Leadership positions

Equity Advocates are students interested in a broad range of human rights issues, including sexism, racism, ableism, transphobia, homophobia, sexual violence, and more. Equity Advocates develop and deliver student-led initiatives to promote an equitable living, learning, and working environment for Ontario Tech students.

This position is for students interested in collaborative and community-engaged learning, to gain greater self-knowledge and leadership skills in the realm of equity.

Time commitment:

This position runs from March 2023 to April 2024. During this time, Equity Advocates will:

• Attend the Equity Advocate Meet and Greet with the Equity and Inclusivity Advisor (one hour) in March 2023.

• Attend mandatory Equity Advocate training (six hours total) in May 2023. 

• Participate in a minimum of three mandatory Equity Advocate team meetings (one hour each) from June to August 2023.

• Participate in bi-weekly Equity Advocate team meetings to develop equity initiatives (one hour each) from September 2023 to April 2024.

• Attend fall and winter Reading Week Co-teaching Days (five hours each session) in October 2023 and February 2024. 

• Complete mandatory Ambassador Level 1 Training (eight hours total). 

• Expect to spend three hours per week outside of regular meetings for additional collaborative work, project work, and event planning and facilitation. 

Responsibilities:

• Act as a role model of a balanced lifestyle, demonstrating respect for self, others, and for the community by ensuring activities and interactions with students are equitable, and respectful.

• Collaborate with other university departments, groups, committees and student clubs at Ontario Tech to address specific social justice, and equity initiatives.

• Participate in program assessment, which may include feedback forms, evaluations, and/or focus groups.

• Promote equity and social change issues, events, content, and concepts through personal networks and seeking opportunities to collaborate with others.

• Work closely with the Senior Equity Advocates, and Equity and Inclusivity Advisor, for guidance on the development and delivery of equity initiatives.

• Work collaboratively on a team of Equity Advocates to develop and deliver programming, and educational materials to support an equitable campus community.

Desired skills and experience:

• Ability to listen respectfully to different perspectives while remaining non-judgmental.

• Effective project management skills with strong attention to detail while working within a team of other student leaders.

• Handles confidential and sensitive issues with tact, discretion, and empathy.

• Interest in a broad range of human rights and equity issues including sexism, racism, ableism, transphobia, homophobia, sexual violence, and more.

• Passion to generate positive social change.

• Self-awareness and openness to critical self-reflection as a means to encourage personal development.

• Understanding of anti-oppressive practices and intersectional approaches to equity work.

• Willingness to speak with unfamiliar groups of students, staff and faculty on matters related to equity. 

The Senior Equity Advocate is a returning Equity Advocate who leads and supervises 2 to 3 teams of Equity Advocates to address human rights issues such as sexism, racism, ableism, transphobia, homophobia, sexual violence, and more. The Senior Equity Advocate oversees the Equity Advocates to develop and deliver student-led initiatives to promote an equitable living, learning, and working environment for Ontario Tech students.

Please note: You must complete Level 1 of the Ambassador Program and have at least one year of experience as an Equity Advocate to be considered for the Senior Equity Advocate role.

Time commitment:

This position runs from March 2023 to April 2024. During this time, the Senior Equity Advocate will:

• Attend the Equity Advocate Meet n’ Greet with the Student Development Specialist, Equity Programs (one hour) in March 2023. 

• Attend Equity Advocate training (eight hours total) in May 2023. 

• Co-ordinate and lead a minimum of three Equity Advocate team meetings for each team you lead (one hour each) from June to August 2023.

• Co-ordinate and lead bi-weekly Equity Advocate team meetings to develop equity initiatives (one hour each) from September 2023 to April 2024.

• Meet with the Equity and Inclusivity Advisor bi-weekly to update them on the progress of each Equity Advocate team, providing a summary of the team’s project plans (one hour each) from September 2023 to April 204. 

• Attend fall and winter Reading Week Co-teaching Days (five hours each session) in October 2023 and February 2024.  

Compensation:

The Senior Equity Advocate position is a volunteer role for students seeking an advanced leadership development opportunity through the university. In recognition of the substantial time commitment and additional efforts required, Senior Equity Advocates who successfully meet the expectations of the role will be awarded an honorarium, in March 2024. 

Responsibilities:

• Act as a role model of a balanced lifestyle, demonstrating respect for self, others, and the community by ensuring activities and interactions with students are equitable, and respectful.

• Collaborate with other university departments, groups, committees, and student clubs at Ontario Tech to address specific social justice and equity initiatives.

• Participate in program assessment, which may include feedback forms, evaluations, and/or focus groups.

• Promote equity and social change issues, events, content, and concepts through personal networks and seeking opportunities to collaborate with others.

• Work collaboratively with the Equity Advocate teams to develop programming and educational materials to support an equitable campus community.

• Work with the Equity and Inclusivity Advisor for guidance on the planning, co-ordination, development, and delivery of equity initiatives.

Desired skills and experience:

• Ability to listen respectfully to different perspectives while remaining non-judgmental.

• Effective project management skills with strong attention to detail while working within a team of other student leaders.

• Handles confidential and sensitive issues with tact, discretion, and empathy.

• Interest in a broad range of human rights and equity issues including sexism, racism, ableism, transphobia, homophobia, sexual violence, and more.

• Passion to generate positive social change.

• Self-awareness and openness to critical self-reflection as a means to encourage personal development.

• Time management and group leadership skills desired to assist with meeting deadlines, and overseeing the Equity Advocate teams.

• Understanding of anti-oppressive practices and intersectional approaches to equity work.

• Willingness to speak with unfamiliar groups of students, staff and faculty on matters related to equity.

International Student Leaders are focused on supporting incoming international students and exchange students through their arrival to the university, and assisting with their transitional needs; they're vital in creating a welcoming and supportive environment for new students. This is an opportunity to engage with peers in an enriching way by sharing about your own culture and learning about theirs. 

Please note: The International Student Leader positions are open to both international and domestic students.

By applying to be an International Student Leader, you'll have the opportunity to join one of the following committees:

• Cultural Connections Team
• Engagement Team
• Graduate Student Connection Team
• International Orientation Team

• Cultural Connections Team
  • Promote diversity and intercultural sensitivity on campus through the Cultural Links program.
    
    
• Engagement Team
  • Create community and engagement amongst the university's campus during the academic year. 
    
    
• Graduate Student Connection Team 
  • Create a community and provide support to international graduate students. You must be a graduate student to be on this committee. 
    
    
• International Orientation Team
  • Plan various events and activities throughout the spring/summer months for international and exchange students at International Ridgeback Orientation. 

Time commitment:

This position runs from March 2023 to April 2024*. 

*If you're expected to graduate before April 2024, we still encourage you to participate. 

During this time, 

all International Student Leaders will:

• Attend the International Student Leader Meet n' Greet (1.5 to 2 hours) in May 2023. 

• Participate in mandatory asynchronous and in-person training (5 to 6 hours) in May 2023. 

the Cultural Connections Team will:

• Meet with one another (2 to 4 hours) from June to August 2023. 

• Host the Cultural Links Orientation event (two hours) in September 2023. 

• Host monthly community discussion groups (1 to 1.5 hours) for new participants, to share new knowledge and experiences during the fall/winter semesters. 

• Support with cultural programming and events through the Cultural Links program. 

the Engagement Committee will:

• Meet with one another (2 to 4 hours) from June to August 2023. 

• Commit to planning and executing an engagement-related event (six hours) during the fall/winter semesters. 

• Participate in one or all (May, September, January) of the International Ridgeback Orientation events (3 to 5 hours each). 

the Graduate Student Connection Team will:

• Meet with one another (2 to 4 hours) from June to August 2023. 

• Commit to planning and executing a transition support program to orient international graduate students to the new Canadian environment (3 to 5 hours per semester) during the fall/winter semesters.

• Participate in one or all (May, September, January) of the International Ridgeback Orientation events (3 to 5 hours each). 

the International Orientation Team will:

• Commit to planning and executing the International Ridgeback Orientation events (2 to 4 hours) from June to August 2023. 

• Participate in two or all (May, September, January) of the International Ridgeback Orientation events (3 to 5 hours each). 

• Participate in two or all (May, September, January) of the new arrival support program events (3 to 9 hours each). 

Skills:

• Act as a role model for a balanced lifestyle, and echo the university’s mental health and wellness messaging.

• Develop your interpersonal skills, leadership skills and knowledge. 

• Enhance your intercultural sensitivity and communication skills.

• Enhance your social and support network.

• Expand your perspectives by interacting with individuals with diverse backgrounds and viewpoints.

• Gain experience in organizing, and carrying out events and projects as required.

• Gain tangible skills in event organization and workshop facilitation.

• Promote diversity and intercultural sensitivity on campus, and ensure interactions with students are inclusive and respectful.

• Serve as a role model while assisting with the transition and retention of new students.

Peer Wellness Educators are students interested in contributing to health promotion activities on campus that help foster a healthy community.

They're responsible for advocating and educating other students on a variety of health topics including emotional well-being, self-care, sleep, active living, food and nutrition, substance use, and sexual health. They also develop and deliver workshops and displays, support events, disseminate evidence-based information, and implement campaigns to promote health- and wellness-related resources available on and off campus.

Time commitment:

This position runs from September 2023 to April 2024. During this time, Peer Wellness Educators will:

• Attend mandatory Peer Wellness Educator training (2 to 3 hours) in September. 

• Expect to spend at least four hours per week outside of regular meetings for additional project work, and event planning and facilitation.

• Participate in weekly Peer Wellness Education team meetings to develop health and wellness initiatives (one hour each) from September to April. 

Responsibilities:

• Act as a role model of a balanced lifestyle, demonstrating respect for self, others and for the community, echoing the university’s mental health and wellness messaging.

• Apply a harm-reduction and anti-oppressive framework to educate peers on various health topics.

• Collaborate with other university departments, groups, committees, and student clubs to deliver specific events related to health and wellness.

• Complete mandatory training and attend additional professional development opportunities as requested.

• Disseminate credible health and wellness information and resources to students through displays, campaigns, workshops, and social media.

• Participate in program evaluation, which may include feedback and reporting forms, evaluations, and/or focus groups.

• Support and empower students to realize and achieve their personal health goals.

• Work collaboratively with other Peer Wellness Educators to develop programming and educational materials to foster a healthy campus community.

• Work with the Health Promotions Co-ordinator to plan, develop, and deliver health and wellness initiatives.

Desired skills and experience:

• Ability to create an accessible and safe environment for discussions around health and well-being topics, listen respectfully, and provide support while remaining non-judgmental.

• Effective project management skills with strong attention to detail while working with a team of other students.

• Excellent communication skills and willingness to speak with groups of students, staff, and faculty on matters related to health and wellness in order to reduce stigma, and promote prevention and early help-seeking.

• Excellent research skills and the ability to analyze information from different sources.

• Handles confidential and sensitive issues with tact, discretion, and empathy.

• Knowledge of current student health and well-being issues, and of the university's well-being resources for students.

• Passion for supporting student well-being, and an interest in a broad range of health and wellness topics including emotional well-being, self-care, sleep, active living, food and nutrition, substance use, sexual health, and more.

• Strong organizational and time management skills.

Outcomes:

• Develop program planning and evaluation skills.

• Develop relationships with groups and organizations both on and off campus.

• Gain hands-on experience in health promotion, and knowledge on a variety of health and wellness topics.

• Strengthen leadership and presentation skills.

• Support the overall health and wellness of our students, and the campus community.

A Ridgeback Orientation Leader is a brand new position, launching for our 2023 Orientation events. These students will be responsible for providing leadership, building community and promoting new student learning during fall Orientation.

They will lead group activities and discussions, give campus tours, facilitate connections between students, answer questions regarding different aspects of both academic and social university life, and present a positive image of Ontario Tech to new students.

Time commitment:

Ridgeback Orientation Leaders are recruited during the winter semester, with some training requirements in the summer months. The tasks and responsibilities of this position will largely run from August through early September 2023.

During this time, Ridgeback Orientation Leaders will complete the following mandatory activities: 

• Brief synchronous online training module in the summer 2023 semester.

• Synchronous Orientation training session in the summer 2023 semester. 

• Attend all Orientation dates and activities in September 2023.

• Participate in post-orientation feedback surveys and focus groups in the fall 2023 semester. 

Responsibilities:

• Address concerns and answer questions to orient students to campus. 

• Assist with the preparation of Orientation activities and materials.

• Attend all Orientation days, including programming over Labour Day weekend.

• Attend and complete all Orientation training.

• Communicate and promote Ontario Tech values. 

• Positively represent Ontario Tech as a role model for all new students. 

• Serve as a resource and refer new students to campus services as needed.

• Support with Residence move-in day. 

• Value differences in others, and promote a culture of respect and inclusion.

• Perform other duties as assigned. 

Skills:

Communication

• Ability to actively listen, interpret and respond in a way that ensures effective communication with staff, peers, and mentees.

• Confidence in presenting and speaking to unfamiliar groups of people including students, staff, faculty, and members of the community.

Organization

• Ability to plan, and facilitate, engaging activities and experiences for students. 

• Ability to prioritize tasks and manage time effectively. 
  

Interpersonal

• Ability to work effectively with diverse groups and individuals of different backgrounds, experiences, and skill sets to foster a cohesive and open campus culture. 

• Keen willingness to engage in dialogue, and learn about diversity and inclusivity. 

• Strong understanding of equity-related issues. 

Eligibility:

• Available for all training events and fall Orientation.

• Participate in some summer, evening and weekend commitments.

• Strong desire to work with new students, dedication, flexibility and a willingness to learn.

• Willing to get out of your personal comfort zone to help new students of all types.

• Willing to maintain focus, and a positive attitude through the long and varied hours during fall Orientation. 

• Work well with individuals and in groups, and be able to maintain a positive attitude over a long workday. 

Please note: If you're unable to attend training and/or fall Orientation, you may not be eligible for this role. 

*Becoming a Peer Leader requires the completion of at least Level 1 Ambassador training. 

Peer Leaders support new students as they transition into their first year of university at Ontario Tech. 

All new, incoming students are automatically matched with an upper-year Peer Leader from their respective faculty. Peer Leaders are available to their assigned group of student mentees during the summer months leading up to Ridgeback Orientation and into the fall semester. 

Time commitment:

Peer Leaders are recruited during the winter semester, with some training requirements in the spring. The tasks and responsibilities of this position will largely run from July to December 2023, with a time commitment of approximately 25 hours.

During this time, Peer Leaders will complete the following mandatory activities:

• Ambassador Training, Level 1 (a prerequisite to this role).

• Asynchronous online training modules during the spring 2023 semester.

• Attend a Peer Leader Meet and Greet during the spring 2023 semester.

• Attend a brief synchronous training session during the summer 2023 semester.

• Monthly mentoring duties as assigned (less than 4 to 5 hours per month) during the summer and fall 2023 semesters.

Program Changes: Peer Leaders are no longer required to attend Ridgeback Orientation as part of this mentoring role. Students interested in being a Ridgeback Orientation Leader for fall 2023 should apply for that role, in addition to the Peer Leader role on the application form.  

Peer mentoring and transition support responsibilities:

• Attend and complete all Peer Leader training.

• Attend campus events with mentees and engage in the campus community.

• Complete a monthly log reporting on mentoring activities and program engagement.

• Facilitate introductions with each assigned mentee.

• Participate in ongoing team meetings with your senior/faculty team.

• Regularly connect with mentees to answer questions, check in and make appropriate referrals, preparing for mentees’ arrival on campus.   

• Routinely check and respond to email updates from the assigned Senior Leader.

Skills:

Communication

• Ability to actively listen, interpret and respond in a way that ensures effective communication with staff, peers, and mentees.

• Confidence in presenting and speaking to unfamiliar groups of people including students, staff, faculty, and members of the community.

Organization

• Ability to plan, co-ordinate, and execute events and student engagement initiatives.

• Ability to prioritize tasks and manage time effectively. 

• Understanding of goal setting for personal growth and success.
  

Interpersonal

• Ability to work effectively with diverse groups and individuals of different backgrounds, experiences, and skill sets to foster a cohesive and open campus culture. 

• Keen willingness to engage in dialogue, and learn about diversity and inclusivity. 

• Strong understanding of equity-related issues. 

Eligibility:

• All successful candidates will have a GPA of 2.0 or higher and be clear standing. 

• Requires some summer, evening and weekend commitments. Leaders must prioritize their availability for all mandatory training dates and activities.  

Please note: The inability to fulfill these commitments may impact eligibility for the Peer Leader role. 

*Becoming a Senior Leader requires the completion of at least Level 1 Ambassador training. 

Peer Leader program is to support new students as they transition into their first year of university at Ontario Tech. All new, incoming students are automatically matched with an upper-year Peer Leader from their respective faculty. 

Senior Leaders are the leaders of the leaders, who work closely with the Student Development Specialist and the Student Engagement and Equity (SEE) team. They lead a team of Peer Leaders from their own academic faculty throughout the summer and fall semesters. 

Additionally, seniors play an integral leadership role at Ridgeback Orientation in September, supporting programming and liaising between faculties, and SEE staff. 

Time commitment:

Senior Leaders are recruited during the winter semester, with some training requirements in spring. The tasks and responsibilities of this position will largely run from July to December 2023, with a time commitment of approximately 55 hours.

During this time, Senior Leaders will complete the following mandatory activities:

• Ambassador Training, Level 1 (a prerequisite to this role).

• Asynchronous online training modules during the spring 2023 semester. 

• Attend a Peer Leader Meet and Greet during the spring 2023 semester.

• Attend a three-day leadership training retreat at Camp Medeba from April 26 to 28. 

• Attend a brief synchronous training session during the summer 2023 semester.

• Monthly mentoring duties as assigned ( less than 6 to 8 hours per month) during the summer and fall 2023 semesters.

• Attend Ridgeback Orientation training during the last week of August 2023.

• Attend Ridgeback Orientation on Labour Day weekend 2023.

Please note: To be eligible for this role, seniors must be available to attend all training and Orientation dates, especially the Camp Madeba Retreat and the Labour Day weekend Orientation events. Please do not apply for this position if you know you'll be unable to fully participate in these activities. 

Responsibilities:

Spring/summer

• Attend all Peer Leader program training dates and retreats.

• Oversee your group of assigned Peer Leaders as they connect with mentees.

• Participate in Orientation program planning and preparations. 

• Routinely review and respond to communications from program staff.

Ridgeback Orientation - Fall 2023

• Attend Orientation training dates.

• Lead incoming students through Orientation activities. 

• Liaise between the SEE team and campus partners.  

• Support students with their initial transition into university life and welcome them to campus!

Fall semester

• Attend monthly Senior Leader meetings. 

• Connect with Peer Leaders regularly to monitor engagement and progress.

• Host team meetings for your faculty monthly.

• Meet one-on-one with the Student Development Specialist at least twice each semester.

• Plan and facilitate student-focused programming. 

• Submit monthly logs and reporting on Peer Leader engagement.

• Support your Peer Leader team—share updates, monitor engagement and answer their questions.

Skills:

Communication

• Ability to actively listen, interpret and respond in a way that ensures effective communication with staff, peers, and mentees.

• Confidence in presenting and speaking to unfamiliar groups of people including students, staff, faculty, and members of the community.

Organization

• Ability to plan, co-ordinate, and execute events and student engagement initiatives.

• Ability to prioritize tasks and manage time effectively. 

• Understanding of goal setting for personal growth and success.
  

Interpersonal

• Ability to work effectively with diverse groups and individuals of different backgrounds, experiences, and skill sets to foster a cohesive and open campus culture. 

• Keen willingness to engage in dialogue, and learn about diversity and inclusivity. 

• Strong understanding of equity-related issues. 

Eligibility:

• All successful candidates will have a GPA of 2.0 or higher and be in clear standing. 

• Some summer, evening and weekend commitments. Leaders must prioritize their availability for all mandatory training dates and activities. 

Please note: The inability to fulfill these commitments may impact eligibility for the Senior Leader role. Special consideration will be given to candidates who have previously been Peer Leaders.