Posted on Aug. 25: Residence staff put teamwork to the test

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/res_life_opt2.jpg” caption=”Residence Life staff”]Less than two weeks before 3,420 undergraduate students are scheduled to begin residence life at McMaster, the student leaders in place to help them with the transition into residence life are already unpacked.

They're scheduled for 12 days of intensive leadership training that will equip them with the skills they need to support residence students — many who will be living away from home for the first time.

“Every summer the residence management team brainstorm about the skills we want our staff to acquire during summer training and throughout the year,” says Kevin Beatty, residence manager of staff training and development, and one of eight professional management staff responsible for the supervision of the residence life program.

With an optional walk or run scheduled every morning at 7 a.m., the trainees can expect intense, active days to prepare them for the first exciting, busy nights during welcome week. They'll be trained in topics ranging from event programming and crisis management to teambuilding and student development theory.

Staff members can hold one of three positions, but Beatty says most of the training they'll experienced is “streamed” to give each student leader the opportunity to develop skills that will be valuable for their respective positions. He hopes the streamed training will also lend itself to building tight bonds across the entire staff team of 114.

“This year, as we welcome the students of the double cohort, we've put a lot more focus on the development of transferable skills and team-building to establish a solid foundation of student support,” says Beatty.

Among the unique challenges associated with the double cohort is the age of the first-year class. With 68 per cent under 19 on the first day of school, staff will be programming events for a majority of students who are below legal drinking age.

That's why transferable skills such as role modeling, conscious responsible decision-making, and critical thinking are mainstays for student leaders, says Beatty. There was a three-month selection process last winter for this year's community advisors, the live-in students who will be managing a community of approximately 40 students for the first time. Returning residence staff often take on more detailed roles, incorporating their experience with stepped-up programming, and leadership opportunities.

“Being a part of the residence life staff is one of a number of great leadership opportunities on campus,” says Beatty. “These staff members live their positions, and that means they always have to be 'on,' making responsible decisions and being an active role-model for their communities. Through their various roles each one learns to be an accountant, an administrator, a counselor, an authority figure and most importantly a mentor to the students they live with.”

Organizers have also scheduled five keynote speakers to address the group this year, and they've included role-playing activities to test each other's responses to scenarios they'll likely encounter. The training model also sees the recruits travel to a local camp for a three-day retreat, opening and closing banquets that encourage staff bonding, and a service learning component that will send staff on volunteering initiatives within the city of Hamilton.

Throughout the school year residence life staff members balance classes and programming with regular training on issues such as alcohol awareness, roommate conflict, and diversity.

“How these student leaders approach their job will make or break someone's first-year experience,” says Beatty. “It's a big responsibility that reveals a lot about a person's character and ethics and our staff are definitely ready for the adventure.”

Photo caption: Residence Life staff put their teamwork to the test inside a “Lycra Tube” which requires a group to work in unison to balance themselves and support each other. This is one of many activities the group participates in to build bonds between student leaders and cultivate team success. In the top photo are community advisors, from left, Jennifer Kim, Dave Tsai, and Elizabeth Jamalstaff. Photo credit: Chantall Van Raay