community animation: enabling and facilitating community building on campus jolanta lekich, program...
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Community Animation: Enabling and Facilitating Community
Building on Campus
Jolanta Lekich, Program Director, Global Campus Initiatives UBCGloria Eid, Program Lead, Jump StartEve Court, Program Advisor, Global Campus Initiatives
Before we start…
What are your main obstacles to community building?
Animation
as opposed to programming is about enabling community rather
than directly trying to create it.
“to make more lively;move into action
or breathe life into something”
Conventional Model vs. Community Animation
Student Community
Student Leaders
Student Leaders
Learning Communities
Community Animators
Fee
dbac
k m
echa
nism
Community Building Initiatives
Programming
Staff Staff
The Global Lounge
Community Animation Model Applied
Global Lounge Staff
Community Animators (6)
Jump Start
Jump Start Staff
Community Animators (10)
Global Lounge Officers (40)
Global Lounge Network (1000+)
Community Building Initiatives
Orientation Leaders (100)
Learning Communities (1400+)
Community Building Initiatives
BENEFITSof Community Animation
STAFF…
* Get more done with less.* Create authentic, student-generated initiatives.* Use model to diffuse authority and expertise.* Build a trustworthy feedback mechanism.
STUDENTS…
* Develop initiatives instead of supporting a staff program.* Gain more ownership over work and earn accountability.* Develop leadership and managerial skills.* Facilitate meaningful relationships that foster deep intercultural interactions.
Best Practices in Community Animation
1. Take notice.
2. Create connections / third space. (Oldenburg, 1999)
3. Take an inventory of strengths.
4. Don’t keep it a secret!
How can we apply the model?
In small groups • Share obstacles to community building • Discuss how the Community Animation model can be
applied to these obstacles• Choose one example to share with the larger group
• Budget• Hiring Guidelines• Letting Go • Engagement
Limitations and Obstacles
The Community Animator Experience
“The independent work that we do helps us develop skills we would not be able to build otherwise … helps maintain motivation for the job as we get to implement ideas … and enjoy the results. Being given the responsibility of the space and letting us decide how to animate it … gives us the feeling that as students, our opinions matter and voices are heard.” - Narissa D., Global Lounge
The Community Animator Experience
“… the change to community animation over staff programming was an empowering move. As a community animator, it allowed me to define my own goals based on my work with the community rather than just working on a checklist. Communities are dynamic and constantly changing … structure allows a lot of space for flexibility and spontaneity … more cognizant of what is happening around me … cater to what the community actually needs.” - Jeremiah C., Global Lounge
“Create connections. Don’t keep it a secret!”
Eve Court – [email protected]
Gloria Eid – [email protected]
Jola Lekich – [email protected]