusions can we draw from this?
Here are some suggestions and reflections:

1. Doctors and health authorities should be careful not to pathologise the normal and appropriate suffering people feel in hard times, or to immediately prescribe pills for emotional suffering. Anti-depressants can be helpful in the short-term, but they also have side effects and can lead to long-term dependency . Declaring a mental health 'epidemic' and saying mental health services are the only solution can create bottlenecks for services that either don't exist or have long waiting lists.

2. As well as supporting mental health services, we can also emphasise people's strengths, assets and natural coping skills, including community approaches like getting to know your neighbours or joining local mutual aid groups. This empowers people rather than making them feel weaker and more dependent on medical experts.

3. Build psychological flexibility, rather than happiness. Policy makers have tried to improve people's happiness in schools, companies and society. There is some evidence this is counter-productive, especially in difficult times. It can make people ashamed of feeling anxiety, anger or grief, even if these emotions are appropriate. Instead of focusing narrowly on happiness, we can help people develop psychological flexibility , and discover what gives them a sense of meaning and purpose, especially in adversity. This could make people more resilient and less prone to ' the happiness trap ' (ie avoiding activities that make them feel anxious in the short-term).

4. Wellbeing involves all aspects of society, from the economy to the arts to travel and green spaces. Building a thriving organisation or society means taking a joined-up approach. That joined-up approach needs to come from the top - from the head of state, or the CEO of an organisation, or the head of a school or university.

5. We need community infrastructure for communities to thrive - shutting down theatres, churches, youth groups, sports facilities and pubs. Yes, online courses have boomed, but we can't go entirely digital, nor should governments only support big national arts projects. We all need to support local organisations that foster well-being, especially local companies.

What does a wellbeing-informed recovery look like?

Sign up for our eight week email series on how you can develop a Covid recovery plan that supports everyone. It shows the different impacts for different groups in society, as well as the wellbeing implications, and measures and resources you can start using right away.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
What helped people and communities cope during Covid? - What Works Wellbeing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The first wave of Covid-19 caused huge suffering, and has led to warnings of an 'epidemic' or 'tsunami' of mental health problems. But there is another, more hopeful story to tell, about how people coped and even thrived during the...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
e are now entering the second wave of this pandemic. After a brief summer lull, there is an overwhelming sense of deja vu. Despite washing our hands to the tune of Peppa Pig, maintaining social distancing, local and national lockdowns, isolating ourselves from our friends and family, and wearing face masks, we appear to be back where we started, with exponentially rising numbers of infections.

Hospitals, general practices and community services are gearing up to deal with the inevitable rise in patients with Covid-19, while trying to keep other services functioning as near to normal as possible. This time around we are better prepared. We understand which interventions work (and which do not); we have a greater understanding of the disease and how it affects different patient populations; and we even have the prospect of a vaccine in sight.

However, we are also increasingly aware of the collateral damage this virus creates to all of us due to lockdown, isolation, job losses and the economic impact of the measures implemented to protect us. These raise the risk of developing psychiatric disorders, especially depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - all of which are associated with increased suicide risk. Mental health problems will be experienced by the general population, but evidence from healthcare professionals working during the 2002-04 Sars and 2014 Ebola outbreaks found they were particularly at risk, suffering higher levels of stress, insomnia, anxiety and depression.

For the last decade I have led NHS Practitioner Health, a confidentialservice for doctors, dentists and, now, clinical medical students with mental illness. It was established in response to high rates of burnout, mental illness and suicide among medical professionals, as well as in an attempt to address the barriers they face to receiving care. Doctors are trained to make the patient their first concern. So showing any signs of mental illness themselves, or indeed having any illness, is seen personally and professionally as letting the side down. Pre-pandemic, around 60 new patients attended the service every week. Now it is double that.

Most have depression, anxiety and symptoms indistinguishable from PTSD. The causes of the distress are not hard to find. Overwhelming workload, inadequate personal protection equipment and feeling unsupported all contribute.

The levels of trauma, grief, helplessness and hopelessness are high. One doctor cried as she told me that more of her patients had died in one month than during the whole of her career. Unable even to hold the hands of her dying patients, she felt devastated and was reminded of the difference between the death of her own grandmother (when all the family were assembled by the bedside) and those dying on her ward, alone. What this doctor is experiencing is moral distress, or " moral injury ". While not a mental illness per se, moral injury is perhaps the most prevalent psychological effect of Covid-19. It's a military term relating to the harm done to a person's moral compass when they witness and fail to prevent an act that transgresses their ethical codes of conduct.

Making life-and-death decisions is commonplace for clinicians. However, Covid-19 risks putting them in the impossible position of having, for example, to choose which of two equally sick patients is provided with specific care, owing to limited resources; or having to juggle their own safety against lack of adequate PPE. However, by far the biggest problem I have seen among doctors is exhaustion. Doctors have an exaggerated sense of personal responsibility - when their patients are threatened, especially by a fast-spreading and frightening viral illness, they want to do everything within their power to help. This inevitably means working harder, putting in extra shifts or staying at work longer.

Fatigue is felt sometimes more so by those working behind the scenes, staring at computer screens, working in call centres or advice lines or developing policies to guide our clinical practice.

In May, I became the chair of a new charity, Doctors in Distress, with the twin aims of reducing stigma and the rate of suicide among doctors, which is double (or even higher) than the general population.

Safeguarding all health workers' mental health is both morally imperative and also vital for sustaining a workable and effective healthcare system at this critical time. Providing healthcare staff with "psychological PPE" is as important as physical masks and gowns. During the first wave, many hospitals had put in place respite or decompression rooms; improved access to on-site psychological support; provided necessary sustenance (day and night) for hungry staff and set time aside for important debriefing at the end of busy shifts.

These must all now be reinstated. Especially important are confidential spaces where healthcare staff can talk about the emotional impact of their work, and groups where they are able to share their experiences and gain and provide support to each other. On an individual level, health professionals can take steps to look after themselves. There are no easy solutions but taking time out, ensuring adequate sleep and limiting use of social media can help, as does seeking professional help if negative thoughts, feelings of hopelessness, self-blame become too much.

Gone is the thrill of the unknown and the adrenaline that drove health professionals to work even harder than ever. Many are now running on empty - depleted, demoralised and depressed. Now, more than ever is the time to focus on bringing about long-lasting changes to reduce the burden of mental illness in those who care for us.

* Dame Clare Gerada is chair of Doctors in Distress and Medical Director of NHS Practitioner Health. Her new book Beneath the White Coat: Doctors, their minds and mental healthis published by Routledge, £22.99. All royalties will be donated to Doctors in Distress

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
'Psychological PPE' is what Britain's health professionals urgently need now | Clare Gerada

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
e are now entering the second wave of this pandemic. After a brief summer lull, there is an overwhelming sense of deja vu. Despite washing our hands to the tune of Peppa Pig, maintaining social distancing, local and national lockdowns, isolating ourselves from our friends and family, and wearing face masks, we appear to be back where we started, with exponentially rising numbers of infections.

# data[].attributes.headline
Irish Association of Social Workers Research about COVID-19 Impact - Part One - Children and Family Services

# data[].attributes.subject
Irish Association of Social Workers Research about COVID-19 Impact - Part One - Children and Family Services

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
IASW Social Work During Covid-19 Lockdown Report_Children & Familes Social Work

# data[].attributes.headline
Irish Association of Social Workers Research about COVID-19 Impact - Part 2

# data[].attributes.subject
Irish Association of Social Workers Research about COVID-19 Impact - Part 2

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
IASW Social Work During Covid-19 Lockdown Report

# data[].attributes.headline
Irish Association of Social Workers Research about COVID-19 impacts Survey Part 3

# data[].attributes.subject
Irish Association of Social Workers Research about COVID-19 impacts Survey Part 3

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
IASW Social Work During Covid 19 Survey_Easing Lockdown Report

# data[].attributes.headline
@UCCsocialwork webinar #2 video: working and living with Covid-19 (free video)

# data[].attributes.subject
@UCCsocialwork webinar #2 video: working and living with Covid-19 (free video)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Online Social Work Practice Webinar #2 (June 2020)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
By Lindsey Piercy, LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 8, 2020) - It is a profession committed to the well-being of others - social workers provide a broad range of services and help people cope with everyday issues.

But meeting the needs of others day after day, while potentially putting their own needs aside, could lead to burnout. Now, add the stressors that accompany a global pandemic.

To learn more about the impact of COVID-19 on social workers, researchers in the College of Social Work (CoSW) Self-Care Lab at the University of Kentucky conducted an insightful study.

"We focus a lot on the acute medical issues associated with COVID-19, and social workers are definitely doing pertinent work alongside other health care providers in that arena," College of Social Work Dean Jay Miller, lead investigator of the study, said. "But social workers are also doing work to address other problematic consequences, such as unemployment, growing mental health needs, child protection and access to education. These factors certainly make for stressful practice conditions, which can contribute to professional burnout."

Burnout, a term first coined by American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger in 1975, describes what happens when a practitioner becomes increasingly inoperative. As symptoms worsen, its effects can turn more serious.

That begs the question, how can social workers provide compassionate care for others if they are not doing the same for themselves?

To better identify self-care issues, the comprehensive study surveyed social work practitioners throughout Kentucky. This is the first-known study to examine the impact of COVID-19 on self-care among social work practitioners.

The study, launched this summer, assessed several aspects of self-care and factors that influence self-care practices among social work practitioners in a wide array of settings.

Researchers found that since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic in early March, self-care practices among social workers have significantly decreased. In fact, over 90% of practitioners reported COVID-19 has negatively affected their ability to engage in adequate self-care.

"Given the importance of self-care to the profession, these findings are extremely concerning," Brenda Rosen, executive director of the Kentucky chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, said. "This research really illustrates the need to support social workers during this unprecedented time."

While some of the findings were expected, researchers noted a few surprising results. For instance, analyses revealed that gender, race/ethnicity and sexual orientation are all factors that influence engagement in self-care.

In summary, social workers who identified as female, white or LGBTQ* reported engaging in significantly fewer self-care practices.

Additionally, practitioner's working remotely reported struggling to engage in adequate self-care practices.

"Though there are certainly commonalities, results from this study show that people are experiencing the pandemic in very different ways," Miller explained. "Responses and interventions aimed at improving self-care must take these differences into account."

The CoSW understands managing crippling stress among these practitioner groups is fundamental to their well-being and the well-being of the populations they serve.

Researchers, like Miller, believe self-care is not only indispensable but cannot be ignored. He hopes this study will highlight the need to examine and develop beneficial approaches to support all helping professionals.

"For the foreseeable future we, as a society, will be dealing with the ramifications of COVID-19. Social workers, and other professionals, will be instrumental in the recovery from this pandemic," Miller said. "Given the importance of these practitioners, it is absolutely imperative that we build a knowledge base that informs how we support them. This study contributes to doing just that."

To learn more about The Self-Care Lab, you can view this video. If you have additional questions about this project or would like to receive a copy of the full report, email selfcarelab@uky.edu.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
New UK Social Work Study Zeros in on Self-Care During COVID-19

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
By Lindsey Piercy, LEXINGTON, Ky. (Sept. 8, 2020) - It is a profession committed to the well-being of others - social workers provide a broad range of services and help people cope with everyday issues. But meeting the needs of others day after day, while potentially putting their own needs aside, could lead to burnout.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Working from home is hardly a new phenomenon, but the COVID-19 pandemic has made it an unplanned requirement for many office and knowledge workers. Even as the coronavirus crisis eventually recedes, many employers will have discovered that they don't need large office buildings, and many employees will have discovered that they don't need to be in the office every day or spend hours commuting.

But many people have set up makeshift home offices for the pandemic that won't work well for the long term. In addition to having the right equipment, the physical setup - the ergonomics of the workspace - is critical, especially around avoiding repetitive strain injuries that a bad setup can cause. I suffered such RSI issues 20 years ago and narrowly avoided a relapse a year ago, so I know what it takes to get back to and stay in a workable status.

And employers, take note: RSI puts you on the hook for workers' compensation claims and, of course, lost productivity.

The ideal home office setup

A long-term home office should ideally be a separate space in your home that is properly outfitted for work. Do as much of the following as you can to create an effective, safe workspace for the long term.

Galen Gruman/IDG

Here's my office setup (no, it's not usually so clean). It provides for proper height and sufficient workspace. My laptop is hard to see, but it's tucked away under the bottom monitor riser. (Click image to enlarge it.)

A dedicated space

Ideally, you would use a small room that can hold a desk and computer equipment and whose door can be shut for the essential need to separate work life from home life.

Most people don't have spare space, but many people can convert a guest room into a dual-purpose space: an office most of the time and a guest room when people visit. (A Murphy bed is a great way to do that if your space and budget allow.) An enclosed porch, a large laundry room (or, for Europeans, drying room), or even a garden shed can also do the double-duty trick.

If you can't get a dedicated space you can separate from the rest of your life, try to find a niche space you can use that is out of the rest of the household's way - and they out of yours - as much as possible.

Proper work height

Your space needs a desk or table that is at work height. The industry standard is 29 inches from the floor to the top of the work surface. Tall people do better with a higher height, and short people do better with a lower height. Many desks and tables have adjustable height, usually through their feet.

But that industry standard is based on writing on paper, not using a keyboard and mouse. That's why keyboard trays pull out from below the work surface and are typically an inch or two lower than the desk or table height. If you have space for a keyboard-and-mouse tray (it must be wide enough for both!), get one. If not, consider lowering your desk to the tray height; if you also write on paper, you can get a writing surface (such as a thin cutting board) for pen-and-paper work.

You know your work surface is at the correct height if, when you sit up straight, your forearms are parallel to the ground and your wrist is not bent up or down when you type or mouse. The top surface of your wrist should essentially be on the same plane as the top of your forearm, with your fingers dangling slightly down to the keyboard. Bending the wrists for prolonged periods is an easy way to cause injury.

Proper monitor height

Get a large monitor (maybe two) for your home office - just as you would at the corporate office. I've had good luck with 25- to 27-inch monitors from Asus and Acer, but any major brand will offer high-quality monitors. Just avoid the cheapest monitors if you can, since they can lead to eyestrain over prolonged use due to their lower resolution and thus increased fuzziness.

Display resolutions come in a whole alphabet soup of terms, but look for any of the following ones to get that desired higher sharpness: QWXGA, QHD, WQHD, or 4K UHD. Also note that the display connector may limit the screen resolution; on many computers, the video subsystem limits HDMI 1.x resolution to 1920 x 1200 pixels regardless of monitor size, which can make screens on 25-inch or larger monitors appear a bit fuzzy. Generally speaking, check your computer's video specs and get a monitor whose display resolution matches its maximum capability. For the best video quality, you want computers and monitors that support HDMI 2.x or 3.x, DisplayPort, or USB-C connectors. Because you likely already have a computer, such as a work-issued laptop, focus on getting a monitor whose specs meet or exceed what your computer can deliver.

Your monitor should line up so that if you look straight ahead when sitting straight, your eyes are at a height of 25% to 30% below the top of the screen. That way, you keep your shoulders level and don't hunch your back - two easy ways to cause injury.

To get the proper height, you'll likely need a riser for the monitor - I use two, which also gives me some handy shelving. A monitor whose height is adjustable is a plus, though you may still need a riser.

Tip: Be sure to measure the desired height of the monitor from the work surface, so you know how much of a rise you need between the work surface and the monitor stand to get to that "top is 25% to 30% above eye level" target.

A good chair

There are a lot of bad chairs out there that can injure you over prolonged computer use. Dining chairs and deck chairs, for example, rarely are at the right height, and they don't always encourage the needed upright posture.

If you can afford it, get an adjustable professional office chair like an Aeron, where you can set a precise fit for your body and workspace. But those typically go for $600 and up; there are also much cheaper office chairs - figure between $150 and $250 - that will do the job. You'll need to test them out in person if at all possible, since you can't tell fit from a picture on a website.

Be sure to get one with adjustable height, that can roll, that provides lumbar support for the lower back, and ideally has adjustable seat pan tilt, arm height, and lateral arm position. An arm rest is preferable, but only if you use it correctly: That means your forearm should rest very lightly on the arm rest; there should be no pressure from your arm onto the arm rest. The arm rest basically should remind your arm to stay in the right position, not support its weight like a seat does your butt.

Good lighting

It's very easy to underestimate the effects of your work environment on your ability to work. Lighting is often an area people don't think about. Ideally, you have sufficient indirect light to illuminate your workspace, so you can easily read papers and see physical objects. Overhead lighting is usually best, such as from a ceiling lamp.

Indirect lighting means lights not in your direct field of view or reflecting off your monitor. For example, an outside window behind or to the side of your desk can create glare on your monitor screen when the sun is shining. Natural light is quite pleasant, but diffuse it with shades or curtains so it doesn't create glare.

Don't place a lamp right next to a monitor, where you end up with competing light sources and possible glare. You may need lamps for additional lighting, but if possible, place them in a way that they don't create glare on the monitor screen and are not in your direct field of vision when you're working on the computer.

Likewise, make sure your monitor's brightness is not too dim or too bright, both of which can cause eyestrain. "Too dim" and "too bright" are subjective, of course, but a good rule of thumb is that the monitor's lighting intensity should be just a little brighter than your ambient lighting, and that ambient lighting should be sufficient to read paper documents without additional light.

Good internet service

Most urban and suburban areas have at least one high-speed provider for internet service; 50Mbps is the minimum speed to shoot for, and the more people using the internet at the same time, the more you want to get a higher-speed service.

The bandwidth within your home matters too. The best connections are wired Ethernet ones, so if possible, connect your computer to your router via an Ethernet cable; that's especially important if you do video or other bandwidth-intensive work. Wi-Fi is fine for basic office work, so if you can't wire your computer to your router, use Wi-Fi.

In both cases, be sure to have modern equipment supporting at least 100Mbps for wired connections (1Gbps has been common for years) and at least 802.11n for wireless ones (802.11ac is much preferred). Almost every router with Wi-Fi is dual-band, supporting newer standards like 802.11ac and 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) and older ones like 802.11b/g/n that some of your devices may still use (such as older phones and some home-automation devices).

Other equipment

You'll need a keyboard and a mouse or touchpad, of course: If you're using an external monitor, your laptop is likely folded shut or off to the side in a position that would be awkward to reach to for using the built-in keyboard and trackpad. Any keyboard and mouse or touchpad/trackpad are fine as long as they are responsive to the touch and not the wrong size for your hands or the wrong height for your posture. Wireless ones save you cable mess but require recharging or battery replacement.

And if you work in a shared space, you should invest in a headset so you can join online conference calls with less noise leaking into your home, where other people are working, sleeping, taking classes, and so on. The competing noises make it harder to work.

And definitely do not cradle a desk phone or cell phone in your neck! That's a sure way to pinch a nerve or cause muscle strain. If you use a traditional desk phone, get a headset designed for it plus a 3.5mm-to-2.5mm adapter so you can also connect the 2.5mm phone headset plug into the computer's 3.5mm audio jack. Note: Be sure your computer and monitor and/or dock support two-way audio (mic and headset), not just audio-out.

You could use wired or wireless earbuds instead of a headset, but the in-ear variety can be uncomfortable, even painful with long-term use for many people. (By contrast, a headset rests over your ear on a cushioned pad.) Also, wireless earbuds typically have poorer audio quality in their mics, making you harder to understand in meetings. Earbuds are fine in a pitch, but if you are on meetings for hours a day, use a headset or the computer's audio instead.

A docking station is a great to have if you use a laptop, so you can plug the computer into the dock and leave all the other connections alone, then easily remove the laptop when you are working elsewhere such as for business travel or an in-office visit. Most office-class Windows laptops have a docking station option; MacBook users should invest in one of OWC's docks.

Many people hardly use paper any longer, so you may not need a printer. Even though my own use has diminished over the years, I still recommend getting a multifunction printer/copier/scanner for your home office. A good laser version from Brother or HP costs just a few hundred dollars, and when you need to print, copy, or scan, you can. (Laser versions are much cheaper to operate than inkjet ones, they last for years, and they don't suffer the dried-ink problems that often happen in inkjet devices that are rarely used.)

My multifunction printer has a fax port for sending and receiving faxes, so I route my desk phone line through it. (The printer can detect faxes and send other calls onto to the phone.) I can't think of the last time I needed to send or receive a fax, but if you do, get a multifunction printer with fax support.

You might consider a surge protector or, if you're not using a laptop, an uninterruptible power supply (UPS). If the power goes out, computer equipment is usually unharmed, but if you live in a stormy area, there's a small chance you might get a power surge that could damage your computer equipment. A power strip with a built-in surge protector is an inexpensive insurance policy for that rare event.

A UPS is harder to justify. If you have a laptop it has its own battery backup, so the UPS is unneeded. If you have a desktop PC, a small UPS can buy you enough time to safely shut down your computer and complete any saves. A large UPS can let you work for an hour or more, but of course if your power is out, you almost certainly won't have internet access, so the need is slight.

I do recommend that you have computer backup. The Backup and Recovery feature in Windows 10, like the Time Machine feature in macOS, makes backing up easy, so get an external drive to use it. But an even better backup method is to store all your work on a cloud service like OneDrive or iCloud, so if your computer gets damaged or lost, all your work is easily available from another computer. Macs and Windows PCs keep a local copy of the cloud-stored work by default, so if the internet goes out you still can work on your files; they will sync once the internet access is restored. Combining cloud storage with a physical backup provides the best assurance that you have your files.

Note: If you use OneDrive, be sure to not use the Files on Demand feature, which when enabled doesn't keep a full set of files on your computer but instead pulls them from the cloud as needed. (Some IT organizations force Files on Demand to be enabled, in which case working locally might be smarter.)

The traveler's portable office setup

If you travel for work, as I often do, you can't bring your home office with you. But you can improve the workspace so you can work more effectively and safely with your laptop.

Tip: The portable-office setup also can work well when you are working in a temporary home space, such as your kitchen table - especially if you can also add a larger monitor to the mix. It also works if you can't get a large monitor and must use your laptop screen in your home office.

The key piece of equipment for an ergonomic setup on the road is a foldable monitor stand. (Foldable bed tables work well too.) Be sure to find one that is not too thick when folded, so it fits in your luggage.

Galen Gruman/IDG

A foldable monitor stand goes a long way to making a laptop more usable during travel, when coupled with an external monitor and keyboard. (Click image to enlarge it.)

When you're at a hotel desk or at someone's office, you usually can't choose your desk, table, or chair. And you likely won't get an external monitor. But you can adjust the height of your laptop screen with a foldable monitor stand. You may also need to use books or something else to augment that stand, depending on the table or desk height and the type of chair you have. Even if you can't get a perfect height, you can get a better height - and you should aim for that.

To make this setup work, you'll need a travel keyboard and mouse, of course. Thin ones fit better in a suitcase. Just remember that if your input devices are wireless, you must remove their batteries before placing them in checked luggage for a flight. If your devices' batteries aren't removable, you need to pack them in your carry-on luggage.

I also carry a small bag of adapters when I travel. They include video adapters, so I can plug into pretty much any monitor or conferencing display. (My USB-C MacBook works nicely with a video hub, so I have one adapter to carry instead of several.) I also carry USB-C-to-USB 2.0 adapters in case I need to use a thumb drive, someone else's keyboard and mouse, or some other unexpected external device during my visit. Because I sometimes travel overseas, I also bring a multi-country power adapter that includes two USB ports so I can charge my phone and tablet from the same plug.

Copyright © 2020 IDG Communications, Inc.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to set up a work-from-home 'office' for the long term

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Working from home is hardly a new phenomenon, but the COVID-19 pandemic has made it an unplanned requirement for many office and knowledge workers. Even as the coronavirus crisis eventually recedes, many employers will have discovered that they don't need large office buildings, and many employees will have discovered that they don't need to be in the office every day or spend hours commuting.

# data[].attributes.headline
HSE approved platforms for video conferencing

# data[].attributes.subject
HSE approved platforms for video conferencing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The COVID-19 pandemic presents significant challenges for the delivery of health services; both in terms of the continuity of standard care and in the provision of services specifically tailored to address the pandemic.

Given the emphasis placed on ensuring social distancing where possible in the community, and as part of efforts to reduce the transmission of the coronavirus to healthcare workers, solutions to allow clinical consultations take place remotely using videoconferencing are required.

The National COVID-19 Telehealth Steering Committee has approved the following solutions, made available during the pandemic, to support communication and collaboration across the health service. Usage should comply with HSE IT policy and standards (PDF) and the document Secure Video and Audio Clinical Consultations: Clinical Aspects During the Emergency Measures to address Covid 19 (PDF) may be of use.

Governance is outlined in the following documents.

Attend Anywhere

A web-based platform for virtual clinics offering a secure private online waiting area for patients. It provides video and audio conferencing, screen sharing and messaging during clinical consultations. Read more about attend anywhere.

Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams offers a platform for video and audio conferencing. It allows document sharing and storage, screen sharing and messaging.

Microsoft Teams is available if you have already been migrated to the national HealthIrl domain.
If You are not on the national Health Irl domain:

You can still attend a Teams meeting (by clicking on the invitation link received), but you will not be able to schedule a meeting.

You can use Skype for Business or Webex instead.

Microsoft Teams is only available if you are on HealthIrl domain

The phased migration of all staff to HealthIrl is continuing. Microsoft Teams will be available to you when your migration is done.
Read more about Microsoft Teams.
Skype for Business

Skype for Business offers online video, audio calling and chat facilities.

It is available on all domains.
Make a request for Skype for Business on the self-service portal
WhatsApp

Exceptional provision has been made for this app to be made available during the Covid-19 crisis on the HSE network, primarily to support messaging, but it also can support video calls. It is suited for 1-4 users. Read more about Whatsapp.

Cisco WebEx

An enterprise solution for video conferencing, online meetings, screen share and webinars. It provides for controlled 'room' access and this may be suited to clinical consultation and larger meetings. Read more about Cisco Webex Meetings.

Related content

Page last reviewed: 23/04/2020
Next review due: 23/04/2023

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The COVID-19 pandemic presents significant challenges for the delivery of health services; both in terms of the continuity of standard care and in the provision of services specifically tailored to address the pandemic.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
by ARC Laureate Professor Sharon Parker

is a globally-renowned expert in the field of work psychology. As the Director of the Centre for Transformative Work Design, she leads a team concerned with improving the quality of work. She is an Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow; a Chief Investigator in the Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing, and a 2019 Highly Cited Researcher.

If you are in back-to-back virtual meetings most of the day, I bet you are exhausted. And I bet you have a whole stack of other things you're not doing that you need to do... which is doubly exhausting, because then you have to work in the evening. What do you?

It is important to understand why virtual meetings are so tiring, and then to use this understanding to take back control.
1. Use the right communication medium for the right purpose
We don't fire people by email, and there is a reason for this.

Different media for communicating vary in their 'richness', from the richest (face to face) to videoconferencing (e.g. Zoom) to audio (e.g. telephone) to computer-mediated communications such as chat rooms, online discussion, and then to email.

Face to face is the richest because it provides the cues needed to interpret what is 'really' going on (e.g., voice tone, facial expression; body language). We can also use all these cues to understand shifts in the conversation and to know when to speak. In a face to face meeting, some silence also usually feels okay, because you can see that people are thinking and present.

Its richness means face to face is the best mode for any interpersonally-complex communication, such as negotiating, influencing, dealing with disagreements or conflict, giving bad news, talking to someone who is distressed, addressing conflict, performance management, solving highly complex problems (Kiesler & Sproull, 1992) (and, indeed, firing someone). Face to face communication also fosters cohesion, so it's preferred when you want to build commitment to a way forward (Wainfan & Davis, 2004).

Of course, face to face is not an option for many of us right now, so we're having to rely instead on videoconferencing (Zoom and Skype). As the next richest medium, videoconferencing is preferred for any more complex communication.

But - and here is the rub - Zoom and Skype are still less rich than face to face communications. We can't see people's body language, we're not in the same physical space so we don't know what is happening for them, it's challenging to work out when to speak, and our peripheral awareness is reduced (McGrath, 1991). Sometimes we can't even hear people properly. And this is one powerful reason why zoom is so tiring - in order to navigate the interpersonal dynamics, we have to concentrate intensely to compensate for the impaired social and physical cues relative to face to face communication.

Importantly, just as research shows that 'richer' forms of communication are best for interpersonally complex tasks, research also shows that 'computer-mediated communication' (such as online chats/ online group discussions) are best for brainstorming and idea generation.

These forms of communication reduce the effects of power and status, so people are less inhibited to put forward their ideas (Wainfan & Davis, 2004). Online discussions can also be 'asynchronous' (not everyone has to be there at the same time), which also allows flexibility as to when people contribute.

And then, of course, there is email. Email is best for providing timely information, sharing data, and providing updates.

Your zoom energy is precious - avoid using it on brainstorming or information distribution, and reserve it for the more interpersonally complex conversations.

2. Get off the stage and use your phone occasionally.

I had an 'a-ha' moment this week when I had to switch to my mobile phone (audio) because the internet was playing up. What a relief... Liberated from staring at the computer screen, I got up. I walked around in the sunshine. I shut my eyes. I did some back stretches. I even did a bit of weeding of my pot plants. And the person on the other end of the phone had no idea!

In other words, the relative richness of videoconferencing compared to the telephone has a downside.

When we are on a videoconference, it's a mini performance.

Our face is blown up on the screen, like we are a movie star, and we become conscious of how we look. Not only can people see our face, we can see our own face, which reminds us they can see our face, which makes us even more conscious of the image we are presenting!

As a consequence of all this, "self-presentation" kicks in more strongly than normal. Self-presentation refers to the behaviors we use 'to present ourselves in a favorable light, such that others around us will think highly of us or like us' (Barrick et al., 2009, p. 1394). It is entirely natural to want to create a positive impression. But self-presentation takes energy and can become exhausting (Devine & Hunter, 2017).

If we look away from the camera, for example, we might worry people think we're checking our emails... so we're constantly moving our eyes back to the screen to maintain "eye contact". We're also trying to convey to people that "I'm listening"; that we're getting what they're saying. I find myself nodding continuously. I also constantly catch myself looking at people's eyes, instead of the camera, so I'm repeatedly adjusting my gaze. All these small actions add to the demands of the conversation.

In the 1950s, the sociologist Erving Goffman (1959, p. 98) used the metaphor of the theatre to consider how people interact with each other. "Front stage" is where people perform, and backstage is where the "performer can relax, he can drop his front". In you think about being a salesperson, for example, front stage is when you're interacting with the client, and backstage is where you're having an informal chat with your colleagues just before the meeting.

When we're on a Zoom call, we're on the front stage - we're visible and 'performing'. And its tiring.

So, get off the stage for some of your meetings, especially the ones that are just one other person and are less emotionally complex. Liberate yourself and downgrade to the phone! Or turn off the camera so people can't see you. If you can figure out how, adjust the system so you can't see yourself.

3. Shorter meetings, micro breaks, and chit chat

When you're on videoconference call after call, you become tethered to the screen, and the chair. No one sees you've been in meeting after meeting so there's no one offering you to delay the meeting to give you a break.

In fact, if you don't answer someone's zoom call immediately, you know they're going to think you've forgotten so they will then send an email, call on your phone, call your assistant....

So, you just answer the call, sacrificing that micro break you were going to grab.

And then there's no new office to walk or drive to for the next meeting.... It's just zoom, zoom, zoom - and more sitting, sitting and sitting - and sorer neck, back, and eyes.

Shorter meetings are important for zoom calls.

Importantly, as Steven Rogelberg has argued in his book on meetings (Rogelberg, 2019), we always stretch the meeting time to fit the period we have allowed. If we've allowed an hour, it will take an hour. So you need to actually schedule shorter meetings. Personally, I find 30 minutes is the maximum for a zoom, you might schedule your meeting for 25 minutes, allowing a five minute break.

Then actually take a micro break - do something that is not related to work that boosts your energy (Fritz et al., 2011). Micro breaks during the day restore energy and reduce fatigue (Zacher et al., 2014). I'm going to talk more about breaks in a later blog, but here, I suggest getting off your bottom. Since many of us are sitting too much, doing something physical can help restore energy. I've got a yoga mat on the floor next to me and I try to do some stretches a couple of times a day.

We're also all becoming more myopic looking at screens so much, so maybe actually change your focus of vision and walk outside for five minutes and look into the distance.

And finally, allow a bit of chit chat in your meetings. Research shows we are far more task focused on video conference calls (Wainfan & Davis, 2004). Allow for a couple of minutes of backstage chat - it helps build those social relationships and relax everyone a little bit to be able to properly engage in the meeting.

If you're becoming a zoom zombie, understand why this form of communication can be draining, and take back control.

References:

Barrick, M. R., Shaffer, J. A., & DeGrassi, S. W. (2009). What you see may not be what you get: Relationships among self-presentation tactics and ratings of interview and job performance [ https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016532]. American Psychological Association.

Devine, K., & Hunter, K. H. (2017). PhD student emotional exhaustion: the role of supportive supervision and self-presentation behaviours. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 54(4), 335-344. https://doi.org/10.1080/14703297.2016.1174143

Fritz, C., Lam, C. F., & Spreitzer, G. M. (2011). It's the Little Things That Matter: An Examination of Knowledge Workers' Energy Management. Academy of Management Perspectives, 25(3), 28-39. https://doi.org/10.5465/amp.25.3.zol28

Goffman, E. (1959). The presentation of self in everyday life. Doubleday.

Kiesler, S., & Sproull, L. (1992). Group decision making and communication technology. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 52(1), 96-123. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(92)90047-B

McGrath, J. E. (1991). Time, Interaction, and Performance (TIP): A Theory of Groups. Small Group Research, 22(2), 147-174. https://doi.org/10.1177/1046496491222001

Rogelberg, S. G. (2019). The surprising science of meetings: How you can lead your team to peak performance. Oxford University Press. https://www.amazon.com/Surprising-Science-Meetings-Lead-Performance/dp/0190689218

Wainfan, L., & Davis, P. K. (2004). Challenges in virtual collaboration: Video conferencing, audioconferencing, and computer-mediated communications. RAND National Defense Research Institute. https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a429759.pdf

Zacher, H., Brailsford, H. A., & Parker, S. L. (2014). Micro-breaks matter: A diary study on the effects of energy management strategies on occupational well-being. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 85(3), 287-297. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2014.08.005

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Are you a Zoom Zombie? How to take control of your virtual meetings

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
by ARC Laureate Professor Sharon Parker About Sharon Sharon is a globally-renowned expert in the field of work psychology. As the Director of the Centre for Transformative Work Design, she leads a team concerned with improving the quality of work.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Jodi Eichler-Levine finished teaching a class over Zoom on April 15, and she immediately fell asleep in the guest bedroom doubling as her office. The religion studies professor at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania says that while teaching is always exhausting, she has never "conked out" like that before.

Until recently, Eichler-Levine was leading live classes full of people whose emotions she could easily gauge, even as they navigated difficult topics-such as slavery and the Holocaust-that demand a high level of conversational nuance and empathy. Now, like countless people around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has thrust her life into a virtual space. In addition to teaching remotely, she's been attending a weekly department happy hour, an arts-and-crafts night with friends, and a Passover seder-all over the videoconferencing app Zoom. The experience is taking a toll.

"It's almost like you're emoting more because you're just a little box on a screen," Eichler-Levine says. "I'm just so tired."

So many people are reporting similar experiences that it's earned its own slang term, Zoom fatigue, though this exhaustion also applies if you're using Google Hangouts, Skype, FaceTime, or any other video-calling interface. The unprecedented explosion of their use in response to the pandemic has launched an unofficial social experiment, showing at a population scale what's always been true: virtual interactions can be extremely hard on the brain.

"There's a lot of research that shows we actually really struggle with this," says Andrew Franklin, an assistant professor of cyberpsychology at Virginia's Norfolk State University. He thinks people may be surprised at how difficult they're finding video calls given that the medium seems neatly confined to a small screen and presents few obvious distractions.

Zoom gloom

Humans communicate even when they're quiet. During an in-person conversation, the brain focuses partly on the words being spoken, but it also derives additional meaning from dozens of non-verbal cues, such as whether someone is facing you or slightly turned away, if they're fidgeting while you talk, or if they inhale quickly in preparation to interrupt.

These cues help paint a holistic picture of what is being conveyed and what's expected in response from the listener. Since humans evolved as social animals, perceiving these cues comes naturally to most of us, takes little conscious effort to parse, and can lay the groundwork for emotional intimacy.

However, a typical video call impairs these ingrained abilities, and requires sustained and intense attention to words instead. If a person is framed only from the shoulders up, the possibility of viewing hand gestures or other body language is eliminated. If the video quality is poor, any hope of gleaning something from minute facial expressions is dashed.

"For somebody who's really dependent on those non-verbal cues, it can be a big drain not to have them," Franklin says. Prolonged eye contact has become the strongest facial cue readily available, and it can feel threatening or overly intimate if held too long.

Multi-person screens magnify this exhausting problem. Gallery view-where all meeting participants appear Brady Bunch-style-challenges the brain's central vision, forcing it to decode so many people at once that no one comes through meaningfully, not even the speaker.

"We're engaged in numerous activities, but never fully devoting ourselves to focus on anything in particular," says Franklin. Psychologists call this continuous partial attention, and it applies as much to virtual environments as it does to real ones. Think of how hard it would be to cook and read at the same time. That's the kind of multi-tasking your brain is trying, and often failing, to navigate in a group video chat.

This leads to problems in which group video chats become less collaborative and more like siloed panels, in which only two people at a time talk while the rest listen. Because each participant is using one audio stream and is aware of all the other voices, parallel conversations are impossible. If you view a single speaker at a time, you can't recognize how non-active participants are behaving-something you would normally pick up with peripheral vision.

For some people, the prolonged split in attention creates a perplexing sense of being drained while having accomplished nothing. The brain becomes overwhelmed by unfamiliar excess stimuli while being hyper-focused on searching for non-verbal cues that it can't find.

That's why a traditional phone call may be less taxing on the brain, Franklin says, because it delivers on a small promise: to convey only a voice.

Zoom boon

By contrast, the sudden shift to video calls has been a boon for people who have neurological difficulty with in-person exchanges, such as those with autism who can become overwhelmed by multiple people talking.

John Upton, an editor at the New Jersey-based news outlet Climate Central, recently found out he is autistic. Late last year, he was struggling with the mental load of attending packed conferences, engaging during in-person meetings, and navigating the small-talk that's common in work places. He says these experiences caused "an ambiguous tension, a form of anxiety."

As a result, he suffered a bout of autistic burnout and struggled to process complicated information-which he says is normally his strength-leading to feelings of helplessness and futility. To combat the issue, he began transitioning to working mostly from home and stacking all in-person meetings on Thursdays, to get them out of the way.

Now that the pandemic has pushed his coworkers to be remote as well, he has observed their video calls lead to fewer people talking and less filler conversation at the beginning and end of each meeting. Upton says his sense of tension and anxiety has been reduced to the point of being negligible.

This outcome is supported by research, says the University of Québec Outaouais's Claude Normand, who studies how people with developmental and intellectual disabilities socialize online. People with autism tend to have difficulty understanding when it's their turn to speak in live conversations, she notes. That's why the frequent lag between speakers on video calls may actually help some autistic people. "When you're Zooming online, it's clear whose turn it is to talk," Normand says.

However, other people on the autism spectrum may still struggle with video chatting, as it can exacerbate sensory triggers such as loud noise and bright lights, she adds.

On the whole, video chatting has allowed human connections to flourish in ways that would have been impossible just a few years ago. These tools enable us to maintain long-distance relationships, connect workrooms remotely, and even now, in spite of the mental exhaustion they can generate, foster some sense of togetherness during a pandemic.

It's even possible Zoom fatigue will abate once people learn to navigate the mental tangle video chatting can cause. If you're feeling self-conscious or overstimulated, Normand recommends you turn off your camera. Save your energy for when you absolutely want to perceive the few non-verbal cues that do come through, such as during the taxing chats with people you don't know very well, or for when you want the warm fuzzies you get from seeing someone you love. Or if it's a work meeting that can be done by phone, try walking at the same time.

"Walking meetings are known to improve creativity, and probably reduce stress as well," Normand says.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
'Zoom fatigue' is taxing the brain. Here's why that happens.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Jodi Eichler-Levine finished teaching a class over Zoom on April 15, and she immediately fell asleep in the guest bedroom doubling as her office. The religion studies professor at Lehigh University in Pennsylvania says that while teaching is always exhausting, she has never "conked out" like that before.

# data[].attributes.headline
Data Protection Tips for Video-conferencing

# data[].attributes.subject
Data Protection Tips for Video-conferencing

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In light of the recent increase in remote working, necessitated by COVID-19 mitigation measures, as well as the increased numbers keeping in touch online with friends and family, the number of people video-conferencing and video-calling has increased dramatically. This has also resulted in people using apps and services which they might not have used before, or are now using for different reasons - i.e. using an app they usually use for personal purposes now for work purposes or vice versa.

Concerns have been raised about how to use these technologies to keep in touch with colleagues and loved ones in a way that is safe and secure, and ensures an adequate standard of data protection.

Here are some tips to help both individuals and organisations (such as employers who might introduce new or increased videoconferencing arrangements for employees) use these services in a safe manner.

Tips for Individuals

Make sure that the device you use for video-calling has the necessary updates, such as operating system updates (like iOS or android) and software/antivirus updates (and make sure it has antivirus/online security software in the first place).

Try to use services which you know and trust, have done some research on, and/or have been vetted and suggested by your employer, etc., for video-conferencing or video-calling.

Take some time to read over the service's privacy or data protection policy to be sure who your personal data is being shared with, where it will be stored or processed, and what purposes it will be used for, amongst other information.

Think twice about what permissions for data or sensors you are being asked for: Do you really need to share your location or your list of contacts for instance? What will that data be used for?

If the data protection or privacy information is inadequate or too much information, or access to your device is being sought, you should be wary of sharing personal data with this service, and may want to take further steps, or consider another service.

Ensure your device is used in a safe location, for example keep an eye on what (or who) can be seen from your camera, and be sure to log out, mute, or turn off video, as appropriate, when you leave or take a break.

Consider the data protection and privacy rights of others before you post or share a picture or video of a video-call that contains their image, voice, and/or contact details.

Have a read of our general tips on staying safe online during a pandemic

Tips for Organisations

Employees should be using your contracted service providers for work related communications. Ensure you are happy with the privacy and security features of the services you ask them to use. Ad-hoc use of apps or services by individuals should not be encouraged.

Try to ensure that employees use work accounts, email addresses, phone numbers, etc., where possible, for work-related video-conferencing, to avoid the unnecessary collection of their personal contact or social media details.

Make sure that clear, understandable, and up-to-date organisational policies and guidelines are provided to those using video-conferencing, so they know what rules to follow and steps to take to minimise data protection risks. This should include information on the controls the services provide and that are available to them to protect their security, data, and communications.

Implement, and/or advise employees to implement, appropriate security controls such as access controls (such as multi-factor authentication and strong unique passwords) and limit use and data sharing to what is necessary.

Where video-conferencing services need to be used for organisational reasons, have a consistent policy regarding which services are used and how, and offer through VPN or remote network access where possible.

Avoid sharing of company data, document locations or hyperlinks in any shared 'chat' facility that may be public as these may be processed by the service or device in unsafe ways.

Read our guidance on Protecting Personal Data When Working Remotely and our guidance on data security and make sure the points contained within are made clear to employees.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In light of the recent increase in remote working, necessitated by COVID-19 mitigation measures, as well as the increased numbers keeping in touch online with friends and family, the number of people video-conferencing and video-calling has increased dramatically.

# data[].attributes.body
by John Sharry, ParentsPlus

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
With the advent of the Covid-19 crisis, face to face support of families has unfortunately had to stop, yet many families remain in need of support and are under additional stress due to the crisis. Parents Plus are supporting professionals and services to provide support remotely to families online and by telephone. See some of our resources below

1. NEW: Seven Tips to Successful Online Therapeutic Groups - An article by John Sharry

2. Slides from our Moving Online Seminar for UCC Showcase of practice initiatives

3. A list of Covid-19 specific articles and resources for families

4. Access to Parents Plus Videos online for trained facilitators

5. A special training in phone/ online service delivery, which includes a special guidance document - email eileen@parentsplus.ie

In this online training we will explain the principles of effective remote working using the Parents Plus Programmes and provide participants with the tools that can work in their agencies.

Topics covered include

Choosing the best mode of remote support (phone, zoom, skype, google hangouts, other)

Remotely delivering strengths-based support to families

Confidentiality and data protection considerations

Structuring individual and group sessions

Addressing core topics such as self-care for parents, conflict management

Supporting family mental health.

Delivered by Prof John Sharry and Dr. Eileen Brosnan, the training will involve the following:

Training 1 - FULLY BOOKED

Friday 19th June - 10am - 12.30pm Zoom group training session - Intro to remote individual and group work, demonstration of effectively using the PP parent engagement model via online mode.

Friday 3rd July - 10am- 12pm A follow-up group session to look at how remote work is progressing and problem-solve around challenges.

Training 2

1. Tuesday 30th June - 10am - 12.30pm Zoom group training session - Intro to remote individual and group work, demonstration of effectively using the PP parent engagement model via online mode.

2. Tuesday 14th July - 10am- 12pm A follow-up group session to look at how remote work is progressing and problem-solve around challenges.

All attendees will receive preparatory email/ reading material in advance of training and we can offer a short intro session to those unfamiliar to zoom if they need help getting online.

The cost of the training is €135 per person. Please contact us if accessing finance is difficult and we will do our best to provide a number of sponsored places.

Bookings can be can be made here and for more details please email eileen@parentsplus.ie

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Supporting families online and by phone - resources and new training on 30th June

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
With the advent of the Covid-19 crisis, face to face support of families has unfortunately had to stop, yet many families remain in need of support and are under additional stress due to the crisis. Parents Plus are supporting professionals and services to provide support remotely to families online and by telephone.

# data[].attributes.body
This link is for the full policy on how to use NVR with clients using online platforms.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Wearing a Mask- A Social Narrative for Children by Autism Little Learners

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Experts suggest acclimating children to masks at home and drawing a connection to superheroes' uniforms.

Credit... iStock by Getty Images

By

When you go out these days, if you must go out in this time of coronavirus, you see more and more masks - homemade fabric masks, surgical masks of all varieties, and the occasional high-tech mask that seems to have wandered out of a scuba sequence or a space movie.

But for some children, even the humblest of masks can be scary - scary in themselves, and scary as reminders of the threat of infection, and the generally frightening times through which we are living. There are children who find Halloween frightening, children who hate clowns, children who react badly to anyone without a standard human face. Roberto Olivardia, a lecturer in psychology at Harvard Medical School, said that as many as 1 percent of children may suffer from " maskaphobia," a fear that persists for longer than six months, usually thought of in relation to costumes and superheroes.

But for many children, seeing their parents wearing masks as they come and go, or going outside, even with full social distancing, in a world where most people are wearing masks, can be disconcerting, frightening or just one more source of sadness.

One reason children may find masks disconcerting is that the ability to recognize - and read - faces is much weaker in young children than it will be by adolescence. A while ago, when I wrote about this ability, I spoke with Kang Lee, a professor of applied psychology and human development at the University of Toronto, who studies the development of facial recognition skills in children.

I reached out to him again to think about how the face masks we are now seeing everywhere might appear to preschoolers.

As adults, Dr. Lee said, we look at faces as a whole: "If you wear a mask, I can still recognize you, even though half of your face is covered, I can still recognize the structure of your face."

Starting at around age 6, children begin to develop these skills, but, he said, it is not until they are about 14 that they reach adult skill levels in recognizing faces.

He explained that children younger than 6 tend to pay attention to individual features, rather than recognizing the person as a whole. "For example, they pay attention to the size of the nose, or the shape of the eye." Studies in which children were asked to look at pictures in which faces were partially blocked off show that they may have trouble recognizing even familiar faces when some of those features were not fully visible. So friends and neighbors - seen from a distance - who are wearing masks may look more unfamiliar to children than they do to adults.

For example, in one study, children were given a set of pictures of their teacher, mixed up with pictures of another person, and asked to sort them out so that only pictures of the teacher were together. By the age of 6, they could do it, but 4- and 5-year-olds could not do it so reliably.

Catherine J. Mondloch, a professor of psychology and the director of the face perception lab at Brock University in Ontario, said, "If you think even about Halloween, one of the things we know about really young children, preschool age, is when the appearance of something changes, they think the thing itself has changed."

For parents who are starting to wear masks, she said, "Put it on, put it off a few times, so the child sees it's still daddy."

We are accustomed to getting lots of different information from faces, Dr. Mondloch said, ranging from the age of the person to the emotion the person is feeling to the general question of recognition and identity - that is, whether we've met the person before. All of those perceptual skills improve across childhood, she said.

"Even if you show children pictures of pretty exaggerated expressions, young children will make more errors" in reading the emotional states, she said. "Children mix up emotions, look at a sad face and might say the person looks scared, or misperceive anger as disgust."

And by putting on masks, she said, we've taken away some of that information - and made it especially difficult for children to read emotional signals, which is, again, unsettling and disconcerting. So if you are wearing a mask, make sure to explain yourself very clearly to your child, giving directions, telling the child if there's a problem. Dr. Olivardia said that children with autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and social anxiety may be particularly vulnerable here.

Dr. Harold Koplewicz, the president of the Child Mind Institute, which has extensive coronavirus resources for parents, said, "I think it's important to explain to kids that people are wearing masks as a way to help others - otherwise they assume it's because they're dangerous." Children should think of this as an act of social responsibility, he said, and it might help to compare it to washing hands, as something you do to keep yourself safe, but also to help protect others.

"It is important to first validate that it can be uncomfortable when we don't know what or who is behind a mask," Dr. Olivardia said in an email. "You can have a child wear their own mask, even a scary one, and recognize that they can be perceived as scary despite being a nice person."

For treating phobias, psychologists often rely on exposure therapy, and Dr. Christopher Willard, a psychologistin Cambridge, Mass., who is the author of "The Breathing Book, " suggested that parents try an informal version with masks. "Pick fun fabric, let kids design them for themselves and their parents, make it a craft activity and also a game," he wrote in an email. "Practice taking them on and off and wearing them around the house for fun, but also taking it off, try to read each other's facial expressions with just eyes while a mask is on," he suggested. "These kinds of things normalize it a bit and make it less scary."

Praise children for asking questions, Dr. Koplewicz said, and remind them that can always check back and ask additional questions. "This is a topic that's going to come up again and again," he said.

Dr. Willard suggested that it could help children to make a superhero connection, explaining that doctors and nurses are heroes protecting and helping other people, and masks are part of their uniforms. "We too can be superheroes and protect other people from germs by wearing these masks for a while," he wrote.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Children May Be Afraid of Masks. Here's How to Help.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Experts suggest acclimating children to masks at home and drawing a connection to superheroes' uniforms. By When you go out these days, if you must go out in this time of coronavirus, you see more and more masks - homemade fabric masks, surgical masks of all varieties, and the occasional high-tech mask that seems to have wandered out of a scuba sequence or a space movie.

# data[].attributes.headline
Social Work 2020 under Covid-19 Magazine

# data[].attributes.subject
Social Work 2020 under Covid-19 Magazine

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As this issue shows, those experiencing services, students, social workers and academics have been sending in a wide range of contributions with poetry, videos and a cartoon to be found alongside more academic type articles. We are delighted too to showcase reflections on Greece and Australia.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Introduction

Many employers will be making plans to ensure that their businesses and organisations can continue to operate during the current COVID-19 virus pandemic. In line with the WHO and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) advice, Ireland is trying to contain further transmission of the virus. Employers and employees all have a role to play in this.

During this unprecedented time, many employees may be advised to work from home on a temporary basis. Employers have specific duties to ensure the safety, health and welfare at work of all employees. These duties include the employee's workspace where employees are required to work from home.

Employers may find the following frequently asked questions and answers useful when determining whether working from home is suitable.

Employees will also find them useful in preparing themselves and the workspace in their home, if their employer has asked them to work from home.

FAQ's for Employers

FAQ's for Employees on Home-Working

FAQ's for Employers

1. What are the key duties of employers under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act?

Employers have specific duties to ensure the safety, health and welfare at work of all employees. These duties include the employee's workspace where employees are required to work from home.

Key duties that apply to the work activity and workspace include:

managing and conducting all work activities to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the safety, health and welfare of employees,

providing safe systems of work that are planned, organised, and maintained,

assessing risks and implementing appropriate control measures,

providing safe equipment including personal protective equipment, where necessary,

providing information, instruction, training and supervision regarding safety and health to employees, and

having plans in place for emergencies.

2. What duties do employees have under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act?

If you are an employee working from home, you have a responsibility to take reasonable care of yourself and other people who may be affected by the work you are doing.

Employees must:

cooperate with their employer and follow their instructions,

protect themselves and others from harm during the course of their work, e.g. take care of any equipment provided and report any defects immediately to the employer,

report any injury arising from work activity to their employer immediately, and

follow procedures that have been put in place by their employer.

3. What responsibilities do I have as an employer in relation to home workers?

Responsibility for health and safety at work rests with the employer whether or not that work is being done at the worker's home.

Employers need to consult with their employees to assure themselves:

that the employee is aware of any specific risks regarding working from home,

that the work activity and the temporary workspace are suitable,

that they provide suitable equipment to enable the work to be done, and

that there is a pre-arranged means of contact.

4. What equipment must I provide for my employees to enable them to work from home?

Equipment already in use in the workplace e.g. laptop, mouse, monitor, keyboard and headset could be used for temporary home-working. If the employer provides any equipment, it must be in good condition and suitable for the work activity.

Note: Suitable equipment already available in the employee's home can be considered for temporary work from there.

5. What questions do I need to ask employees in relation to their temporary home work space?

As an employer, you must determine whether the temporary home workspace is suitable for the work you want the employee to do.

Examples of questions you could ask about the temporary workspace include the following:

Do you have a suitable space to work from temporarily?

Can you access the workspace easily and safely?

Is there adequate light, ventilation and heat to allow you to work comfortably?

Is there enough space to allow you to work without twisting, bending or sitting/standing awkwardly?

Is there enough workspace to accommodate the equipment or other materials needed for the activity?

Is the floor clear and dry, e.g., kept clear of electrical cables or anything else you could trip over / slip on?

Is the workspace free of clutter?

Are electrical sockets, plugs and cords in good condition e.g. no charring, exposed wiring or frayed cables?

6. As an employer what do I need to consider when preparing vulnerable workers, those with disabilities, or sensitive risk workers to temporarily work from home? (e.g. pregnant employees, young persons and those with mobility needs)

In requesting an employee from a sensitive risk group to work from home, the employer should consider the suitability of the person to the work in the context of their home working space. It is essential that work tasks and working conditions do not adversely affect the health of employees with a disability, pregnant employees, and young workers.

The employer should consider the following in relation to the employee's work and workspace:

safe access to the workspace

the equipment necessary to complete the work

sufficient workspace

adequate lighting, heat and ventilation to allow comfortable working

adequate breaks

regular contact

emergency contacts and procedures

Further information on 'Sensitive Risk Groups' can be found here.

7. What do I need to consider where employees are using computers and digital technology when home working?

Employers should consider doing online ergonomic assessments of an employee's home workspace through video calls or through the use of other technology platforms in order to make sure that the workspace is set up correctly.

In the current circumstances (COVID-19) the employer may adopt a two stage approach to the ergonomic risk assessment process:

Stage 1

The employer engages with their employees who are working from home and sends out a Remote Work questionnaire to employees. Employees will need to complete the questionnaire. The completed questionnaire should capture information such as the type of equipment needed by each employee for their home workspace and information on whether or not the employee has any musculoskeletal discomfort such as neck or wrist discomfort. The employer needs to follow up and address any issues identified in the completed questionnaire.

The employer should consider including the following questions in the Remote Work questionnaire, however, this is not an exhaustive list of questions.

Does the employee have a keyboard, mouse and separate monitor connected to their laptop?

Is the employee's workspace set up to allow the employee to view the monitor at a height which avoids bending of the neck for sustained periods of time?

Does the employee have access to other suitable accessories such as laptop stands which allow the laptop to be connected to the keyboard and positioned at a suitable height?

Does the employee take regular short breaks from sitting by standing up and moving about for 1-2 minutes every thirty minutes?

Is the employee's workspace set up to allow space in front of the keyboard to provide support for the hands and the arms?

Does the employee have a chair that is adjustable in height?

Does the employee have a chair that has a back rest that is adjustable in height and tilt?

Does the employee have any back support on their chair (for example a back rest or cushion)?

Is there adequate lighting to allow comfortable working?

Is the employee experiencing any musculoskeletal discomfort?

Stage 2

After the initial issues have been addressed at stage 1 including the provision of equipment for the home workspace, the employer needs to plan for the completion of online ergonomic risk assessments for all employees who are remote working.

This can be done by video calls or through the use of other technology platforms in order to make sure that the workspace is set up correctly. It is reasonable to carry out the online ergonomic risk assessments over a phased time period and priority should be given to those employees who have reported musculoskeletal discomfort. The ergonomic risk assessment needs to take account of the following:

employee's posture, level of intensity of keyboard/mouse work, freedom of movement

information on the general environment at the workspace including set-up of the equipment and the lighting environment including potential sources of glare

information on the nature of the employee's work at the computer.

The employer needs to record any specific issues identified at an employee's home workspace and agree on corrective actions with the employee. Once any corrective actions are addressed there should be sign off by the employer and employee.

If the employer makes any changes to an employee's workspace at home they need to take account of public health guidance.

Further information is available at the following links:

8. What other general supports and means of communication do I need to put in place for home workers?

Working from home can result in employees feeling isolated, working longer hours and blurring the lines between work and family life. It is important that employees know they have support at all times during working hours.

Employers should consider the following:

ensuring all contact details for employees are on file and agree means of contact

arranging regular updates via phone, web or email with each employee

providing employees with emergency contact numbers

arranging IT support in the event of technical problems where relevant

providing employees with information detailing when it is important for them to contact their employer

making sure work is organised in such a way that the employee takes regular breaks and can separate his/her work life and daily life

providing employees with regular feedback on their work

encouraging employees to maintain contact with colleagues

9. Where can I find further information?

Further information is available at www.hsa.ie or you can email your enquiry to wcu@hsa.ie.

For daily updates on Covid-19, visit www.gov.ie/health-covid-19.

Other useful sources of information are: https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/coronavirus.html

The HPSC also provide advice for specific groups and settings including employers, healthcare professionals and education settings https://www.hpsc.ie/

FAQ's for Employees on Home-Working

10. What are my responsibilities as an employee, when working from home?

If you are an employee working from home you have a responsibility to take reasonable care of yourself and other people who may be affected by the work you are doing.

You must:

cooperate with your employer and follow their instructions,

protect yourself and others from harm during the course of your work, e.g. you must take care of any equipment provided and report defects immediately to your employer,

report injury to your employer immediately, and

follow procedures that have been put in place by your employer.

11. How should I prepare for home working?

If your employer has requested that you work from home, you will need to consider the following:

agree temporary remote working arrangements with your employer, including regular communication with them

identify with your employer the work to be done at home

identify what equipment you need to set up a safe workspace at home and agree these items with your employer

identify a suitable safe space within your home for home working

agree plans and contacts to be used in the event of an emergency

12. How can I best set up my work space?

Identify a suitable space within your home for home working.

When identifying a suitable space consider:

suitable light, heat and ventilation to be able to work comfortably,

keeping the work space tidy,

making sure the floor is clean, dry and free from slip, trip and fall hazards,

suitably located power sockets to avoid trailing cables and overloading of sockets, and

internet access.

Identify what equipment you need to work temporarily from home and agree these items with the employer. Such equipment may include:

a headset if dealing with frequent phone calls,

IT equipment,

work phone, and

adequate stationery.

For more detailed information on good positioning at your workstation use our 'Position Yourself Well' guidance.

13. Why is it important that I keep in contact with my employer, when working from home?

It is important that a good system of communication is in place when you are working from home to ensure your safety, health and welfare is not compromised in any way. You also need regular contact for updates on work related information and feedback on the work you have completed. It will also help to prevent you feeling isolated.

Outside these pre-arranged contacts you should also contact your employer if:

you have an accident arising from your work activity,

the equipment your employer has provided you with is not working properly or requires maintenance, and

you have a specific query or concerns relating to safety, health and welfare.

14. Where can I find further information?

Further information is available at https://hsa.ie or alternatively, you can email your enquiry to wcu@hsa.ie.

For daily updates on COVID-19, visit www.gov.ie/health-covid-19.

Other useful sources of information are: https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/coronavirus/coronavirus.html

Healthcare, education professionals and religious organisations can get specialised information at https://www.hpsc.ie

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
FAQs for Employers and Employees in relation to Home-Working on a temporary basis (Covid-19)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Many employers will be making plans to ensure that their businesses and organisations can continue to operate during the current COVID-19 virus pandemic. In line with the WHO and European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) advice, Ireland is trying to contain further transmission of the virus.

# data[].attributes.headline
Secure video platform used by Edward Snowden

# data[].attributes.subject
Secure video platform used by Edward Snowden

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The coronavirus pandemic pushed people to stay in their homes, and in turn, forced them to use video conferencing products. In the past couple of months, Zoom became an almost indispensable app, Facebook had to step up and make a rival product, and Google made its enterprise conferencing product free for everyone.

Amid this video conferencing boom, Zoom's security and privacy-related problems made a lot of people skeptical about using its products. Plus, the company wasn't transparent about communicating its mishaps - this forced a lot of people to look for free open source products, and Jitsi emerged as a perfect solution for them.

Apart from being open-sourced, Jitsi benefited from endorsements by a few highly-regarded names in the security community. In March, a privacy-focused browser Tor tweeted about the product as an alternative to Zoom.

If you want an alternative to Zoom: try Jitsi Meet. It's encrypted, open source, and you don't need an account. https://t.co/ydA10G0hfZ

- The Tor Project (@torproject) March 31, 2020

In 2017, in an interview with WIRED, Edward Snowden talked about using his own Jitsi server. Later, in a security conference, a lot of people saw Snowden using Jitsi to deliver a talk.

The product suddenly exploded during the pandemic. That meant Emil Ivov, Jitsi's founder, and the rest of the team had to work even longer hours to keep the ship running.

Jitsi's History

Ivov originally built Jitsi as a project in 2003, when he was studying at the University of Strasbourg. Later, he spun off the project into an app and kept building it for desktop. In 2009, he started a company called BlueJimp (not to confused with BlueJeans, another video conferencing app) around it.

In 2011, Google open-sourced WebRTC communication standards to facilitate things like video-conferencing over browsers. The team took advantage of that and built a browser-based product, and so Meet Jitsi was born.

Jitsi home page

Apart from being open-sourced Jitsi's ease of use helped it gain more users. To set up a call, you need to go to its website, and it'll generate a meeting link with four words. That makes it difficult for Zoombombers - uninvited people who join public video conferences and broadcast pornographic material - to guess the link. Plus, you don't need to sign up to set up a meeting.

While the open-sourced version is free-to-use for everyone. Its parent company, 8×8 offers a paid version with features such as transcription and meeting history.

How the Pandemic changed Jitsi's course

In the past few months, the team had to scale up the infrastructure as users started to mount due to lockdowns all over the world.

The company learned that all kinds of people started to use video conferencing products. So they had to make things easier for users and educate them about the product as many of them were used to old-fashioned dial-in calls.

However, the pandemic has popularized the company's product. Ivov claims it pushed the app's growth by 10 years:

The pandemic provided an acceleration of 10 years in terms of growth. The last decade was an indicator of people moving towards remote work. This situation has just put us into the fast track mode.

After the pandemic hit the world, Jitsi's open-sourced version and 8×8's paid version have managed to achieve 20 million unique monthly participants.

Security

The next challenge for the company is to introduce end-to-end encryption for calls. The service already offers end-to-end encryption one-on-one calls and plenty of other security measures.

Ivov told me that he's never heard so many people talk about end-to-end encryption:

I've never heard so many people talk about security and end-to-end encryption as I have in the past few months. We provide different levels of security for different needs. So primarily, we needed to educate people about the options they have.

He said that end-to-end encryption for a call with multiple people is challenging to develop. Ideally, when someone joins an encrypted call without a valid key, they would only see jumbled up video streams. When they have the legitimate key, the video stream would look normal. You can see that in a demo video below.

Now, this is easy to execute when there are two or three people on the call. When video services such as Jitsi meet use WebRTC, they create a connection with a central server that dishes out a single video stream to all participants.

If a service wants to use encryption, it has to create the same number of encrypted connection to the central server as the number of participants on a call. And the central server has to decrypt every stream, re-encrypt it, and send it to another participant. This works well for two or three-person calls. But puts a lot of load on the server for calls with multiple people.

Credit: Jitsi

The current implementation of encryption with WebRTC

To solve this problem, Jitsi is going to use Insertable Streams, a new feature released by the Chromium team that lets you add an additional layer of encryption. The idea is to encrypt frames rather than connections.

Benefits of the open-source model and future of video conferencing

Ivov says the open-source nature of the app has helped people find bugs and report them - and that's why we haven't seen a major security scare on the app yet. Plus, this also helps anyone who wants to implement their own set of functions on top of Jitsi's app.

For instance, the Italy-based classroom collaboration platform WeSchool has built some features on top of Jitsi's open-sourced version. And according to WeSchool's CEO, Marco De Rossi, nearly 30% of secondary schools in the country are using that tool. Rocket Chat, a free and open-source enterprise team chat solution also uses Jitsi for video conferencing.

The number of people using video conferencing simultaneously might decrease as countries are opening up, but Ivov believes a lot of people will still prefer this method of communication instead of a meeting packed with people.

He said that conferencing apps will need to try and make people's lives easier by making meeting items such as slideshows, documents, and transcripts available even after the session ends. However, the challenge for them would be to do all of this without compromising anyone's privacy, and Ivov believes it's possible.

Read next: Ben Goertzel: I'm just another neuron in the goddamn global brain

Corona coverage

Read our daily coverage on how the tech industry is responding to the coronavirus and subscribe to our weekly newsletter Coronavirus in Context.

For tips and tricks on working remotely, check out our Growth Quarters articles here or follow us on Twitter.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A look at how Jitsi became a 'secure' open-source alternative to Zoom

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The coronavirus pandemic pushed people to stay in their homes, and in turn, forced them to use video conferencing products. In the past couple of months, Zoom became an almost indispensable app, Facebook had to step up and make a rival product, and Google made its enterprise conferencing product free for everyone.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As parts of the world begin to ease their lockdowns, some people are looking back and finding the time in isolation seems to have gone surprisingly fast. That's not what many of us expected when we were first told that our lives were about to become so much more restricted than usual, with weeks of potential boredom, confined within our homes stretching ahead of us.

It's too early for research on this of course, but anecdotally some people are puzzled to find that their days have slipped past surprisingly quickly. It seems hard to believe that we are already nearing the end of May, some two months after lockdowns began.

In the UK, people have been standing on their doorsteps every Thursday evening during the Covid-19 outbreak to applaud health workers. To me it feels as though the ritual is coming around more frequently, which is nice in one way because it is an opportunity to say hello to the neighbours, but disconcerting nonetheless because the weeks feels as though they are flashing by. Journalists from the US to Poland have also been contacting me to ask why time seems to have sped up during the crisis, so it seems I'm not alone.

One reason is that we create our own subjective experience of time in our minds and it doesn't always match up with what we read on the clock or the calendar. A 20-minute lunch with a friend goes by in a flash, while a 20-minute wait for a delayed train can feel interminable, yet in reality of course the duration is identical.
You might also like:
We estimate time passing in two ways: prospectively (how fast is time passing right now?) and retrospectively (how fast did last week or the last decade go by?).

During lockdown, those isolated from friends, family and work have had long days to fill. People have found all sorts of inventive ways to pass the time - baking bread, planting seeds, creating video call quizzes - but inevitably when you spend every day and every evening at home, the days begin to feel a little similar. Some people have found they haven't even been distinguishing between weekdays and weekends. ( Read more about how lockdown has redefined our weekends.)

This blurring of identical days leads us to create fewer new memories, which is crucial to our sense of time perception. Memories are one of the ways that we judge how much time has passed. When you go on holiday for a week to a new place, the time goes fast while you're away because everything is new, but when you get home, you look back and have made so many new memories that it often feels as though you've been away for far longer than a week.

During lockdown, those isolated from friends, family and work have had long days to fill (Credit: Getty Images)

The opposite can happen in lockdown. Even if the days feels slow, when you get to the end of the week and look back, retrospectively estimating how much time has passed, you have made fewer new memories than usual and time seems to have disappeared. It's a less extreme version of the experience some people have while in prison or when they're ill. Time passes painfully slowly and they long for it to be over, but when it is and they look back, time can feel as though it has contracted.

Of course some people have found themselves busier than ever during lockdown, juggling the technological challenges of working from home with the new job of home-schooling their children. Despite their busyness, their new life is spent almost entirely in one location, leading them to make far fewer new memories than usual and the sensation that time has whizzed by. Dozens of Zoom calls from the same surroundings can start to merge into one compared with memories of real life where we see people in different places.

I wonder whether our time perception in lockdown is also altered by the necessity to live more in the present. When the mind is left to wander, in normal times we often daydream about the future, but with less to anticipate or arrange, our time horizon has shortened. Now we might only look ahead by a few days or alternatively into the far distant future when we imagine this might all be over.

When we reach that future and look back on the time of coronavirus, I suspect we might find it hard to delineate different parts of our months in lockdown. We may remember where we were when we heard that the virus had reached the country we live in or that lockdown had been announced. Psychologists called these flashbulb memories and they're common when we hear about really huge events.

When we reach a post-coronavirus future we may find it hard to delineate different parts of our months in lockdown (Credit: Getty Images)

But because of the lack of other markers in time, once lockdown had begun we might find the subsequent weeks hard to differentiate. Often we can work out when different events took place by working out what else was going on in our lives - when we started a new job or went out to celebrate someone's birthday. But when you can rarely leave your home, these time stamps aren't there all the days merge into one.

There is a striking way in which individuals vary in their perception of time. Roughly half of us see the future as something which comes towards us, while we stay still, while the other half see ourselves as moving forward into the future.

You can find out who fits into which group with this simple question: "Next Wednesday's meeting has been moved forward two days. What day is Wednesday's meeting now?" The question has two possible answers, neither of which is any more correct than the other. Those who see themselves as static, with the future moving towards them tend to give Monday as the answer, but those who see themselves as moving into the future tend to answer Friday.

Although people usually have an instinctive preference for one answer or the other, certain situations, such as journeys can alter people's answers. The psychologist Lera Boroditsky from Stanford University found that when people were in airport departures and thus forced to wait, more people than usual answered Monday, but in arrivals people felt they were moving on and more than usual gave the answer Friday.

I can't prove this, of course, but I wonder whether lockdown might temporarily turn more of us into Monday people, forced into waiting for the future to come towards us.
Claudia Hammond is the author of Time Warped: Understanding the Mysteries of Time Perception.

--
Join one million Future fans by liking us on If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter, called "The Essential List". A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Worklife, and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday. Facebook, or follow us on Twitter or Instagram.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Why lockdown life feels like it's going faster

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As parts of the world begin to ease their lockdowns, some people are looking back and finding the time in isolation seems to have gone surprisingly fast. That's not what many of us expected when we were first told that our lives were about to become so much more restricted than usual, with weeks of potential boredom, confined within our homes stretching ahead of us.

# data[].attributes.headline
Full text of remote working report (IRL)

# data[].attributes.subject
Full text of remote working report (IRL)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A recent survey by researchers from the Whitaker Institute at NUI Galway and the Western Development Commission (WDC) has shown that 83% expressed interest in continuing to work remotely. Over half of those surveyed (51%) had never worked remotely before the Covid-19 pandemic. Of those who had never worked remotely, 78% would like to work remotely for some or all of the time after the crisis is over.

The survey was led by Professor Alma McCarthy, Professor Alan Ahearne and Dr Katerina Bohle-Carbonell at NUI Galway, and Tomás Ó Síocháin and Deirdre Frost at WDC. These are the initial findings from the national survey of 7,241 individuals across a wide range of industries and sectors over a one-week week period in April-May 2020.

The top three challenges of working remotely included: Not being able to switch off from work; harder to communicate and collaborate with colleagues and co-workers; and poor physical workspace. The top three benefits of working remotely included: no traffic and no commute; reduced costs of going to work and commuting; and greater flexibility as to how to manage the working day.

The challenge of juggling childcare with work commitments was cited as a key issue in the open-ended comments received. The provision of better ergonomic equipment is one of the key changes suggested by employees to help with their well-being and productivity while working remotely. Many also report the need for more suitable workspace within their home and just under 1-in-5 (19%) identified internet connectivity as an issue.

In relation to current levels of productivity, 37% of respondents indicated that their productivity working remotely during COVID-19 is about the same as normal and 30% report that their productivity is higher than normal. 25% report that their productivity is lower than normal and 9% of respondents indicate that it is impossible to compare productivity as the demand for products/services/business has changed.

The majority (83%) of the 7,241 respondents indicated that they would like to work remotely after the crisis is over. Of these:

12% indicated they would like to work remotely on a daily basis

42% indicated they would like to work remotely several times a week

29% indicated they would like to work remotely several times a month

16% indicated they do not want to continue working remotely.

The survey indicates that 87% of those surveyed across all counties in Ireland are now working remotely because of Covid-19.

Speaking about the national survey, Professor Alma McCarthy said: "The findings of our survey indicate that employee preferences to continue working remotely will facilitate the opening up phase and aid with social distancing. The future of work post-COVID-19 is really interesting. The vast majority of respondents want to continue to work remotely when the crisis is over. Many roles and jobs can be performed effectively remotely. What is the benefit of long commutes to work and sitting in traffic if we can leverage technology at least some of the week to do our work? Productivity does not necessarily correlate with presence in the workplace. What we do is more important than where we do it for many roles. A mind-set change is needed by managers and employers in terms of managing work remotely. The current crisis provides an opportunity for organisations and managers to rethink how we work."

CEO of the Western Development Commission Tomás Ó Síocháin said: "While a significant majority (83%) want to continue working remotely to some degree post-Covid-19, the figure is higher in the West and Midlands. Just over half (51%) would like to work from their home, with the balance seeking a mix of home, a hub/work-sharing space and the office. The preference of working from home or close to home in a hub/work-sharing space will allow individuals a better balance of work and home and generate and sustain economic activity in rural and regional areas."

Respondents suggest a number of key changes and improvements that their managers and employers should make regarding remote working at present:

Provision of better and more ergonomic physical workspace including provision of a good (ergonomic) chair, provision of printer, and better screens.

Better management of video-conference meetings

Reduce expectations and workload to more realistic levels

Regular communication and check-ins

Ensure provision of well-being supports

More flexibility in terms of hours of work to cater for caring responsibilities at this time.

The initial survey report is publicly available http://whitakerinstitute.ie/project/covid-19-remote-working-employee-pulse-survey/. The research team will be doing further analysis and more publications will be available on the websites in the future.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Survey Shows 83% Want to Continue to Work Remotely After Covid-19 Crisis | Western Development Commission

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A recent survey by researchers from the Whitaker Institute at NUI Galway and the Western Development Commission (WDC) has shown that 83% expressed interest in continuing to work remotely. Over half of those surveyed (51%) had never worked remotely before the Covid-19 pandemic.

# data[].attributes.body
(shorter version of tool no 3)

# data[].attributes.headline
Selecting and Safely Using Collaboration Services for Telework (NSA, USA)

# data[].attributes.subject
Selecting and Safely Using Collaboration Services for Telework (NSA, USA)

# data[].attributes.body
(August 2020)

# data[].attributes.headline
Best video conferencing software (as of March 2021)

# data[].attributes.subject
Best video conferencing software (as of March 2021)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It's a provable fact, backed by scientific research, that communication is more effective when you can see the person you're talking to. Seeing the other person's facial expressions, for example, makes it easy to tell a serious request from an offhand remark or a joke.

But as the business world has learned since the start of the pandemic, you don't have to brave airports and public spaces for an effective face-to-face meeting. Instead, video conferencing software and collaboration services have become the tool of choice for meetings and classes, with everyone from schoolkids to mortgage brokers to grandparents to international award show hosts learning (sometimes awkwardly) how to unmute themselves.

Using the webcam on a Windows laptop, a Mac, or a mobile device, you can meet one-on-one or with a group, no matter how widely scattered the members of your class/team/family are. We've assembled the leading conferencing software platforms, all capable of providing high-quality video and full-featured collaboration tools. While many of these video conferencing platforms also offer live streaming and webinar capabilities, our focus here is primarily on virtual meetings.

Note that several vendors responded to initial coronavirus concerns with free video conferencing offers. Many of those offers have since expired, but plenty of free and discounted options still exist.

The best-known video conferencing brand, by far

After a successful IPO in 2019, Zoom solidified its status as one of the leaders in the video conferencing industry, although recent security and privacy concerns have tarnished that reputation somewhat. Its conferencing software allows simple one-to-one chat sessions that can escalate into group calls, training sessions and webinars for internal and external audiences, and global video meetings with up to 1,000 participants and as many as 49 HD videos on-screen simultaneously.

Zoom sessions can start from a web browser or in dedicated client apps for every desktop and mobile platform, with end-to-end encryption, role-based user security (including HIPAA compliance), and easy-to-use screen sharing and collaboration tools. Meeting invitations integrate smoothly with popular calendaring systems, and meetings can be recorded as local or cloud-based files, with searchable transcripts.

The free tier allows unlimited 1:1 meetings but limits group sessions to 40 minutes and 100 participants. Paid plans start at $15 per month per host and scale up to full-featured Business and Enterprise plans.

BlueJeans Meetings

New owner Verizon has cut prices and beefed up security

Billing itself as "the meetings platform for the modern workplace," BlueJeans Meetings is a video conferencing solution that focuses on instant connections, using a mobile or desktop app or directly from a browser (with no download required). Verizon acquired the company in April 2020 and kept the quirky name, which comes from the founders' desire to make video conferencing software "as comfortable and casual as your pair of jeans. After the purchase closed, Verizon quickly lowered prices and added a slew of new features, including support for end-to-end AES-256 GCM encryption. The company plans to "deeply integrate" BlueJeans into its 5G product roadmap.

The meeting technology, powered by Dolby Voice, includes background noise cancellation and integrates with hardware-based conference room systems as well as enterprise applications like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Facebook Workplace. A full array of whiteboard and screen sharing tools add collaboration capabilities to any meeting. (For livestreams and large-scale web-based presentations, you'll need a separate product called BlueJeans Events.)

After an initial free trial of the conferencing software, BlueJeans Meetings requires one of three plans, which can be billed monthly or annually, at a 20% discount. The Standard plan, designed for individuals and small businesses, costs $12.49 per meeting host per month; it supports up to 50 attendees and 5 hours of meeting recordings but doesn't integrate with messaging apps like Slack. The Pro plan, at $17.49 per host per month or $167.88 per year, supports up to 75 attendees and includes 25 hours of cloud recordings per host. The Enterprise plan, with unlimited cloud recordings and an assortment of enterprise-focused tools, supports up to 200 attendees and requires a custom quote.

Microsoft Teams

Best for businesses and schools that already use Office apps

Microsoft Teams, a successor to Skype for Business, isn't so much a product as it is a feature of Microsoft 365, which tells you a lot about its design and who its features are best suited for: businesses and educational organizations of all sizes. Anyone can sign up for the free version of Microsoft Teams using a personal email address; that tier supports up to 300 meeting participants, with guest access, one-on-one and group video and audio calls, shared files (2GB per user and 10GB per team), screen sharing, and document collaboration using online Office web apps.

Where Teams begins to deliver its full promise as a video conferencing solution is in an organization that runs on a Business or Enterprise version of Microsoft 365, where Teams is just another feature (and the successor to Lync and Skype for Business). In that environment, administrators have access to a full range of management, security, and compliance tools. Team members can share files (up to 1TB per user), schedule meetings directly from Outlook, record meetings, and collaborate on documents using the desktop Office programs and SharePoint Online. Those paid plans also support online training sessions and webinars.

Microsoft 365 plans start at $5 per user per month, and Redmond has been rolling out new features at a steady clip for the past year. For organizations that aren't deeply embedded in the Microsoft way of working, the Teams feature set can be baffling. But for anyone who already lives in SharePoint and Outlook, Microsoft's conferencing software should be a tight fit.

Intermedia AnyMeeting

Big-time services from a company that's not too big

AnyMeeting has been around for nearly a decade, and the video conferencing software's user base had grown to more than 1 million when the company was acquired in 2017 by Intermedia. Today, AnyMeeting is available as part of Intermedia Unite, a unified communication and collaboration platform that integrates its video conferencing, chat, and screen sharing functions into a cloud-based service that also includes VOIP capabilities and an enterprise-grade PBX system. If that's overkill for your small business' video conferencing needs, AnyMeeting is available separately in Lite and Pro plans that cost $10 and $13 per user per month, respectively.

Video conferencing software features are essentially the same between the two plans, with the ability to create custom meeting URLs, schedule recurring meetings, and integrate with productivity tools from Google, Microsoft, Slack, and others. HIPAA compliance and end-to-end encryption are standard features as well. Upgrading to a Pro plan increases the number of web-based participants from 10 to 30 (but a maximum of 12 in Full HD). The Pro plan also includes the ability to record and transcribe meetings and unlimited cloud storage of meetings.

We've been a big fan of Intermedia for years, precisely because it offers the option to use big-time software and services from a company that's not too big to care.

Google Hangouts Meet

Designed to work in Chrome browser

Google's ever-evolving lineup of communications and collaboration apps split in two back in 2017, with the classic version of Google Hangouts video conferencing marked for retirement. Google Hangouts Meet is the business version, enabling video meetings for G Suite subscribers. External participants can also connect.

Naturally, the service is designed to work in the Google Chrome browser (although limited support for Internet Explorer 11 is also available), with mobile apps available on iOS and Android. The exact feature set depends on your G Suite version; the number of participants, for example, is limited to 100 for G Suite Basic, 150 for Business, and 250 for Enterprise. For live streaming (up to 100,000 audience members) and the ability to record meetings and save them to Google Drive, you'll need G Suite Enterprise.

If your business is standardized on Google's productivity and email tools, this video conferencing option should be on your shortlist.

What to look for when evaluating video conferencing solutions

What should you look for when putting video communication software to the test? After a full year of empty offices and no-travel orders, most companies have realized that remote work and online meetings can be extremely effective and are likely to demand much more from these tools than the basic feature set that might have been sufficient in pre-pandemic times.

We narrowed down the list of contenders in this guide using the same criteria we recommend you take into account when you're in the market for one of these services. Think of our list as a starting point to help you organize your search: One or more of the products that didn't make our cut might well deserve to be on the shortlist for your business needs.

Our most important criteria was reputation. Every product on this list has a solid track record in terms of performance and reliability. We were pleasantly surprised, in fact, to find some firms in this business that have been going strong for more than two decades.

In business terms, we know that our readers represent a broad swath of sizes, shapes, and cultures. So we went out of our way to find a mix of products that work for cash-conscious small businesses (three of them are free, in fact, for organizations with three people or fewer). For slightly larger organizations, including schools, we've tried to highlight commercial plans that are reasonably priced if you can live with their limits, such as the number of meeting participants and the length of each meeting.

Others offer high-end options ideal for large companies that want control over livestreams and training sessions involving large audiences. The biggest differentiator here is the number of people you can have in the audience. That makes sense for organizations that do webcasts and presentations to large numbers of employees, customers, or members on a worldwide basis. Those plans are where you're much more likely to find support for advanced features like full recording options and the ability to generate a PDF from the slide deck that powered your online session.

If all you want is the ability to talk face to face, with the occasional bit of screen sharing and whiteboarding, you have plenty of choices. If you want to make those sessions available for replay online, you'll need to look carefully at the cloud file storage options associated with each plan.

As you'll see from this list, you might already have access to effective tools because of subscriptions you're already paying for. We included three popular names from that group: Microsoft 365, Google's GSuite, and Intermedia's Office in the Cloud. (A fourth option, Slack, is excellent for messaging and 1:1 calls but doesn't have the feature set to compete with the other products on this list.) Shops that have standardized on one of those plans might find that the included conferencing and communication features are the ideal way to keep your company connected without extra deployment and training costs.

Finally, we considered the sorts of features that reduce friction in using this type of product. That list includes integration with other software you currently use, such as seamlessly connecting an online meeting to your calendar and your organization's directory. And then there are ease-of-use features, including the ability to connect from a browser instead of being forced to download a client app or plug-in, and the ability to invite external participants to meetings.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Best video conferencing 2022: Virtual meeting apps | ZDNet

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It's a provable fact, backed by scientific research, that communication is more effective when you can see the person you're talking to. Seeing the other person's facial expressions, for example, makes it easy to tell a serious request from an offhand remark or a joke.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As we head into 2021, Worklife is running our best, most insightful and most essential stories from 2020. Read our full list of the year's top stories here.
Burnout: the term for relentless overwork has rapidly become ubiquitous, especially when describing millennials who hustle to the point of exhaustion. And with millions of people now in lockdown as Covid-19 sweeps the globe, burnout is still very much around - but it looks a little different right now.

Many have lost jobs, while those lucky enough to keep them have to do so while working in the confines of home, some simultaneously balancing family pressing needs, like childcare. Daily life has been completely uprooted, and now, we juggle a constant onslaught of dilemmas we've never dealt with before: Should I disinfect my groceries? How do I stay in shape indoors? Are cardboard packages safe to touch? Can I hug my kids?

On top of it all, social media showers us with well-meaning calls to " finish up that project": write that screenplay, build that armoire, learn Maltese! After all, according to social media, Newton discovered gravity and Shakespeare wrote King Lear when both were hunkered down to avoid the plague. Make sure your quarantine doesn't go to waste.

In short: we're being exhausted in a whole new way as burnout morphs during this pandemic, persisting even in the most unusual times. But it is possible to both understand why we feel this novel type of burnout - and how we keep it at bay, too.

A woman in Mexico teleworking during the coronavirus pandemic. Juggling new challenges in our new reality has allowed burnout to seep into the crisis (Credit: Getty Images)

The exhaustion of choice
Usually, when we think of burnout, we think of working 12-hour days, answering Slack messages long after we clock out and finishing a day job only to dive straight into a side hustle. But in a crisis like this, burnout can emerge because of something different - what experts call 'decision fatigue'.

With news changing all the time, "information is constant: whether it's about the pandemic itself, whether it's about things you should be doing, schedules for your kids, how to work best from home - it's just a lot of information", says Janna Koretz, a Boston-based psychologist who helps clients with high-powered jobs navigate burnout.

In other words, the Covid-19 pandemic is forcing us to rapidly grapple with difficult decisions in an unsettlingly new context.

"Normally, we're not thinking about the ethical implications of ordering delivery or whether to offer to get groceries for your elderly neighbour," says Elizabeth Yuko, a New York-based journalist and Fordham University adjunct professor in bioethics, the field that studies ethical implications in healthcare, medicine and other areas of life science. "It's this psychological stress most of us aren't used to. We've never experienced anything like this in modern times."

On an hourly basis, our top concerns can swing from how we keep our families safe to what the kids are going to eat for dinner. "You have these range of decisions that go from borderline life-or-death on one end of the spectrum - and then snacks on the other," Yuko says.

"People are still trying to figure out how to exist in this new world," adds Koretz. Figuring out how to structure your day or prioritise tasks now seems herculean, especially when your home, once your sanctuary, now potentially triples as an office, school and quasi-prison.

This decision fatigue, combined with the pressure we're putting on ourselves to make smart, safe choices for ourselves, our families and our communities, can lead to pandemic-specific burnout.
The stress of unwinding
Experiencing some emotional exhaustion and anxiety is to be expected, the experts agree. The problem is that many of our usual coping mechanisms have vanished - think going to the gym or taking an art class - and trying to shoehorn in a new one might actually exacerbate burnout.

Those tweets urging people to either start or finish that passion project can be a source of stress for some, who already feel frenzied that they're not spending their time correctly. It can lead to even more stress for people worrying they're not using every moment to be productive - like finishing a project or learning a new skill - especially as we're all trying to figure out the best way to cope with our new reality.

A law student in Boston takes up guitar while in quarantine. Experts say new hobbies can help some, but such messaging may be anxiety-inducing for others (Credit: Getty Images)

Lotte Dyrbye, a doctor at the Mayo Clinic, one of the largest medical research institutions in the US, researches burnout and the wellbeing of physicians. She says people need to find things that work for them, whether it's meditation, solitary walks or bingeing on Netflix. "It really needs to be very individualised, and there's not necessarily a right or wrong." Don't pile onto your anxiety: rely on hobbies you already have; ones you know make you happy and take the stress off. A big part of staving off pandemic-induced burnout is that the activity shouldn't feel exhausting.

"People feeling anxious about writing their next novel, or learning how to play the guitar, or learning French - I've gotten questions about that a lot; people saying, 'I feel like a failure, I finally have this time'," says Yuko. It's unrealistic to expect to perform above and beyond right now, even with an abundance of time at home. "This is probably the biggest shift in all of our lives in terms of day-to-day operations," she says.

Take care to stay sane before panicking about the progress of your masterpiece-in-progress - or lack thereof.
It's not forever
Koretz says clients have been raising a host of new concerns associated with the pandemic: financial fears, job losses, concerns about older parents, disappointment over cancelled trips. She says that there's a lot of pressure to still perform well at your job (if you still have one), and to meet all the new demands at once, which can cause burnout.

Her advice? Keep the big picture in mind. "This all is a season. This will pass. It may be difficult... there's a lot of scary things between point A and point B," she says. "But point B exists. And every day that we're in quarantine, we're closer to that time."

Many parents have suddenly become homeschooling educators, piling onto the onslaught of decisions, tasks and worries that have come with coronavirus (Credit: Getty Images)

There's even a potential silver lining - you may hone some key life skills.

Koretz says that, usually, burnout is caused by unrealistic expectations, either from our employer or from ourselves. But coming out of the pandemic may shift our perspectives, after weeks of learning to adjust to new circumstances like widespread remote work. "This is going to make everybody's ability to manage, cope and be flexible much better. So when we go back to our day-to-day, things are going to be easier because we've done something that's very challenging," she says.

When in doubt, Yuko says, stick to the basics. With each decision you make during this time that stokes anxiety, make a simple list of pros and cons. What are the risks associated with each option? But perhaps the best thing you can do right now - in the age of social distancing - is the exact opposite of the urge driving the behaviour that leads to burnout in the first place. Do nothing.

"By staying in our houses, apartments, et cetera - that itself is doing something positive, and really the best thing we can do right now," says Yuko. "By doing nothing, you're doing something."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As we head into 2021, Worklife is running our best, most insightful and most essential stories from 2020. Read our full list of the year's top stories here. Burnout: the term for relentless overwork has rapidly become ubiquitous, especially when describing millennials who hustle to the point of exhaustion.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Your screen freezes. There's a weird echo. A dozen heads stare at you. There are the work huddles, the one-on-one meetings and then, once you're done for the day, the hangouts with friends and family.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic hit, we're on video calls more than ever before - and many are finding it exhausting.

But what, exactly, is tiring us out? BBC Worklife spoke to Gianpiero Petriglieri, an associate professor at Insead, who explores sustainable learning and development in the workplace, and Marissa Shuffler, an associate professor at Clemson University, who studies workplace wellbeing and teamwork effectiveness, to hear their views.
Is video chat harder? What's different compared to face-to-face communication?
Being on a video call requires more focus than a face-to-face chat, says Petriglieri. Video chats mean we need to work harder to process non-verbal cues like facial expressions, the tone and pitch of the voice, and body language; paying more attention to these consumes a lot of energy. "Our minds are together when our bodies feel we're not. That dissonance, which causes people to have conflicting feelings, is exhausting. You cannot relax into the conversation naturally," he says.

Silence is another challenge, he adds. "Silence creates a natural rhythm in a real-life conversation. However, when it happens in a video call, you became anxious about the technology." It also makes people uncomfortable. One 2014 study by German academics showed that delays on phone or conferencing systems shaped our views of people negatively: even delays of 1.2 seconds made people perceive the responder as less friendly or focused.
You might also like:
How are the current circumstances contributing? * Why grocery shelves won't be empty for long
* Coronavirus isolation is creating new couples
* How to work from home, the right way
An added factor, says Shuffler, is that if we are physically on camera, we are very aware of being watched. "When you're on a video conference, you know everybody's looking at you; you are on stage, so there comes the social pressure and feeling like you need to perform. Being performative is nerve-wracking and more stressful." It's also very hard for people not to look at their own face if they can see it on screen, or not to be conscious of how they behave in front of the camera.

Yet if video chats come with extra stressors, our Zoom fatigue can't be attributed solely to that. Our current circumstances - whether lockdown, quarantine, working from home or otherwise - are also feeding in.

A 2014 study found that delays on phone or conferencing systems shaped our views of people negatively (Credit: Getty Images)

Petriglieri believes that fact we feel forced into these calls may be a contributory factor. "The video call is our reminder of the people we have lost temporarily. It is the distress that every time you see someone online, such as your colleagues, that reminds you we should really be in the workplace together," he says. "What I'm finding is, we're all exhausted; It doesn't matter whether they are introverts or extroverts. We are experiencing the same disruption of the familiar context during the pandemic."

Then there's the fact that aspects of our lives that used to be separate - work, friends, family - are all now happening in the same space. The self-complexity theory posits that individuals have multiple aspects - context-dependent social roles, relationships, activities and goals - and we find the variety healthy, says Petriglieri. When these aspects are reduced, we become more vulnerable to negative feelings.

"Most of our social roles happen in different places, but now the context has collapsed," says Petriglieri. "Imagine if you go to a bar, and in the same bar you talk with your professors, meet your parents or date someone, isn't it weird? That's what we're doing now... We are confined in our own space, in the context of a very anxiety-provoking crisis, and our only space for interaction is a computer window."

Shuffler says a lack of downtime after we've fulfilled work and family commitments may be another factor in our tiredness, while some of us may be putting higher expectations on ourselves due to worries over the economy, furloughs and job losses. "There's also that heightened sense of 'I need to be performing at my top level in a situation'... Some of us are kind of over-performing to secure our jobs."
But when I'm Zooming my friends, for example, shouldn't that relax me?
Lots of us are doing big group chats for the first time, whether it's cooking and eating a virtual Easter dinner, attending a university catch-up or holding a birthday party for a friend. If the call is meant to be fun, why might it feel tiring?

Part of it, says Shuffler, is whether you're joining in because you want to or because you feel you ought to - like a virtual happy hour with colleagues from work. If you see it as an obligation, that means more time that you're 'on' as opposed to getting a break. A proper chat with friends will feel more social and there will be less 'Zoom fatigue' from conversations where you've had a chance to be yourself.

Big group calls can feel particularly performative, Petriglieri warns. People like watching television because you can allow your mind to wander - but a large video call "is like you're watching television and television is watching you". Large group chats can also feel depersonalising, he adds, because your power as an individual is diminished. And despite the branding, it may not feel like leisure time. "It doesn't matter whether you call it a virtual happy hour, it's a meeting, because mostly we are used to using these tools for work."
So how can we alleviate Zoom fatigue?

Both experts suggest limiting video calls to those that are necessary. Turning on the camera should be optional and in general there should be more understanding that cameras do not always have to be on throughout each meeting. Having your screen off to the side, instead of straight ahead, could also help your concentration, particularly in group meetings, says Petriglieri. It makes you feel like you're in an adjoining room, so may be less tiring.

In some cases it's worth considering if video chats are really the most efficient option. When it comes to work, Shuffler suggests shared files with clear notes can be a better option that avoids information overload. She also suggests taking time during meetings to catch up before diving into business. "Spend some time to actually check into people's wellbeing," she urges. "It's a way to reconnect us with the world, and to maintain trust and reduce fatigue and concern."

Building transition periods in between video meetings can also help refresh us - try stretching, having a drink or doing a bit of exercise, our experts say. Boundaries and transitions are important; we need to create buffers which allow us to put one identity aside and then go to another as we move between work and private personas.

And maybe, says Petriglieri, if you want to reach out, go old-school. "Write a letter to someone instead of meeting them on Zoom. Tell them you really care about them."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Your screen freezes. There's a weird echo. A dozen heads stare at you. There are the work huddles, the one-on-one meetings and then, once you're done for the day, the hangouts with friends and family. Since the Covid-19 pandemic hit, we're on video calls more than ever before - and many are finding it exhausting.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
COVID-19: Safeguarding and child protection | NSPCC Learning

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Resources to support your work with children, young people and their families during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, lockdown and restrictions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to sit properly at your computer to avoid back pain and fatigue

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This step by step guide with images covers how to sit properly at your computer and how to sit there consistently throughout the day.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Try BlueJeans for an unparalleled video conferencing experience that empowers users to collaborate across mobile devices, desktops, and room systems. Experience touch-to-join, HD video conferencing and stunningly clear audio powered by Dolby Voice® in a smart, intuitive interface.

The BlueJeans Video Conferencing Platform includes:

BLUEJEANS MEETINGS
Collaborate effectively, seamlessly with web, audio, and video conferencing that works from anywhere on any device.

BLUEJEANS ROOMS
Transform any room into a one-touch web, audio, and video conferencing space that is easy to use and manage.

Host, manage and livestream interactive events, webinars and all-hands meetings for thousands of attendees worldwide. BLUEJEANS EVENTS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
7-Day Free Trial Video Conferencing | BlueJeans

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Try BlueJeans for an unparalleled video conferencing experience that empowers users to collaborate across mobile devices, desktops, and room systems. Experience touch-to-join, HD video conferencing and stunningly clear audio powered by Dolby Voice® in a smart, intuitive interface. The BlueJeans Video Conferencing Platform includes: BLUEJEANS MEETINGS Collaborate effectively, seamlessly with web, audio, and video conferencing that works from anywhere on any device.

# data[].attributes.headline
Cisco Webex online video conferences + meetings

# data[].attributes.subject
Cisco Webex online video conferences + meetings

# data[].attributes.headline
International Federation of Social Workers - Covid-19 Resources

# data[].attributes.subject
International Federation of Social Workers - Covid-19 Resources

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In many countries social workers are supporting communities that are affected or fearful of the Covid-19 Virus. Social work has an essential frontline role in the fight against the spread of the virus through supporting communities protect themselves and others through physical distancing and social solidarity.
Key functions of social work at this time include:

1. ensuring that the most vulnerable are included in planning and response.

2. organizing communities to ensure that essentials such as food and clean water are available.

3. advocating within social services and in policy environments that services adapt, remain open and pro-active in supporting communities and vulnerable populations.

4. Facilitating physical distancing and social solidarity.

5. As a profession, advocating for the advancement and strengthening of health and social services as an essential protection against the virus, inequality and the consequent social and economic challenges.

Official IFSW statements relating to the Covid-19 Virus are listed to the right and IFSW member updates and reports below.
News and Statements on Covid-19

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Updated Information on IFSW and Covid-19

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In many countries social workers are supporting communities that are affected or fearful of the Covid-19 Virus. Social work has an essential frontline role in the fight against the spread of the virus through supporting communities protect themselves and others through physical distancing and social solidarity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Working with External Users

You can add external users to a Team as Guests.

Click Manage Team > Add members

Enter their email address and click Add

Set up a Scheduled meeting

Enter their email address in the attendee field

The user will receive an email invite with a link

The user can join by simply clicking the link.

Guide to Joining a Call as an External User (With or Without an Office365 Account)

If your external users are unfamiliar with Teams, and/or don't have an Office365 account, they can still join a call in just a few easy steps.

Our handy guide will show you how to Join A Teams Call as an External User, with screenshots.

The guide would also be useful if you are a UCC staff member who has been invited to join a call, but is not very familiar with using Teams.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
MS Teams Cheat-Sheet | University College Cork

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You can add external users to a Team as Guests. Click Manage Team > Add members Enter their email address and click Add Set up a Scheduled meeting Enter their email address in the attendee field The user will receive an email invite with a link The user can join by simply clicking the link.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Training: Watch these videos to help your school, work, or organization use Microsoft Teams to video conference, work remotely, and become proficient using Teams.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Meet Now: How to use Skype’s free Zoom alternative for video calls

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Skype’s free group chat feature is here to compete with Zoom, but there’s a catch.

# data[].attributes.headline
The HSE + Tusla provided permission to their staff for a limited time to use Whatsapp with certain prescribed restrictions - This may have been suspended on foot of the ransomware attack on HSE and TUSLA IT services May/June 2021

# data[].attributes.subject
The HSE + Tusla provided permission to their staff for a limited time to use Whatsapp with certain prescribed restrictions - This may have been suspended on foot of the ransomware attack on HSE and TUSLA IT services May/June 2021

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Child Protection During COVID-19 Response for Educators - International Centre for Missing & Exploited Children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Latest Updates: Child Protection News Groomed: how a film-maker learned to confront a childhood of abuse (The Guardian, 17...

# data[].attributes.headline
Social Workers Registration Board Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics

# data[].attributes.subject
Social Workers Registration Board Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Zoom, the hit video conferencing platform, will freeze new feature development and shift all engineering resources on to security and safety issues, its founder has said.

The move comes as the company battles the damage caused by a string of minor scandals ultimately related to the same scrappy approach that enabled it to capitalise on the wave of global lockdowns in the first place.

"We have fallen short of the community's - and our own - privacy and security expectations," said Zoom's founder and CEO, Eric Yuan, in a blogpost on Thursday. "For that, I am deeply sorry."

Since it began gaining hundreds of thousands of users a day, Zoom has come under increasing scrutiny from privacy campaigners, security researchers, and members of the public, who have found faults in the platform's programming, policies, and practices.

Some stem from the fact that a tool originally designed for enabling corporate communications has been repurposed for a wide range of consumer uses, from strangers meeting up for virtual "happy hours" to children's book groups and remote sessions of Dungeons and Dragons.

But others relate to the company's approach, modelled on the notorious Facebook maxim "move fast and break things", of finding unorthodox solutions to problems, which may not always hold up under closer inspection.

"There's a difference between being able to pivot on top of a solid foundation," says Vincent Roffers, executive strategy director at branding strategists Superunion, "and the path where they have at some level cut corners a bit," in terms of the way they've created their product.

The most public problem facing the company has been the rise of "Zoombombings", when trolls join public video chats to wreak havoc among their members by broadcasting pornography, hurling abuse, or undressing in front of their webcam. Zoombombings are possible because the company's product is built for use in cases where every caller is part of the same company, or already known to each other, security experts say - an assumption that no longer fits after weeks in lockdown.

"We now have a much broader set of users who are utilising our product in a myriad of unexpected ways," Yuan said, "presenting us with challenges we did not anticipate when the platform was conceived." Zoombombings can be prevented by changing the app's settings, Zoom said in late March as the problem was growing. And other tools, such as YouTube or Twitch livestreams, may be more appropriate for some uses, such as a broadcast of an author reading their book.

Other problems were more baked into the product, however. In July 2019, before it exploded in popularity, Zoom faced an embarrassing security scandal.A researcher discovered that the company installed some code on Macs alongside its app that meant that even if the app was later uninstalled, a single click on a web link was all it took to reinstall the app and join a new conference call with mic and camera enabled. Zoom initially defended the flaw for more than 90 days, saying it was a feature intended to make it easy for users to join calls. Only when the researcher went public did the company act. Apple later pushed a software update to all Macs that automatically prevented the feature from working.

Share your stories

If you have been affected or have any information, we'd like to hear from you. You can get in touch by filling in the form below, anonymously if you wish or contact us via WhatsApp by clicking here or adding the contact +44(0)7766780300. Only the Guardian can see your contributions and one of our journalists may contact you to discuss further.

That episode left security researchers suspicious of the company, and when it burst into the public's consciousness in March, the suspicion returned. In just a couple of weeks, researchers found many more flaws, major and minor, which piled up faster than Zoom could fix them, from a broken promise to provide "end to end encryption" for video calls to bugs that would allow a hacker to gain access to a user's webcam and microphone.

"So many of Zoom's poor decisions were about prioritising growth over security," said the analyst Ben Thompson. "This crisis, though, more than takes care of growth: it's up to Zoom to seize the opportunity to prioritise security in a transparent and verifiable way at a time when all of their customers want them to succeed."

That's what the company is promising now, founder Yuan says. Over the next 90 days, it will conduct a "comprehensive review with third-party experts", publish a transparency report, and run penetration tests to find and fix further flaws.

Superunion's Vincent Roffers believes that is the right approach. "They need to make it right in a way that's transparent that's visible. The worst thing they could do is retreat and disappear," he said.

"They're going to be fine. The thing about branding is, you always have a lot of chances: It's not about what you do now, it's about what you do next."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Zoom says engineers will focus on security and safety issues

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Zoom, the hit video conferencing platform, will freeze new feature development and shift all engineering resources on to security and safety issues, its founder has said. The move comes as the company battles the damage caused by a string of minor scandals ultimately related to the same scrappy approach that enabled it to capitalise on the wave of global lockdowns in the first place.

# data[].attributes.body
Trolls exploit Zoom privacy settings as app gains popularity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Working and socialising from home has brought new risks to everyday life, as webcam meetings and chatroom cocktail hours contend with privacy invasions, phishing attacks and "zoombombings" - uninvited guests abusing the popular video service to broadcast shocking imagery to all.

Public Zoom hangouts have become a popular way to spend time for isolated remote workers, who are joining calls with names such as "WFH Happy Hour" to spend time in the company of others.

But the default settings of the service are configured in the expectation of trust between participants, meaning trolls can wreak havoc. Some zoombombers have used the screensharing feature to broadcast pornography and violent imagery. Others have revelled in the opportunity for exhibitionism, while security experts have said the file transfer feature that is switched on by default could be used to spread malware.

During one WFH Happy Hour last week, for instance, a troll joined the group and, using the screensharing feature, aired a pornographic clip to the call's 40 participants. Because the call was public - so that anyone wanting some company in the evening could swing by, replicating a welcoming pub - the anonymous user simply rejoined and continued to broadcast, eventually forcing the hosts, Hunter Walk and Casey Newton, to close the event.

Newton, a journalist, told TechCrunch shortly afterwards: "I want to apologise to all our attendees - including my parents, Jim and Sally, who joined WFHappyHour today for the first time. Today we all learned an important lesson about disabling screen-sharing and saw once again the importance of good content moderation."

Other zoombombing instances have been more malicious. Ruha and Shawn Benjamin told NBC News of their experience when a racist troll - wearing nothing but a thong - gatecrashed their reading session for children stuck at home and began repeating the N-word multiple times. "Then we knew it was a malicious, targeted thing. My husband and I are both African American," Ruha Benjamin said.

Other aspects of the service have also come under criticism. One Zoom feature allows hosts to tell if guests are looking at a window other than the Zoom chat - perfect for bosses who want to ensure their employees are paying attention, but an unexpected invasion of privacy for many. On Thursday, Vice News reported that the service's iOS app was sending some analytics data to Facebook, even if users did not have a Facebook account.

The company said in a statement: "We have been deeply upset to hear about the incidents involving this type of attack. For those hosting large, public group meetings, we strongly encourage hosts to change their settings so that only the host can share their screen. For those hosting private meetings, password protections are on by default and we recommend that users keep those protections on to prevent uninvited users from joining. We also encourage users to report any incidents of this kind directly to our support so we can take appropriate action."

Share your stories

If you have been affected or have any information, we'd like to hear from you. You can get in touch by filling in the form below, anonymously if you wish or contact us via WhatsApp by clicking here or adding the contact +44(0)7766780300. Only the Guardian can see your contributions and one of our journalists may contact you to discuss further.

In a blogpost addressing the rise in zoombombings, the company said: "Like most other public forums, it's possible to have a person (who may or may not be invited) disrupt an event that's meant to bring people together." It offered a list of tips on how to prevent them, such as not posting links on public social media when possible.

Colin Tankard, the managing director of Digital Pathways, a cybersecurity company, said the technical security of Zoom was strong and protected callers against eavesdropping. He said: "The security risks using such services hinge more around how secure your password is in gaining access to your conference dashboard, as if weak passwords are used, a hacker could copy the meeting ID and then connect during the call hiding their identity or appearing as a valid caller."

But none of the concerns have hurt the fortunes of Zoom Video, the company behind the software. It has become so popular in the last two weeks that on Thursday the US Securities and Exchange Commission suspended trading in stocks in Zoom Technologies, an unrelated company but one with the stock market ticker ZOOM. Zoom Video's is actually ZM.

That same day an app called Zoom became the third most popular paid app on Apple's App Store. That Zoom is a £3.99 magnifying glass app. The chat service Zoom is free.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Trolls exploit Zoom privacy settings as app gains popularity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Working and socialising from home has brought new risks to everyday life, as webcam meetings and chatroom cocktail hours contend with privacy invasions, phishing attacks and "zoombombings" - uninvited guests abusing the popular video service to broadcast shocking imagery to all.

# data[].attributes.headline
Covid-19 Resources from ISPCAN (International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect)

# data[].attributes.subject
Covid-19 Resources from ISPCAN (International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
COVID-19 RESOURCES FOR CHILD PROTECTION ISPCAN is committed to providing support to individuals, caregivers, and professionals as they navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic by providing up-to-date resources in collaboration with our partner organizations around the globe. We

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Welcome to the UB School of Social Work's Self-Care site. The resources in these pages are appropriate for both students in training and for professionals already working in the field. There are additional resources that we trust will be helpful no matter where you are on your self-care journey.

The Self-Care Starter Kit℠ was initially developed for UB Social Work students, but it is our hope that these resources will be useful for students and professionals alike. Although the information does not address all that goes into developing the skills of self-care, it does begin the journey.
We recommend you start with Introduction to Self-Care, followed by Developing Your Self-Care Plan.
Using the Materials

You are welcome to use the Self-Care Starter Kit℠ exercises/worksheets without revising them for personal and/or educational (non-commercial) purposes only. We ask that you read over the Creative Commons licensing agreement, let us know that you will be using the materials, include the original citation information that is on them, as well the web address for our site, as an acknowledgement of where it was downloaded from and so people are able to explore our site if they're interested.

Butler, L. D., & McClain-Meeder, K. (2015). Self-Care Starter Kit. Located at http://www.socialwork.buffalo.edu/students/self-care/index.asp

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Acknowledgements

We hope the resources in these pages will be useful as you strive to maintain and enhance your well-being in all the important domains of your life.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all those who have helped us in this effort: the colleagues who generously contributed materials and provided advice on resources, copyright issues, and IT questions; the experts in the field who gave permission to include their materials; the SSW students who provided self-care utilization data and feedback on our materials and original workshop; and our colleagues on the UBSSW Reaccreditation Committee and in the school who provided both informational and tangible support for the development of this program and have incorporated self-care materials and activities in their courses. We are especially grateful to Elaine S. Rinfrette, LCSW-R, PhD for her extensive and essential contributions to every aspect of the development of this program; Shirley Reiser, LCSW and Elaine K. Hammond, LMSW for their far-sighted and widespread efforts to highlight self-care in our school by developing trainings and materials, and through their invaluable contributions to the development of these pages; Dana M. Horne, MEd for designing the self-care (Venn) logo and providing consultation and support; Robert Garlan, PhD for his thoughtful suggestions and text revisions for these webpages; Melissa Dudley, MSW for her excellent research assistance; and David Coppola for his superb work designing and programming the original self-care site webpages.

Lisa D. Butler, PhD
Self-Care Program Team Leader and
Associate Professor

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Welcome to the UB School of Social Work's Self-Care site. The resources in these pages are appropriate for both students in training and for professionals already working in the field. There are additional resources that we trust will be helpful no matter where you are on your self-care journey.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
CMRP Audio downloads | Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice | Bangor University

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Bangor University is a Registered Charity: No. 1141565

# data[].attributes.headline
Social workers shared best practice and actions - COVID-19 What is working? (BASW, UK)

# data[].attributes.subject
Social workers shared best practice and actions - COVID-19 What is working? (BASW, UK)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As part of the COVID-19 feedback survey over 1000 social workers share their experiences and challenges of working in the pandemic, best practice examples were also shared.
Safety

The development of clear HR messages and guidance e.g. pregnant staff, staff with underlying health conditions, caring responsibilities

Guidance on sick leave, dependents leave (especially as schools are closed), self-isolation

Clear statements about high standards of hygiene practice and equipment, safe visiting and social distancing, hand sanitiser (and on belt loop), cleaning desk before and after use (especially if you hot desk) including phone, keyboard, screen and mouse.

If you are doing social distancing, these tips from the Royal College of Occupational Therapists may be useful https://www.rcot.co.uk/staying-well-when-social-distancing

Request video supervision and video conferencing for assessments via secure video conferencing facilities

Inform your manager if you have underlying health issue, need to self-isolate or are concerned you may have Coronavirus

Prioritising of work

Agree guidance about home visits

Develop easy read information (hard copies) and on websites

Set up a traffic- lights system of immediate needs for those that require continued home visits

Consider ways of reaching hard to reach including homeless by networking with specialist provider services

Move to meetings by video call or phone via secure video/phone conferencing facilities

Develop a checklist of questions to service users prior to visiting to establish if they have any presenting symptoms

Some home visits/assessments could potentially be done via secure video conferencing facilities.

Discuss daily team briefing meetings (video conferencing/phone via secure conferencing facilities.) and how to otherwise keep in touch as a team (e.g. via instant messaging services)

Seek and contribute to the development of local guidance

Ask commissioners to update information to providers and create list of voluntary (Including non-contracted voluntary organisation lists in local area offering support in response to Coronavirus

Keep talking to colleagues and keep in touch with them if you are working remotely

Internal weekly briefings

Checklists on intranet and e-alerts

Keep checking BASW webpages and gov.uk public health information, and follow this as far as you can

REMEMBER: Join with colleagues to ask your employer for clarity about immediate plans for safety and prioritising work

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As part of the COVID-19 feedback survey over 1000 social workers share their experiences and challenges of working in the pandemic, best practice examples were also shared. Safety The development of clear HR messages and guidance e.g.

# data[].attributes.headline
NASW Standards for Technology in Social Work Practice (USA, 2017) 

# data[].attributes.subject
NASW Standards for Technology in Social Work Practice (USA, 2017) 

# data[].attributes.headline
Free Social Work Tools And Resources for Direct Work with Children and Adults by Social Workers

# data[].attributes.subject
Free Social Work Tools And Resources for Direct Work with Children and Adults by Social Workers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Free Social Work Tools and Resources: SocialWorkersToolbox.com

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Assessment Archives - Free Social Work Tools and Resources: SocialWorkersToolbox.com

# data[].attributes.headline
APA (2013) Guidelines on Telepsychology - useful for social workers

# data[].attributes.subject
APA (2013) Guidelines on Telepsychology - useful for social workers

# data[].attributes.headline
Youth Social Work with Digital Technology - An academic journal article 

# data[].attributes.subject
Youth Social Work with Digital Technology - An academic journal article 

# data[].attributes.headline
A research article about how Czech Social Workers use technology with vulnerable children

# data[].attributes.subject
A research article about how Czech Social Workers use technology with vulnerable children

# data[].attributes.headline
Health and Safety Authority Advice Home-Working

# data[].attributes.subject
Health and Safety Authority Advice Home-Working

# data[].attributes.body
Updated 10 June 2021

# data[].attributes.headline
Guidance from the Australian Association of Social Workers about Technology and Social Work Practice

# data[].attributes.subject
Guidance from the Australian Association of Social Workers about Technology and Social Work Practice

# data[].attributes.headline
A journal article about the Ethics of Digital/Online Social Work Practice

# data[].attributes.subject
A journal article about the Ethics of Digital/Online Social Work Practice

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Email Large Files

No more filled outboxes and failed emails. Send files up to 2GB in size to recipients without wondering if they will actually receive them.

Send Files Securely

Make sure that your intended recipients receive your messages. Send your files securely, you can even password protect the messages.Send files securely with Securely Send

Learn More

Learn more about sending large files by email and security best practices.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Securely Send | Send Large Files via Email Safely and Securely

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Send large files over email easily and securely with Securely Send

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
WeTransfer - Send Large Files & Share Photos Online - Up to 2GB Free

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
WeTransfer is the simplest way to send your files around the world

# data[].attributes.headline
10 Best Web Video Conferencing Software 

# data[].attributes.subject
10 Best Web Video Conferencing Software 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 Best Video Conferencing Software for Small Business | Free + Paid

# data[].attributes.headline
Top 10 video conferencing software features compared

# data[].attributes.subject
Top 10 video conferencing software features compared

# data[].attributes.body
(June 2021)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Maybe you're looking to avoid travel while the latest version of COVID is still making its rounds. Or perhaps you're trying to transition employees back to the office, but many want to make working from home a permanent condition. And let's face it, that can have a lot of benefits. But one thing either scenario requires is a world-class video conferencing system.

That's because these services have evolved into the beating heart of both online collaboration and personal interactions via the web, at least until the heebie-jeebies around travel finally fade. To help you choose the best service, we've tested 12 video conferencing systems, though only the eight top contenders made the list in this roundup.

Working from home is what's driving the majority of video conferencing sales these days, and for this, you'll be looking at different components and services. These can include the proprietary end-to-end systems you've probably seen deployed in smart conference rooms. Still, we're focusing on cloud services that require only an account and a webcam for this review roundup since they're the most relevant to remote work. However, these platforms can sometimes spread their solution across several component vendors, raising support difficulties. To solve them, you'll need a good understanding of video conferencing systems first.

Choosing the Right Video Conferencing System

Video conferencing has been around for some time in various proprietary formats. Companies specializing in enterprise solutions generally built these systems to connect meeting rooms. Connections were over a local area network and then leased telecommunication lines if the link was between different buildings. Network traffic was handled using proprietary protocols and codecs, which is still the basic architecture used today.

The protocols handle traffic streaming while the codecs encode the audio and video images into digital bits and bytes on the transmitting side and then back to video and audio on the receiving side. This usually required proprietary cameras, microphones, dedicated servers, and client-side applications that were also proprietary.

Today's cloud video services use TCP/IP as the primary network protocol and a small list of standards-based codecs to do the conversion work. Also, their hardware support is generally open, meaning you can use whatever webcam or microphone works with your computing device. Unlike older proprietary systems that needed a PC or dedicated meeting room smart screen, these new services often support an entirely web browser-based experience without the need to install any app (though a proprietary app is usually the best experience). Additionally, there's support for all kinds of mobile devices, though these generally work best after installing either an Apple iOS or Google Android app.

However, even modern conferencing systems still don't interact much, meaning you can't attend a video conference initiated in Microsoft Teams using a Cisco Webex meeting client, for example. Everything still happens in one system. The advantage is that this system no longer requires proprietary client, meeting room, or network hardware. It's also not one, large system purchase, but a service offered on a per-user or per-host (see below for more on hosts) subscription basis. That can seriously reduce costs.

However, they also offer a big bucket of new capabilities that older systems never had, far more than just face-to-face interactions. Best-in-class video conferencing services let users share their screens, remotely access one another's desktops, chat via text, exchange files, communicate via digital whiteboards, and even broadcast conferences to large groups of passive viewers (like webinars). Some are part of business-geared Voice-over-IP (VoIP) packages, which allow you to dynamically change a voice call to a video call or initiate a shared meeting at the touch of a button without ever losing the original connection.

Those features are great for central offices, but they're also fantastic communication aids for work-at-home scenarios, especially when viewed through a long-term lens. But video conferencing can go even further. For example, it's a perfect tool for addressing customers' support questions live or interacting with those customers in real-time during a webinar. These capabilities have taken a bit of a back seat with COVID, though they'll come back big when the pandemic is behind us. But for the last year, what's caused video conferencing growth to spike has largely been consumer demand as shown in the recent survey charted by Statista.
Growth of Popular Video Conferencing Systems During COVID 19, 2020
Even so, for IT workers, in particular, telecommuting is booming. According to a report by FlexJobs, 3.9 million US employees were working from home at least half of the time even before the pandemic. This is an increase of 115% from 2005. That means in some cases, video conferencing represents the only visible interaction that those employees will get with their employers; and now that many companies have discovered that the benefits of telecommuting can work long-term, those numbers are only going to grow.

Cutting Costs With Video Conferencing

Pandemic aside, many small to midsize businesses (SMBs) spread across different geographic locations, a trend that preceded the coronavirus. While that trend has both cost and hiring benefits to most companies, it also brings complex challenges for communication, even for in-house employees. Add customers and partners to the mix, and it's challenging to think about talking to all of these people without extensive travel, which brings restrictive costs. This is where video conferencing can deliver a serious boost to your company's bottom line.

But even without considering geography, video conferencing can save money. Many of the new collaboration features included with this round of contenders aim to automate tasks that used to cost extra. The prime examples are meeting transcription and recording.

In older, proprietary systems, recording a meeting meant either a separate camera or a third-party microphone for audio-only recordings, plus server space for storage. Modern services have automated recording so you can initiate one with the press of a button and then automatically save it to the cloud and auto-share it with all meeting attendees.

Transcription, too, used to cost extra as meeting managers would have to send out at least an audio recording to a transcription service. Many new video conferencing services now contain artificial intelligence (AI) in the form of virtual meeting assistants who manage things like attendance tracking and do an excellent job of transcribing meetings directly to PDF or Microsoft Word documents. They can then send those docs to everyone in the discussion or save them in shared cloud storage.

Understanding Video Conferencing Price Tags

As with all software services, pricing and packages are essential, and they do vary widely. The prices quoted in these reviews are typically for the vendor's middle pricing tier, and those are usually charged on a per-user per-month basis. (For more pricing information, click through to the individual reviews.) All but one video conferencing service tested offers free trials (most are for 30 days), and many don't require a credit card. That means you don't have to worry about being charged automatically when the trial ends.

Most services offer free plans, primarily due to companies wanting to help consumers during the pandemic. However, once you move to a paid tier, you need to pay attention to pricing details. For example, many products tested charge differently for "hosts" and "users." Digging through the fine print, you'll find that hosts are users that can initiate meetings, which means not all companies need to make every user a host depending on how your organization handles collaboration. That can have a significant impact on your overall price, so be sure to nail down the details before buying.

Many services are scalable depending on the number of hosts and attendees you need. That's why we recommend not just trying the features of our top-rated video conferencing services but also using that trial time to experiment with how many users need to have meeting manager status. In other words, evaluate how video conferencing best fits into your organization's culture and workflows.

Generally, services priced per-host instead of per-user do better for webinar-type environments. Those priced per attendee tend to be more attractive to collaborative-style engagements where anyone could start a meeting.

Another price consideration is hardware. Every laptop has a microphone and a serviceable tho fairly mediocre webcam built-in. The same goes for most mobile devices these days. So the basics for a web meeting are all there in that kind of hardware. Desktops PCs, however, are not so complete. Additionally, if you're looking for enhanced clarity of sound or video, you'll need the best microphones and high-end webcams you can get. Depending on how many desktops and conference rooms you're looking to outfit this way, you can significantly affect the overall cost of your video conferencing solution, so you should budget for that upfront.

Using Web Conferencing for Collaboration

You've found a shortlist of video conference services you like. Now what? Start by remembering that video conferencing is no longer about just high-end smart conference rooms. Hybrid work is here to stay, so your video conferencing system is going to be the heartbeat of that architecture. That means many new users, which in turn means a great place to match one vendor's capabilities over another is the platform's ease of use.

Suppose the user interface (UI) is a maze. In that case, it will not only cause delays in meeting start times; it'll also become a blocker to using any of the more advanced collaboration features. And that's where the actual value of these systems is: easy and always-on collaboration.

We discuss the ease of signing up, creating a meeting, inviting participants, and setting up audio and video controls for each review. We also look at the user experience (UX) from the meeting invitees' point of view and how easy it is to access smart meeting controls. That covers whiteboard-style collaboration and file sharing, annotation, and the virtual assistant features mentioned above.

We test each service's prominent features, but it's up to you to decide on particular features. Do you need dial-in numbers, VoIP support, or both? And do you need features like screen sharing or remote control? Some services offer both teleconferencing with dial-in numbers (local or toll-free) and VoIP calling, while some offer just one or the other. A few offer international dial-in numbers.

All of the products reviewed offer video calls via webcam, which is a feature that's creeping into several team messaging platforms, like Microsoft Teams and Slack, too. In Teams' case, this is a complete video conferencing solution, which is why we've reviewed it here. However, Slack and some of its other competitors have only implemented person-to-person video calling, which is why we haven't checked them as part of this roundup.

However, Slack's strength in this regard (and it's a strength shared by its competitors) is its very long list of out-of-the-box integration options. Inside Slack, you can only do person-to-person video. Still, the platform integrates just fine with Google Workspace, Teams, Zoom, and a host of other communications platforms, including the ones we've reviewed here, so an intelligent Slack administrator can build all the meeting functionality you need that way.

In all of these reviews, we hosted and joined meetings to test the experience of both registered and non-registered users. We made sure to outline how easy it is to join a meeting, including whether or not a participant needs to download software before joining (which could cause a delay). In this case, it's important to communicate with employees about hardware compatibility and your preferred browser. Other services simply require that attendees enter a code to access the meeting.

Our reviews also cover the host's administration features. The best services let you set up different types of meetings, such as a lecture-style meeting where all participants are muted, or a discussion or Q&A mode in which presenters can mute and unmute participants as needed. Other options include enabling and disabling webcams, locking latecomers out of a meeting, creating a waiting room while preparing for the meeting, and allowing break-out sessions.

For presentations, screen sharing is essential. But so are more granular options, such as the ability to share just one application ( Microsoft PowerPoint, for example), document, or image, not just your entire desktop. Most of the video conferencing services in this roundup also offer a text chat mode not only during a meeting but sometimes outside a video call, too.

During a trial, you should experiment with all these features and think carefully about how much actual collaboration you need in your various meetings. That means evaluating the service with more than just IT personnel. You should also include stakeholders from your various departments, so you've got an accurate representation of the different kinds of gatherings your employees hold between themselves and folks outside the organization.

Managing Your Network for Video Meetings

Unfortunately, even in an extensive, centralized network like the one in your main office, working with any stream-dependent app, especially video conferencing, becomes trickier the larger the network and the more apps there are competing for network bandwidth. That means if you're running all or part of your solution on a more extensive network, then prepare to handle some tweaking.

While the basic setup is enough to get one session running, be sure to work with your IT staff to test what happens when multiple streams are open. And not just numerous streams, but also those streams competing with all the other types of traffic you've typically got running. You're looking for artifacts or excessive buffering that disrupt the stream. The home network situation is even more pressing, and now probably a long-term issue for many IT pros.

While video conferencing has undoubtedly had a positive impact on employees trapped at home, it's also put your IT help desk personnel in an awkward position. The video conferencing app is now a core business service. Still, it's probably running over consumer devices, home network routers, and even peripherals, like webcams and microphones, most of which the IT department didn't purchase and usually hasn't been trained in servicing. That makes supporting those home users on an end-to-end basis very difficult. And that's not even considering the internet, which handles most of the network traffic and which your IT department doesn't control either.

Fortunately, the coronavirus is a temporary problem, which means most businesses are using the same "solution," and that's to handle this problem on a case-by-case basis. If an IT pro can service a router remotely, that's what happens. If not, then it's down to either sending the device to a central location to be reconfigured or simply walking the employee through the required steps over the phone.

Once the pandemic is over, if you're still looking at a large number of permanent home workers (and many businesses will be doing exactly that), then you can build more long-term solutions. That might include pre-configuring a number of router models and then distribute them to your remote workers so everyone is using the same platform.

Virtual private networks (VPNs) are another related problem. Many businesses make employees use these services when working remotely to protect themselves and corporate data. But because they use encryption, VPNs can often cause bandwidth or throughput problems, affecting video streaming performance. They're also run by companies other than your video conferencing vendor, so supporting a combination of both usually ends up as an internal problem.

To help, you'll need to investigate different VPN offerings for remote connections and potentially work with your IT staff to implement Quality of Service (QoS) features on both your main network and users' home networks. That'll protect the bandwidth required during your video conferences. If you're already using a cloud PBX-based VoIP system for your phone calls, your IT people will already have a good idea of how to protect traffic this way as the requirements are very similar.

Don't Forget Vendor Support

If all this sounds like you'll be supporting yourself once you buy into one of these services, that's not the case. It's just that the particulars of implementing any video conferencing service can vary so widely from business to business that your own IT people are usually the best first line of support. After all, they're the ones who'll wind up knowing the system best.

But aside from making sure your IT staff is thoroughly familiar with your chosen video conferencing service, you'll also want solid support resources from the service vendor. The best video conferencing services offer phone, email, and chat support in addition to extensive online documentation. End-user support in this manner may cost extra, but it's worth considering if your IT staff is small. Checking for a professional services arm that will help train both users and IT pros is another important factor, and an active user community can be a good resource, too.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Best Video Conferencing Software for 2022

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Maybe you're looking to avoid travel while the latest version of COVID is still making its rounds. Or perhaps you're trying to transition employees back to the office, but many want to make working from home a permanent condition. And let's face it, that can have a lot of benefits.