Introduction, Expectations, Dodgeball & Giving Back

In this first week you will meet the CEO and co-founder of the iThrive initiative who will give you an overview of Project iThrive. You will also meet the other eleven people who you will be engaging with for the next twelve weeks.

The expectations of Project iThrive will be outlined: expectations of you, of the iThrive initiative team and of the project as a whole.

Towards the end of this first week the whole team will head off and indulge in a game or two of dodgeball. What better way to get to know someone than throwing a bright red ball in their face. Not only is this a great way for everyone to learn more about each other but it is also, believe it or not, interview preparation, as at the end of project iThrive you will be playing dodgeball against and with local businesses who are looking to hire new staff.

Having got to know one another a bit better, the last item on the agenda for week one is to collectively choose which local dealer to get our dopamine from. At the end of each week, starting from week three we will lend ourselves as volunteers to a worthy cause of our choice. Giving back to the communities we live in is just as important as learning how to thrive ourselves. In fact 93% of volunteers reported an increase in mood and a decrease in stress, and 60% of employers view volunteering on a CV as a valuable asset, with those who volunteer 27% more likely to find employment.

And yes, fact, volunteering releases dopamine, which makes us happy.