Student Wellbeing Point Peer

For this upcoming semester, we are looking for one new team member. As a Point Peer you represent and work at the Student Wellbeing Point at VU.

The Student Wellbeing Point
In the Fall of 2021, the Student Wellbeing Point opened its doors as a student-led initiative: for students by students, without appointment, and completely anonymous. Since then, the SWPoint has become a fixed staple at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, which has continued as a permanent service since the start of 2023. At the Student Wellbeing Point, trained students will help you with wellbeing-related questions or by offering a listening ear. In our informal living room on campus you can find a safe space to take a breather, find more information about other VU services (e.g. the Student Psychological Counselors), and/or have a helping conversation with a cup of tea. With this low-threshold approach, we hope to help connect you to the right services or communities.

Your duties
Your main task as Point Peer is to engage in helping conversations with students about wellbeing-related topics, both in person and digitally via the live chat, email, and DM. This task includes creating and holding a safe space at the Point, as well as being knowledgeable about wellbeing services at the VU and externally. In addition to activities within the SWPoint, you will also be an active ambassador: you will be visible on campus (during events) and will help increase awareness about Student Wellbeing at our university through events, promotional strategy, and social media content creation.

Your profile

• You care about student wellbeing and are driven to advocate for it
• You are empathetic and compassionate
• You are able to actively listen without judgment and are a strong communicator
• You are proactive and perform tasks independently
• You have developed enough self-awareness to communicate your boundaries clearly with others
• You are well acquainted with university life and the VU campus, preferable a second-year student or previous (VU) study experience
• You are registered as a full-time Bachelor or Master student at VU during the academic year 2024-25
• You are planning to be registered as a full-time Bachelor or Master student for next academic year (2025-26)
• You have excellent command of the English language, both verbally and in writing
• You have no other position at VU with a contract (unless it is as an “on-call worker” (0 hour contract)).

We realise that each individual brings a unique set of skills, expertise and mindset. Therefore we are happy to invite anyone who recognises themselves in the profile to apply, even if you do not meet all the requirements.

What do we offer?

A challenging position in a socially engaged organisation. At VU Amsterdam, you contribute to education, research and service for a better world. And that is valuable. So in return for your efforts, we offer you:

• 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% end-of-year bonus
• a wide range of sports facilities which staff may use at a modest charge
• discount on (and occasionally exclusive access to) theater performances and courses at the Griffioen Cultural Center
• space for personal development

About us

SSA
The Division of Student and Student Administration (SSA) consists of the Student Desk, Student Administration & the Student Wellbeing Point. In the Fall of 2021, the Student Wellbeing Point opened its doors as a student-led initiative: for students by students, without appointment, and completely anonymous. Since then, the SWPoint has become a fixed staple at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, which has continued as a permanent service since the start of 2023. At the Student Wellbeing Point, trained students provide a neutral, unbiased listening ear to their peers and help them with wellbeing-related questions. In an informal setting, students can find a safe space to have a helping conversation with a fellow trained VU student. This can simply be an opportunity to find information about VU wellbeing boosters and support services (e.g. the Student Psychological Counselors), to vent about personal or academic related struggles, or just to take a breather by having a chat and cup of tea. The Student Wellbeing Point hopes to help students with this low-threshold approach: to make them feel heard and validated, to inform them, to bring them in touch with the right support services within VU, and, if necessary, to direct them to wellbeing resources outside of the university.

Student & Educational Affairs
We at Student & Educational Affairs ensure that Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam works like a well-oiled machine. We assist in logistics and help with realising educational programmes; we also aim to create a worry-free and unforgettable university experience for our students. We support students from enrolment right through graduation. We help international students and researchers find their way around VU Amsterdam, for example by arranging housing and other needs. We also work closely with the faculties in developing educational policy and implementing educational improvements. We want students to learn, grow and have fun! That’s why we organise sport and cultural activities for everyone on campus and beyond.

Are you interested in joining Student & Educational Affairs? You will work at the heart of the university. You will join over 350 colleagues in the faculties to offer students and staff exciting events and personalised high-quality services, tailored to fit their needs.

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam stands for values-driven education and research. We are open-minded experts with the ability to think freely. - a broader mind. Maintaining an entrepreneurial perspective and concentrating on diversity, significance and humanity, we work on sustainable solutions with social impact. By joining forces, across the boundaries of disciplines, we work towards a better world for people and planet. Together we create a safe and respectful working and study climate, and an inspiring environment for education and research.

We are located on one physical campus, in the heart of Amsterdam's Zuidas business district, with excellent location and accessibility. Over 5,500 staff work at the VU and over 30,000 students attend academic education.

Diversity
Diversity is the driving force of the VU. The VU wants to be accessible and receptive to diversity in disciplines, cultures, ideas, nationalities, beliefs, preferences and worldviews. We believe that trust, respect, interest and differences lead to new insights and innovation, to sharpness and clarity, to excellence and a broader understanding.

We stand for an inclusive community and believe that diversity and internationalisation contribute to the quality of education, research and our services.

Therefore, we are always searching for people whose backgrounds and experience contribute to the diversity of the VU community.

Interested

If you are interested in the job, please use the application button on this page and include your motivational letter and CV. The application deadline is January 9 2025. After a first selection, interviews will take place in the third and fourth week of January.

Submitting a diploma is part of the application process.

Applications received by e-mail will not be considered.