# Tending and Well-Being Unlike conventional researchers, Hitchhiker Fellows are typically chosen for their independence and unconventional life paths. Many are: - **Neuroatypical**. - Have not fitted into traditional academia or employment, due to strong personal vision or transitional phases (career changes, retirement, gap years, etc.). - Are creators, thinkers, travellers, and community-builders. This uniqueness also means an increased **risk of mental health issues, psychological distress, or trauma**. To address this: - The Towel Team designs human-centred, remote-friendly systems for **psychological well-being and social care**. - They provide **mentoring and pastoral support**, recognising especially the risks that come with highly public, online work (e.g., exposure to trolling, flaming, or social media abuse). - Rapid-response systems are in place to intervene if a fellow is struggling, ensuring both the individual's well-being and project continuity.
# The "Vision Fish" Mentor System Each fellow builds a network of personalized mentors, called **Vision Fish**—ranging from academic advisors to emotional and career counsellors. The Towel Team helps establish and sustain these mentor relationships, building both general and individualised support groups for fellows. Mentorship is distributed: some **Vision Fish** mentors serve the whole academy, while others are recruited for individual fellows' particular needs. The Towel Team provides tools, guidance, and digital infrastructure to facilitate these decentralised networks, ensuring privacy, clear boundaries, and mutual benefit.