Join a panel of alumni as they share their personal and professional experiences of coping during times of loneliness and discuss practical tips and advice on how to manage and overcome loneliness. The speakers will also cover topics such as:
- How to identify and understand the feeling of loneliness
- How life transitions can lead to people feeling lonely and what we can do as individuals and communities to support
- Key advice and takeaways
There will be time to ask the panel questions both during the Q&A and informally after the event with refreshments and networking.
This event is free to attend, but you must register your place in advance.
About the speakers
Panel Chair: Kate Shurety
Kate has 20 years’ experience as a senior leader in the public and charity sectors delivering awareness raising and behaviour change campaigns, policy and systemic development through partnership working. She has worked in Local government, NHS, Universities (Including University of Westminster) and led the Campaign to End Loneliness through the pandemic.
She is passionate about supporting social change and have a deep conviction, borne of experience, that communities are the best place to do this.
She is also a qualified coach and has delivered coaching and mentoring with Year Here, ACEVO and the Kings Fund Cascading Leadership Programme.
Hannah Araniello - Assistant Psychologist NHS, Psychology BSc, 2020
During her time at university, Hannah worked part-time with an agency as a support worker for children with disabilities in schools. The experience of supporting children with disabilities, such as neurodevelopmental conditions like autism spectrum conditions, global developmental delay and Down's syndrome, gave her insight into the child social care and education sector.
Following university, she started full-time work at Linden Lodge School, a school that specializes in visual impairment. I worked as a childcare worker within the residential school site helping students with their waking day and after school routines. This work was highly rewarding, where I learnt so much about the students as individuals, what their special interests are, likes and dislikes, strengths, and difficulties. This job granted me the experience to develop my social communication skills and discover my own passion of supporting young people.
Since October 2021, Hannah started working full-time as an assistant psychologist in NHS Brighton and West Sussex CAMHS. She works as part of the neurodevelopmental team in helping young people to be assessed and supported for ADHD and autism spectrum condition diagnosis.
Jessica Agudelo - Founder of The Power of Us/Mental Health Trainer and Consultant, Health Psychology MSc, 2005
Jessica is a trainer, coach and consultant working with individuals, workplaces and communities to create a shift towards positive diversity, inclusion and mental health.
Jessica works internationally as a wellbeing consultant and delivers mental health training in English and Spanish.
With an MSc in Health Psychology, Jessica is a follower of systemic constellation work and is currently training to become a facilitator in family and organisational work. She is a member of the National Training Team at Mental Health First Aid England and Associate Trainer for the City Mental Health Alliance.
With 20 years of experience in the mental health sector, Jessica has designed and developed programmes for young people and adults. Programmes include the first Community Development Project in the Criminal Justice System under the auspices of Delivering Race Equality in Mental Health, a peer led crisis helpline Solidarity in a Crisis and the national roll out of Youth Mental Health First Aid across all state secondary schools in England.
During the pandemic, Jessica developed ‘The Power of Us’, an international programme empowering women to share their stories and create connections to address loneliness and the emotional support required during transition and change. More recently, and in collaboration with Re=Balance, the programme was offered to the South Asia Gallery Collective at the Manchester Museum and employees at Nesta.
