PASS Application FAQ

Facilitators must attend all the training sessions. Training cannot be completed at other times, as it involves participating in group activities similar to those Facilitators lead in their own PASS workshops. Mandatory 3-day training takes place before the start of the Fall term. Exact dates will be communicated to you as you advance through the selection process.

Your application letter is a place to showcase the skills, qualities, and experiences that you think would make you a good Facilitator. Your letter should be one to two pages in length.

Yes, you can. You have to be taking at least one course at Carleton to be employed as a Facilitator.

No, you do not need to submit references with your application.

Yes, you can apply online. It is highly recommended for candidates to attend preliminary group interviews. These are held at Carleton and provide an opportunity for us to get to know candidates. However, alternative arrangements may be made in certain cases. After the group interviews, if you are selected for an individual interview, the interview can be conducted via skype.

Yes, you may apply. Occasionally we hire outstanding candidates whose course grade falls a little below the cut-off.

The number of applications we receive depends on the course, but usually it ranges between 10 and 40 applicants. We encourage you to apply! Many of our successful Facilitators have said they had to be convinced to apply by parents or friends. See Facilitator Testimonials for examples of what Facilitators have said about their experience working for PASS.

Yes. You will need to submit an updated letter, resume, and application form.

No, we do not have enough staff to contact each applicant upon receiving his/her application.

Successful applicants will be invited to a group interview between June 9th-14th.

At the Group Interview, we are considering candidates for all courses that they are qualified to support. Successful candidates who are invited to an individual interview will be notified of the specific course for which they are being considered.

Successful candidates will receive an e-mail at the beginning of August.

Yes. As per the direction of the Office of the Vice President of Students and Enrollment, all student employees are to have a valid Police Records Check for the duration of their employment.

If a Police Records Check is a requirement of your position:

• You are required to submit a Vulnerable Sector Check, which is an enhanced Police Records Check for employees and volunteers that are in positions of trust or authority over children or otherwise vulnerable persons.
  • The cost of the Vulnerable Sector Check is the responsibility of the potential employee and will not be reimbursed.
  • Please note: Vulnerable Sector Checks must be conducted by the local Canadian police service where an applicant lives.
• A copy of your Vulnerable Sector Check will be held in a secure and confidential manner by CSAS for the duration of your contract, but the original copy belongs to you. You are encouraged to keep your Vulnerable Sector Check in a safe place in case another copy is required during your contract.
• Your Vulnerable Sector Check must be submitted before your employment begins. If this is not possible, your receipt must be submitted prior to your first day of training. If not, your employment may be terminated.
• Your Vulnerable Sector Check is valid for 12 months. It must be dated no earlier than one year before your contract end date.
  • e. A Facilitator contract for 2017-2018 will have an end date of April 30^th, 2018. The Vulnerable Sector Check can be dated no earlier than April 30^th, 2017.
• Vulnerable Sector Checks that contain information regarding a conviction, outstanding warrant, charge, or judicial order will be reviewed by the potential employee’s direct supervisor and the Centre’s manager/director to determine whether or not the individual is able to continue their employment with the Centre for Student Academic Support.

Facilitators attend the class lecture (2-3 hours), plan their workshops (2-3 hours), conduct their workshops (3 hours), and hold a weekly office hour (1 hour). In addition, training, peer observations, and weekly team meetings add an additional 40 hours per year to the Facilitator contract.

Planning involves reviewing relevant course readings and notes and selecting workshop activities to help the students study the material. With the guidance of their Team Leader, Facilitators adapt standard workshop activities to be suitable for the specific course they are facilitating, plan an appropriate timing and sequencing of activities, and ensure they are incorporating study skills into each workshop. Many sample activities are available, but Facilitators are encouraged to be creative and develop their own activities as well.

Training covers all the information and techniques you will need to perform effectively. We focus on how to apply principles of active and collaborative learning to the students’ learning needs. Some of the topics are: group dynamics, guiding student discussions, structuring workshops, educational games, memory devices, and self- and peer-evaluation. In addition to training, all Facilitators will be assigned to a Team Leader who helps you adjust to the role and provides helpful feedback throughout the year.

Yes, all PASS Facilitators are required to attend the in-class lecture every week. It is important that students and professors see the Facilitator in class every week. Also, PASS Facilitators are required to make regular in-class announcements.

In keeping with the goals of PASS workshops, Facilitators are taught techniques to guide students through difficult concepts in order to come up with their own answers. This way, students develop the autonomy needed to learn in courses where less support is available. Facilitators need to be very familiar with the course material to do this well, but are not expected to know every answer.

No, Facilitators do not play an evaluative role. More importantly, Facilitators do not teach the course material. Instead, they help students to work together to effectively review the course material. The focus is on applying study skills to the specific content, and on developing students’ capacity for active and collaborative approaches to learning. Finally, Facilitators are employed by the Centre for Student Academic Support, not the academic department offering the course.

No, the Facilitator role does not include formally evaluating students. Facilitators are not permitted to assist professors or TAs with marking of any kind.