Job/Volunteer Opportunities
Tutor Positions
The Accessible Learning Centre (ALC) tutoring program is for registered ALC students that require tutoring assistance. The purpose of this program is to aid with specific class learning or exam preparation/review.
Qualifications
- Solid knowledge of your subject material (minimum 9.0 GPA in the courses you wish to tutor).
- Good communication/teaching skills.
- Sensitivity to students with disabilities (including learning disabilities).
- Three to five hours a week to meet with a student. Hours are flexible. Tutors and students decide together when and where to meet.
Rates
Tutors can set their own rates within the following ALC scale:
- Undergraduate students: $20- $25/hour.
- Master's students: $20-$30/hour.
- PhD students: $25-$30/hour.
- Retired teachers or professionals: $15-$40/hour, depending on education and experience.
Volunteer to be a Note-Taker!
“I gained knowledge of accessibility and student equity, and also got a chance to help out another student, which made me feel like I was really contributing something to the student community!”
– student note-taker
- Waterloo WAT Click this tab to view content pertaining to Waterloo
- Brantford BRANT Click this tab to view content pertaining to Brantford
How to Apply (Waterloo Campus)
Provide a resume, Laurier transcript (if on record, unofficial LORIS attachment accepted), and completed Tutor Application Form (Waterloo) to altutors@wlu.ca, or drop off the application in person at the Accessible Learning Centre, Peters building P220. A mandatory training session will be provided.
For more information, email altutors@wlu.ca or call 519.884.0710 x2715.
How to Apply (Brantford Campus)
Provide a resume, Laurier transcript (if on record, unofficial LORIS attachment accepted), and completed Tutor Application Form (Brantford) to lbtutors@wlu.ca, or drop off the application in person at the Accessible Learning Centre (One Market) or Learning Skills & Development (One Market). A mandatory training session will be provided.
For more information, email lbtutors@wlu.ca or call 519.756.8228 x5786.
Volunteer Note-Takers
The ALC provides a note-taking service for registered students with disabilities who have been approved for this classroom accommodation. If you attend all your classes and take great notes, why not volunteer to take notes for someone in need?
What Do Note-Takers Do?
The great thing about being a note-taker is that you don't have to do anything more than you already do: go to class and take good notes!
We need you to commit to attend all your lectures and agree to post comprehensive notes online following each lecture. If you have handwritten notes, you can scan them in our office.
How Does Note-Taking Help?
It is not uncommon for lectures and lecture rooms to have extraneous noise and distractions, uncomfortable chairs and infrequent or no breaks, presentation of highly visual material, poor room acoustics and sound quality, and fast-paced delivery of content. These factors can impede the ability of someone with chronic pain, ADHD, a learning disability, a broken arm or sensory impairment (to name just a few examples) to take comprehensive notes.
Having access to your notes means that a student with a disability is not put at a disadvantage; it means that they can attend and participate to the best of their ability in lectures knowing that they have access to supplementary notes and access to classroom information they may have missed.
Regardless of the reason, your notes will allow another student to benefit more from class.
What Are the Benefits?
- Feel good about helping another student.
- Improve your notes by being more conscious about what you're writing.
- Receive valuable references for a job well done.
- Gain experience to include on your resume and your Laurier Experience Record.
How to Apply
- Apply to be a note taker at ALC online.
- Sign in using your Laurier user name and password.
- Fill in requested information to create your profile.
- Click the button "register as a note-taker" (you are now registered).
- Sign into ALC online using your Laurier user name and password.
- Select the correct term.
- Enter your course CRN (course registration numbers). If you do not know your CRN numbers for your course, you can look them up on your LORIS account (
week at a glance). - Read, sign and submit your note-taker contract.
- Verify that you entered your course information correctly and click on the button to submit your class schedule.
- You will be notified via your Laurier email if you have been selected to be a note-taker.
- Check your email regularly, as we are continuously assigning note-takers throughout the term.
Peer Support Team Volunteer Positions
Are you interested in being more involved in the Laurier community and helping other students at the same time? The Accessible Learning Centre (ALC) is now recruiting volunteers for the Peer Support Team on the Waterloo campus for the 2020-2021 academic year. This is your opportunity to coordinate programs, initiate projects and support your fellow Laurier students.
Application Process
- Complete the application form. Indicate and rank which positions you'd like to be considered for. Please attach your resume.
- Return or email your application form and resume to the ALC (P220 Peters) by Friday, March 14,
2020 by noon. - Selected applicants will be invited by email to sign up for an interview.
- Interviews will be scheduled for the last couple of weeks in March.
For more information, please contact Erin Riggin, educational planner, at 519.884.0710 x2715 or riggine@wlu.ca.
Note-Taking Program Coordinator
Purpose
- To assist the Accessible Learning Centre (ALC) with the coordination of the note-taking program for students with disabilities.
Time Commitment
- Minimum two semesters at four hours/week, plus biweekly one-hour team meeting.
Qualifications Required
- Caring, empathic and sensitive to the needs of students with disabilities.
- Dependable, punctual, dedicated, motivated and patient.
- Self-starter, creative and able to work independently with great attention to detail.
- Excellent customer service, listening, interpersonal, time management and organizational skills.
- Previous volunteer note-taking experience is an asset.
Responsibilities
Collaborating with the ALC's educational planner, the student note-taking program coordinator will:
- Recruit note takers and promote the note-taking program (may include public speaking such as in-class announcements and note-taker training).
- Manage the daily interactions of the note-taking program using email, an Access database, and MyLearningSpace.
- Match and support note takers, and monitor the overall progress of the note-taking service.
- Initiate projects related to the note-taking program.
- Maintain confidentiality and respect boundaries as described in the Peer Helper Handbook.
Training and Supervision
- Successfully complete a one-day volunteer orientation and training session during O-Week.
- Specific training to the note-taking program is provided by the educational planner.
- Regular ongoing supervision provided by the educational planner. Any concerns will be taken to the ALC manager for resolution
Benefits
- Develop knowledge regarding disability, communication, presentation and helping skills.
- Gain leadership experience for inclusion on resumes and Laurier’s Experience Record.
Tutoring Program Coordinator
Purpose
- To assist the Accessible Learning Centre (ALC) with the coordination of the tutoring program for students with disabilities.
Time Commitment
- Minimum two semesters at four hours/week, plus biweekly one-hour team meeting.
Qualifications Required
- Caring, empathic and sensitive to the needs of students with disabilities.
- Dependable, punctual, dedicated, motivated and patient.
- Self-starter, creative and able to work independently with great attention to detail.
- Excellent customer service, listening, interpersonal, time management and organizational skills.
- Previous tutoring experience is an asset.
Responsibilities
Collaborating with the ALC's educational planner, the student tutoring program coordinator will:
- Recruit tutors and promote the tutoring program (may include public speaking such as tutor training).
- Interview, orient and train new tutors.
- Manage the daily interactions of the tutoring program using email and an Access database.
- Match and support tutors, and monitor the overall progress of the tutoring service.
- Initiate projects related to the tutoring program.
- Maintain confidentiality and respect boundaries as described in the Peer Helper Handbook.
Training and Supervision
- Successfully complete a one-day volunteer orientation and training session during O-Week.
- Specific training to the tutoring program is provided by the educational planner.
- Regular ongoing supervision provided by the educational planner. Any concerns will be taken to the ALC manager for resolution.
Benefits
- Develop knowledge regarding disability, communication, presentation and helping skills.
- Gain leadership experience for inclusion on resumes and Laurier’s Experience Record.
Assistive Technology Support Volunteer
- To provide support for students with disabilities in the Assistive Technology Lab in the areas of training, technology support and adaptive equipment maintenance.
- Minimum two semesters at four hours/week, plus biweekly one-hour team meeting.
- Caring, empathic and sensitive to the needs of students with disabilities.
- Dependable, punctual, dedicated, motivated and patient.
- Strong computer skills/technical abilities (e.g. knowledge of various hardware and software and peripherals such as scanners).
- Self-starter, creative and able to work independently with great attention to detail.
- Strong customer service, listening and interpersonal skills.
- Interest in teaching technical skills and/or providing technical support.
- Provide one-on-one technical support to students with disabilities.
- Research emerging assistive technology information.
- Assist with administration of the lab.
- Initiate projects related to assistive technology and student support.
- Maintain confidentiality and respect boundaries as described in the Peer Helper Handbook.
- Successfully complete a one-day volunteer orientation and training session during O-Week.
- Acquire working knowledge of the technology support training modules developed by the ALC's assistive technologist.
- Regular ongoing supervision provided by the assistive technologist. Any concerns will be taken to the educational planner for resolution, and, if required, to the ALC manager.
- Develop knowledge regarding disability, assistive technology, problem solving and helping skills.
- Gain leadership experience for inclusion on resumes and Laurier’s Experience Record.
Academic Coach Volunteer
Purpose
- To provide group and individual support and assistance to students with disabilities in developing the following areas: memory, time management, effective reading, note taking, writing skills, exam preparation and exam writing.
Time Commitment
- Minimum two semesters at four hours/week, plus biweekly one-hour team meeting.
Qualifications Required
- Caring, empathic and sensitive to the needs of students with disabilities.
- Dependable, punctual, dedicated, motivated and patient.
- Self-starter, creative and able to work independently with great attention to detail.
- Strong customer service, listening and interpersonal skills.
Responsibilities
- Prepare and organize educational materials for student with disabilities.
- Work one-on-one with students registered with the Accessible Learning Centre (ALC) to develop learning strategies.
- Co-organize and present study skills workshops for ALC students.
- Initiate projects related to learning strategies.
- Maintain confidentiality and respect boundaries as described in the Peer Helper Handbook.
Training and Supervision
- Successfully complete a one-day volunteer orientation and training session during O-Week.
- Acquire working knowledge of the six basic study skills modules developed by the ALC's learning strategists.
- Regular ongoing supervision provided by the learning strategists. Any concerns will be taken to the educational planner for resolution, and, if required, to the ALC manager.
Benefits
- Develop knowledge regarding disability, communication, presentation and helping skills.
- Develop critical thinking skills that evaluate student progress and offer programming to meet assessed needs.
- Gain leadership experience for inclusion on resumes and Laurier’s Experience Record.
Social Media and Disability Awareness Support Co-ordinator
Purpose
- To assist the Accessible Learning Centre (ALC) with the coordination of various projects such as the annual Awareness Week and the student support program for students with disabilities (as required by students). Update and manage the ALC Facebook page.
Time Commitment
- Minimum two semesters at four hours/week plus bi-weekly one hour team meeting
Qualifications Required
- Caring, empathic, and sensitive to the needs of students with disabilities
- Dependable, punctual, dedicated, and patient
- Self-starter, creative, highly motivated and able to work independently
- Excellent communication, listening, interpersonal, time management and organizational skills
- Experience in the helping role is an asset
- Knowledge of the campus and community resources/services
Responsibilities
- Initiate projects related to the functions of the ALC (past projects included developing the ALC’s Awareness events, and providing disability training for Laurier groups)
- Co-ordinate one-on-one support for students with disabilities. Support is student-need driven in a variety of campus activities, including offering tutorials to new students, guiding/accompanying students on campus, and supporting students in recreational support
- Update and manage the ALC Facebook page, research for relevant content
- Maintain confidentiality and respect boundaries as described in the Peer Helper Handbook
Training and Supervision
- Successfully complete a one-day volunteer orientation and training session during O-Week
- Specific position training is provided by the Educational Supports Coordinator.
- Regular ongoing supervision provided by the Educational Supports Coordinator. Should concerns arise, they will be taken to the ALC Manager for resolution.
Benefits
- Develop knowledge regarding disability, communication, program management and helping skills
- Gain leadership experience for inclusion on resumes and Laurier’s Co-Curricular Record