A common trend in many of the CBI’s Community Education & Outreach Department presentations and trainings is teaching the importance of connection. I would sometimes say “We are the most connected yet dis-connected society at the moment, especially when it comes to Gen Z.” What do I mean by this? There are various ways and platforms to be connected, phones, portals, tablets, social media, etc. Yet the lack of true connection is getting to know a person without social media, technology aids or distractions. This connection has been lost by some. Now, I don’t want to give technology a bad rap, and in the current situation which we are living in, it’s needed more than ever.
For some, we may be working from home, school is online, or if you’re like me with two younger kiddos finding a balance of working from home, entertaining them, and providing some sort of educational substance in their day, all while trying to stay hydrated with water and coffee. It’s a juggling skill that seems impossible to master. However, at this time we are adjusting and being creative, doing whatever we can to stay connected. It can be through Tik-Tok videos, family dinners, board game competitions, parents creating obstacle courses in their homes for their little ones, or young adults and teens “Zooming it” for some face to face interactions or meetings. For our overall well-being and sanity, we need to stay and feel connected.
The Community Education and Outreach Department is known for traveling throughout Arizona providing presentations and trainings on the most up-to-date information when it comes to substance abuse, mental health, suicide prevention, and overall health and well-being. The department is not letting COVID-19 slow us down. We are taking our knowledge and information to the Digital world. It’s important for the team to stay connected and provide valuable information, resources, or support to the public and the school in which we work. Please look out for our live webinars, YouTube videos, PSAs, and Blogs. We, like many of you, are working very hard to be as innovative as possible to continue to raise awareness and continuously stay ahead of the trends affecting our communities.
Stay safe, healthy, be kind to yourself, and treat your mental health to the same degree as your physical health. I hope to see or hear from you all on CBI’s digital platform.
Take Care,
Natalia Chimbo-Andrade, Director of Community Education and Outreach
Questions? Please email [email protected]