Sustain SU Volunteer

Please click on this link to apply for this opportunity and do not apply directly through this site. This site only provides information and applications on this site will not be reviewed. 

ABOUT SUSTAIN SU

Sustain SU is the University of Alberta Students’ Union’s arm of sustainability. We strive to give students an opportunity to gain and work on leadership skills, while also providing them a chance to dip their toes into the world of sustainability. We provide a diverse range of services and opportunities for involvement to the campus community. Our programs during the school year include a sustainable market (Green For Good Market), a Bike Library & Workshop, a blog team, an events team, and our campus Thrift Store (SUBsprout).

However, this intake period is just for the Special Events and Thrift Store teams. Our GFGM and SOT teams will open in mid July, while Eco Ambassador (junior volunteer) applications open in August. All of our programs are delivered by students and designed for students. 

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Sustain SU for the Fall and Winter! This is the first round of hiring for our Fall/Winter Senior volunteers or Sustainable Leaders for the Special Events Team and the Thrift Store Team. The deadline to apply for the Special Events Team and the Thrift Store Team is July 10th, 2026 at 9:00AM. If you are interested in being a Senior Volunteer for the Green For Good Market or Sustainable Outreach Team (formerly Sustainable Actions Team) please check back here on July 13th, 2026. 

Sustainable Leader (Senior Volunteer) position information: These volunteers commit 5 - 7 hours per week, late-July through April. In this position you’ll assist the Sustain SU Coordinator in hiring and running the Eco Ambassadors (junior volunteers), learn volunteer management skills, and leadership skills. This position requires bi-weekly and monthly meetings, as well as shifts running the actual team. Sustainable leaders will be required to attend an in-person interview between July 15th - 24th, followed by an orientation date listed below.  

THE SPECIAL EVENTS TEAM (SET)

The Special Events team is one of our two higher time commitment teams. This team is run by 2-3 Sustainable Leaders and a team of approximately 10 Eco Ambassadors (junior volunteers). This team is tasked with planning out external events designed to engage the campus community in sustainability. There is flexibility in the types of events they run but previous examples include a Wildfire panel, a Sustainable Research Night, and a Sustainability Case Competition. This team also plans out volunteer appreciation events for our team of roughly 80 volunteers. This team requires a high level of commitment and will meet with staff for a minimum of 1 hour each week plus an additional several hours of work each week spent running EA team meetings and the actual planning / organization / prep of/for events.

THE SUBSPROUT THRIFT STORE TEAM

The Thrift Store team helps run Sustain SU’s on campus thrift store, SUBsprout! This team is our second high time commitment team. In August, Sustainable Leaders will help sort, organize, and inventory our donations with help from the staff team. They will also prepare for and staff the year’s first Sprout Ups (our fun name for when the store is open) for Lister Move in, Campus Kickoff, and Week of Welcome. 

From September to April, Thrift Store SLs can expect to run sorting shifts with a team of Eco Ambassadors as well as take on the role of “on shift manager” during our weekly Sprout Ups. SLs can anticipate having one sorting shift every week as well as longer Sprout Up shifts on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The thrift store team has regularly scheduled volunteer shifts, meaning that while it requires a higher level of commitment, shifts and hours are consistent and stay the same throughout a semester. Availability on Wednesdays and Thursdays is strongly preferred. 

About Sustain SU Volunteer Program and Training

Our volunteers are at the heart of our many programs. Much of what we do comes directly from the hard work of our student volunteers. With this in mind, our volunteers will attend training sessions at the start of the volunteer term that are designed to teach them about our programs and how they work, communication and attendance requirements and other skills they’ll need to work on to thrive in Sustain SU and throughout their professional lives. With this in mind, the mandatory dates for the Fall/Winter volunteer programs are as follows:

• Special Events Team Sustainable Leaders are required to attend various orientation sessions between July 27th - July 30th. 
• Thrift Store Sustainable Leaders are required to attend various orientation sessions between between August 4th - 7th 

EQUITY AND INCLUSION

The UASU’s mission is to serve, engage, and represent students. To do that well we need an organization that is representative of the students we serve. We are committed to creating a diverse environment that fosters a sense of belonging and empowerment. We actively encourage applications from members of groups experiencing barriers to equity.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Please complete your application through the link. The deadline to apply is 9:00AM on July 10th. For questions about this posting, please contact Sustain SU at sustain@su.ualberta.ca.