Arb Ambassadors are the student face of the Humber Arboretum's community engagement activities. Current students of Humber College or the University of Guelph-Humber, they take part in a service learning experience that helps connect their peers and the wider community with the exciting 100 hectare (nearly 250 acre) urban greenspace at Humber College's North Campus.
The Humber Arboretum Ambassadors is the second level in the Humber Arboretum's Learning by Leading™ program. Students must first complete a semester as an Ambassador-in-Training.
Ambassadors from 2018/2019 facilitated "Building Biodiversity", a free workshop which was supported by a World Wildlife Fund Canada Go Wild at School grant.
After successfully completing a learning semester as an Ambassador-in-Training, Arb Ambassadors are knowledgeable about the Humber Arboretum, local ecosystems, the connections between nature and wellness, and much more. Drawing on this knowledge, they work as a team under the leadership of a staff mentor and several advanced Learning by LeadingTM students to pitch, plan, and facilitate events and activities designed to share their knowledge and connect more people with the Humber Arboretum.
Examples of past activities include:
Ambassadors are also invited to propose individual or small group projects based on their own skills and interests. For example, students with experience in video, photography, or graphic design will have the opportunity to connect with communications staff at the Arboretum to work on creative projects.
With on-campus activities resuming at Humber College, the current plan is for this year to be a primarily in-person experience for Ambassadors, with the option always there to plan and host virtual events. However please note that this may change to keep up with public health guidelines. Eligible students who are interested in becoming an Ambassador but are fully remote this year are still encouraged to get in touch.
While the intent is that most Ambassador-in-Training graduates who are interested in continuing will be able to, space in the Ambassador experience is limited and applications are required.
To help you practice your professional skills, entry into the Ambassadors includes an interview with Arboretum staff.
To apply, send an email expressing your interest to Jimmy Vincent, the Humber Arboretum's Coordinator of Education, Camps, and Community Outreach, at jimmy.vincent@humber.ca by the deadline listed for your semester of interest (above).
In your email, be sure to mention the previously completed LxL experience which makes you eligible for the Arboretum Ambassadors (Ambassador-in-Training, previous Ambassador/Community Connector/Creative, or previous Arboretum employment).
Jimmy will be in touch to schedule a remote or in-person interview.
HAAs who complete all of the requirements will be able to apply to have their experience formally recognized on their Co-Curricular Record and will be welcome to list the position on the Volunteer section of their resume. Other benefits include:
HAAs who are involved for multiple semesters will be able to take on more advanced roles and responsibilities, including proposing projects even more closely tailored to their interests and skill development goals.
Provided to students by Humber College or the University of Guelph-Humber, the Co-Curricular Record (CCR) is a formal record of a student's skill development that has taken place outside of the classroom. This additional transcript is intended to support the student's future applications for employment or other opportunities.