Groundwork Newsletter

Lunch + Pumpkins = Belonging

Truly the theme here at UCFV's Hope Centre is belonging.

Until a student has a firm sense of membership, I believe that his or her relationship with us will be at risk. Some of our students will automatically have a sense of belonging because of their ability with the subject matter. Some have been coming to the centre long enough to know where we keep the mugs and coffee and how to jiggle the handle on the toilet in the handicapped washroom – this also tells them they belong. For others the slot into which they fit is more elusive, and by offering a variety of experiences, we increase the opportunity to connect… hence the Tuesday Lunch Group.

Each Tuesday our students enjoy lunch, compliments of Hope's Champion of Literacy. Our benefactor (who prefers anonymity) is an avid supporter of countless literacy initiatives in Hope and as such, has arranged to have lunch delivered, once a week, to the students in our fundamental level math and English classes. Spending this hour together allows us a chance to get to know each other in a way that differs from class time. It's not all about the eating; it's about playing together, peeking at what's going on in the world around us and inviting our students to become part of UCFV.

Each semester I look for a focus for the bulletin boards and activities I plan for our campus in Hope. When students take the plunge into upgrading their education, they often feel like a fish out of water. I want our centre to be a place where students are comfortable and feel welcome.

In September, one of our English instructors, Susan DeLong, chose ‘play' as the theme for her classes. Her goal was to inspire writing assignments by having the students think about the relationship between work and play. She inspired me to carry this theme throughout UCFV's Hope Centre.

One of the places where play has shown up is at our regular Tuesday Lunch Group. After watching the movie Born Into Brothels, we talked about the producer's motivation relative to the children involved. On other Tuesdays, we've pondered such matters as “what one question would you ask a psychic about the future?” and “would you stop eating junk food in order to live 5 years longer?” We've cracked out the games and had a Pictionary challenge.

We've fired up the drill to create some of the very impressive jack-o-lanterns you see pictured here.

Continued...

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