July 17: When the World Feels Too Heavy
how society shapes the way children and young people see themselves, each other and the world they live in
Our children are growing up in a world where the news never really stops. Within minutes of opening their phones, they can be exposed to stories of conflict, natural disasters, violence, climate change and uncertainty from every corner of the globe. While previous generations might have caught up with the day's headlines once or twice, today's young people carry the world's news in their pockets, with updates arriving around the clock.
Being informed is undoubtedly valuable, and many teenagers care deeply about the issues affecting their communities and the wider world. But there is a difference between staying informed and feeling overwhelmed.
Today we look at the growing phenomenon of doomscrolling, why a constant stream of negative news can take a toll on young people's mental health, and how parents can help their children engage with the world in a way that encourages compassion without sacrificing their own wellbeing.
Because caring about the world shouldn't mean carrying the weight of it alone.
Read more on Cultural Calendar Club…
🔔 coming up on The Work Edit:
Rats, carrots and sport!
coming up on Cultural Calendar Club
12 Months of live, inspiring, entertaining talks events, made financially accessible for all organisations
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International Self Care Day: Self‑Care is not negotiable.
Friday 24 July 2026
12:00 13:00
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In this 60‑minute webinar, we’ll dismantle the myth that self‑care is a luxury or an indulgence. Once again, we’ve been sold short-term, capitalist quick fixes—like scented candles and bubble baths—as if they could patch over much deeper, systemic problems.
Real self‑care is far less glamorous and far more powerful. It’s about boundaries. About rest. About tuning into our natural rhythms and creating the space to truly know ourselves.
We often frame self‑care as something we do for others—role‑modelling healthier behaviours, being better colleagues, parents, partners. And yes, that matters. But the deeper truth is this: we don’t need to earn rest or justify our wellbeing. We need to normalise self-love without attaching it to usefulness.
Self‑care is a political act. It's about reclaiming what we all deserve—without guilt—and refusing to burn out while trying to fix the very systems that make it so hard to care for ourselves in the first place. Because access to self-care isn’t equal, and recognising that is part of the work.