We’ve all been there before; in fact, I’m there right now. With the summer approaching with no concrete plans for vacations, I’m on the scourge for meaningful ways to spend my time. While it’s easy enough to want to find opportunities to fulfill that, it is suddenly 10x more difficult when you think about just HOW you can go about finding those opportunities. I was puzzling over how I could most efficiently find such listings when my friend Carrie Rong, a youth ambassador for National Student Network, approached me about her cause and everything made perfect sense. Launched in 2013 by youth for youth, their users have expanded to more than 600 across Canada. I recently got to sit down with Carrie over coffee while she told me a bit more about the site; here’s what she had to say:
What is the National Student Network and how do you use it?
The National Student Network (NSN) is a student-run online platform that tries to connect students across the country, forming a network and bringing about social engagement. It contains an Opportunities Database and National Youth Leaders program. It also hosts a student written publication, in which students can contribute their own original writing. These can all be accessed if you create a free account on the site.
What is the Opportunities Database?
It is the place on the NSN website that lists many meaningful opportunities such as scholarships, internships, programs, and conferences to youth. All opportunities are sorted by date to make sure you can plan accordingly.
What is the National Youth Leaders program?
This is a program unique to NSN and features many willing university students who will provide insightful peer mentorship in their areas of expertise. You can hand-select your own mentor from the database who best suits your needs and fill in a simple application form and you will be in contact with your mentor in no time. If you’re interested in being a National Young Leader (NYL), you can also fill in an application on the NSN website with references in addition to that.
You’re part of the NSN’s Ambassador’s Program, what is that?
It is basically how it sounds: your role as an ambassador to NSN is to promote the use of the resources on the site to those in your community. Ambassadors communicate through online meetings and their responsibilities include:
- Recruiting people to use the NSN (either to take part in listed programs or become an NYL)
- Presenting about the use of NSN to the community (whether that be to a school club or other)
- Submit opportunities to the Opportunities Database
- Ask companies and organizations to promote their opportunities on the NSN website
- Spreading the word of NSN through social media and word-of-mouth
- Organizing one community event on behalf of the NSN (eg. info nights, class presentations, etc)
Since NSN is a nation-wide program, they are also looking for more ambassadors. Ambassadors must be attending high school or university in Canada to apply. If you are interested in getting involved in a great cause, gain valuable professional connections with people across the country, earn documented volunteer hours, strengthen your leadership abilities and more, apply at http://www.nsncanada.org/ambassadors-program/.
