By Abby Schuck
It’s 7:30pm on Tuesday night (the time your Cocoa and Coloring program is set to start) but only you and a couple other RAs are there. You decide to give it a little more time. but now it’s 20 minutes later and still…nothing. You can’t figure out what happened. You were intentional about selecting a program that could appeal to everyone. You advertised well and talked to your residents about it, and they seemed interested. You even sprang for extra toppings and mix-ins for the cocoa! So, what happened?
RAs are often encouraged to create inclusive programs and even receive training on how to foster inclusive communities, but what that actually looks like in practice is often misleading. RAs feel pressure to create engagement opportunities that are for everyone and many even develop a sense of fear about excluding someone. That pressure may then compound into programs that are overly generic and bland, despite genuine efforts to be inclusive and creative.
What if I told you that inclusive programming doesn’t always mean creating an event for everyone, but rather creating opportunities for everyone? Inclusion doesn’t equal universal appeal. Inclusion means being intentional about the needs, wants, and interests of your specific residents and providing opportunities that are representative of the individuals on your floor. Trying to design a single program that suits the interests or needs of every resident can create an incredibly stressful and unrealistic expectation. Building inclusive programming doesn’t mean every event has to speak to every resident – it means making sure that every resident is spoken to at some point.
Let’s brainstorm what this might look like in practice.
Example 1: Many programs seek to bring together as many residents as possible…and that absolutely has its place. But who might that unintentionally exclude? Perhaps some of your residents struggle with social anxiety and get easily overwhelmed in big crowds. Or maybe you have an introverted resident who struggles in large groups but would love opportunities to connect in a small group setting. Either way, the default programming format that favors high attendance and high energy doesn’t always create an environment for everyone.
Example 2: There are just some programs that always land well with the residents and are hosted year after year. On my campus, any program offering an opportunity to get crafty is going to be well-received…and well-attended. If an RA finds they are able to do something crafty month after month with overwhelming success, it’s likely they will continue to offer these types of programs. But what about the couple of residents who aren’t drawn to crafty things? If a majority of the residents on a floor are attending every program, but it’s always the same residents in that majority, what is the RA’s obligation to the small group of students who never attend? Consistently high attendance also doesn’t equate to inclusive programming if it means there’s still a small number of students who aren’t able to participate or connect with the activities being provided.
So how do you take the information from these examples, or whatever challenge you’re observing with your residents, and produce a semester full of genuinely inclusive programs?
1. Get to Know Your Residents. I know, I know. You’ve already been told that by your supervisors many times. But dig deeper. What are their interests? What do they want to learn more about? And you don’t have to figure this all out on your own. Ask them! Create a little survey with specific questions you want to know that will help inform your community building and programming efforts.
2. Shift Your Focus. Don’t get stuck doing the same types of programs repeatedly, even if attendance is good. Be intentional about changing things up so every resident is able to connect with an opportunity that fits their interests. This might look like a programming profile that includes a calm craft night, a basic life skills workshop, a watch party for a big sporting event, and an educational opportunity that supports underrepresented students on your campus. As long as you take a little time to truly put something together based on the interests of your residents, you will find success.
3. Be Authentically You. Maybe this one isn’t directly tied to the point I’m making about inclusive programming, but it’s important nonetheless. If you show your residents your authentic self by engaging in conversations that allow them to get to know you as much as you want to get to know them, they will come to programs because they want to support you. The time you dedicate, energy you give, and passion you show in creating a space for each resident will be recognized and valued.
Remember, inclusive programming doesn’t always mean creating an event for everyone – it means creating opportunities for everyone. It’s okay if residents pick and choose which programs they are most interested in attending, and it’s okay if they don’t want to attend them all. What matters more is that, over time, each resident can identify a moment when they felt valued and supported within the community you’ve created. When success is measured less by attendance and more by intentional connection and opportunities, residents (and RAs) often experience a stronger sense of belonging in their community – even if they don’t love cocoa and coloring.
