Volunteer with Unitea

Unitea Hosts must meet the following volunteers requirements for September 2025:

• Have turned 18 years of age by September 1, 2025 or will be turning 18 years of age by December 31, 2025. 
• Enrolled as a part-time or full-time student at the University of Alberta for the academic year at the North Campus.
• Completed the Community Helpers Program before July 1, 2025.
• Submit a Police Information Check/Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Check from the location of their main address (i.e. the address on the candidate’s government-issued ID)
• Completed 22 hours of in-person and asynchronous training, including Host Orientation in August and September.

• Approachable: empathetic, compassionate, non-judgmental, genuine, and demonstrates active listening skills.
• Openness: committed to learning, building skills, and demonstrating equity, inclusion, and diversity principles. 
• Motivational: enthusiastic, creative, takes initiative, and dedicated.
• Collaborative: adaptable, flexible, and works well in a team environment.
• Professional: respectful of others, upholds boundaries, confidentiality and privacy.
• Accountable: reliable, timely communication, and displays sound time-management practices.
• Community-minded: foster a sense of belonging, inclusion, and connection.
• Please note we require those applying as Collective Hosts to have strong group facilitation skills, and Outreach Hosts should have strong interpersonal skills. Project management experience is an asset for the Outreach Host role.

Commit to at least one (1) academic year (i.e. Fall & Winter terms) with the Unitea program.

Important: All Unitea Hosts are stewards of the Unitea program and, by extension, the University of Alberta. All volunteers are expected to uphold confidentiality and provide assistance to peers (within capacity).

Boost student mental health and well-being through social connection by 1) planning, organizing and carrying out meaningful activities and interactive events for U of A students while engaging, connecting, and supporting them, and 2) supporting campus community dialogue and program-related activities.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, and carry out 2 to 3 campus outreach events/activities per term.
• Collaborate with Wellness Supports Health Promotion Outreach colleagues to plan, organize, carry out regular social events.
• Use active listening skills to engage and support students in meaningful ways at outreach events/activities.
• 1x office hours each week for promotional work and activities.
• Participate in campus community dialogue events/activities, including tabling.
• Attend bi-weekly meetings with the Outreach Host team and ongoing trainings with the Wellness Supports/Unitea team.
• Participate in on-going professional development training, including feedback sessions and check-ins with supervising staff.
• Assist with program development and promotion (i.e. distribute program materials like posters and team building activities) during the Fall/Winter terms.

Time Commitment

• 1 hour/week: office work for program-related promotional work.
• 4 hours/month: plan for monthly socials and outreach events/activities, including group meetings and independent time. 
• 5 hours/month: organize and carry out monthly socials and outreach events/activities. 
• 2 hours/month: mandatory team meeting and professional development.
• Total: 15 hours/month or 3.75 hours/week

Outreach Host Application - Apply Here

Boost student mental health and well-being through social connection by 1) meeting with U of A students for one-to-one conversations, including discussions that may be casual/lighthearted and meaningful/supportive, and 2) supporting campus community dialogue and program-related activities.

Responsibilities

• Engage in 2x weekly 1-hr tea time shifts and substitute shifts as needed.
• Use active listening skills to engage and support students in meaningful ways.
• Able to discuss a range of topics with undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral students (e.g., time management, exam stress, language practice, questions about campus, hobbies/interests, and everything in between).
• Refer students to appropriate services and resources and debrief with supervising staff (as needed).
• Communicate with student guests as needed through the booking system (e.g., send welcome message, follow-up with services and resources, etc.).
• Participate in campus community dialogue events/activities, including tabling.
• Attend ongoing regular meetings and trainings with the Wellness Supports/Unitea team.
• Participate in on-going professional development training, including feedback sessions and check-ins with supervising staff.
• Assist with program development and promotion (i.e. distribute program materials like posters and team building activities) during the Fall/Winter terms.

Time commitment

• 3 hours/week: 2x scheduled one-to-one tea time shifts (inclusive of the activity itself, preparation, documentation, and administration).
• 2 hours/month: mandatory team meeting and professional development.
• 1 hour/month: campus and program-related activities (i.e. tabling, poster distribution etc.)
• Total: 15 hours/month or 3.75 hours/week

One-to-One Host Application - Apply Here

Boost student mental health and well-being through social connection by 1) facilitating group conversations with U of A students and specialized student groups, and 2) supporting campus community dialogue and program-related activities.

Responsibilities

• Facilitate 2x monthly group conversations (1x could be a specialized collective tea time i.e. SpecialTea).
• Prepare topical themes, talking points, prompts to be used in collective discussions.
• Use active listening skills to engage and support students in meaningful ways.
• Set-up, take-down, and store collective tea time supplies.
• Refer student guests to appropriate services and resources and debrief with Unitea support staff (as needed).
• Participate in campus community dialogue events/activities, including tabling.
• Attend ongoing meetings and trainings with Wellness Supports/Unitea team.
• Participate in on-going professional development training,including feedback sessions and check-ins with supervising staff.
• Assist with program development and promotion (i.e. distribute program materials like posters and team building activities) during the Fall/Winter terms.

Time commitment

• 5 hours/month: 2x collective tea time shifts (inclusive of the activity itself, set up/take-down/store, documentation, and administration).
• 4 hours/month: prepare topical themes, talking points, prompts group discussions.
• 3 hours/month: promotion and coordination SpecialTeas.
• 2 hours/month: mandatory team meeting and professional development.
• 1 hour/month: campus and program-related activities (i.e. tabling, poster distribution etc.)
• Total: 15 hours/month or 3.75 hours/week

Collective Host Application - Apply Here