top of page
This site was designed with the
.com
website builder. Create your website today.Start Now
logo transparent.png

FAQs

Experts Panel
hover_collective_ikblc_aerial-min.jpg

GENERAL QUESTIONS

  • Where will the GenOne conference be held?

    • Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference will be held online. The conference is hosted by FGSU, located on the University of British Columbia, the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the xÊ·mÉ™θkÊ·É™yÌ“É™m (Musqueam) people.

​​

  • In which time zone will the conference be held?

    • The conference will be held in Pacific Standard Time (PST).

​​

  • Will there be information sessions about the conference? 

    • Yes, our team is hosting information sessions about the conference on January 15 and 29, 3-4 PM PST. If you are interested, please fill out this survey and we will send you further information: click here

​

  • When will I receive a link to the conference and online sessions?

    • After you register for the conference, you will receive further information on how to login to Brella (the conference platform) and access the sessions.

​

GENERAL FAQ
Students Studying Outside

AUDIENCE

  • Who is a FGLI student?

    • FGLI stands for first generation, low income. A FGLI student likely identifies as low-income and/or is among the first in their family to attend university. First-generation students in Canada can also be students whose parents attended university abroad but did not have their degrees recognized in Canada, or those who have university-educated siblings but not parents.

​

  • What does HALI mean and why is it used?

    • HALI stands for high achieving, low income, another abbreviation preferred by FGLI students when referring to their identity. It is used to first acknowledge the academic potential of FGLI students before identifying the socioeconomic barriers that they face or identify with.

​

  • Does this conference cover only FGLI issues?

    • The conference aims to address issues most commonly faced by the FGLI students. However, these issues also apply to students from marginalized populations such as BIPOC. We also cover topics such as social and climate justice which extends beyond issues faced by FGLI students.

​

  • Who is eligible to attend the conference?

    • Everyone is welcome! This conference’s purpose is to destigmatize the FGLI identity and build a FGLI community. Therefore, we are targeting FGLI students, faculty/staff members, educators, and changemakers in the community who are interested in advocating for increased inclusion for this community. We encourage and empower students to take action to address issues faced by FGLI and other marginalized student populations.

Students Sitting on Staircase

REGISTRATION

  • What is the cost of attendance?

    • The general admission ticket costs CAD $20 each (without tax). To minimize the barrier for participation, we will waive the ticket cost for students who self-identify as FGLI. However, FGLI students who do not have any financial hardships at the moment can opt for entry by donation of any amount they desire. The donation will go to select charities that support low-income students across Canada and you will receive a tax receipt for your donation.

​

  • What is the entry by donation and where does the money go?

    • For FGLI students who are not facing any current financial strains, we are offering the option for donating any amount to our Impact Portfolio in order to contribute to your attendance. The Impact Portfolio is part of the #ChooseYourImpact campaign and supports select charities that are serving FGLI students across Canada. To learn more, please visit our Impact Portfolio page.

​

  • What do I need to know to register?

    • Before you register, think about what workshop you would prefer to attend in each of the three streams, and check out the Lunch and Learn sessions. We will only need your first two preferences for workshops in each stream when you register. Follow the link under this section to register now.

​

  • On which platform will the conference be hosted?

    • The conference will be hosted on a platform called Brella. Brella is a virtual event and networking platform that makes engagement and interaction easier for the attendees. It features a AI-powered matchmaking algorithm to allow for networking in the conference. Speeches, workshops, sessions, and networking events will have dedicated Zoom links, which will be posted on Brella.

AUDIENCE FAQ
REGISTRATION FAQ
Students in Cafeteria

THEME & STREAMS

  • What is the theme of the conference? What are streams?

    • The conference’s theme is “Pave The Way” with three streams: Inclusion, Impact, and Justice. These streams will be the lenses through which we dissect the conference’s theme and missions. 

​

  • Do I need to pick a stream?

    • Conference attendees do not pick a stream, but instead pick one workshop for each of the three streams. Find out more about streams and workshops on the Workshop page. 

​

  • Why are the three streams different and how do I learn about them?

    • The three streams progress from Inclusion, Impact, to Justice. Each stream is allocated a specific time slot, and three workshops will be offered per stream. Attendees have the freedom to customize their conference schedule based on their interests and availability. Find out more about streams and workshops on the Workshop page.

THEMES & STREAM FAQ
Professor & Students

WORKSHOPS

  • What kinds of workshops are offered?

    • Workshops fall under the three streams of our conference (Inclusion, Impact, and Justice). Workshops are hosted by FGSU and community partners, covering topics such as financial hardships, mental health, climate change, and more.

​

  • Do I need to prepare ahead before attending a workshop?

    • You do not need to prepare ahead before attending a workshop. Bring an open mind, ask questions, and get inspired! We will use Zoom for hosting the workshops and thus it might be a good idea to have it downloaded on either your phone or laptop beforehand.

​

  • Will the workshops be recorded?

    • Yes. All workshops will be recorded and uploaded to our YouTube channel after the conference. Similarly, you will be able to access them in the ‘Streams’ page on Brella during the conference as well as after.

​

  • How many workshops should I pick to register?

    • You should register for one workshop within each stream.

​

  • Do I have to register for a workshop from each of the three streams?

    • No, but you should if you want to make the most of the conference.

​

  • Can I register for more than one workshop within each stream?

    • Unfortunately, no. The three workshops within each stream run simultaneously, thus you can only register to attend one.

​

  • When is the last day for registration?

    • Tier 1 tickets will be sold on January 15th, Tier 2 tickets will be open on January 30th, and the final Tier 3 seats will be sold from February 1st to the 17th. There is no difference between tiers except that they allow us to space out our information sessions in coordination with the ticket sales. You can purchase your ticket by registering now using the link under this section.

WORKSHOPS FAQ
College Students

LUNCH & LEARN SESSIONS

  • What is Lunch and Learn?

    • Lunch and Learn is a collection of drop-in activities that allow attendees to learn something new. Hosted by our community partners, some of these sessions will explore the FGLI identity while others will allow attendees to relax and decompress through meditation, art therapy and music sessions.

​

  • How is it different from workshops?

    • Workshops fall under each of three streams of our conference (Inclusion, Impact, and Justice), while Lunch and Learn features a broader range of activities. Lunch and Learn sessions will be held during lunch time only, and some sessions will be available for drop-in.

​

  • How do I register for a session?

    • No prior registration is required for Lunch and Learn sessions. 

​

  • How do I choose a session? Where is this information located?

    • Choose any Lunch and Learn session that interests you. Visit the Lunch and Learn page to discover our session offerings.

​

  • Do you have to stay for the entire duration of the sessions?

    • You do not have to stay for the entire 30 minutes of any session, unless it is marked with a time cap stamp, such as the guided meditation session or the Virtual Reality session. You can find the time caps on the Lunch and Learn page.

​

  • How do I sign up to host a lunch and learn session? Are there any specific criterias I need to meet? 

    • If you or the organization you represent are interested in hosting a Lunch and Learn session for the conference, please email your session title, description, name of host(s) and job title(s), and any proposed format or engagement tools at ubc.fgsu@gmail.com. We will get back to you ASAP and share the next steps you need to take. The only requirement we have from you is that you should incorporate the theme of FGLI and marginalized students into your session so that it is consistent with the conference’s theme and objectives.

​

  • How do I attend these sessions?

    • You will find these sessions on the Brella online platform under Lunch and Learn. Each session will be assigned a Zoom link.

LUNCH & LEARN FAQ
Neat Computer Desk

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS & PRIVACY

  • What is Brella? How is it different from Zoom?

    • Brella is a virtual event and networking platform that makes engagement and interaction easier for the attendees. It uses an AI-powered matchmaking algorithm among other unique features that sets it apart from Zoom. Each workshop and session will still be held via Zoom, and Zoom links will be posted on Brella.

​

  • What technology is required to access the conference?

    • A good internet connection and a device (preferably a computer) that can connect you to Brella and Zoom will be all you need.

​

  • Do I need to install anything on my computer in order to access the conference?

    • You do not need to install anything. Brella, like Zoom, can be accessed through your browser. If you are using a mobile phone to attend the conference, you may prefer to download the mobile app for Zoom.

​

  • Will my personal information be secure through the online platform?

    • Brella is in compliance with both BC’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), as well as Canada’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which is considered the gold standard for data protection.

​

  • Who do I contact if I need technical help during the workshops?

    • Please send an email to ubc.fgsu@gmail.com, or reach out to us on Facebook/Instagram @ubcfgsu. There will be an IT team available to help you with your technical issues during the conference.

TECH & PRIVACY FAQ
Laptop

BRELLA

  • How do you access the GenOne conference on Brella?

    • Create a Brella account before joining the event (https://next.brella.io/) 

    • Join a Brella event requires a join code. Use the join code and join link sent to the email you used to sign up for the GenOne conference event. 

​

  • What are my options to login to Brella’s conference page?

    • You can sign in using Google, LinkedIn, Facebook, or create a Brella account.

    • You can access the conference page through the join link or you can download the Brella mobile app.

    • On the webpage, once you have your join code, go to next.brella.io. Follow the event registration steps in this video.

    • On the mobile app, download the Brella app from the App Store or Google Play and sign in. After signing in, you will be prompted to enter a join code and continue with the event registration steps

​

  • What are the event registration steps?

    • It consists of four steps.

    • Welcome page: You can start networking and see the attendee's list and have the chance to connect with sponsors, speakers and other students. You can visit this article that explains how networking works and why networking is a key feature of this event. We highly encourage you to network with other attendees, but you can choose to opt out of networking by skipping the option to network when registering.

    • Availability: Since this is a one day event, you need to indicate that you will be attending the event on February 20th, 2021.

    • Interests: Select the topics you are interested in and would like to network about. 

    • Profile: Complete your profile by writing a personal introduction and choosing the countries you operate in. Click “Start networking”, and Brella will match you with people with similar matches that you can see on each individual's profile. After setting up a profile for the event, you can make changes to your profile and your account separately.

​

  • How will my information be kept secure?

    • Brella is in compliance with both BC’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), as well as Canada’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which is considered the gold standard for data protection.

    • To protect your privacy, you can create a Brella account instead of signing in with third-party applications (e.g. Google). You will need to use a valid email to register, but you can also choose to be anonymous.

    • Once you have joined the event, you can opt out of networking and you will not appear as available for networking to others.

​

  • How does networking work through artificial intelligence?

    • Brella will suggest attendee matches based on mutual interests and goals. Once you receive the event invite, you will be able to sign in using third-party applications or create a new account on Brella. Then, you will be asked to provide your availability and interests. These interests will be used to suggest your networking match for a 10-minute power chat within the conference schedule  

​

  • My registration link does not work. How should I join?

    • Create an account on Brella and use the join code sent to you to access the event. If the join code does not work, contact us by email at ubc.fgsu@gmail.com or Facebook/Instagram @ubcfgsu.

​

  • I am having trouble accessing some of the contents on Brella. What should I do?

    • Please send an email to ubc.fgsu@gmail.com, or reach out to us on Facebook/Instagram @ubcfgsu. There will be an IT team available to help you with your technical issues during the conference.

​

BRELLA FAQ
A Young Woman Writing

COMMITMENT STATEMENTS

  • What are commitment statements? Why and how will they be used in this conference?

    • At the end of the conference, you will write a commitment statement either individually, as part of an organization, or as part of an institution to indicate one or more actionable goals you will work on to increase inclusion efforts for FGLI students and marginalized students. This statement should align with your personal contexts and resources that are available to you, and should focus on empowering other FGLI students. A commitment statement is important because it allows for others to hold you accountable to actionable change, and these statements can be revisited to discuss progress or hurdles encountered along the way. FGSU will feature some of these statements on our website after the conference to encourage universities to commit towards change and allow us to learn from each other beyond the conference.

​

  • How do I make a commitment statement?

    • Here are a few tips:

    • Think about your personal contexts, the resources available to you, your identities, and the spaces you occupy. Ensure that the statement reflects these considerations so that they will be actionable

    • Try to ensure that you are conscious of not only the inclusion but also the empowerment of marginalized groups or communities that you may interact with. Do not simply advocate for them. Share with them the platforms and channels for advocacy.

    • Make sure your goals are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound)

    • Are your goals focused and precise?

    • How do you measure your performance and evaluate your outcomes?

    • Are your goals possible to achieve within a reasonable time frame?

    • Do your goals address the inclusion and empowerment of FGLI and marginalized students?

COMMITMENT FAQ
Need more details? Contact us

Contact us by email or via our social media channels. #HomeIsHere

bottom of page