Volunteer, make an impact, and gain new career skills through the VIP-Community Service Learning Program.
The VIP-Community Service Learning Program (VIP-CSL) at the University of Windsor gives students the opportunity to positively impact their local community and develop career-readiness skills. Participants are matched with a partner organization in the non-profit sector, gaining valuable skills, building their network, and engaging in professional development while completing a 40-hour volunteer placement over the course of one semester. VIP-CSL is open to students from any program and positions may be specific to a program of study or open to all students based on the needs of the employer.
Key Dates
The VIP-CSL program runs each semester, with applications being accepted 2-2.5 months prior to the beginning of each semester.
What are the benefits?
- Gain access to volunteer positions that are curated for UWindsor students.
- Gain valuable experience and relevant skills related to your career goals.
- Apply the skills and knowledge you've gained in the classroom in a professional setting.
- Build industry connections by networking with professionals.
- Make an impact in your local community.
- Receive a certificate and notation of completion on your academic transcript.
How does the program work?
- Apply to the program: Apply on mySuccess under 'VIP-CSL Admissions', then select 'Apply to a Program' and fill out the application form.
- Participate in an interview: Our team will review student applications and invite selected applicants to submit a resume and complete an interivew.
- Attend orientation: Accepted students will complete an independent and group orientation to learn how to be successful in VIP.
- Find a position: Students review and apply to placement opportunities of their choosing with partner non-profit organizations.
- Start your placement: Volunteer for approximately four hours per week over 10 weeks to complete a minimum of 40 hours over the course of the semester.
- Build your skills: Engage in career development and reflection activities to complement your hands-on learning (typically about one hour per week).
- Be recognized on your transcript: Successful students are awarded a certificate and a notation on their academic transcript.
Who can apply
- VIP-CSL is open to students from all disciplines.
- Students must be in their second semester of study (or later) to apply.
- Students must be in good academic standing.
An administrative fee of $75 is required to participate. You will be able to view the available opportunities before you pay the fee.
Take this opportunity to step out of your comfort zone, gain valuable experience to put on your resume, and give back to your community.
Questions
View our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), visit the VIP-CSL section on mySuccess, or email vip@uwindsor.ca.
Community Partners
If you are interested in becoming a VIP-CSL Community Partner, please visit the Become a Community Partner page for details.
FAQ
Visit www.success.uwindsor.ca and login with your UWin ID and password. On the left side menu choose VIP-CSL> VIP-CSL Admissions and then choose Apply to a Program in the upper right hand corner of the screen. Next chose Apply and carefully read and answer all of the application questions. Double check your application for grammar and spelling before you submit. You will receive an email confirming that your application has been received. Apply before the deadline and you will be contacted after the deadline to let you know if you have been invited to an interview.
Students are eligible to apply if they:
- Are in good academic standing
- Are in their second term of study (or later) at the University
- Will be registered in courses during the term they intend to complete VIP or returning the following term (e.g. you may not be taking summer courses but will be registering for courses in the fall)
- Will be present, in the local area, for the duration of the semester
No, you cannot apply in your first term. You need to have successfully completed at least one term and be in your second term of study (or later) here at the University of Windsor to be eligible to apply to VIP.
Not necessarily. If you are applying to complete VIP in the summer, are not taking summer classes, but will return to study in the fall, you can apply. If you are in this situation and complete VIP your transcription notation will appear on the term following, when you are in classes. If you are on a scheduled break from your program but will be returning to class the following term, this is also okay (for example you are in a co-op program but not in the co-op stream and have a term with no classes). You cannot compelte VIP after you have graduated.
Students will be invited to interview if they:
- Submit a quality application before the deadline
- Are in good academic standing (cumulative and major average over 60%)
- Are in their second term of study (or later)
- Will be registered in courses during the term they intend to complete VIP or returning the following term (e.g. may not be taking summer courses but will register for courses in the fall)
It is a general admission interview for the program. We will not know which specific VIP positions are available until later on in the admission process.
Interviews are approximately 10 minutes in length, individual, and are completed by 1-2 interviewers. You are expected to prepare in advance (instructions will be provided), dress professionally, and arrive 5 minutes before your time slot. Our interviewers are experienced and will do their best to make you feel comfortable. You will submit a resume before the deadline.
Speak with the Applied Learning Coordinator in advance of your interview. Contact by email at vip@uwindsor.ca to set up a meeting time.
You need to be residing near campus for the entire semester. Most VIP placements are in-person. The professional development part of VIP has several in-person requirements that will take place during daytime business hours on campus. In-person orientation is often on the first day of class. Exceptions will not be granted for students that are not available during the term for non-emergency reasons.
Yes. The volunteer role must allow you to gain relevant experience, take place at a non-profit community organization off campus, and be approved by the VIP coordinator in advance.
Yes, the cost is $75 and this covers marketing materials and software. You are not asked to pay the fee until after you have had the opportunity to review the VIP positions available for the term.
Students are only matched with a role that they applied to. Matches are made by the coordinator based on best fit while looking at student preferences, academic program, job description, and student resumes.
You will view all roles and decide which roles you are interested in and submit your preferences.You will have ample time to read the detailed position descriptions and decide. Consider the location, schedule, potential impact, and relevance to your interests.
No, students can only have one position. You can apply to and complete VIP again in a future term to experience a different position.
Successful students will be awarded a certificate (signed by the President of the University), a notation of their academic transcript, skills, and experience. You will develop professional skills including: targeted resume and cover letter writing, interview skills, and clarification or confirmation of career preferences. You may also learn something new about yourself, gain confidence in your skills or have a transformational experience.
No. While some positions may be directly relevant to your degree program you can gain skills and experience in any VIP role. However, some organizations may choose to only have students from specific programs. Our community partners have the option to post their role to specific academic programs or to any student.
Our goal is to support all academic programs but the specific positions that we have each term will vary based on current community needs. Many community partners work directly with vulnerable people within our community, so they are often looking for students from Psychology and Social Work. Non-profit organizations are often in need of fundraising and marketing, so students from Business, Communication Studies, and English programs are commonly asked for. Many community organizations help provide or support education in children and young adults so if you have strong math, science, and English skills from your degree program you could consider one of our tutoring roles (in fall and winter term only). Other programs that may be requested are Criminology, Sociology, Disability Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies, Visual Arts, Political Science, Human Kinetics, Liberal and Professional Studies. If you want to know if a specific organization has work with VIP in the past or what could be available for your program, send an email to vip@uwindsor.ca and ask us.
As we only work with non-profit organizations, it is rare that we have a role related only to accounting. We sometimes have roles related to finance.
No, we have not had any local non-profit organizations that require engineering expertise in their volunteers. As an engineering student you could apply your math and science skills in a position tutoring elementary or high school students. On occasion we have a position for basic computer science that could suit a student from computer science or computer engineering. Sometimes we have roles that are for any student, when the community partner does not request a specific academic program and feels any student could gain skills from their position.
No. These practitioners are generally working at for-profit businesses and VIP only partners with non-profit or publicly-funded organizations.
The needs in our community are constantly changing, so a list posted right now would not be accurate by the end of the admission process. You will be able to see a list of the VIP roles available before you are asked to fully commit by paying the VIP fee. This happens in the first week of the term after the interview and orientation steps. While it is unlikely, if you do not find positions that interest you on this list, you can choose not to pay the fee (and perhaps apply again next term).
No. VIP orientation (often on the first day of the term) is in-person with no remote option. There are other professional development activities that will also be in-person (on campus during daytime business hours). The majority of VIP placements in the community are fully in-person.