Workplace Wellness Campaign

Participating in the 12 Days of Giving and Kindness campaign is more than a chance to support our students - it’s an opportunity to make a meaningful difference together. Giving to others has been shown to increase feelings of purpose, connection, and happiness, and every donation helps ensure that students facing food insecurity feel supported during the holiday season.

At the same time, the campaign encourages kindness toward others and oneself, reminding us that well-being begins with taking time to rest, recharge, and recognize our own needs. By caring for others and ourselves, we help build a healthier, more compassionate campus for everyone. 

• To help us schedule pick-ups, please register your department. Team participation is encouraged!
• Donation boxes will be picked up on Wednesdays and Fridays - we will come to you!
• Pick a common area that all members can access (it can be a lunchroom, kitchenette, someone’s office) where you will put a donation box (any box will work - small box, big box, plastic box, cardboard box, Xerox paper box, bankers box, etc.).
• Select a Team Captain.
  • Team Captain:
    • Register your team.
    • Download the 12 Days of Giving & Kindness tracking card, which lists a suggested donation item on each weekday and provides space for team members to record other acts of kindness they complete throughout the campaign (see p.3 for examples)
    • Print and place the challenge card near the donation box.
    • At the end of the challenge, on December 12 tally up your points and submit your tracking card to employeeexperience@uwindsor.ca by December 15 to be entered into a draw for 1 of 3 prizes.

• Points will be used to show the collective impact of our generosity and kindness, with results to be announced in the Campus Life People Newsletter. Tracking points is simple: 1 donated item = 1 point and 1 act of kindness = 1 point.
• While we only ask that you contribute at least one item/day to your 12 Days of Giving & Kindness box, you are welcome to donate more—every item counts and will go directly to the Campus Food Pantry.
• Acts of kindness can be completed as many times as you wish throughout the campaign, and each act earns 1 point. This helps us celebrate not only the support shown to our students, but also the kindness shared within our UWindsor community, and kindness shown to oneself!

On-campus Suggested Acts of Kindness --- Little Actions, Big Impact!

Research in positive psychology has shown that practicing kindness can boost well-being – both for those on the receiving end of the kindness, as well as for those who are giving. In addition to making donations, we encourage you to complete one or more of the activities below to help brighten the holiday season with some extra care and connection.

• Kindness Matters. Complete a small random act of kindness for someone on campus – give an authentic compliment, pay for coffee for the person in line behind you, etc.
• Sticky Note Strengths. Leave a sticky note on a colleague’s door or cubicle that highlights a strength or talent that you see and appreciate in them.
• Gratitude Letter. Write a letter of gratitude to a colleague, highlighting the specific things they did (or are doing) that are meaningful to you.
• Gratitude Visit. Schedule a gratitude visit with someone who has made a difference in your life – put it in your calendars, prepare your thoughts ahead of time, and lead a heartfelt conversation, telling them about how they have positively impacted you.

Complete these activities as many times as you wish – each act of kindness counts for 1 point.

Off-campus Suggested Acts of Kindness --- Nurture Yourself Weekend - You Matter, Too!

We often find it easier to give kindness to others than to ourselves, but research has shown that there are specific ways of practicing kindness towards oneself that can boost well-being. We encourage you to use your weekends to try out one or more of these activities and to add one point per activity you complete to your team’s score sheet:

• Three Good Things. End each day by writing out three good things that happened and how you contributed to making them happen!
• Self-compassion. If you tend to be hard on yourself, there are skills you can practice to help increase self-compassion. Try one today! Visit: https://self-compassion.org/self-compassion-practices/
• Character strengths. Complete the VIA Character Strength assessment and spend some time reflecting on ways that you can intentionally incorporate your top strengths day-to-day. Visit here to access the assessment: https://www.viacharacter.org/