Want to be a Peer Tutor? Join our Teams!

Want to be a Peer Tutor? Join our Teams!

Our peer tutor team is made up of University of Waterloo upper year undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of faculties and academic backgrounds who are trained to provide one-to-one support for students on any writing and communication task on a drop-in basis.

Our Arts First peer tutor team is comprised of University of Waterloo undergraduate Arts students from a variety of majors who provide one-to-one and group support embedded into Arts 130 and Arts 140 classes.

All of our tutors are trained to work with students to identify areas of growth and next steps for an assignment or communication task, and we provide them with the resources needed to achieve their goals. Our work is driven by writing centre research and scholarship. 

Students often return to work with tutors regularly, and we love to build ongoing tutoring relationships with students at all stages, from first-year undergraduates to dissertators. 

Now hiring for Fall 2023 and Winter 2024!

JOIN OUR TEAM AS AN UNDERGRADUATE PEER TUTOR AMBASSADOR!

The Writing and Communication Centre (WCC) is hiring undergraduate UWaterloo students from all faculties to be Undergraduate Peer Tutor Ambassadors at the WCC next year. In this dynamic role you will support your peers with a wide range of writing and communication assignments through pre-booked and drop-in appointments. You will also have opportunities to serve as a WCC ambassador by welcoming students, staff, and visitors to our offices in South Campus Hall, and by promoting WCC services across campus. Please read on for a more detailed description of the role responsibilities, the paid training content, and application instructions.

Undergraduate Peer Tutor Ambassadors are paid $17/hour in their first year with the WCC.

Role Responsibilities

Peer Tutoring:

  • Tutoring your peers from all disciplines in all years of study during scheduled 3-hour shifts (in-person at Dana Porter Library and SCH 219, and virtually from your home).
  • In tutoring sessions, talking with peers about their writing and communication assignments, asking guiding questions, helping them view their work as an audience would, and giving advice about navigating assignment-related deadlines and stresses.
  • Using antiracist, equitable, collaborative, encouraging tutoring strategies to coach students through brainstorming, drafting, revising, or presenting their assignments (we’ll teach you how!)
  • Participating in ongoing professional development during weekly team meetings.

Student Engagement and WCC Service Promotion:

  • Providing accurate information about The Writing and Communication Centre (WCC), including services, policies, processes, procedures, etc. to all students, staff, and visitors. 
  • Opening and/or closing The Write Spot space (SCH 219). Maintaining a clean and welcoming learning and working environment for students in The Write Spot by tidying and re-setting supplies, making coffee, tracking inventory and users, etc.
  • Checking students in for their in-person appointments at the WCC and assisting students with booking and canceling appointments as needed.
  • Assisting students and campus partners with booking space in SCH 228F and The Write Spot meeting rooms.
  • Assisting students with wayfinding, recommending pertinent learning resources and programs, and distributing informational and promotional materials as required.
  • Answering in-person, email, chat (Teams), and phone (Skype) inquiries about our services in a timely and professional manner.
  • Escalating pertinent information to the leadership team or appropriate personnel for any high-level situations (including student mental health, safety concerns, facility emergencies, keys, etc).
  • Reporting on service usage, any issues, and sharing ideas on how to improve the student experience in our space.
  • Engaging with students via our social media accounts through sharing and liking posts, commenting, answering questions and DMs, etc.
  • Promoting WCC services during campus events (such as academic fairs and Orientation) and through classroom visits.

Successful applicants need to be

  • Registered as a UWaterloo student in Fall 2023 (and not on co-op) and available for in-person on-campus work throughout Fall 2023.
  • Experienced with written, verbal, visual, and digital communication. You don’t have to see yourself as the best writer, but instead you have experience revising and strengthening your drafts, and you are interested in developing strengths as a communicator.
  • Friendly, compassionate, and genuinely interested in helping others.
  • Skilled at listening, asking questions, and explaining concepts.
  • Skilled at managing your time and organizing tasks.
  • Available to work 8.5 to 15.5 hours/week when classes are in session, including some evenings (we’ll work around your schedule!).
  • Available for virtual interviews between July 24-31 and available for 25 hours of paid training in late August and early September.
  • Preferred: experience with digital communication, STEM writing and communication, and/or business communication.

We provide

  • Paid training for this role will include education in antiracist and accessible writing centre instruction, familiarization with WCC offices and services, and coaching on effective and engaging public-facing communication strategies.
  • Ongoing professional development opportunities throughout the term.
  • Opportunities for engaging in writing centre research and conferences, if you are interested.

To apply to join our team

By 9:00am on Monday, July 24, email a single document titled with your name containing the following to Maša Torbica, mtorbica@uwaterloo.ca:

  • A one-page cover letter. In your letter, please also tell us:
    • Why you’re interested in being a WCC Peer Tutor Ambassador
    • How your work and school experiences have prepared you for this role
    • What term you’ll be in this fall, what co-op terms you have upcoming (if applicable), and when you plan to graduate.
  • A one- to two-page résumé detailing your relevant experiences.
  • A recent sample of your academic communication (written, oral, visual, or digital).
  • A one-page memo describing your sample (when and why you wrote or created it) and reflecting on it (what was your process for writing or creating it? What was good about the piece? What would you change now if you could?).

If the application process does not meet your access needs, please email Maša Torbica, mtorbica@uwaterloo.ca for alternate application processes.

We seek applicants who embrace our values of equity, antiracism, and inclusion. We encourage applications from those who have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including those who identify as First Nations, Métis, Inuit/Inuk, Black, racialized, a person with a disability, women, and 2SLGBTQ+.

Applicants are responsible for ensuring that by accepting this position they would not compromise their enrolment status, visa conditions, or scholarship/award terms. If you are unsure, check with your program coordinator or advisor.