New to UBC Vancouver Connections Program

six people sitting outdoors smiling at each other.

The New to UBC Vancouver Connections Program is designed to support new faculty and staff with building new connections within the UBC community and creating shared experiences as they navigate their onboarding journey.  

About the program 

Every year, hundreds of new staff and faculty join UBC, a workplace of over 18,000 people. While each person's onboarding experience is unique, there has always been a shared interest for opportunities to connect with others in the UBC community.  

That’s where the New to UBC Vancouver Connections Program comes in – this self-directed, cohort-based program was developed especially for new faculty and staff who are in their first year of employment at UBC Vancouver. This program is a great way for you to connect with people outside of your team or department who may be in a similar role as you or share similar professional interests. 

How it works 

  1. Respond to an intake survey and share some general information about your role, interests, availability, and goals. 
  2. Get matched into groups of 4-5 people based on those survey responses. 
  3. Get access to the Connections Program Canvas course, which provides suggestions for activities and events to participate in as a group based on your shared areas of interest, such as arts and culture, nature and wellbeing, recreation, and more. 

Throughout the six-month program, you and your group members will be able to direct your own experience. You will have the flexibility to decide how often to meet and the type of activities you engage in.  

At the beginning and end of the program, you will be invited to attend a community event with other participants from your cohort. This will provide a great chance to meet other new faculty and staff from outside your group. 

Eligibility 

Only current UBC Vancouver faculty and staff who meet the program requirements will be considered.  

You are encouraged to register for this program if: 

  • you are within your first year of employment at UBC (at the time you register for the program or waitlist)
  • your role has a term length of at least nine months, and you are able to participate in the full duration of the program (see dates below) 
  • you work at least 17.5 hours per week in your role 
  • your primary work location is on the Vancouver campus or at an off-site location near the Vancouver campus; cohorts will be matched based on location, where possible. 

Spaces are limited but we are working on expanding our capacity to support the wider UBC community in the future. 

Time commitment and expectations 

Each cohort will run for 6 months either in the winter or summer.  

The program is self-directed, but you are expected to engage meaningfully with your group throughout the cohort by attending the community events at the beginning and end of the program and setting aside approximately 2 hours per month to connect with your group. 

Program objectives 

After engaging with the program, you will:   

  • Build connections and community with new faculty and staff across campus  
  • Expand your network at UBC to foster potential collaborations at work  
  • Experience UBC's culture, events, activities and places of interest  
  • Recognize the value of the diverse skills, experiences and perspectives of UBC’s community   

Key program dates  

Dates vary for each Summer and Winter cohort, but generally follow this schedule: 

Summer CohortWinter CohortDetails
AprilOctoberProgram intake form opens. Spaces are limited and enrollment may close earlier if capacity is reached.
MayNovemberCohort groups announced via email. 
JuneDecemberCohort launch and closing events are held. 
June NovemberDecember MayGroups are expected to meet at least three times during the program; groups have flexibility in when, where, and how often to meet.  

Registration  

Complete the intake survey linked below to register for the 2024 Winter cohort. Space is limited and will be first come, first served. We encourage faculty and staff to register early, as the intake may close early if program capacity is filled.   

Register now


Questions? 

If you have any questions, please reach out to workplace.orientations@ubc.ca 

UBC Crest The official logo of the University of British Columbia. Urgent Message An exclamation mark in a speech bubble. Caret An arrowhead indicating direction. Arrow An arrow indicating direction. Arrow in Circle An arrow indicating direction. Arrow in Circle An arrow indicating direction. Time A clock. Chats Two speech clouds. E-commerce Cart A shopping cart. Facebook The logo for the Facebook social media service. Home A house in silhouette. Information The letter 'i' in a circle. Instagram The logo for the Instagram social media service. Linkedin The logo for the LinkedIn social media service. Location Pin A map location pin. Locked A locked padlock. Mail An envelope. Menu Three horizontal lines indicating a menu. Minus A minus sign. Pencil A pencil indicating that this is editable. Telephone An antique telephone. Play A media play button. Plus A plus symbol indicating more or the ability to add. Search A magnifying glass. Settings A single gear. Speech Bubble A speech bubble. Star An outline of a star. Twitter The logo for the Twitter social media service. Unlocked An unlocked padlock. User A silhouette of a person. Vimeo The logo for the Vimeo video sharing service. Youtube The logo for the YouTube video sharing service.