Co-Curricular Opportunities at the Innovation Hub in 2017-18

 By Alexandra Rodney, Operations Team

The Innovation Hub is pleased to announce that the following Co-Curricular Record approved volunteer positions are available for students at the Innovation Hub for the Fall/Winter 2017/2018 academic terms. These positions will provide a rich learning experience to support students’ career development including training, practical opportunities to apply learning, coaching and feedback. In addition to this great learning experience, students will have the opportunity to be part of an engaging and inclusive community of diverse students. Students may join one of the eight teams in the Innovation Hub detailed below:

• Connection Team: The Innovation Hub Connection Team will support the Innovation Hub by fostering communication and connections with various groups at the University. Students will build valuable relationships and connections with student groups, clubs, staff and faculty. This is a great role for students who have an interest in public relations and leadership who are comfortable talking to people at all levels.  It’s a great chance to learn more about how the University of Toronto operates!

• Design Thinking Team: The Design Thinking team will support the Innovation Hub through applying their knowledge of Design Thinking and other related methodologies to analyze complex problems, tensions and challenges. The team will facilitate rapid Design Thinking workshops for the larger Innovation Hub team, and support further use of Design Thinking in the Hub’s work. This is a great opportunity for students who are deep thinkers and like to analyze complex problems.

• Ethnographic Research Team: The Ethnographic Research Team will support  the Innovation hub by conducting and analyzing qualitative interviews with the goal of understanding life from others’ perspectives. Their work will be heavily based in empathy building. The team will acquire, process, interpret, rationalize, and critically analyze large volumes of information in order to gain insights. This is a great opportunity for students who like to get to know people and are great listeners. It’s also a great chance to gain practical experience in qualitative research. Full training in empathy-based interviewing is provided.

• Events Team: The Events Team will support the Innovation Hub by collaboratively planning and coordinating events that are crucial to the Innovation Hub’s work. Through consultation with Innovation Hub team members, the Events Team will approach each planning session differently in order to create dynamic and engaging events. This is a great role for any student with interest and/or experience in event planning and execution. Innovation Hub events are highly creative and non-traditional, so out-of-the-box thinkers are welcome!

• Information Design Team: The Information Design team will support the Innovation Hub by providing strategic input from a student perspective on information systems designed to support students in finding programs, services and resources to support their academic career. This is a great role for students who have a technical background or knowledge of information systems design.

• Innovation Hub Animation Team: The Innovation Hub Animators will support the Innovation Hub by attending events and engaging with students, staff, faculty and other stakeholders in attendance. They will ensure that events are dynamic, inclusive and engaging. This is a great role for any student who is comfortable talking to new people and wants to help other people feel engaged and welcome.

• Storytelling Team: The Storytelling team will support the Innovation Hub by generating multimedia narratives and communications to engage U of T students, faculty, staff and community members in the project. The team will curate and generate multimedia content using a variety of digital tools. To do this work, the team will work collaboratively as members of the larger Innovation Hub team. This is a great opportunity for students who have digital media interests and experience, or students who like to generate online content through blogging or social media.

• User Experience (UX) Prototyping Team: The User Experience Prototyping Team will support the Innovation Hub by engaging in the rapid prototyping process of creating multiple minimum viable products, to test out different versions of an idea. Throughout the process students will confront their assumptions, test hypotheses, and be in constant pursuit of new ideas. This is a great opportunity for students who are highly creative, artistic, and/or have experience with building physical or digital models.

To express your interest in any of these CCR opportunities, please submit the Innovation Hub Expression of Interest Form by Friday September 15th, 2017.