Are you are enthusiastic about sustainability, and looking for opportunities to get involved while gaining professional development and volunteering experience? Find out more about the types of opportunities on offer, your responsibilities, and the benefits of becoming a Sustainability Student Network member.

OVERVIEW

The Sustainability Student Network is a community of students connected via aprivate Facebook group to share opportunities. Once your application to be a member is approved, you will be added to the group.

Each opportunity is posted along with the details of who to contact if you want to take part. You simply follow up directly with this contact to ask for more information, and to coordinate your involvement. 

CONFERENCE FUNDING

As a member of the Sustainability Student Network, you may apply for funding to attend a sustainability-related conference. To apply, you must identify your chosen conference and complete an application form, indicating your expected expenses and the reasons for your interest in attending the conference. Funding is primarily to support conference fees, but you may also request other conference-related expenses.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and successful applicants will be funded up to a maximum of $500. Applicants can apply for multiple conferences, but only one award per student will be given over the course of the year.

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION

OPPORTUNITIES

We promote a very diverse range of opportunities from across many different faculties and departments at UBC’s Vancouver campus.

Example opportunities include:

  • Volunteering
  • Internship
  • Mentorship
  • Networking
  • Conferences
  • Workshops
  • Competitions
  • Events (e.g. speaker events, dialogue series)
  • Participation in surveys, focus groups

BENEFITS

The benefits of joining the Sustainability Student Network include:

  • Access to upcoming sustainability-related opportunities and events that you can respond to directly, including UBC Sustainability events e.g. UBC Reads Sustainability
     
  • Invitations to Sustainability Student Networknetworking events and training sessions to build your connections with other like-minded students
     
  • Broader learning experiences through volunteer and work experience
     
  • Ability to submit opportunities offered from your own group (if applicable) or an affiliated sustainability-related organization/group
     
  • Access to meeting room bookings at the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (limited availability). Email your request with the goals of your meeting, the connection to enhancing sustainability on campus, and 2 possible meeting times. *Note: Please apply at least 4 weeks prior to your meeting date.
     
  • Eligibility to apply for sustainability-related conference support funding
     
  • Subscription to the UBC Sustainability Newsletter

YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

The Sustainability Student Networkgives you the flexibility to participate for as little or as much time as you like. You can choose when to take part by responding to opportunities that interest you. 

When you reach out to volunteer with a group, here are some tips to help you succeed:

  • Respond quickly to communication
  • Ask for support or clarification from the organizer if you need it to do a good job
  • Be punctual and well prepared
  • Model sustainable behaviour throughout