Think Ahead
On the 7th March 2025, we hosted a Funshop for Think Ahead; an organisation which trains individuals working in the UK mental health industry. It was a thought-provoking afternoon, leaving us feeling inspired and connected.
Snapshot…
Our Approach…
For our Funshop with Think Ahead, an organisation which recruits, trains, and promotes the mental health workforce, we headed back to RSA House. The beautiful venue inspired creativity and openness. The Funshop was a private event for the hardworking Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team at Think Ahead. The participants’ involvement with the DEI group is voluntary; they undertake this work alongside their formal roles within the organisation.
The Funshop was a way for Think Ahead to acknowledge and thank the DEI team for their work; giving them a space and opportunity to connect and have fun. The event was also attended by Philippa Mariani, the CEO of Think Ahead. Her presence strengthened wider team building and fostered connections between the DEI team and senior leadership at Think Ahead.
We started the Funshop by thinking about the intentions for the session and how we wanted to feel by the end. People shared that they wanted to connect with one another, but also, reconnect with their own mind and body. We talked about how we express ourselves, thinking about clothes as a powerful means of self-expression.
As Poppy, the instructor, demonstrated how to drape the saree in the nivi style to the group, she asked everyone to think about the feeling that arises from being held in a saree. One person shared that wearing a saree was ‘grounding’ and ‘felt like a hug’, while someone else expressed how wearing and draping a saree gave them a sense of sartorial freedom. As there are over 200 different ways to drape a saree, it can truly be tailored to suit every individual preference and need.
Once we were in our sarees, we discussed different forms of connection - how we connect to one another, to ourselves, and where we have come from. We thought about our cultural heritage. Several participants who are of South Asian heritage shared that wearing a saree gave them a sense of belonging, allowing them to engage with a part of their identity that perhaps is not at the forefront of their everyday lives living and working in the UK. They also explained that it was good for them to be able to share parts of their culture with their non- South Asian colleagues as it allowed them to learn more about one another.
Some people shared that they felt like they had ‘missed out’ on a key aspect of their culture by knowing very little about the saree. One participant confided that she felt ‘ashamed’ because she did not know how to drape a saree, despite being South Asian. It was evident that the experience of wearing a saree had created nuanced feelings relating to identity for some participants. As a group, we discussed how we can sit with these kinds of uncomfortable and often upsetting feelings, using them as motivation to engage with the parts of our identities that we might water down or ignore. We talked about the importance of supporting one another in doing so, creating a meaningful sense of closeness within the group.
The group continued to try on sarees and test out different drapes, including the Kachha/Dhoti drape and the Nadia drape. Everybody took the time to help one another with the different styles. It was great to see everybody find joy in the collective experience of play and creativity. When everyone stepped into their final looks, we did individual reveals in a mirror. It was a special moment, as each participant stepped up to see themselves in a saree for the first time, with the rest of the group on both sides to cheer them on. Participants described feeling ‘proud’, ‘supported’ and ‘beautiful’ at that moment.
It was a pleasure to deliver this Funshop to the team at Think Ahead and offer a unique way to promote team-building.
Quotes
‘The funshop made me feel supported and comfortable, and answered questions I wouldn’t usually think about’
‘It was a wonderful opportunity to rest, learn, laugh, and connect’
I wouldn’t change anything
‘Surprised by how natural it felt to wear the saree, having never worn one before’
‘The funshop made me feel happy and in tune with my culture - so nice to share with others’