By Chloe Yang, 5/26/20, positiveexperience.org
Last Monday, Dr. Robert Sege was invited by the Maine Resilience Building Network (MRBN) to speak about HOPE and Positive Childhood Experiences during an interactive webinar. Usually an in-person meeting, the gathering attracted nearly 300 virtual participants. Our Zoom screens were tiled with pages and pages of faces, front-line workers across Maine who continue to serve families during this time. Among the audience were teachers, social workers and mental health professionals, clinical and medical practice based staff, school nurses, and those who work for organizations serving children and families. At the heart of the meeting, Dr. Sege turned the spotlight on these important workers, giving them a platform to share stories of inspiration, concern, and self-care with each other. Below, Kini-Ana Tinkham, MRBN’s executive director, sheds light on MRBN and the virtual event.
Can you introduce MRBN for our blog readers?
The Maine Resilience Building Network (MRBN) is a statewide nonprofit organization with a strong network of individuals and organizations working to improve the health and welling of Maine’s children, families, and communities.
How does HOPE fit into your work at MRBN?
MRBN’s mission is to promote resilience in all people by increasing the understanding of the impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the importance of building resilience through protective factors such as positive relationships. Resilience, which includes positive connections, can be learned and cultivated at any age. Preventing and healing ACEs is possible. No matter our age, there are science-informed ways to support resilience and positive experiences.
What was your goal in setting up this online event?
The MRBN team wanted to bring together network members, colleagues, and organizations from across the state serving children and families during Covid-19, to thank them for giving 110% every day. The HOPE model offered a framework for participants to share family strengths and hope while acknowledging concern for added stress felt by families. During the event, reminding colleagues about the importance of pauses and other self-care practices to avoid compassion fatigue or vicarious trauma was highlighted.
Echoing Kini, we at the HOPE team are grateful for workers serving children and families during Covid-19. Here is a sampling of their stories, pulled from the event chat box.
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