Volunteer Recruitment Procedures
Approving Authority: President and Chief Executive Officer
Original Approval Date: November 5th, 2024
Date of Most Recent Review/Revision:
Related Policies, Procedures, and Documents: Volunteer Standards and Performance Policy; Conflict of Interest Policy
1. Purpose
The following procedures outline how Wilfrid Laurier University undergraduate students can volunteer with the Students’ Union.
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2. Volunteer Categories
2.1. Volunteer positions with the Students’ Union are organized into the following categories:
2.1.1. Coordinator - Provides financial, operational, and volunteer management support for a committee to the departmental Vice-President and Associate Vice-Presidents.
2.1.2. Executive - Supports the Coordinator and works collaboratively with general volunteers to promote events, operate services, and facilitate committee initiatives.
2.1.3. Team Lead - Holds additional responsibilities beyond that of a general volunteer, and as identified by role.
2.1.4. General - Assist in the facilitation of committee events, initiatives, programming, and outreach.
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3. Volunteer Positions
3.1. In consultation with the Vice-President: Volunteer Operations, the relevant departmental Vice-President, Associate Vice-President, or Coordinator will determine the number of available volunteer positions.
3.2. The Vice-President: Volunteer Operations will hold a detailed list of all active volunteer positions, including volunteer categories.
3.2.1. The Hiring and Recruitment Coordinators will work in conjunction with the Vice-President: Volunteer Operations and their Associate Vice-Presidents to monitor open volunteer positions as they become available.
3.3. The decision to limit volunteer positions by suspending or eliminating an entire committee can only be made by the President and their Executive Leadership Team in consultation with the Executive Director.
3.4. The Vice-President: Volunteer Operations or their Associate Vice-Presidents will approve committee structures, including the available volunteer positions.
3.5. The standard volunteer term is May 1st through to April 30th.
3.5.1. Volunteers hired after May 1st for standard volunteer terms serve from the date of their hiring through to April 30th.
3.5.2. Volunteer contracts for seasonal or term limited positions will stipulate the start and end dates for the role.
3.6. Volunteers are eligible to hold multiple standard positions, with the following restrictions:
3.6.1. A Coordinator may only hold one (1) additional general volunteer position.
3.6.2. An Executive may only hold two (2) additional general volunteer positions.
3.6.3. Volunteers are limited to hold three (3) General volunteer positions.
3.7. The Vice-President: Volunteer Operations and their Associate Vice-Presidents may grant exemptions to the restrictions on number of positions a volunteer may hold based on organizational need and in consideration of seasonal and term limited roles.
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4. Recruitment Process
4.1. Available volunteer positions are posted online through a recruitment portal linked on the Students’ Union website.
4.2. The Vice-President: Volunteer Operations and the Hiring & Recruitment Committee will lead the recruitment process and are responsible for training volunteers participating on hiring panels.
4.3. Students are required to complete the application process by the posted deadline and indicate the position they intend to hold.
4.3.1. The Vice-President: Volunteer Operations or their Associate Vice-Presidents may grant exceptions for the submission of applications outside of set recruitment periods.
4.4. Students must consent to a mandatory confidential Volunteer Suitability Check, conducted by the Wilfrid Laurier University Office of Student Affairs.
4.4.1. The Volunteer Suitability Check includes information from the Department of Residence, Special Constable Services, the Centre for Student Equity and Diversity, the Office of Human Rights and Conflict Management, and the Dean of Students Office.
4.4.2. The volunteer role is conditional upon the completion of a successful Volunteer Suitability Check.
4.5. Hiring & Recruitment Committee representatives will mark all completed volunteer applications.
4.6. Coordinator candidates are considered based on their marked application and for those eligible, an interview.
4.6.1. Coordinator interviews are conducted by a hiring panel consisting of the relevant Vice-President or Associate Vice-President and a Hiring & Recruitment Committee representative.
4.6.2. Candidates will be invited to an interview based on the score of their marked application.
4.6.3. Candidates invited to an interview will be notified within two (2) weeks unless otherwise communicated.
4.6.4. Successful candidates will be notified within two (2) weeks unless otherwise communicated.
4.6.5. Unsuccessful candidates will be notified within three (3) weeks unless otherwise communicated.
4.7. Executive volunteers are considered based on their marked application and for those eligible, an interview.
4.7.1. Executive interviews are conducted by a hiring panel consisting of the committee coordinator and a Hiring & Recruitment Committee representative.
4.7.2. The relevant Vice-President or Associate Vice-President will act as an alternative for the hiring panel in the event the coordinator has a conflict.
4.7.3. Candidates will be invited to an interview based on the score of their marked application.
4.7.4. Candidates invited to an interview will be notified within two (2) weeks unless otherwise communicated.
4.7.5. Successful candidates will be notified by within two (2) weeks unless otherwise communicated.
4.7.6. Unsuccessful candidates will be notified within three (3) weeks unless otherwise communicated.
4.8. General volunteer candidates are considered based on the score of their completed application, with the following exception:
4.8.1. Emergency Response Team general volunteers must participate in a carousel (activity-based group exercise) interview facilitated by the Emergency Response Team Coordinator(s) and Executive Team, with support from the Hiring & Recruitment Committee.
4.9. Orientation “Icebreaker” volunteer candidates are considered based on the score of their completed application.
4.10. Brantford Orientation “Head Ice” and Executive volunteer candidates are considered based on their marked application and for those eligible, a carousel interview conducted by the Vice-President Programming & Services Brantford, the Orientation Program Facilitator Brantford, and a Hiring & Recruitment Committee Representative.
4.10.1. Candidates will be invited to an interview based on the score of their marked application.
4.10.2. Candidates invited to an interview will be notified within two (2) weeks unless otherwise communicated.
4.10.3. Successful candidates will be notified within two (2) weeks unless otherwise communicated.
4.10.4. Unsuccessful candidates will be notified within three (3) weeks unless otherwise communicated.
4.11. Waterloo Orientation “Head Ice” and Executive volunteer candidates are considered based on their marked application and for those eligible, a carousel interview conducted by the Vice-President Programming & Services Waterloo, the Associate Vice-President: Programming & Services Waterloo.
4.11.1. Candidates will be invited to an interview based on the score of their marked application.
4.11.2. Candidates invited to an interview will be notified within two (2) weeks unless otherwise communicated.
4.11.3. Successful candidates will be notified within two (2) weeks unless otherwise communicated.
4.12. Unsuccessful candidates will be notified within three (3) weeks unless otherwise communicated.
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5. Feedback​
5.1. Unsuccessful candidates may contact the Vice-President: Volunteer Operations or their Associate Vice-Presidents for feedback within fourteen (14) days of receiving notice.
5.1.1. If a successful candidate alleges impropriety during the recruitment process the Vice-President: Volunteer Operations will promptly examine the circumstances and if required consult with the Wilfrid Laurier University Office of Human Rights and Conflict Management.
5.1.1.1. If the alleged impropriety relates to the Vice-President: Volunteer Operations, another Vice-President or the President will take responsibility for reviewing the matter.
5.1.2. The Vice-President: Volunteer Operations may provide the unsuccessful candidate with additional written feedback or an opportunity to meet to discuss the process, if circumstances merit additional follow-up.
5.1.3. The Vice-President: Volunteer Operations, in consultation with the hiring panel and Hiring & Recruitment representatives, may reconsider the initial hiring decision if errors or oversights during the hiring process are discovered.
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6. Academic Standing
6.1. Volunteers must be registered undergraduate students progressing towards the completion of their degree and in good academic standing.
6.2. Students placed on academic probation are not eligible to continue in their volunteer role.
6.2.1. Volunteers are required to disclose to their Coordinator that they are on academic probation.
6.2.2. Students must re-apply for all volunteer roles once they are no longer on academic probation.
6.3. Committee Coordinators and their Executives will encourage volunteers to properly manage their time and confirm that they are not neglecting their academics in favour of their volunteer responsibilities.
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7. Conflict of Interest ​
7.1. All participants in the recruitment of volunteers are obligated to disclose any conflicts of interest that may jeopardize the process, including but not limited to:
7.1.1. Familial relationship
7.1.2. Intimate or romantic relationship
7.1.3. Co-habitation or roommate relationship
7.1.4. Financial interests
7.2. A hiring panel member with a potential, apparent, or actual conflict of interest may be required to excuse themselves from the process.
7.2.1. The Vice-President: Volunteer Operations may be consulted if hiring panel members are not able to reach consensus about perceived or real conflicts.
7.2.2. An additional person may by added to a hiring panel to mitigate an acknowledged but unavoidable conflict.
7.3. If a member of the hiring process fails to properly disclose a conflict of interest, they will be subject to the Volunteer Standards and Performance Policy.
7.4. Any conflict of interest directly involving the Vice-President: Volunteer Operations will be dealt with according to the Students’ Union’s Conflict of Interest policy.