Learn more about circles, how they work, and how to participate in one.
Introduction
Circles are a key component of the ToU experience. Circles are high trust peer support groups that bring together learners with a shared identity for mutual support, learning and deep connection, supporting each other in growing and overcoming challenges together. They are designed to create deep connection and a support network for participants.
Circles typically come together once or twice per month, to deep dive into topics that matter to you. If you can’t commit, don’t sign up, as the power of the Circle is everyone investing time in support of each other succeeding together.
When do we recommend you join?
- You face a personal or professional challenge and would love to get other people’s opinions in a psychologically safe space
- You are looking to connect with learners with a similar shared identity to you, to share your experiences and learn from theirs
- You may struggle to hold yourself to account for taking action, and would love to have people holding you accountable to your goals
- You can commit to investing the time required
- You wish to become a Circle Leader
Please note, Circles are only available to learners studying full degree programs
How often do Circles run?
How often Circles are established depends on you, the ToU Community! Circles are led by learners, for learners.
How to apply
Once you've chosen the Circle you would like to participate in, you will need to apply through contacting the Circle Lead with a brief paragraph on your motivations for applying and what you would like to gain from participating.
If you are accepted, you will also need to agree to the Circle constitution ahead of your first session. This outlines the rules and guidelines all Circle participants will follow.
Current Circles
- Founders' Circle - join the channel to connect and get the latest on the events!
- Next Chapter Collective - join the events
- Circularity Hub - join the channel to connect and get the latest on the events!
- Cleantech Insights - join the channel, sessions take place every Monday 7pm CET in Cosmos Room Creative Intelligence
Circles in development
Here's a sneak peek at the current topics in development. Check out the channels to find likeminded people;
- Parents' Circle - join the channel
- Neurodiversity Circle - join the channel
As Circles are launched, we will provide the names of the Circle Leads and further details here. If there isn't a Circle here that speaks to you and your needs, please check back soon, or consider hosting your own Circle! You can also check out our DEI channel
How to become a Circle Lead
Interested in leading or co-leading your own Circle? Circles provide a dynamic, safe and engaging forum for learners to:
- connect meaningfully with other learners who may face the same challenges or barriers to achieving their mission
- learn from and support others who share the same identity as them
- learn from inspiring external Circle Ambassadors
- empower career advancement and opportunities
What will I be doing?
You will be responsible for;
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- Developing the Circle purpose, structure and constitution. The focus of your Circle can be open, but should be based around an identity or characteristic
- Working with the Community Team to promote and launch the Circle
- Coordinating and facilitating the Circle activity plan (at least one monthly virtual discussion Circle session and at least one event per quarter)
- Gathering feedback from your Circle members and maintaining engagement in the Slack space by regular posting and commenting
- Feeding learnings or reflection to the wider ToU Community
Who is this most suitable for?
This role is suitable for you if;
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- You’re looking to develop your coaching or leadership skills further
- You are passionate about bringing people together around an identity
- You are able to communicate with empathy, inclusion and compassion
These circles aim at fostering a sense of community, promote active learning and encourage networking. Ultimately, we want to encourage you to run your own circle so you can practice your leadership skills.
Apply to start a Circle
- Prepare: Got an idea for a Circle? Find your fellow collaborators within the Community! To propose a new Circle you must have at least 6 learners (including you) interested in taking part with you. Why not post your idea in the Your Community channel, or chat about it to peers in your intake or cohort? Once you have gathered interest, put together a proposal for your initiative by submitting this form, so we can get an idea of what you would like to do!
- Prioritise: Schedule a meeting with our Community Team to discuss your idea and a timeframe - you can drop into the Community Office in Cosmos every Tuesday 5pm-6pm CET or Wednesday 9am-9.30am CET, or you can find a suitable slot in Jordan’s calendar here
- Plan: Once you have agreed timelines, time to finalise and build your plan for how you will launch your Circle initiative! Work backwards from the deadline to decide on key milestones, the Community Team can support you with this
- Promote: A crucial part of delivering a successful initiative - promoting it to your Community and recruiting members! Consider which channels you will use to communicate, such as Slack and the monthly Community newsletter, and when
Once your proposal has been approved, the Community Team will work with you to develop your activity and recruitment plans, as well as introduce you to other Circle Leads for best practice sharing and to broaden your own network further too!
Learner voices from past Circles
“You learn that everyone in the Growth Circle experienced similar challenges. It is a great way to see new perspectives and grow with each other.” Iris Kühn, PM SET I4
“It helped me a lot to deal with my current challenges, learn what a possible next step could be and widen my view on whats possible - would recommend it to anyone.” Richard Menning, PM SET I5
“It’s been incredibly helpful to learn about others’ perspectives and experiences. On one hand, getting to know the concept is exciting, and on the other hand, it practically helps find solutions for various issues. The regular reflection truly propels personal growth!” Lisa Garzarolli-Rield, PM SET I6
Growth Circle is a circle of support. for me, as for a Ukrainian woman living in a country with war - it was a lifeline. After three hours of high-quality conversations and the opportunity to realize that everything is ok with me, I am developing and going the right way.” Olga Riabushenko, BX I2