Last meeting for 2018

​Date 28/11/2018
 
Recent Activity
Team met today to discuss further steps of the project development. It seems that there are two streams going at the same time:

1. Space with more "loungy" feel, Jacob will work on updating the Lounge with plants , games, photos or pictures on the wall
2. Contemplation space with more spiritual aspect

 
Pillow fort can be a movable space and it is relatively easy to recreate it in different spaces at university. Contemplation space  is more difficult to move and create a simplistic space. Victoria University got gifted an old ambulance that they use as a prayer spaces. There's been some controversy over this space.
 
Action points from the meeting:

1. Revisiting a space exploration - look into the "high traffic" spaces, e.g. The Library - everyone
2. Speak to Anita Frost re the spaces available -  Mark???
3. Check with Governance Group who would pay for the space - Mags
4. Explore which concept to bring forward and what questions around spirituality to ask students. - Mark
5. Work on a brief of what are the objectives of the project
6. Connect with exec and students about the project - Jacob
7. Trial some of the questions and space idea (Who Box) with students during Student Services Expo. - 2nd week of classes. Liaise with Shannon about it. - Mark????

 
Next meeting: week of the 30th January. 

Blanket Fort Reflection

Over week 12 (hand-in week) the project team set up a trial of a blanket fort at the back of the Campus Co-Lab space.

​They set up a feedback board where students could indicate their mood going in and out of the space. The forts existence was advertised by pillow posters going up in two locations on campus and on Campus Co-Lab's and MAWSA's social media pages. Materials were bought from the secondhand shop including an arm chair, sheets and pillows.  

Each day we changed the dots on the board to see if different day had more engagement 

• Monday = blue 
• Tuesday = read 
• Wednesday = Purple 
• Thursday = orange 
• Friday = yellow 

Some of the project team (Jacob, Mark and Daniel) met with Mags and Marie today to reflect on the blanket fort trial and talk about what to do next. The Blanket Fort was a great first prototype and the whole team felt like it proved you could transform peoples moods with spaces. The team was really happy with the trial, but there were questions bought up if this was doing what the contemplation room original purpose intended to do. To reflect on the Blanket Fort the team completed a SWOT analysis: 
 
Strengths 

• Closed off but still part of the room 
• Location of the fort enable it to stand alone with nobody actively looking after it 
• Engagement with the fort and feedback board was good 
• The fort really tapped into the needs of students during week 12 
• It provided emotional first aid instantly and with no effort needed by the receiver (I.e. they didn't have to read anything) 
• Material used work really well 
• Value outweighed the cost of material 
• Material could be used again 
• The fort is a versatile size which could expand or be smaller 
• Chaplaincy is happy with the outcomes 
• Feedback system worked 
• The space is multipurpose for both groups and individuals 
• Pocket (the cat) loved it, bringing more people in 
• New people were bought into the space 
• Not corporate vibe 
• Comfortable 
• Set up was easy and didn't take too long 
• Blanket fort is universal = childhood, fun, safe 
• It was safe 
• People stayed in it for long periods of time 
• Transformative 

 
Weaknesses 

• Only temporary 
• Block light out from the Campus Co-Lab space / takes away from the space 
• Not everyone who used it feedback 
• Don't know which type of students used it 
• Not really a contemplating space 
• Not an active space 
• Not 100% central location 
• Didn't reach everyone 
• It wasn't an unplug space 
• Territory 
• Did people come for pocket or the blanket fort? 

 
Opportunities 

• Communication of the kaupapa / use of space 
• Come up with what the contemplations room's ultimate purpose is / guidelines 
• Bring contemplation room thinking to the lounge 
• Make sure the space is in a place that isn't college specific 
• Start at the start of the year so you have buy-in from first years. Set the tone from the beginning 
• Be less corporate, be something else, be an escape 
• Have multiple spaces 

 
Threats 

• No Funding 
• No new people using it 
• Not having a permeant space  
• Multiple agenda's not working together 
• One space can't do everything ​