Spaces to care and places to share

In this chapter, the authors use the sensitivities and awareness encouraged by visual ethnographers to provide snapshots of various moments in time experienced by the people in our work community during the pandemic. They present still life images offering proof that there was, indeed, still life in our community, despite our circumstances. Collecting visual artefacts as part of a research project is a well-established practice. Researchers conducting ethnography or case studies, for example, have long embraced visual texts for their capacity to enhance “the richness” of other forms of qualitative or quantitative data, allowing researchers to exceed the boundaries of the written word when attempting to capture and communicate insights in different, and often challenging ways. Self-care refers to intentional actions that foster protective factors for both individual and collective wellbeing. Self-care can change the behaviour and frames of mind that are actioned with the conscious intention to build resilience, confidence, self-reliance and a sense of wellbeing.