Community lunch

[bradreeder]

Problem:

• In the first week of a new cohort there is a need to welcome and integrate new students into the existing community.
• There's a lot of pressure associated with the student's first project presentation - with a rush to the finish and lot of unknown faces watching you present.

Solution:

People actively present in the school, current mentors and students should be invited on the first presentation day of a new cohort to come together for a home-made community lunch prepared by a task-group. The period can last 1 hour and a half, to give a leisurely amount of time to clear up before going into project presentations. This time can be made up for by not inviting in an employer to speak in the first week.

Hypothesis:

• Students get an opportunity to mingle with their mentors and everyone in the immediate community. Most people should be available for lunch-time, with enough notice, where evening or weekend parties will always have a partial attendance.
• More non-students are likely to remain engaged with the afternoon's activities, end of week socials, and the cohort if they're given an opportunity to get to know them. Students are more likely to ask for support from people they know.
• Student's go into their first presentation afternoon with a more relaxed vibe of community.