CHALLENGE - University of Waterloo

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FASHION PASSION & E D A C Maple Tay & the lessons she’s learned from her enriching term with EDAC. Inside sCo-op PAY IS AN integral part of the coop experience. There’s no denying this fact: pay defines the employer-employee relationship, it puts a price on the value of our work, and it adds a dimension of accountability to our duties. But it’s true that not all co-op jobs need to be paid experiences – a work term can be just as rewarding and just as meaningful without the aspect of monetary reciprocation. Maple Tay, a 3A public accounting student, arranged one of these unpaid co-op jobs. It was her first work term, a term with Eating Disorders Awareness Coalition (EDAC). Pursuing an Unpaid Work Term “Fresh from first year, I was unsure about the kind of work I really wanted to do,” Maple says, describing her initial job application process. “I found EDAC on the KW Volunteer Action Centre website, and their dedication to the community inspired me.” EDAC is a not-for-profit organization that has only one paid employee: its executive director. The group is engaged in spreading understanding of and re-educating people to the danger and prevalence of eating disorders. As Maple put it: “our society needs to understand that, for people suffering from eating disorders, it’s not about what they’re eating but rather about what’s eating them.” Her passion for EDAC’s mandate was a prime factor in causing her to consider employment with them. “EDAC was facing a financial crisis and had a high possibility of termination within months,” Maple explains. Her work term helped the organization combat the recent government cut to the non-forprofit sector; while with EDAC Maple organized a major fundraiser. Maple knows that many people consider pay the defining aspect of co-op, but she’s entirely satisfied with her unpaid term. “It’s the skills you develop, the experience you gain and the people you meet during your co-op job that define how successful it is. Getting paid is simply the icing on the cake.” And sometimes, as Maple believes, co-op students can do without the extra sugar. Event co-ordinators Pelagia and Maple pose with EDAC execs Models, Network Connections and Community Leaders Many of these acquaintances Maple made through her door-to-door canvassing in malls and around Kitchener. She visited stores and restaurants looking for silent auctions donations, managing to snag the Cora’s that opened in uptown Waterloo as a major sponsor. Together with fellow co-op student Pelagia Cao, Maple coordinated EDAC’s largest fundraiser: a fashion show. “I got to meet so many inspiring and accomplished individuals from the community while working,” Maple said, describing how her term with EDAC helped her expand her network. “Two of the volunteers even work at the company I’m at now, Pricewaterhouse Coopers.” continued on next page... 3
Inside sCo-op “The theme of the show was Reshaping Fashion and I recruited people from all walks of life, varying ages, sizes and occupations, to be models. It was an amazingly diverse group of people!” The show was an ultimate success, meeting the organization’s goal of raising enough money to end their fiscal year in black (i.e., not in debt). It operated under the peppy slogan: “confidence is the best accessory and waaaay cheaper than a new pair of shoes.” Maple found work that was meaningful for her and she took many valuable lessons away from it. “It’s important to find a job that’s suited to you. Don’t limit your choices to what you are supposed to be doing,” she urges other students. Considering an unpaid work term like Maple’s? The Canadian Association for Co-operative Education implicitly states that remuneration is a requirement for accreditation of work terms. However, under special circumstances unpaid work terms are approved, assuming they conform to the guidelines established by Waterloo’s Co-operative Education department. Co-operative Education has recently updated the guidelines for approving unpaid work terms. The guidelines can be found here: http://www.cecs.uwaterloo.ca/news/new_guidelines_unpaid_terms.php Maple and Ryan, Waterloo student and model for the show Rocco Fondacaro is CECS’ director of student and faculty relations. He was one in a committee of CECS staff, students and faculty representatives responsible for drafting the new guidelines. He spoke with the Inside sCo-op about the guidelines: What sparked the decision to update the guidelines for unpaid work terms? The need arose because there were no clear, definitive guidelines in place. Often the economic climate influenced the number of unpaid terms approved. We established a minimum set of requirements to maintain a certain quality level for our jobs and to allow us to continue to adhere to our accreditation requirements. What factors influence the approval of unpaid work terms? All the stipulations of guidelines must be met. Then, I and the assistant directors at CECS work with the faculty and the associate deans of co-op to discuss the notion of job relevance. So if the job allows for the attainment of core competencies that are recognized as key by the faculty, then an unpaid work term is likely to be approved. What are the most significant changes in these new guidelines? Quite simply, we sought to formalize conventions that had long been in place. Now the guidelines specify that unpaid jobs must be with a registered charity. The organization cannot be one that typically pays students that they hire. We’ve also included Waterloo initiatives, such as the competitive teams, like Midnight Sun. This way, when we get our work terms accredited, we can say “this many jobs were unpaid, and we’ve documented all the conditions and circumstances around them.” Are unpaid jobs typically proposed by students? Yes. A student will come forward with a Job Information Form, saying “I want this job and it’s unpaid.” We assess that particular case and make a decision, yes or no. 4
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CHALLENGE - University of Waterloo

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