Events

Format: Online workshop

This session will explain how your UW Pension is determined, provide details about UW programs available for you to apply for leading up to your retirement, and outline the eligibility requirements for post-retirement benefit coverage. There will be an opportunity to ask questions during this session. 

Format: In-person workshop

Join us for a unique workshop focused on mindful creativity in the workplace. Join facilitator and artist Zack Sandor-Kerr to explore his reverse colouring book experiences, where you doodle and draw over beautiful blobs of shape and colour. In the workshop, we will learn and develop some tools for mindful creativity, and experience the refreshing and mood-boosting power of a mid-day art break.

If you hear “making art” and typically run the other way, this session is especially for you. No experience or (perceived) skill is required. Just come and doodle.

All participants will receive their own copy of Zack’s “Not A Colouring Book.”

Format: Online session

Hear about Waterloo staff member Jennifer Murray's individual mental health journey with Depression, what she wished she had known and done differently, and how she manages her mental health now. Though this journey is unique, as are everyone’s mental health needs, it may provide some insights into what to watch for and what might help in your own journey. Also, learn what support is available at the university for those navigating their own mental health from Occupational Health. 

Disclaimer: 

This session discusses sensitive mental health topics, such as suicidal ideations, which may be unsettling. If needed, please seek professional support. 

Support is available to university community members, including the Employee and Family Assistance Program (for employees), Counselling Services (for students) and 211Ontario (for everyone).

Format: Online workshop

Curious about how our values of Think Different, Act with Purpose, and Work Together came to life? Join us for an engaging and interactive virtual round table where you’ll explore each of these values and share your insights with colleagues from across the university.

This isn’t just a workshop—it’s a conversation. After a brief introduction to our newly launched values and a peek into the collaborative process behind them, you’ll dive into lively discussions at virtual tables (MS Teams breakout rooms). You’ll have the chance to reflect, connect, and discover ways these values can shape your work and interactions. Bring your thoughts, your questions, and your creativity as we come together to make these values part of our everyday experience.

Format: Online workshop

Curious about how our values of Think Different, Act with Purpose, and Work Together came to life? Join us for an engaging and interactive virtual round table where you’ll explore each of these values and share your insights with colleagues from across the university.

This isn’t just a workshop—it’s a conversation. After a brief introduction to our newly launched values and a peek into the collaborative process behind them, you’ll dive into lively discussions at virtual tables (MS Teams breakout rooms). You’ll have the chance to reflect, connect, and discover ways these values can shape your work and interactions. Bring your thoughts, your questions, and your creativity as we come together to make these values part of our everyday experience.

Format: In-person workshop

Join us for a unique workshop focused on mindful creativity in the workplace. Join facilitator and artist Zack Sandor-Kerr to explore his reverse colouring book experiences, where you doodle and draw over beautiful blobs of shape and colour. In the workshop, we will learn and develop some tools for mindful creativity, and experience the refreshing and mood-boosting power of a mid-day art break.

If you hear “making art” and typically run the other way, this session is especially for you. No experience or (perceived) skill is required. Just come and doodle.

All participants will receive their own copy of Zack’s “Not A Colouring Book.”

Format: Online session

This session will share, in an accessible, digestible way, the current state of knowledge around airborne illness and how we can protect ourselves against it, both in our workplaces and in our daily lives. Attendees will learn practical strategies for protecting themselves against airborne illness, and will be introduced to a range of community and campus resources they can rely upon to assess the quality of the air and protect themselves against airborne transmission. WIN: One workshop attendee will be randomly selected to win an air purifier for use in their campus space!

Format: Online session

Chefs Donna Shin and Mari-Beth Davis are hosting a fun and interactive virtual cooking class where you’ll learn how to craft your own delicious, fresh poke bowl. Whether you're a seafood lover or prefer plant-based options, you will be guided through the process step by step, helping you create a balanced, vibrant, and healthy dish with your choice of tuna, salmon, shrimp, or tofu as your base. 

Format: In-person workshop

Inspired to grow your own garden but don’t know where to start? This introductory and experiential workshop led by Monica Vesely will show participants how to start growing plants from seed and provide tips on how to do so successfully. Spots are limited! Necessary gardening materials will be provided.

Format: Online workshop

Practicing self-compassion is sometimes viewed as being self-indulgent, self-absorbed or letting ourselves off easy. In fact, self-compassion enables us to evaluate our experiences more rationally and also kicks in to help us develop more effective solutions for making things better. Research shows that practicing self-compassion is a powerful tool for motivation and is strongly related to psychological well-being, including increased life satisfaction and resilience and decreased anxiety and depression. Join this session to learn about how to start implementing self-compassion in your own life.