No.166 / Oct 16, 2023
A complacent learning environment and freely wandering around campus are the basic rights that a student can expect when in school. However, what many students take for granted can be difficult for some people to achieve. Difficulties in school life arise more easily for students with disabilities than for other students at our university. Ajou University thus has a department to alleviate the struggles that students with disabilities experience and improve their educational environment. “Office for Students with Disabilities” offers services to students who need help with their school life. The support staff at the center are divided into educational and convenience support. The Support Center often hires staff to help students who need support in their dormitories as well. Since their help is crucial for students with disabilities on campus, the Support Center is always trying to find qualified students with whom to work.
Let us find out more about the job as a support staff member through an interview with the manager of the Support Center.
Q. What exactly does the support staff do?
A. For educational support, the most important task is to focus on the lecture to get clear and detailed notes in case their matched students are unable to write down everything they need. Students can either take lectures that they originally signed up for with their matches or attend other courses that their partner needs help with. Helping matched students take exams by writing answers beside them is also included in this job. One session of lecture-taking and summarizing is counted as two hours of work, for which the pay is 22,000 won. Another advantage of this work is that students can easily earn good grades while doing so, as they must constantly follow the class with the most accurate understanding.
The job of moving supports is to ensure that their matched students can safely reach their destination. Helping them make their way once is counted as 20 min of work, and the staff member can thus earn 11,000 won when they work three times. The job of the meal staff is to eat with their matched student at lunch or dinner, which counts as one hour of work.
Q. How can students apply to this job?
A. To become a support staff member, students need to apply to the hiring notice from the Ajou University website and take a couple of hours of education sessions before starting work. Through this procedure, staff can learn how to record their attendance, perform their job, and be educated about things they must be aware of.
Q. Who can apply for this job?
A. Being a support staff member is great for students interested in part-time, on-campus jobs. However, I believe that students with a strong volunteer spirit should participate in this work. Although this is a paid job, it requires considerable dedication and responsibility. Students who have good hearts and are willing to seriously commit to the job are more likely to be hired. In addition, any previous experience interacting with people with disabilities can be very helpful for this position.
Q. Do you have anything to say to the students interested in this job?
A. Working as a support staff member really allows you to see from an unfamiliar perspective that you may not have experienced before. Society is a gathering of a broad diversity of people with diverse backgrounds, physical traits, and personalities. In this sense, identifying people who have different features is very important. This is a special opportunity for you to learn how to be open to differences. Lastly, I genuinely appreciate all the help that the center is receiving from the students currently working here. The dedication the current staff shows is what makes the campus a safe and enjoyable place. I hope more students to be interested in this.
By Yoon Su-hyeon, AG Reporter
suhyeonryoon@ajou.ac.kr