For creation of the event: 12 x 2 hour workshops (covering different topics) and 2-hour feedback session (2 for student feedback, 1 for facilitator feedback)
All workshops were delivered in a 2 week window, with feedback workshops following shortly afterwards
For the programme: all Thrive programmes are delivered throughout the autumn and spring terms, with feedback and iteration in between
Why this approach:
Our motivation for the student-informed approach was to really understand what our student community wanted from such a programme, then to develop that, to meet their needs, and build this into our Student Opportunity offer.
14 Staff recruited as facilitators to run 12 pilot sessions:
Training and prep (approx. 2-5 hours depending on experience)
Running sessions: approx. 2 hours
Workshop- 2hr workshop for feedback
1 Programme Lead- 100% of time applied to the project and oversight
1 Administrator- support with the project (approx. 20% of time)
Students:
Students were recruited through advertisement of the workshops, as if they were regular sessions, and then invited to share their input through 2 methods:
Feedback- on specific content via MS forms
Workshop- to share thinking about overall notion of a 'programme' rather than individual topic workshops
How the programme should run
Suggested delivery dates
Format
Booking process etc
Remuneration: Refreshments, workshop content
Support:
Clear guidance to overall aims and objectives
Honest dialogues encouraged through open conversations
Overview
We had an opportunity in Spring 2023 to move from the existing personal development programme, called Sprint, owned by an external company. We looked to create our own Warwick-developed personal development programme, with full ownership to create and deliver as we chose to and to be catered more directly to our students' needs. We ran pilot workshops with students in May 2023, along with student feedback workshops - to discover preferred delivery mode and style, ideal timings for delivery, pace of content etc.
Key Objectives
Creation of a viable personal development programme, Warwick-written
A programme that could be deployed flexibly, moved and adapted to suit team availability
Something that could target both undergraduates and postgraduate needs
Increase in students: confidence, resilience and agency
Content that could be adapted and expanded as needed to meet the needs of current and future cohorts
Year 1 (23/24): a female-only programme with 4 programmes running at 30 places, with an increase in all three of confidence, agency and resilience from participants
Year 2 (24/25): evolution to include mixed admission from both men and women, and content adapted appropriately
Increase of students to 155 participants, with an increase in all three of confidence, agency and resilience from participants
Year 3 (25/26): Increase to 12 programmes
This programme also saw the addition and growth to include:
External speakers
Mentorship
Follow-up feedback and touch points
Unintended benefits:
Increased sense of belonging and community observed through the programme
Additional employer connections through the external speakers
