We want to take a moment to share a story that’s close to our hearts. As part of the Social Club committee, we’ve been doing some thinking. We asked ourselves, “What can we do, something within our power, to make a positive difference in our work environment?” We all know that change is a constant companion in our work lives, and sometimes, it feels like we’re on a never-ending rollercoaster.
In our quest for a spark of inspiration, we returned to the core of our wellbeing strategy: focusing on the positives and making the best of the resources we have. We realized that, compared to others, we’re incredibly lucky to have a lush green campus and a wonderfully diverse and generous staff. That’s when it clicked – why not lean into our community’s strength, our people? And what better way to do that than with Block Parties!
Over five days, we embarked on a journey of traveling block parties, each lasting about 45 minutes. These gatherings were casual; staff could come and go as their schedules permitted. Each day, between four to eight departments joined in, sparking new connections across the board.
Here’s the scoop:
– A total of 188 staff members joined the fun.
– The Social Club welcomed 9 new members, including two senior leaders, which was fantastic!
– The buzz was real: “I met more people this week than I did in the last year of working here!” and “Why don’t we have more meetings outside, under this beautiful tree?”
The highlight? The games, of course! BINGO and SPEEDFRIENDING were the stars of the show.
Upon arrival, everyone got a bingo card filled with prompts like “find someone who wears glasses” or “find someone who has caught a fish this year”. It was a mix of easy spots and conversation starters, encouraging everyone to mingle. It was amazing to see how people either teamed up or got competitive to fill their cards.
With a smaller crowd, we lined up face-to-face and shared answers to fun questions like, “Have you ever met someone famous?” or “What would you do with $1000 right now?” Every three minutes, we’d switch partners. It was a hit, sparking laughter and creating memorable moments.
Our Block Party series was more than just fun; it was a reminder of the incredible community we have right here. It showed us the power of coming together, sharing stories, and making connections. So, here’s to more gatherings under the trees, to more laughter, and to a stronger community at our green campus. Let’s keep this spirit alive!
Thanks to everyone who made this possible. Here’s looking forward to the next one – because, in our book, community is everything!
Did you know that Unitec will be celebrating 10 years of having a social club next year! It started in 2015, as we were embarking on large scale transformation. At our peak we had 90+ members and currently we are 42 and growing. Our fortnightly fee of $5 deduction for your pay hasn’t changed since!
The club is run by staff for staff. Our philosophy is that we all work hard, so why shouldn’t we have the opportunity to go along to a fun and exciting event with our work colleagues. We all deserve to.
Join us for a Movie night onsite in April. To find out more – email unitecsocialclub@unitec.ac.nz
Very very very very very cool words and photos.
These were such a great idea! More of this please 🙂
This was a great initiative and great to meet our neighbours in Mataaho for a korero and kai.