claudia.gumm – Bristol Clear

With all that is going on at the moment, we realise that many of you may be finding the situation challenging. Working in unfamiliar ways, and in unfamiliar environments, you may be struggling to know how to do your job, how to structure your time, and how to access the support that would normally be in place from colleagues and the university. More importantly, you might be dealing with new worries – about loved ones and how they are coping, or about your own health and work both now, and in the future.

There is no clear end to the current situation. And so, to support you, we’ve made some changes to our existing provision to make it more accessible to you. We’ve also added some additional provision that is specifically there to support you through the next few months.

Please read on to find out how our support will change, and what more we’re offering.

Training

Our face to face training and workshops will be moving online where possible. We’re currently talking with our training-providers about how we’re going to do this, when, and what form their training will take.

If you are booked onto a workshop or retreat, we will be in touch with you directly when we know more.

Writers’ retreats

All physical writers’ retreats will be moved online. We’re exploring technology that will not only allow us to preserve the peer support of being ‘in the room’ but will also open participation up to a wider audience (including those on the waiting list!). We’ll be able to use this experience to enhance the retreats when we are able to return to normal.

If you’re booked onto a writers’ retreat, we’ll be in touch with a ‘how to’ guide shortly.

1:1s

We can no longer offer face to face career-focused 1:1s. However, anyone who has one booked or who is on the waiting list will be contacted to be told how we will run all of these remotely.

In addition, we are setting up regular, weekly, virtual 1:1 chats for you to talk with someone about how you are finding the current situation. So, if you are struggling with working from home, managing or structuring your day or maintaining your motivation for example, you can talk to us. These can be used for any topic: professional or personal, and are bookable through: https://calendly.com/bristol-clear-1-1-chats/1-1-chats.

Please note, if you are fortunate to have a strong support network, please allow others to take priority so that we can reach those most in need, most quickly.

Mentoring

The Bristol Clear Mentoring scheme continues, but moves online.

All of those who signed up for the current cycle will be hearing shortly who their mentor/mentee will be, and will also receive information about how to set up a virtual meeting.

The Bristol Clear blog

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be using this space to support you to make the most of remote working by looking at how you can structure your time, write effectively at home, protect your well-being (particularly in this period of ‘waiting’), and use social media to stay connected with others and make your work more visible.

We’ll also use this blog to point to other sources of online training.

Bristol Clear emails

We’ll be mainly using email to send out updates, and signpost additional sources of information and support, so – if you are filtering – please keep emails from bristol-clear@bristol.ac.uk out of SPAM. We will temporarily pause sending out the Bristol Clear Bulletin and instead will send individual timely emails with key information about new initiatives, support and opportunities.

Twitter

You can also follow us on Twitter, @UoB_Researchers.

…is the aim of the recently updated “Concordat to support the Career Development of Researchers”. In an earlier blogpost we offered some of our reflections and thoughts on what the 2019 version of the Concordat might look like. Now that the updated Concordat is published, and we as the University of Bristol have signed up to it, what does it actually mean?

We are all responsible for creating a positive environment to thrive in

The Concordat sets out that the responsibility for implementing the Concordat, and therefore the responsibility for creating a positive culture in which researchers can thrive, is a joint responsibility. We are all responsible for creating this change. We, that is institutions (the University), funders, managers of researchers (PIs, Heads of Schools), and last but not least researchers (you!).

This means that the University of Bristol will be working to create the work environment, policies and practices which will allow researchers to thrive. The University is developing an action plan for the implementation of the Concordat, which it will be held accountable for.

We will be working with managers of researchers to offer support and information to help them support you effectively.

And we will be supporting you as researchers directly, by continuing to offer you development opportunities, career support and clarity, and by working closely with you to identify what support you need the most.

But no support, no policy, no action plan will make any difference if individuals don’t play their part in the story. Only if we all work together towards this goal of creating a positive and supportive culture is there a chance for it to become reality.

What can you do?

As a first step, familiarise yourself with the Concordat and reflect on its expectations of you. Start having conversations with your PI/manager about the Concordat, and explore together how you can use this as a framework to create this positive environment, and to develop your career.

You may want to map your skills against the Researcher Development Framework and use this as a starting point for your continuing development. Check for staff development opportunities, 1:1 appointments, find mentors if you haven’t got any already (you may want to use the Bristol Clear Mentoring Scheme which has 2 cohort intakes per year), and talk to your Rep if you have any suggestions or would like to highlight any issues.

We believe that together we can make a difference, so we are looking forward to continuing to talk to, and work with, you over the coming weeks and months.

Author: claudia.gumm

Bristol Clear – we’re here if you need to talk