COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT (VOLUNTEER OR PAID POSITIONS)
- Why should students be involved in the community?
- Volunteer oportunites:
- Global Experiences Certificate
- International Experience Award
- President's Circle Award for Volunteerism and Leadership
WHY SHOULD STUDENTS BE INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY (VOLUNTEER OR PAID POSITIONS)?
Reasons include:
- looks great on the resume
- opportunities for networking (e.g., make contacts, get referrals, find opportunities) and obtaining reference letters
- gain insight regarding your educational/vocational interests and aptitudes
- gain insight regarding your employment/career goals e.g.,
- what sector you want to work in eventually
(e.g., business, education, government, treatment facilities, etc.) - what target audience do you want to work with
(e.g., children, adolescence, adults, the elderly, those with attentional and or recognition impairments due to brain damage, etc.).
- what sector you want to work in eventually
- gain marketable skills (e.g., interpersonal skills, leadership skills, etc.)
- opportunities to apply knowledge and skills gained in the classroom at the volunteer setting (e.g., for marketable skills of Psychology Majors, see the Psychology Undergraduate Student Handbook for details).
- build self-confidence and self-esteem
- if interested in studies beyond the Bachelor's degree, gain the appropriate 'experience' profile needed for admission because it to shows commitment to the field of interest and some understanding of the work within it.
Examples of such requirements: - etc.
Also see the information provided by the University of Waterloo Career Action Centre as well as Youth Canada regarding the value of volunteering.
Where to find volunteer opportunities? Several examples provided in the sections below.
Volunteer Opportunities On-Campus
- Don Positions at the Student Residences
- Early Childhood Education Centre
- Faculty of Arts - volunteer ambassadors needed
- Federation of Students e.g.,
- volunteers needed to run services and events
- UW Campus Response Team (UWCRT)
- UW Tutors - UW Chapter for Frontier College which is a national non-profit literacy orgranization
- Imprint - University of Waterloo Student Newspaper
- International Student Office - English Tutor Program and the SHADOW Program
- Living-Learning Community Peer Leaders
- MATES (Mentor Assistance Through Education Support) - Peer Mentors
- Office for Persons with Disabilities - volunteer (and paid) tutor positions
- Psych Society - volunteers needed for the executive annually, as well as support for office hours and events
- Research Opportunities
- Student Career Leaders
- Student Resource Office
- Sustainable Technology Education Project (STEP)
- Other - Check the Psych Bulletin
Volunteer Opportunities in the Local Area (examples)
- Apprenticeship Courses (Psych 264, 464, 465, 467)
- Centre for Career Action Postings:
- Volunteer/Internship Fair - speak to agency representatives regarding opportunities
- Local Volunteer Opportunities
- Strong Start - help ensure reading skills for children
- Tutors Beyond Borders
- Other - Check the Psych Bulletin for postings
Volunteer Opportunities in Canada or Abroad (examples)
- Students for Development Internships
- Centre for Career Action Postings:
Global Experiences Certificate
For details regarding the Global Experiences Certificate, refer to the Undergraduate Calendar and Waterloo International.
International Experiences Awards
International Experience Awards (e.g., the Ontario International Education Opportunity Scholarship) offset some of the expenses of studies abroad (or volunteer experiences abroad).
In addition to those awards, if you received the President's Scholarship of Distinction in first year, note details regarding the President's International Experience Award.
President's Circle Awards for Volunteerism and Leadership
The President's Circle Awards were established in 1997 to recognize the significant contributions of students both within the University and the community at-large.
