Four of us met up today for a breakfast gathering at Toa Payoh Macdonald at 9.30am.
We chatted for almost 3 hours and in between another member came to join us as he worked nearby.
It was a good time of sharing and supporting oen another. We also learned from each other how to cope during this downturn.
As all of us were guys we found that the sharing was authentic and genuine.
One of the members also found work and will start on May 11. We are happy for him as he was jobless for about 6 months. His wife is also jobless. They have a young daughter.
I intend to have such informal sessions more regularly as I realised that men prefer to come out and chat without any prepared agenda. Some are also shy to go for support group or counselling session.
Of course, some men would prefer to attend support group or networking activitites whereby there is an planned outcome of such structured sessions.
Informal gatherings allow people to meet without having to put up a front especially in a group setting. They are also more relaxed and do not put up a facade. Nevertheless, such sessions must not be held too close to one another as the novelty will soon wear off. We must also continue to attract more people to join in such session so that we will keep the session fresh instead of confining to a few individuals.
As our unemployment figures climb, Transitioning will think of all ways to engage the unemployed. We will try to lure those who are staying at home out of their comfort zone. It is never good to be at home alone by yourself during this dark period. We need one another to ensure that we will survive this crisis together.
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