Residence Staff

Residence staff making a "W" with his fingers wearing a purple mask.

Contribute to the residence experience by joining Residence Staff as a Residence Don, Living Learning Community (LLC) Don, or Residence Education Advisor. Develop your leadership skills while being part of a strong, dynamic team. If you have a passion for building community and want to foster a sense of belonging, read on! 

Residence Staff Applications

Applications will open for Residence Staff positions on Thursday November 3, 2022. To apply, please visit your myHousing Portal. Applications are due by Monday December 12, 2022 at noon.

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What do Residence Staff do?

As Residence Staff, you can look forward to being involved in community-building, event programming, mediation and dispute resolution, crisis management, social issues awareness, team building, and more. The program here is varied and exciting, and we'll give you a good start by offering a learning and development program (Staff Training - Residence Education Advisors begin training on August 14, 2023; Residence Dons begin training on August 17, 2023) before you begin and will provide ongoing learning opportunities and support throughout the year.

Why Should I Apply?

Employers today are seeking the kind of employable skills that are found in the leadership opportunities we offer in residence, including the ability to lead large groups of people, to think on your feet, be prepared to face unpredictable situations, to exercise good mediation and the ability to communicate effectively. This position will help you develop critical thinking, time management and problem-solving skills, all while helping others thrive. 

 

"Being on Residence Staff is a unique way to discover more about yourself, expand your social relationships and feel connected to campus. I wanted to finish my undergrad in a meaningful way, and considering this role was something I wanted to do, it seemed like a perfect fit!” - Elise 

 

Residence Staff Positions

Accordion Info

Residence Don

Residence Dons work in teams to support first-year communities in residence by offering enriching programs, promoting opportunities for student engagement, and ensuring residence policies are upheld.

What you will do: 

  • Develop programs and initiatives that serve the needs of your floor to support student engagement & foster belonging 
  • Participate in evening duty and on-call shifts, as scheduled, to connect with students, ensure residence policies are upheld, and respond to violations and emergencies should they arise
  • Support other teams and processes in your building to ensure that residents' needs are being met 

Read the full job description.

Living-Learning Community Don (LLC Don)

Living-Learning Communities (LLCs) are floors in residence for students that want to live with other students that may share commonalities with each other. There are floors for students who share a faculty/program, have the same shared identity and/or lived experience, or those who want to support diversity, inclusion, and decolonization. This means your required programming as a staff member would be geared towards this specific area.

LLC Dons are Residence Dons who support the experience of students in a Living-Learning Community by designing specific initiatives and by connecting students to resources relevant to their community. This supplementary role is held in addition to a Don position, with an honorarium paid in recognition of additional responsibilities. 

Applicants who wish to become a Living-Learning Community Don should be engaged in that community in a meaningful way (i.e. studying in a particular faculty for a faculty-based community or being a member of or strong ally for an interest-based community). 

What you will do: 

  • Follow Community Development guidelines for Living-Learning Community Dons 
  • Liaise with the Academic and Leadership Programmer (ALP) and faculty mentor to provide ongoing support for student academic success plans

Read the full job description.

Residence Education Advisor (REA)

REAs live off-campus and work with Student Experience, the International and Exchange Student Centre, Residence Staff, Residence and Faculty Sophs, student volunteers, and Residents' Council to create a community in residence that supports students' academic success and leadership development.

What you will do: 

  • Act as a resource for academic support and leadership involvement, providing opportunities for student engagement in residence and on campus 
  • Develop and facilitate residence programs that foster a positive living and learning environment, personal growth, and leadership development 
  • Maintain a network of contacts to make referrals to students who require academic support (We will help you with this!) 

Read the full job description.

2023-24 Hiring Timelines

New Residence Staff

  • Application Opens: November 3, 2022
  • Applications Due: December 12, 2022 (noon)
  • Notification of Group Interview: January 6, 2023
  • Group Interviews
    • January 9, 2023, 5:30-6:30pm OR 7:00-8:00pm
    • January 10, 2023, 5:30-6:30pm OR 7:00-8:00pm
    • January 11, 2023, 5:30-6:30pm OR 7:00-8:00pm
    • January 12, 2023, 5:30-6:30pm OR 7:00-8:00pm
    • January 16, 2023, 5:30-6:30pm OR 7:00-8:00pm
  • Individual Interviews: January 30 - February 10, 2023
  • Offer of Employment: February 27, 2023
  • Deadline for Acceptance: March 5, 2023
  • Staff Welcome: March 10, 2023 (4:00-6:00pm)

Returning Residence Staff

  • Applications Open: November 3, 2022
  • Applications Due: December 12, 2022 (noon)
  • Online Video Interviews: January 11-15, 2023
  • REA Interviews: January 30-February 10, 2023
  • Offer of Employment: February 27, 2023
  • Deadline for Acceptance: March 5, 2023
  • Staff Welcome: March 10, 2023 (4:00-6:00pm)

Information Booths

  • November 15, 2022
    • 5-7pm - Delaware Hall Dining Hall
  • November 16, 2022
    • 12-2pm - Natural Sciences Building (in front of Library)
    • 5-7pm - Alumni House Lobby
    • 5-7pm - Elgin Hall Dining Hall
    • 5-7pm - Essex Hall Dining Hall
  • November 17, 2022
    • 5-7pm - Bayfield Hall Lobby
    • 5-7pm - Perth Hall Lobby
  • November 18, 2022
    • 5-7pm - London Hall
  • November 22, 2022
    • 5-7pm - Lambton Hall Lobby
    • 5-7pm - Medway-Sydenham Dining Hall
  • November 24, 2022
    • 5-7pm - Saugeen-Maitland Hall Dining Hall
  • November 30, 2022
    • 5-7pm - Ontario Hall Dining Hall

Application & Interview Prep workshops

Careers & Experience will be conducting a combined application and interview workshop to support applicants with residence staff recruitment. These will be offered on the following dates and times:

  • November 10, 2022 at 5:30-6:30pm (London Hall 100)
  • November 22, 2022 at 5:30-6:30pm (Delaware Hall Formal Lounge)
  • November 30, 2022 at 5:30-6:30pm (Saugeen-Maitland Hall Main Lounge)

 

Please sign up for one of these workshops through the link below.

Registration Link: https://uwo.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2fVYd3fJ1GV2snQ 

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I eligible to apply for Residence Staff?

All applicants must be full-time students on main campus, and be in good standing with Housing.

Once hired, Residence Staff are required to maintain a minimum 65% average, as well as obtain a First Aid & CPR-Level C Certificate and a Police Vulnerable Sector Check. In addition, all Residence Staff are required to be present for the Learning & Development Conference (mandatory training), Move-in and Residence Based Day, as well as scheduled on-duty shifts during Orientation Week. See dates below.

  • Learning & Development Conference: August 14-16 & August 21-30, 2023 for REAs; August 21-30, 2023 for Dons
  • First Aid & CPR training: August 17 & 18, 2023 (can be taken individually before this date)
  • Move-in: September 2-4, 2023 
  • Residence Based Day & scheduled on-duty shifts: Orientation week

Full attendance at the Learning and Development Conference is mandatory.  Failure to attend training may deem you ineligible for a Residence Staff position. No exceptions will be made for academic commitments that conflict with these requirements including faculty specific orientations, internships, conferences, etc.

I am transferring and will attend Western in September 2023. Can I still apply?

All applicants require a Western username and password to access the application. If you are planning to attend Western in September 2023 as an upper-year student, you are welcome to apply, but will require a temporary login. Please call our office at 519-661-3548 or email residencelife@uwo.ca to receive a temporary login. 

What positions can I apply for?

All applicants may apply for any position. While previous residence life experience is valuable, we are confident that our comprehensive training program, along with mentorship and knowledge transfer with experienced members of the team, will prepare all candidates to be successful in their roles.

Applicants who wish to become a Living-Learning Community Don should be engaged in that community in a meaningful way.

Can I choose what building I would like to work in?

As part of the application, you will be asked to identify your building preference. If you are passionate about community development and are looking for the most economical option, you may wish to identify traditional-style as your building preference. If you require an independent living option, you may wish to identify suite- or hybrid-style as your building preference. We know that most applicants are excited for the role and would be happy to work in any building; therefore, you have the option to select that you have no preference as well. 

Please understand that while we will make every effort to honour individual preferences, all offers of employment will be based on operational needs. As such, applicants may receive building placements that are different from their identified preferences. Building preferences are different from workplace and living accommodations. 

How do I log in to the application?

If you are a current Western student, applications are accessible in the myHousing Portal during the application period. 

Log in using ‘Western Identity’ login, using your Western username and password. Click on ‘Residence’ and choose the application for ‘Student Leadership in Residence’. You can then choose to apply for a Residence Staff position.