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The HUB Geneva

Help • Understanding • Belonging

Connecting the dots from Geneva to Nyon

Parenting is hard!  Living and raising a family in a country away from home can be a huge additional hurdle.  Add a language barrier and you can quickly feel overwhelmed and isolated.

The HUB Geneva offers families

  1. HUB Highlights – sharing the online resources (in English) we rely on
  2. HUB Events – like HUB “Walk & Talk” a chance to connect in a relaxed way with other parents
  3. HUB Blog – completely honest, funny and reassuring experiences of local life

We are here to make sure you don’t feel alone

mum and baby

“Having my first baby here was super hard….. It wasn’t easy to meet other new mums. My HUB@Home volunteer has been amazing.  I don’t feel so alone anymore.”

“Having my first baby here was super hard….. It wasn’t easy to meet other new mums. My HUB@Home volunteer has been amazing.  I don’t feel so alone anymore.”

“Having my first baby here was super hard….. It wasn’t easy to meet other new mums. Walk & Talk
has been amazing.  I don’t feel so alone anymore.”

hands

“I needed an outlet to talk about what I was finding difficult. Because I was struggling. Not
all the time, but definitely more than anyone thought.”

“I needed an outlet to talk about what I was finding difficult. Because I was struggling. Not
all the time, but definitely more than anyone thought.”

“I needed an outlet to talk about what I was finding difficult. Because I was struggling. Not
all the time, but definitely more than anyone thought.”

people

“The more friends back home were envious of the mountains, the lake, the beautiful summers, etc. the more guilty and ungrateful I felt."

“The more friends back home were envious of the mountains, the lake, the beautiful summers, etc. the more guilty and ungrateful I felt."

“The more friends back home were envious of the mountains, the lake, the beautiful summers, etc. the more guilty and ungrateful I felt."

cup

“The HUB Geneva is here to offer a listening ear and support as needed…. It’s good to have a point of contact where people know what you’re going through.”

“The HUB Geneva is here to offer a listening ear and support as needed…. It’s good to have a point of contact where people know what you’re going through.”

“The HUB Geneva is here to offer a listening ear and support …. It’s good to be able to meet other English-speaking parents.

dad and daughter

“I wasn’t expecting the overwhelming feeling of loneliness. I hadn’t realised how big a change it would be moving to Switzerland. I would have liked The HUB to have been around, when I first came.”

“I wasn’t expecting the overwhelming feeling of loneliness. I hadn’t realised how big a change it would be moving to Switzerland. I would have liked The HUB to have been around, when I first came.”

“I wasn’t expecting the overwhelming feeling of loneliness. I hadn’t realised how big a change it would be moving to Switzerland. I would have liked The HUB to have been around, when I first came.”

children skipping

“I think we all doubt ourselves as new parents. The responsibility is overwhelming at first. You feel so vulnerable sharing these thoughts with relative strangers, but so much stronger when you realise they are normal.”

“I think we all doubt ourselves as new parents. The responsibility is overwhelming at first. You feel so vulnerable sharing these thoughts with relative strangers, but so much stronger when you realise they are normal.”

“I think we all doubt ourselves as new parents. The responsibility is overwhelming at first. You feel so vulnerable sharing these thoughts with relative strangers, but so much stronger when you realise they are normal.”

people

“The more friends back home were envious of the mountains, the lake, the beautiful summers, etc. the more guilty and ungrateful I felt."

“The more friends back home were envious of the mountains, the lake, the beautiful summers, etc. the more guilty and ungrateful I felt."

“The more friends back home were envious of the mountains, the lake, the beautiful summers, etc. the more guilty and ungrateful I felt."

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Together we are stronger and happier.

walkandtalk

HUB Events

We regularly host casual, friendly events to allow local parents to make connections with each other.

HUB Blog

Real stories, from real people with families living in the Geneva area.  

HUB Highlights

Our spotlight on brilliant local websites and resources.  Information and inspiration for families.  

Children do well...
"Parenting may represent an important intervention target for improving mental health outcomes in children exposed to prenatal stress"

Kaminski et al (2013), Legacy for Children™ parenting program, US CDC

Kaminski et al (2013), Legacy for Children™ parenting program, US CDC

Claybourne, Z. M. et al (2021) Psychological Medicine

Half of parents...
"Half of parents struggled to cope with their children’s behaviour during lockdown."

Barnardo’s, August 2020

Barnardo’s, August 2020

Barnardo’s, August 2020

Social support friends...
"Social support from friends moderated the relationship between repetitive negative thinking and postnatal depression and anxiety."

Harrison V et al (2020) Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology

Harrison V et al (2020) Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology

Harrison V et al (2020) Journal of Reproductive and Infant Psychology

New mums...
"1 in 3 parents of premature babies experienced anxiety, depression or PTSD after the birth of their child."

UK Maternity and Mental Health Alliance, March 2021

UK Maternity and Mental Health Alliance, March 2021

Tommy's (2021) as part of UK Maternity and Mental Health Alliance

Levels of stress
"Levels of stress, depression and anxiety among parents and carers have increased with the pressures of the lockdowns."

Cresswell et al (2021) University of Oxford

Cresswell et al (2021) University of Oxford

Cresswell et al (2021) University of Oxford

Families have little awareness..
"Families have little awareness of early help services for those who don’t speak French."

The HUB Geneva (2021) Early Help Needs Assessment

The HUB Geneva (2021) Early Help Needs Assessment

The HUB Geneva (2021) Early Help Needs Assessment

Reach out...
"Reach out and touch someone’s heart by doing a #littlegooddeed. Loneliness amongst parents is rocketing in lockdown."

HomeStart UK (2021)

HomeStart UK (2021)

HomeStart UK (2021)

MumsNet survey...
"A MumsNet survey of 1500 women warns of a looming maternal mental health crisis without more support for mums."

MumsNet UK (2021)

MumsNet UK (2021)

MumsNet UK (2021)

Supporting parental
"Supporting parental mental health is key. Parental resilience is essential for children’s resilience."

UK Mental Health Foundation, 2021

UK Mental Health Foundation, 2021

UK Mental Health Foundation, 2021

perinatal mental...
"Perinatal mental disorders (PMDs) are the most common complication of pregnancy and the first postpartum year: We found that 16.7% of perinatal women per year, every sixth women, used mental-health services in Switzerland."

Swiss Med Wkly. 2017;147

Swiss Med Wkly. 2017;147

Swiss Med Wkly. 2017;147

Parenting support...
"Parenting support for families with pre-school aged children was identified as the biggest area of need in the Geneva area."

The HUB Geneva (2021) Early Help Needs Assessment

The HUB Geneva (2021) Early Help Needs Assessment

The HUB Geneva (2021) Early Help Needs Assessment

In the Geneva area...
"In the Geneva area, the biggest challenges families face include knowing how to access local services; finding english-speaking professionals; and loneliness and isolation."

The HUB Geneva (2021) Early Help Needs Assessment

The HUB Geneva (2021) Early Help Needs Assessment

The HUB Geneva (2021) Early Help Needs Assessment

Over 1 in 10..
"Over 1 in 10 women suffer from mental health issues during pregnancy and in the first year following the birth of a child. You do not have to suffer in silence. #maternalMHmatters (2021)"

Home-Start 2021

Home-Start 2021

Home-Start 2021

MumsNet survey...
"It is estimated that 8 -10% of new dads experience paternal post-natal depression – with little support available from health professionals."

Ramluggun et al, 2020

Ramluggun et al, 2020

Ramluggun et al, 2020

The HUB Geneva - Annual Surveys

We survey local parents every year to see how families are feeling.  Our surveys help us to understand the current challenges parents are facing as well as track how things are changing year to year.

This information helps us to focus our efforts towards what you need, as well as have better conversations with our local partners.

2022 Survey
2021 Survey