Job Title: Student Support and Advising Peer
Position Type: Leadership, Engagement and Ambassadorship Program (LEAP)
Positions Available:
Summer – May 2024 to August 2024 – 20-25 hours/week
Fall/Winter – September 2024 to April 2025 – 10-12 hours/week
Number of Positions: 5 for each term
Pay Rate: $16.00/hour
Year Level: Year 2+
Eligibility:
Students must be Work-Study/LEAP eligible
Domestic Students: https://sfs.yorku.ca/work-study-programs/domestic
International Students: https://sfs.yorku.ca/work-study-programs/international
Location: Shared Space of Bennett Center, Welcome Desk (on-campus/in-person position)
How to Apply: Submit the application form with your resume and cover letter by April 30th.
Description:
If you are a dynamic and creative leader with the desire to help your fellow peers, this is the opportunity for you! We are looking for self-starters who wish to make a positive impact on the York community. Student Support and Advising Peers program is based on a peer-to-peer support model where upper year students are equipped with the tools to develop their own leadership skill while helping other student through mentorship conversations and presentations.
Student Support and Advising (SSA) peer team will actively listen to the students’ inquiries and concerns, share accurate information, and make effective referrals across campus with the aim of assisting students in obtaining the best and timely resolutions.
Job Summary – Student Support and Advising Peer Lead
The Student Support and Advising Peers are excellent team-players, listeners, communicators, networkers, and are able to problem solve matters with empathy, sensitivity and diligence. They possess superior interpersonal skills and display their enthusiasm about studying at York University and being an active member of the community. They will provide assistance in three main areas: financial aid inquiries, admissions inquiries, and registrarial support. The positions will report to the Manager, SSA and will work closely with other student and full-time staff members to ensure smooth operation of all services. The ideal candidates will be current students with strong communication skills, a passion for excellent customer service, and an ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
Responsibilities:
Student Support and Advising Peers provide front-line, peer-to-peer advice to all inquiring students at the Welcome Desk of the Bennett Centre. Major tasks include, but are not limited to:
- Acting as a York Ambassador, welcoming and mentoring prospective and current students who seek inquiries regarding financial aid, admissions or registrarial services.
- Provide peer-to-peer mentorship, including fostering self-agency and sharing best practices, to obtain resolutions.
- Cultivate partnerships and collaborations with other peer teams within the Office of the Registrar and Division of Students to effectively support student inquiries.
- Develop and delivery engaging workshops and information sessions for general or targeted audiences.
- Assist Division of Students Social Media team in creating effective digital content that to promote and disseminate information as well as build a connection with the community.
- Support the SSA team in developing specialized projects and pilot programs to better serve the needs of our students.
- Attend weekly SSA Peer Team meeting.
Qualifications:
Applicants must be current York undergraduate students. Preference will be given to applicants with a proven track record of demonstrated leadership, as well as a genuine interest in working in a team-environment to deliver services towards York students’ needs.
- Must be highly organized, energetic & able to make a positive contribution to all tasks related to the smooth functioning of International Student Success programming at LA&PS.
- Demonstrated skills in event planning, facilitation, and management.
- Excellent communication skills, inclusive of written, oral & the ability & willingness to speak in front of groups.
- Demonstrated excellence in prioritizing tasks with superior attention to detail.
- Demonstrated ability to work flexibly with competing deadlines.
- Superior customer service and interpersonal skills, while presenting a professional image of themselves, the SSA department, RO and the University at all times.
- Well versed in social media networking and community building strategies and tactics.
- Relevant multimedia content curation with creativity and “out of the box” thinking.
- Excellent computer skills (word processing, email, database management, spreadsheets)
- Demonstrates reliability, punctuality and eagerness towards new experiences and learning.
- Ability to accurately complete tasks diligently and on time.
- Ability and willingness to work both independently and as part of a team with students, volunteers, and staff.
- Students who are a good fit for this position are approachable, knowledgeable, and open to learning about themselves and others. They will show high levels of emotional intelligence combined with excellent adaptability and organizational skills.
Mandatory Training:
Summer Team: May 13-17, 2024
Fall-Winter Team: August 26-30, 2024
As part of your experience, you will be required to participate in Becoming YU, a program designed to support students in:
- Creating meaningful goals and objectives;
- Recognizing the value of their personal, academic and professional experiences;
- Identifying their competencies and skills; and
- Articulating their skills and experiences with confidence.
Becoming YU includes regular meetings with your student employment supervisor/coach for reflecting on your progress and getting valuable feedback.
Scheduling:
The Bennett Centre Welcome Desk operates between 10am to 4pm on Mondays to Fridays, with some evening times during peak periods (September). Shifts are flexible and will arrange around students’ academic schedule.