As an organisation that is built on empathy, compassion, and benevolence, we at Invisible Cities recognise the importance of taking a well-deserved break. That’s why we’re taking a week to reflect, refresh and revive after an active September.
Invisible Cities CEO Zakia Moulaoui Guery says:
“Everyone is so committed to the mission and work of Invisible Cities that we sometimes forget to look after ourselves, that includes myself, our fantastic team and guides, volunteers etc. So creating the space to be able to rest and recharge is extremely important and something I am so glad we are able to do.”
September was a month full of diligence and innovation at Invisible Cities; we established a Virtual 360 Tour in Edinburgh, and launched Ste’s tour in Manchester amongst so many other things across our cities.
So why the need for a week break?
The past 2 years have put a profound strain on the economy and many businesses. This, coupled with the lack of access to resources, has had devastating effects on social issues like homelessness. With the number of lockdowns, tiered systems, and restrictions, many people experienced loneliness as it was easy to feel disconnected from the rest of the world. To tackle this issue, we at Invisible Cities adapted to the crisis by moving our support online and continuing to stay connected with our guides who have all experienced homelessness.
The pandemic also highlighted the importance of mental wellbeing. As a society we’ve learned the value of taking time for ourselves and, as an organisation, we take pride in putting wellbeing at the forefront of everything we do. Therefore, we feel it is necessary to give both staff and our guides a week’s break as a thank you for the hard work they have put in throughout the past two years of uncertainty. Now that everyday life is slowly embracing some form of normality, we feel it is a good opportunity and convenient time to recharge and process.
As an organisation, we will take this time to pause, reflect and prepare for Christmas. There will be no tours or training sessions from the 8th of November to the 14th. But then we’ll be back in time for Christmas – so we’ll see you soon!
