“I wasn’t sure if I belonged here until someone asked me about the patch on my jacket.”
That comment came from a new student at a London College of Fashion (LCF), UAL welcome event as I chatted to a small group in the canteen. The patch, a hand-stitched symbol of their grandmother’s tailor shop in Ghana, sparked a conversation with another student about migration and textiles in India. As an LCF graduate myself, I recognised that exchange instantly: the awkwardness lifting, a sense of place beginning to take root.
In creative education, especially in disciplines such as fashion where identity and self-expression are central, the question at induction isn’t always “Where’s my timetable?” but might be “Do I belong here?” And the answer begins with how we, and our institutions, welcome people in, especially for diverse cohorts.
Shift from broadcast to belonging
Traditional induction often feels like a one-way broadcast: here’s the library, here are the rules, here’s the map. But a sense of belonging isn’t built from information alone, and incoming students thrive when they are participants, not just recipients.
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At LCF, we have moved beyond simple information delivery to a process of building connection. One approach has been to co-create the experience with those who’ve recently lived it. Our returning-student ambassadors help design and deliver sessions during welcome week. For example, the Style and Story mixer event invites new students to bring an object that symbolises their journey to university. It opens the door to storytelling, shared cultural references and creating unexpected connections.
One thing that I have learned: make space for student voices early on. Storytelling formats, peer-led activities and cultural exchange sessions all form the welcome experience and invite dialogue.
Curate content that reflects identity and values
Many students arrive on day one with strong creative identities shaped by culture, language and family history. However, stepping into an academic space can sometimes make them question whether those identities will be welcomed. This tension is particularly felt by first-generation students, non-native English speakers and those navigating systemic marginalisation. In response, universities can use welcome events to show students that their identities are valued strengths within the community they are joining.
We frame our welcome campaign content around the idea of creative citizenship, positioning each student as a contributor to a wider community, not just as a recipient of knowledge. Events and sessions focusing on sustainability, decolonising fashion and storytelling through lived experience help embed this ethos from day one.
Offer flexible, inclusive entry points
Inclusive welcome planning requires moving beyond a one-size-fits-all model. Many students, including those who identify as neurodivergent or who are managing anxiety, might not feel comfortable at overstimulating, high-energy events. They might need quieter, lower-pressure options.
A range of entry points into the university environment can offer more calming choices, such as:
- designated quiet zones and sensory-friendly spaces
- low-pressure creative workshops for skills such as making zines, waist beads or badges.
- visits to local exhibitions or museums (this year we are promoting the Order an Object experience at London’s V&A East Storehouse)
- academic support sessions explaining how to navigate crits (where students present their work for review), feedback and academic support systems.
Thinking beyond the headline events, offering a menu of options that cater to different communication styles, energy levels and cultural comfort zones makes inclusion something tangibly felt by all.
Centre representation and visibility
Representation matters, especially in the early days of university life. Seeing someone who shares your background, challenges or ambitions can be a powerful anchor for belonging.
At past welcome weeks, we’ve included a range of voices, from alumni to established creatives. Speakers such as fashion designers Ozwald Boateng, Christopher Raeburn and Dai Fujiwara, and fashion editors Grace Coddington and Karchun Leung have shared their experiences with impostor syndrome, identity and creative resilience. Inviting guest speakers who combine visibility and vulnerability, and share honest reflections, helps students imagine a future where they belong.
Ongoing learning, iterative design
No welcome programme is perfect. Build reflection and feedback into your process so that your programme evolves with the community it serves.
Each year, we revise our programme based on feedback from students, staff and alumni, using a “start, stop, continue” method. We treat welcome week as a live prototype: built, tested and adapted together. It’s important to ask students what made them feel seen, and what didn’t.
Design for belonging
Belonging doesn’t arrive neatly in an induction folder; it grows through the moments we design and the ones we allow to happen organically. Whether your institution teaches fashion, engineering, law or linguistics, the principles are universal: students thrive when they feel seen. An inclusive welcome campaign rooted in empathy, creativity and care can be the beginning of that journey.
Sachan Williams is a communications professional at London College of Fashion at University of the Arts London.
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