Overview

When facilitating, I usually do a check-in process at the beginning of each meeting, just to see how everyone is going. We can usually tell how someone is going by how they look and how they behave, it's not so easy in a video conferencing context.

For our Program Leaders' Network July 2020 lunch box session, I tried something new. I created a virtual collaboration space to ask how our members were going.

A few of our leaders were keen to do something similar with their teams. Here's what I did:

1. I searched for content I could use to prompt colleagues to reflect on their mental health. I found this weekly mental health check-in template from the Black Dog Institute.
2. I adapted the template into a padlet gallery and popped in a couple of responses.
3. Then sent the link to colleagues https://padlet.com/scarruthers3/mtc1jyp4cj1s3bef via our MS Teams space before the meeting. I then put the link in the chat when the meeting started.
4. Below is the padlet I sent in the previous link. I've removed people's responses, so you can copy this one and adapt it for your own use.

Considerations

This check-in process encourages colleagues to reflect on their levels of stress (and other indicators of wellbeing) during the COVID 19 pandemic. The padlet activity is a fun way of bringing the topic of mental health into a conversation - Help to reduce stigma and support people to be proactive about accessing resources and seeking help.

IMPACT When I used it, we had about 30% of our colleagues add to the padlet. We also had a very lively and authentic conversation in the meeting that followed. I had several colleagues contact me that day, with questions about how to create one for their own teams. Unfortunately, I'm not able to track how many people opened the Black Dog information link, or accessed other support services as a result of the activity.

Enabling Technology

I found Padlet pretty easy to use, with little experience. Just be sure to check the box that keeps participants anonymous. I added a couple of fun gifs and images to create a light tone. Griffith has subscribed to Padlet, so it's free for staff to create your own. There are heaps of resources available to help you.

Support Resources

• Padlet & GriffithU Padlet Backpack

  Information to get you started with padlet

• Checking-in: Keep on top of your mental health

  A padlet template I created, that you can copy and use as a virtual check-in activity

• Your weekly personal mental health check-in during Coronavirus

  Blog entry from the Black Dog Institute. A proudly independent not-for-profit medical research institute affiliated with UNSW Sydney.

• Making copies of a padlet

  We call that 'Remake' here... support resource from padlet

Contributed by

• Learning Futures
  Samantha Carruthers
  s.carruthers@griffith.edu.au
  

Preferred Citation

Carruthers, S (2020). Leading Program Teams: Virtual check-in using padlet. Retrieved from https://app.secure.griffith.edu.au/exlnt/entry/9689/view