Volunteer with us

How do I get started?

There are many ways you can get started involved! We offer volunteer opportunities for:

  • illustration,
  • graphic design,
  • writing,
  • graphic design,
  • photography, and
  • videography.

To get started, you can

  1. Email the Editor-in-Chief at editor@thecord.ca and let them know what you’d like to do. The Editor-in-Chief will then ask you to come in for a quick meeting that gives you an overview of what The Cord is about, and give you the contact information for the appropriate editor/staff member to help you get started. Or, you can:
  2. Fill out our online application below and wait for a section editor to contact you to come in for training and orientation.

Do I need experience? What skills do I need?

No experience in needed! Laurier’s Waterloo campus doesn’t have a journalism program, so we’re the place students can come to learn the hard and soft journalism skills that would otherwise be taught in a classroom.

Not interested in journalism? That’s okay! We offer a range of opportunities that you can take advantage of while working on whatever you want to achieve when you get into the “real” world.

What is the time commitment?

Volunteers are asked to contribute at least twice in a four-week span, but this can vary, so let your editor know what works best for you. If you want to write every week or take more than one photo per week, we’re totally cool with that, but we also understand if you find it a struggle when midterms come around.

Are there meetings?

Some editors have meetings, some don’t. Ask your respective editor(s) how they choose to manage their section(s) and go from there. Each part of the Cord operates slightly differently.

How do I choose what to write about?

Section editors are responsible for coming up with content for the week. They will pitch these stories to volunteers for them to take on as assignments. If you have an idea and really want your editor to know, pitch it to them! We welcome new ideas and are always looking for interesting content.

Are there opportunities for advancement?

Plenty! Every March we hire our new editorial board and senior staff under the newly hired Editor-in-Chief, usually around 15-20 positions. These people are in charge the year after and are the ones responsible for making sure the paper prints on time.

Sound like something you want to do? Email editor@thecord.ca for more information.