Community Impact Report 2025-2026
Supporting a vibrant, connected campus community!
The UBC Inspired Annual Community Impact Report celebrates some of the programs, events, placemaking initiatives and community engagement that help make UBC such a special place to live, work, and learn. At the core of our work is an asset-based community development approach that highlights and champions the incredible talents, resources, and commitment of the UBC community, and the ways in which we work with partners to help fulfil UBC priorities and respond to community needs.
It’s been another wonderful year of sparking imagination, activating spaces, and championing a vibrant, connected UBC community in collaboration with partners, faculties, student clubs, and other community members.
We partnered with the UNA to help folks “mend before they spend” at an Earth Day Repair Café in support of the Neighbourhood Climate Action Plan. Shared an epic sing-a-long with the Arts Staff Choir at Harvest Feastival. We were inspired by 44 Inspiring Community Grant projects, and watched 1500 kids (and kids-at-heart) “take over UBC” during Family Day weekend.
Thank you to everyone at UBC who helps nurture a strong and vibrant community here on campus—we look forward to doing it all again with you next year!
From events that connect us…
Harvest Feastival
A sold-out Harvest Feastival kicked off the school year in style, bringing together 750+ community members to share an epic evening of friends, food, and arts and culture. UBC chefs prepared six delicious, seasonally-inspired dishes for guests to enjoy while they mingled with friends old and new. After dinner, the fabulous UBC Thunderbird Marching Band led a musical march into the Arts and Culture District for an evening of special programming, that included tours of Belkin, a celebration of Mehregan at MOA, alumni improv, and more!
Learn More
Kids Take Over UBC!
Kids Take Over UBC continues to entertain and delight hundreds of kids and grown-ups alike (1466 of them to be exact!). A record 38 activities were hosted across campus, courtesy of 20+ fabulous community partners. From a pop-up circus at the Chan Centre, to an outdoor dance party (featuring Thunder!), to Taiko drums at Nitobe Garden and more, there was something for every kid (and kid-at-heart). Thank you to the Arts and Culture District and our incredible partners for making this an annual highlight for families from across the Lower Mainland!
Family-Inspired Fun!
Thrive by the Fire
kicked off Thrive month with a pop-up concert (featuring student artists), a mental health resource fair, and plenty of conversations about mental health literacy.
Kids Take Over UBC was one of the most fun days we’ve had together as a family, especially because we now have a 5-month old son. It was cool to make a memory together. Our kids just loved everything, wanted to do more than we had time for, which is a great feeling!Kids Take Over UBC guest
400+
Kids and grown-ups joined UBC Inspired and Active Kids (School of Kinesiology) for an afternoon of circus-inspired fun!
35+
community partners, faculties, and students organizations collaborated with UBC Inspired to bring programs, events and other initiatives to life.
and celebrate community,
Blooming into Spring: A Student Placemaking Event
With a little bit of funding, and a lot of creativity, UBC Inspired student staff transform outdoor spaces on campus into places for connection and celebration—designed by students, for students. At “Blooming into Spring,” students celebrated their achievements by “giving their flowers”—both metaphorically and literally— for a job well done during the school year! Students enjoyed live music, lemonade, and a free flower market, where they created small bouquets of fresh florals to give to a friend, or keep as a sweet-smelling way to congratulate themselves!
Inspired by Summer
What better way to celebrate summer, than with sunshine, music, a good book, and a cold drink? The UBC Inspired team transformed Fairview Commons into a pop-up lounge, with a swing, giant beach ball, and a cozy book nook for community members to connect, relax and reflect on what inspires them
Learn Moreto community programs that educate,
Reuse Cafe
In support of the Neighbourhood Climate Action Plan (NCAP), UBC Inspired and the UNA partnered on a Reuse Cafe that urged residents to breathe new life into old items. The event included a range of activities to celebrate circular economy, including A darning circle where UBC librarians taught guests to “mend before you spend,” bike tune-ups, upcycled art, and an herb-planting station.
Reuse CafeCulture Club
Culture Club is a monthly drop-in family program, offered in collaboration with the Museum of Anthropology, offering young visitors artful learning opportunities and allowing families to get creative and connect with MOA’s diverse collections and exhibitions. This year’s stellar line up of activities included spring ceramics, wool weaving with Sḵwx̱wú7mesh wool weaver and knowledge keeper Spelex̱ílh–Anjeanette Dawson and MOA Cultural Interpreters and creating imprints for Truth and Reconciliation to name a few!
Check out Culture Club
Yoga on the Mall
brought community members out of their offices, labs, and classrooms to share some savasana in the sun all summer!
“Thank you for the kid’s series [Inspired at the Chan] It’s been so lovely bringing my little one to experience live performances at a reasonable price.”– Inspired at the Chan guest
5700+
guests, young and old were “Inspired at the Chan” during this season’s six spectacular shows.
$18,000
in grant funding was awarded to 44 amazing community-led projects through the Inspiring Community Grant program!
inspire,
Inspired at the Chan
Inspired at the Chan continues to delight families with innovative, original shows that combine different genres and mediums to create an exceptional experience for the whole family. From the always-popular Disney sing-a-long, to bringing beatboxing, breakdancing and a string quartet together, to reimagining classic children’s storybooks as performance art, Inspired at the Chan welcomes kids and their grownups into arts and culture spaces.
Inspiring Community Grants
Our partnership with the Vancouver Foundation Neighbourhood Small Grant program continues to bring innovative and exciting programs to UBC—developed by community members, for community members. With a little bit of funding ($500 or less), and a lot of commitment, grant recipient have inspired us with their creativity—from Dancing with the UBC Stars to a Valentine’s Date with Bunnies and more!
2025-2026 Projects
75%
of Inspiring Community Grant projects were led by a first-time project leader—building community capacity and leadership skills in recipients of all ages.
“I have made my very best friends through this program [Peer Health Educators]. I feel like I have a home on campus, and I have mentors I look up to and who support me in my education, career, and personal well-being. I am so grateful for this program, and I would not be who I am without it. It has completely transformed my university experience and opened many doors.”– Peer Health Educator
14
low-barrier community programs in the UNA are supported through the Connected Community Coordinator, a jointly-funded position between UBC Inspired and the UNA.
3500+
volunteer hours contributed by students through the Peer Health Educator Program, funded by UBC Inspired and delivered through the Student Health Equity and Promotion Unit.
and entertain
Acadia Park Pop-Up Programs
Following a successful pilot, our Acadia Park pop-up programs continue to allow UBC students take what they learn out of the classroom and into the community! Weekly pop-ups included a physical literacy program developed by UBC Kinesiology students, an arts-education program for kids (complete with an end-of-session art exhibit) and clay workshops for residents to flex their creative muscles!
Beaty Nature Club
This long-running program, a collaboration between UBC Inspired and Beaty Biodiversity Museum provides hands-on opportunities for kids to engage with real scientists and learn all about Beaty’s specimen collections! Beaty has noted that kids who were once participants in the program when they were younger, now volunteer with it, creating a real full-circle moment!
we shared another amazing year!
UNA x UBC Inspired Programs
Through a joint partnership with the UNA, UBC Inspired supports a range of low barrier programming in the neighbourhoods, designed to bring community members from all across campus together. Delivered through the Connected Community Coordinator, and the Youth Leadership Coordinator, these programs and events range from monthly movie nights, to beloved annual events (like Music in the Park), to programming that engaged UNA and Acadia Park youth in developing skills as community leaders.
Food Literacy Programs
With some funding support from UBC Inspired, the volunteer-led Food Hub significantly expanded capacity to support student wellbeing, by delivering impactful food security and food literacy initiatives on campus. Through hands-on food and nutrition literacy cooking workshops, community meal experiences, and sharing food security resources and information, 48 dedicated volunteers contributed approximately 1800 hours towards supporting fellow students.
599
Community Services Cards issued, providing Acadia Park families with access to UBC’s world-class cultural and recreational amenities.
“This was my first volunteering position at UBC. I have been wanting to get more involved in the community here, and the FHM has made me feel like I have achieved that. It has been nice to have been able to contribute in a positive way towards decreasing food insecurity on campus.”Food Hub Market Volunteer
180
bikes tuned up at community bike clinics delivered by our partners at the Bike Kitchen!
400+
guests engaged with MOA’s diverse collections at 8 monthly Culture Club sessions