#LockdownLearning launched to support community health and wellbeing
University College Isle of Man (UCM) have introduced free live sessions through video communication platform, Zoom, in an effort to support the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
These #UCMLockdownLearning sessions currently include yoga, qigong, mindfulness and cookery classes, and are delivered by UCM’s Leisure tutors who are experienced professionals in their relevant fields.
Cathy Lord, Adult Continuing Education Manager, believes the live health and wellbeing sessions are a great way to connect during social distancing, “It is important to take some time during the day to focus on yourself and re-energise. For those who live by themselves, this time can be very lonely, however, through these classes, we hope to connect people with the rest of the community albeit for only 30 minutes a day.”
The live yoga sessions are delivered by Annie Andersen, an experienced yoga instructor and Treasurer of the Isle of Man Yoga Network. Through Annie’s sessions, participants can combine breathing techniques with challenging poses which engage the full body, to improve flexibility and strength, helping participants to feel healthier and more energetic.
The live qigong sessions are delivered by Yuliya Sasina-Yates, who is an experienced qigong instructor and a passionate advocate for health and wellbeing on the Island. Within her sessions, participants are led through ancient Chinese methods of qigong that focusses on meditation, gentle movement exercises and controlled breathing, to induce a relaxed atmosphere.
Yuliya feels that it is important for everyone to focus on staying healthy during these challenging times, “#UCMLockdownLearning is a brilliant social initiative and an unprecedented opportunity to share the natural, accessible and effective techniques to stay healthy and well.”
Yuliya added, “Regular and consistent practice under qualified supervision are the key factors to feel the benefits of qigong, and that is exactly where I am able to help. I am very happy working together with UCM to offer these sessions and I want to thank them for bringing this offering to the community during this difficult time.”
Yuliya is also a nutritionist and will be running the creative cookery sessions that focus on preparing simple and healthy dishes with easily attainable ingredients, such as different ways to incorporate oats into multiple meals throughout the day and how to spice up pasta dishes.
Julie Bibby, who regularly teaches mindfulness courses at UCM, runs the live mindfulness session, where she encourages individuals to move their attention away from busy thoughts and worries by relaxing and connecting with inner stillness through the exploration of ‘reboot’ exercises.
“We hope to see more individuals getting involved, caring for their physical and mental health, and connecting with the community through the #UCMLockdownLearning sessions. We hope to continue providing more of these sessions in the future, so please keep an eye on the UCM Facebook page for updates” Cathy added.
UCM will be exploring more options to deliver other on-line courses in a range of subjects, and more information about this will be shared soon.
All #UCMLockdownLearning sessions are open to the public; the following are the scheduled sessions for this month.
|
Day |
Date |
Time |
Session |
Length |
|
Tuesday |
14/04/2020 |
10am |
Qigong |
15min |
|
Wednesday |
15/04/2020 |
10am |
Creative cookery |
60min |
|
Thursday |
16/04/2020 |
2.30pm |
Mindfulness |
30min |
|
Monday |
20/04/2929 |
2.30pm |
Yoga |
30min |
|
Tuesday |
21/04/2020 |
10am |
Qigong |
30min |
|
Wednesday |
22/04/2020 |
10am |
Creative cookery |
60min |
|
Thursday |
23/04/2020 |
2.30pm |
Mindfulness |
30min |
|
Friday |
24/04/2020 |
10am |
Qigong |
30min |
|
Monday |
27/04/2020 |
2.30pm |
Yoga |
30min |
|
Tuesday |
28/04/2020 |
10am |
Qigong |
30min |
|
Thursday |
30/04/2020 |
2.30pm |
Mindfulness |
30min |
|
Friday |
01/05/2020 |
10am |
Qigong |
30min |
All sessions will be conducted through video communication platform, Zoom, which can be accessed on a computer, ipad or mobile device. Zoom is a free platform that does not require a download to use however, if participants wish to download Zoom onto their computer or mobile device for faster access, there is an application available. An email will be sent to each participant upon registration, containing a session invitation link and a unique 9, 10 or 11- digit number called a meeting ID, that will be required to join a Zoom meeting.
For further details and support on how to access Zoom sessions, please see here the Zoom website article here: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362193?fbclid=IwAR20EkpTsi7DzQIIex-PwkpHeT4dpiG2eT42g_psFvLAuZYPHj6idQjxORc