Themed Living and Learning Communities

A Great Way to Build Connections

Presentation brought to you by Alyssa Moritz,

Resident Assistant, Lister Centre

University of Alberta

Goals and Benefits of Themed Communities

Goals of Themed Communities

To create an environment where like-minded individuals who share a common interest can live togetherTo learn about new and diverse opportunitiesTo develop a strong sense of communityTo promote cohesiveness and friendship

Essential Elements of a Community

Purpose or common interestMotivate others to become involved and increase knowledgeHelps you build a network of contactsPromotes group solidarity

InterconnectednessPromotes involvement within the residence community as well as with the community at largeIncreased sense of responsibility and contribution

Respect for individual differencesPeople have different experiences and backgrounds and themed communities unite people who have a common interest

Essential Elements of a Community

Integrity of the groupPromote a positive image to the post-secondary institution and city/town

Well-being of othersPeople in the community feel included and involved

Increases people’s self-esteem and self-respect

Demonstrates and promotes well-roundedness in non-academic facets

Research and Studies Supporting the Benefits of

Themed Communities

Research to Support Themed Communities

A study by Vincent Tinto:

Increased awareness of individual responsibility to learning and the learning of others

As students learn and engage themselves with others both academically and socially, they experienced higher success rates

Proof that Themed Communities Benefit Students

In a study performed by Lenning and Ebbers (1999), they found that :The benefits to students who participate in learning communities include “higher academic achievement, better retention rates, greater satisfaction with college life, improved quality of thinking and communicating, a better understanding of self and others, and a greater ability to bridge the gap between academic and social worlds”

Examples of Themed Communities

Some examples of Themed Communities

Active Living and Wellness; Bilingual; Volunteer and Community Involvement; Eco-Awareness; Outdoor Adventure; and Service Learning

Steps to Creating a Successful Themed

Community

Create an Idea

Think of an unfilled niche that would benefit your residence

Develop short and long-term goalsShort-term: develop volunteer opportunities

Long-term: Further develop volunteer opportunities into Community Service Learning

Gain support from residents, residence staff, and your supervisors

Advertise your Themed Community

Create bright, attractive, and easy to read posters

Post them in high traffic areas

By doing this as your first step, you enable students already living within the residence to gain an understanding of the new concept

An Example

Advertising Continued

Create a letter to mail to students who have applied to return to residence the following year

Detail the goals and benefits of living on a themed floor

Describe your ambitions and personal goals

Create Confirmation

Actively recruit students through sending out an application formBy asking them to fill out an application form you are gaining commitment from studentsAfter committing to participate in the themed floor, they will gain excitement and anticipation for the year to come

Creating Programs for a Themed Community

5 key areas to focus on when building and creating a themed community:

Diversity

Academics

Citizenship

Community

Wellness

Community: Can include, but is not limited to building a safe and cooperative living-learning environment based on mutual respect, a sense of belonging, and acceptance of all peopleProgramming idea: Encourage residents to become involved on the floor, in residence, on campus, and the larger community through involvement in groups, committees, etc.

Wellness: Helping residents to become more proactive in attending to their own mental, spiritual, physical, emotional, social, intellectual, and environmental health

Programming idea: Invite a guest speaker from a volunteer organization, student group, or another organization pertinent to your theme

Academics: Encouraging and strengthening academic skills and goals. Helping residents build faculty connections and develop living-learning communities.

Programming ideas: Exam/essay writing workshop, invite somebody in to talk about applying to Grad school, organize a library crawl

Citizenship: Helping residents become active and responsible members of their communities by developing a greater global understanding and an awareness of their rights, responsibilities, privileges, and place in the residence, city, nation, and world

Programming idea: create a CSL project

Diversity: Helping residents understand, appreciate, and celebrate one’s self and other’s contributions and unique attributes

Programming idea: have a foreign film night or a diversity circle

Development of a Themed Living and

Learning Community

Step 1: Create interest

Step 2: Gather applications

Step 3: Move-In

Step 4: Create a community

Upon move-in, promote cohesiveness and community bondingEncourage residents to come out to various events in the first couple of weeksGet people involved on the floor with various senior positionsBring in guest speakers and facilitate discussions about the theme

Encourage students to become involved on the campus community

Encourage students to become involved in the residence community

Plan a variety of floor activities from movie nights, dinner outings, or a Pancake breakfast

Benefits in the Community

Students feel a strong sense of belonging

Boost in self esteem

Healthier mind frame

Students are encouraging each other to become involved