BECOME A STAFF PARTNER
Ready to become a staff partner?
Applications become available in May of each year
What Do Staff Partners Do?
As a staff partner, you will spend 4-6 months planning an immersive, community engagement experience for ten University of Utah students around a topic you’re passionate about. Staff partners are current U of U staff or faculty who are paired with a student leader help plan and facilitate a week-long break.
Staff partners mentor and assist student leaders as they reach out to community partners, create education and reflection pieces, and plan activities. Staff partners are also responsible for applying for a travel purchasing card (t-card), budget, meal planning, and emergency support.
Please note that staff partner positions are volunteer, however, we work with your office to ensure you do not have to use your paid leave to participate in the program, weekly trainings, or the leadership retreat.
Why Be A Staff Partner?
- One-on-one mentorship experience with a student
- Participation, travel, and cost of AB experience is free
- Meet and network with staff and faculty around campus
- Immerse yourself in a social or environmental topic you are interested
- Recruit students to your program or college
- Co-facilitate an immersive student learning experience
What We Look For in Staff Partners:
- People who are interested and excited about ethical community engagement
- Self-motivated staff who are willing to learn about our program
- People who are enthusiastic about break themes and creating exceptional educational and experiential opportunities in host communities
- Ability to mentor and advise students to accomplish their vision and goals as they create their break
- Willingness to co-faciltate education and reflection pieces to a group of 10 students
- Strong communication, organization, and an eye for logistics
Requirements:
- Must be able to drive a 6-passenger University issued minivan throughout the duration of the break
- Must be able to attend all trainings and required events (see "Required Commitments" for details)
- Must be over the age of 18
- Must be a currently employed with the University of Utah and able to apply for an individual T-Card
Required Commitments:
- Week of July 29th: 1 - 2 hour training over Zoom (to be scheduled based on the leadership team's availability)
- Saturday, August 9th at 1 pm - Sunday, August 11th at 1 pm: Leadership Retreat in a local Airbnb
- Tuesday, August 20th - Tuesday, October 15th: Recurring Weekly Training (held each Tuesday from 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm in the Union)
- Tuesday, August 20th - Tuesday, October 15th: Weekly 1:1 with site leader
- Friday, October 4th - Sunday, October 6th: Weekend Breaks (only for weekend staff partners)
- Sunday, October 6th - Saturday, October 12th: Weeklong Break (only for weeklong staff partners)
- Friday, October 25th 3:45 - 6:00 pm: ReOrientation Celebration
Spring 2025 Staff Partners:
- Week of October 28th: 1 - 2 hour training over Zoom (to be scheduled based on the leadership team's availability)
- November 8th at 1 pm - Sunday, November 10th at 1 pm: Leadership Retreat in a local Airbnb
- Tuesday, January 7th - Tuesday, March 18th: Recurring Weekly Training (held each Tuesday from 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm in the Union)
- Tuesday, January 7th - Tuesday, March 18th: Weekly 1:1 with site leader
- Friday, March 7th - Sunday, March 9th: Weekend Breaks (only for weekend staff partners)
- Sunday, March 9th - Saturday, March 15th: Weeklong Break (only for weeklong staff partners)
- Friday, April 4th 3:45 - 6:00 pm: ReOrientation Celebration
Responsibilities of a Staff Partner
- Support and mentor student leader
- Risk management & policy enforcement
- Budget tracking
- Meal planning/meal prep & clean-up schedule
- Room/van assignments
- Can take on pieces of CP outreach, education, reflection, etc.
Responsibilities of Both Site Leader and Staff Partner
- Community Partner Research
- Education search/prep
- Logistics Prep
- ReOrientation Event
- Trainings
- 1:1 Meetings
Responsibilities of Student Site Leaders:
- Creation of vision for the experience and itinerary
- Primary contact for community partners
- Primary contact for participants
- Designing holistic education curriculumn (education and reflection activities)
- Creation of pre-departure packets
- Organization and execution of pre-departure meetings
- Completion of transition document
- Social media support
- Recruitment of AB participants for all AB experiences (tabling for at least 2 events)
- Weekly office hour in the Bennion Center