Sustain SU Volunteer - Spring/Summer

Please click on this link to apply for this opportunity and do not apply directly through this site. This site only provides information and applications on this site will not be reviewed. 

ABOUT THE STUDENTS’ UNION

The University of Alberta Students’ Union (UASU) is the official student-run organization for undergraduates at the University of Alberta. We aim to improve the student experience, through the services, events and spaces that we provide. We also provide advocacy on behalf of students within the university community, and to all levels of government.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Sustain SU for the Spring and Summer! We are currently recruiting for the Bike Library & Workshop, Campus Gardens Teams, and the Green Market/Thrift Store teams. The deadline to apply is May 4th, 2025 at 11:59PM!

Bike Library & Workshop (BLW)

The Bike Library & Workshop is a community bike shop located in the South Academic Building (SAB 1-13), on North Campus. Students, staff, and community members can learn how to service their bikes free of charge. Additionally, we hold workshops on bike-related topics. The Bike Library also provides low-cost bike rentals between the months of May-October. On top of that, we sell new and used bike parts! Our aim is to promote a sustainable mode of transportation and educate people on how to maintain and repair their own bikes. Last year, the BLW team worked on social media projects, created a bike rack map of campus, facilitated workshops and hosted community bike rides! The BLW collaborates with non-profit organization Bike Edmonton.

Campus Gardens (CG)

The Campus Community Garden is a volunteer-run, shared garden plot, typically run from early spring to late fall, to provide locally and sustainably grown food. The garden helps to promote urban agriculture by teaching campus community members sustainable gardening practices. We also help to contribute to food security on campus by providing a portion of our harvest to the Campus Food Bank. In previous years Sustain SU collaborated with RED (Renewable Energy Design), an amazing student group on campus. RED built a greenhouse where we were able to start our seedlings early for the planting season. This is an exciting project in its early development, so there is a lot to discover as we continue in this collaboration. As well, in April 2024, we are launching our campus' first Seed Library. This project is meant to promote local seed diversity through seed saving, food security, and food sovereignty! Overall, we hope to give more people access to growing and gardening, while forming community and helping reduce food insecurity.

VOLUNTEER OPTIONS

   1. General Volunteer (2 - 3 hours per week, Late May through September): Known as Sustainability ambassadors, this is our minimum requirement for all volunteer options in the spring and summer months. Most often, this looks like one shift per week. Tasks include helping with day-to-day operations of the Bike Library and/or Campus Gardens and assisting with events, as needed.

   2. Leadership Team Member (5 - 7 hours per week, May through September): this is a Senior volunteer position with one of our teams. In this position you’ll assist the SustainSU Coordinator in hiring and running the Sustainability Ambassador teams, and learning volunteer management skills relating to either the Campus Garden or Thrift Store in addition to all the duties of a general volunteer. This position still requires one two-hour shift per week to complete the day-to-day operations of the Campus Gardens/Thrift Store. 

EQUITY AND INCLUSION

The UASU’s mission is to serve, engage, and represent students. To do that well we need an organization that is representative of the students we serve. We are committed to creating a diverse environment that fosters a sense of belonging and empowerment. We actively encourage applications from members of groups experiencing barriers to equity.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Please complete your application through the link. The deadline to apply is 11:59PM on May 4th. For questions about this posting, please contact Sustain SU at [email protected].