University of Hertfordshire explores the juggle of modern working life in Welwyn Garden City
A two-day pop-up at The Howard Centre will examine the everyday pressures of balancing work, care and home life.
The University of Hertfordshire is hosting the Juggle Hub on 30–31 October, using circus-themed activities to explore how people manage work, family and health responsibilities. The event is part of the UK-wide ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025.
Professor Rebecca O’Connell, who leads the university’s research on food, families and society, said the event is designed to spark conversations about the challenges of modern life. “We thought it would be really interesting to think about how we juggle all of our working lives with our paid work and our unpaid work, our caring, all the other things that we juggle from day to day,” she said.
The event also addresses inclusion and accessibility. Professor O’Connell highlighted activities on supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities. “We have a stand about how we’ve been working with children with special educational needs and disabilities to really improve school food… children, supported by parents and carers, can really explore fruit and vegetables with absolutely no pressure to try,” she said.
Other activities will explore autistic-friendly workplaces, home working for older adults, and ways to manage wellbeing in an AI-driven work environment. “It’s all about making sure our events, our research, our workplaces, our schools are accessible to everybody,” Professor O’Connell said.
The Juggle Hub runs from 11am to 4pm on both days and is free to attend, providing a chance for families and workers to engage directly with research on everyday challenges and inclusion.