Community Animation: Enabling and Facilitating Community Building on Campus Jolanta Lekich, Program Director, Global Campus Initiatives UBC Gloria Eid, Program Lead, Jump Start Eve 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 Learning Communities Community Animators Feedback mechanism Community Building Initiatives Programming 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

BENEFITS of 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 Share obstacles to community building Discuss how the Community Animation model can be applied to these obstacles Discuss how the Community Animation model can be applied to these obstacles Choose one example to share with the larger group 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 – Gloria Eid – Jola Lekich –