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FAQ

CAMPUS VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY

Interested in volunteering with the Out On Bay Street Conference? As a National Student Ambassador you will have the chance to stay engaged on campus and receive exclusive updates about Out On Bay Street initiatives. Ambassadors work within the Student Outreach Team to promote Start Proud and Out On Bay Street to their peers in their programs. Students from any academic discipline or degree level are encouraged to apply. For more information or to get involved contact Shan Arora at studentoutreach@startproud.org

GENERAL

What are the details for the Conference? When and where is the Conference?

The Out On Bay Street Conference will be taking place on September 15th and 16th at the Intercontinental Hotel on Front Street in Toronto, Ontario

Who should attend the Conference?

LGBTQ+ students and professionals from any academic field.

Will I be "outed" if I attend the Conference?

Information about conference attendees is strictly confidential and only accessed by the Out On Bay Street team.

General photos will be taken at the conference. If you would like your participation or image to remain confidential please email austin.jones@startproud.org.

Do I need to be Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Queer (LGBTQ+) to attend the Conference?

Not at all! The conference’s agenda and content is geared towards students and professionals who identify as LGBTQ+. However, we encourage allies to attend, participate, and contribute to the ongoing conversation of diversity and inclusivity in the workplace.

Keep in mind, the sponsoring companies here are specifically interested in meeting LGBT candidates, so this may not be the best place for recruitment activities for allies.

What if I can’t afford the registration or travel costs?

Start Proud doesn’t want money to be a barrier to attending, and we offer generous bursaries to students who are traveling from outside the Greater Toronto Area. Learn about bursaries here. In addition, if you participate in either the Moot or Case Competitions you are eligible for a 50% discount off of the cost of your ticket. Finally, check your schools and student governments for additional travel funding as their budgets are robust and available for your academic and professional development.

If you have any additional questions about the conference we encourage you to contact Kary Cozens and Nina Rakic at annualconference@startproud.org.

CASE COMPETITION

How are teams selected?

Individuals are encouraged to develop teams of three or four. All team members must be registered for the conference in order to participate. Your confirmation in participating is confirmed at a first-come first-serve basis as soon as all team members had paid and registered for the conference.

Can I sign up as an individual?

Students are also encouraged to register as individuals, at which point OOBS will coordinate placement on a team.

What is the pay-off?

The goal of the case is to combine a competition that has a direct impact on the community with valuable social and networking activities for all participants. Participants will have the opportunity to use their skills to develop a recommendation for a real organization, compete against students from top schools across Canada, present before a panel of corporate and industry-related judges, network with peers and professionals, and potentially win a cash prize of $1,000.

How do I register?

Participants must first register for the Annual Conference, and then sign-up for the Case Competition. Registration for the case competition takes place via the Student Portal.

I have additional questions about the case competition. Who should I contact?

Questions about the case competition should be directed to Michael Bozzo at michael.bozzo@startproud.org.

MOOT COURT COMPETITION

Who is eligible to participate in The Moot Competition?

Only current students enrolled in a JD/LLB program as of September 2017 are eligible to participate. However, we are looking into opening up the final round for Conference attendees as an audience and may require volunteers to help out with the Competition.

I cannot find a team for The Moot Competition. Can I still participate?

If you have not been successful in finding your own team, please contact Adam James at adam.james@startproud.org and we will attempt to place you with a team

I am forming my Moot Court team. Do all we need to go to the same school?

No, you can have members from schools across Canada, provided that each member meets the eligibility requirements listed on the Moot Competition page.

I have additional questions about The Moot Competition. Who should I contact?

Questions about The Moot Court Competition should be directed to Adam James at adam.james@startproud.org