A Special Bloke
Meet the Entrants USQ Vice chancellor’S awardS for commUnity engagement & commUnity SerVice
Yarning & StorytellingfeStiVal ShowcaSeS the local BUtchUlla langUage
USQ ConneCting oUr CommUnity mArCH 2012
Fulfilling Lives
glen PoStle’S PaSSion for BUilding commUnity wellBeing
USQ has a proud history of being engaged and engaging its place-based communities and its communities of interest and influence. Working with community is often a path-finding process, bringing clarity to confusion, sharing values, finding consensus and fulfilling common objectives beyond the means and sometimes, the imaginations of single organisations.
Fulfilling Lives – Connecting Our Community introduces nominees
from the 2011 Vice Chancellor’s Awards for Community Engagement and Community Service. The awards recognise our richest community and their endeavours to build lasting bridges within the wider community. Nominees to both these awards are profiled in this publication, giving a sense of the rich diversity, the passionate commitment and strength of social impact within our organisation. In sharing these stories, it is evident that the breadth
Connecting Our Communityof service and community engagement at USQ extends far beyond these profiles.
This publication is an invitation to reflect and be inspired by our USQ people, their passion, commitment and focus to connect with their community. Fulfilling Lives – Connecting Our Community seeks to build recognition and conversation around USQ community participation and engagement.
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2 USQ fulfilling lives
ContentsCover Stories
Features
8 A Special Bloke Glen Postle’s passion for building community wellbeing
12 Yarning and StorytellingFestival showcases the local Butchulla language
4 VC On Community Engagement
6 Educating The Educators
7 A Bit Of Cooking
7 Running For A Cause
10 Cultivating Scholars
10 Camaraderie And Community Service
10 An Exceptional Nurse
10 Breaking Down Barriers
10 Catching Up In Kuala Lumpur
10 Putting His Hand Up
14 Promoting Understanding
15 Fighting For What Is Fair
16 Going The Distance
18 Assisting The Elderly
19 Entering Into The Workforce
fUlfilling liVeS iSSUe #1
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4 USQ fulfilling lives
USQ Vice chancellor ProfeSSor Jan thomaS BelieVeS that, aS a UniVerSity, we need to make linkageS with commUnity, goVernment and indUStry and find wayS for Both to Unlock Benefit. W
Living Engagement... Building Legacies
Professor Thomas outlined her views on university and community engagement in a wide ranging recent interview.
“Enabling people to access education wherever they are located, and regardless of their social circumstances, is my dream for an educated world. Education, particularly tertiary education, drives the knowledge economy and helps build bridges out of poverty. It benefits individuals, their families and society generally”.
Professor Thomas explained that education enables economic development as a community and a nation, ensures a participatory democracy, and improves social inclusion.
“Education promotes tolerance, understanding and sensible policy making. It provides people with jobs, and opportunities otherwise unavailable to them. It creates a future for individuals based on their merits, rather than where they were born, or their financial background”.
The Vice Chancellor reflected on USQ’s role within the communities it serves, and how engagement can leave a legacy of capacity enhancement for future community wellbeing.
“I think about this a lot. In Australia we are very rich in many ways, but there are still whole groups of society getting left behind. They may not have access to education, possibly don’t have the skills or capacity to participate in education, or for whatever reason, don’t wish to. It doesn’t matter. We need to be spruiking the benefits of education and explaining it’s like an escalator for people; you never get off at the same place you got on”.
Professor Thomas spoke of her human services work in Western Australia with young Aboriginal offenders, new and emerging communities, and refugees.
“University contribution to community takes many forms including safe healing spaces for refugees, governance and
strategic planning support and grant funding”.
So how does the Vice Chancellor see USQ community engagement?
“It has to be mutually beneficial. We need to support each other and that requires a sustained and shared understanding of what each is trying to achieve. As a university, we need to make linkages with community, government and industry and find ways for both to unlock benefit. That could be in student areas, research, funding, planning, governance and social capital building but it has to be beneficial for both sides”.
Professor Thomas concluded by reinforcing USQ’s commitment to engagement with its communities, and offering a personal assurance to become involved.
“I like to conceptualise my life in three areas – family, work and community – and in time I see myself playing a leadership role in community issues on behalf of the university. I look forward to that.”
USing edUcation to engage with commUnity in a meaningfUl and mUtUally Beneficial way iS central to
how a UniVerSity ShoUld oPerate, according to USQ Vice chancellor ProfeSSor Jan thomaS.
March 2012 5
dr loUiSe PhilliPS meeting with organiSerS for the 2012 celeBrating edUcatorS conference. ▲
Educating The EducatorsnUmeroUS StUdieS aroUnd the world haVe foUnd the firSt fiVe yearS Play a critical role in a child’S fUtUre health, deVeloPment, growth and learning achieVementS.
Recognising this, Louise Phillips organised a conference at the Springfield campus in 2011 to create a professional learning community in the area and raise the status of the sector.
Organised in conjunction with children’s services practitioners from the Ipswich, Gatton, Boonah and Logan/Redlands area, the conference theme was ‘Celebrating Educators in the Childhood Journey: birth to 12 years’ and attracted more than 230 delegates from as far as Mackay.
“As a team we are strongly committed to raising the bar and
shifting the status of childcare workers,” said Louise, who is a Lecturer in Early Childhood and Literacy Education at USQ.
“Early childhood educators are very passionate about their work, but it’s typically a low status role. What we tried to showcase is the tremendous work they are doing and highlight that it’s not babysitting. It’s a profession with sophisticated skills and knowledge requirements.”
Creating inclusion, practical approaches to play based learning, identifying special needs and how to develop confidence using music were some of the workshop sessions available.
“At the end of the conference I facilitated a debrief and what was really exciting is how many people are motivated and excited about working with children.”
Director of Childcare Services at Gatton Child Care Centre, Robyn
Hardiman agrees. “Working with Lousie Philips and USQ Springfield to put together our joint Logan/Ipswich Professional Support Coordinator Queensland (PSCQ) Early Childhood conference has been a very productive and rewarding experience.
“USQ was a key enabler of this conference, supporting valuable professional development within the growing cluster of services in the high growth area around USQ Springfield.”
A subsequent Celebrating Educators conference is now scheduled for February 2012, with the theme ‘Embracing Change’ to address the significant national reforms in early childhood and care.
“We also want create an early childhood education professional learning community with students, practitioners and academics in the Springfield region.”
6 USQ fulfilling lives
Running For A Cause
A Bit Of Cooking
deBBie o’reilly cooked and coordinated the deliVery of more than 450 mealS each week for PeoPle in grantham. ▲
to deBBie o’reilly it waS “JUSt a Bit of cooking”, BUt to the PeoPle of grantham it meant So mUch more.
For twelve weeks following the devastating Queensland floods in 2011, Debbie cooked and coordinated the delivery of more than 450 meals each week to people in the flood ravaged town.
“Initially my daughter, my mother and I worked as a family unit to cook and deliver 250 meals from my kitchen. I was sure the people of Grantham would appreciate some more meals and a colleague suggested I ask people to help.
“I was just inundated by people who wanted to help with cooking, donating food and/or money and even washing up in the kitchen. Before I knew it my office was
Last year more than 600 people of all ages, sizes and shapes converged on Orleigh Park in West End, Brisbane, to partake in the 8th annual CresWalk Charity Fun Run. Organised by founder of the Crescents of Brisbane and Information Systems Lecturer at USQ, Mustafa Ally, the event is one of many in the organisation’s busy social calendar.
“The Crescents of Brisbane is a community-based, not-for-profit organization fostering a healthy lifestyle through sport, entertainment, education and culture, particularly amongst Muslims in Queensland,” said Dr Ally.
To date, Crescents of Brisbane has raised more than $60K for the World’s Greatest Shave, $40K for the Kuraby Special School Bike Track Appeal and $5K for the Africa Famine Appeal.
On a personal level Dr Ally received the 2011 Queensland
Multicultural Award in the media category for his role in producing a weekly e-newsletter for the club.
own kitchen, the volunteers moved into the USQ refectory, where they worked every Saturday and Sunday from 8am.
“Of course, it was bigger than what I normally do, but everyone just helps in their own way and I was very encouraged by all the support I had at USQ.”
full of groceries and I had people coming up and giving me $50 or $100 – it was incredible.”
A former delicatessen owner and caterer, Debbie is used to cooking in large quantities but, by her own admission, the cooking ended up “bigger than Ben Hur”.
Quickly outgrowing Debbie’s
March 2012 7
8 USQ fulfilling lives
A Special Bloke
ProfeSSor glen PoStle am with year 12 StUdent at the toowoomBa flexiSchool, heidi Voll. ▲ glen with head of dePartment flexi School & SUPPort ▲
SerViceS, Jo Brennan.
He’s an Honorary Professor, a Member of the Order of Australia and a Paul Harris Scholarship recipient, but there is nothing pretentious about Glen Postle. Quiet and unassuming, Glen seems uncomfortable with publicity, but his extraordinary work in building community capacity is attracting attention from across the globe.
“I was raised in a working class family so higher education was not a part of my mindset,” said Glen, who worked as a maths teacher before accepting an academic position at USQ early in his career.
“So when I came to USQ I developed an interest in access and equity and educating non-traditional students in education.”
Some of Glen’s achievements include a close involvement participation in the development of the University’s Tertiary Preparation Program, the Toowoomba Flexi School, The Older Men’s Network
Inc. (TOMNET) and, more recently, the Community for Community (C4C) Project.
“What the C4C Project has done is put the emphasis back on the people. It’s not about throwing money at issues. The Project is about bringing the community back into the equation,” said Glen.
“We really need to build social impact – do research that influences social policy and social change.”
In achieving this objective, the Project has built a multidisciplinary research team and network of professionals who are working to understand why successful community based programs are successful and how they can be replicated to address social malaise.
“The university can help people build capacity to solve their own problems,” said Glen. “For example, with the Flexischool, people tended to look at marginalised youth as a hopeless cause. Their reaction was
that we should increase punitive measures and build more jails. And it’s not the case. It’s much better for these kids to be in a program which connects them to membership and belonging in a community.”
Glen is also passionate about breaking down intergenerational barriers. “A lot of communities around the world have systems for passing down values and beliefs and that is something that is missing in our society,” said Glen.
Recognising this, Glen has been involved with TOMNET since its inception ten years ago. The organisation now has 250 men, who pass on their skills, knowledge and experiences with young people, including students at the Flexischool.
“The program has worked marvellously. And when I ask students what they like most about the mentors, nine times out of ten, they answer simply that ‘they listen.”
dUring hiS career, glen haS continUally demonStrated an intellectUal caPacity to inflUence and change Social Policy,
BUt it iS hiS warmth of character that iS moSt comPelling.
March 2012 9
The next time your children complain about tidying their rooms, tell them about the students from the Nalanga School in Fiji, who couldn’t wait to be put on the cleaning roster for their new toilet block.
“Project Bula has been one of the highlights of my association with Rotary,” said active Rotarian and Manager of the USQ Corporate Club, Cheryl Abberton.
Spanning three years and three presidents, the project raised 90K to build an ablutions block for the school, which educates children from four nearby villages.
Cheryl joined the Toowoomba City Rotary Club in 1999 and served as President in 2008. She also served as their treasurer and has been their PR person “for about five years”.
“It’s important to do something for humanity. To help people locally, as well as support national and international projects, like Rotary’s work to eradicate polio.”
camaraderie and commUnity SerVice
an excePtional nUrSe
cUltiVating ScholarS
An exceptional nurse, dedicated teacher and a fair and proactive leader is how Roslyn Reilly’s colleagues describe her.
As one of the first nursing appointees to the then DDIAE, Roslyn is well known within the Toowoomba health community for her enduring work in raising the status of the nursing profession.
During her 22 year career at USQ, Roslyn was also a founding member of the Sister Elizabeth Kenny Memorial Foundation and is the Director of the Toowoomba Hospital Foundation Board. “I think there really needs to be that link between the university, community and industry,” said Roslyn.
“We’re educating nurses to work in the community, so we have to be collaborative in our approach and make people aware of the importance of education. And sometimes that needs to be someone from the university going out in the community and saying ‘this is what I can do for you’.”
In 1999 local wine industry leaders in the Granite Belt initiated discussions with the then principle of Stanthorpe State High School, John Neville, to identify and facilitate the recruitment of local high school leavers for the emerging industry.
These discussions led to the creation of the Wine Tourism program and, eight years and a lot of hard work later, the opening of the Queensland College of Wine Tourism (QCWT) in March 2007.
“The first few years of the College were about establishing a new business operation, so I worked in various roles including assistant wine maker,” laughs John, who was appointed inaugural Chief Executive Officer.
“But the College now has a winery, cellar door, bistro, conference and function centre and a grape and wine analysis service for industry, in the context for education and training at secondary, TAFE and university levels.”
FulfillingLives Snapshots
10 USQ fulfilling lives
Putting a “human face” to partners, building relationships and improving experiences for students were some of the key outcomes of the International Partnership Conference.
Held at SEGi University College in Kuala Lumpur, the conference attracted USQ partners from South Africa, Russia, China and across Asia.
Event organiser and former Senior Manager of International Education Partnerships, Bronwyn Bartsch, said the event was a logical extension from the 2009 Partner Conference which fostered relationships between USQ staff and their academic partners overseas.
“The first conference allowed us all to meet and get to know each other,” said Bronwyn.
“This conference reinforced our commitment to our partners, so we can give students the best experience we can as they move through their learning journey.”
The Partnerships Management Team included Bronwyn Bartsch,
Rebecca Liao and Kirsty Jeffrey.
catching UP in kUala lUmPUr
PUtting hiS hand UP
Breaking down BarrierS
Volunteers are often referred to as the backbone of the community. Those individuals who contribute their time and energy helping others participate and grow. Robert Learmonth is one of those people.
An Associate Professor in Biochemistry, Robert has volunteered countless hours in various capacities since the 1970’s, including work as a scout leader, cricket coach and Australian Rules Football umpire.
“To a certain extent volunteering reflects your interests and there is a lot of community service work I have done that is related to my job.”
Specifically, Robert had worked tirelessly with the Queensland Wine Industry Association to improve knowledge and skills.
“This has included facilitating workshops by external providers, presenting seminars, conferences and workshops and advising and assisting individuals.”
Robert has also served as an associate judge and steward at wine shows in Toowoomba and Stanthorpe.
Australia’s looming skills shortage receives a lot of media coverage, but a new workforce driven framework aims to address this situation, by encouraging links between industry, vocational education and training (VET) providers and higher education.
“The benefits of implementing this framework are significant,” said Manager of the Integrated Articulation and Credit Transfer (IACT) Project, Di Paez.
“Industry gains graduate employees with the specific skills; tertiary education providers’ benefit from offering work-ready outcomes to students; and students benefit from increased career opportunities.”
Director of Metro South Institute of TAFE, Kaylene Harth said the ground breaking initiative showcased collaboration and cooperation. “It stands out as an example of how much can be gained by working together to improve pathways for Queensland’s aspiring Higher Education students.”Di Paez, Jill Byrnes and Jillian Blacker were on USQ’s IACTProject team.
March 2012 11
Reviving The Butchulla Language
more than 350 year SeVen StUdentS and their teacherS ParticiPated in the “BirrBam BUrUnga gamBay feStiVal” at USQ’S fraSer coaSt camPUS. ▲
“At the start of the day they had their heads down, shuffling their feet, looking embarrassed and saying ‘shame, shame – don’t make us do this miss’,” recounts the event organiser and Lecturer in Curriculum and Pedagogy at Fraser Coast.
“But by the end of the day they stood up, with no encouragement from us, and proudly led the
aboriginal farewell dance alongside their elders.
“They were smiling and happy and it was amazing to see – definitely the highlight of the day for me. I hope they hold onto that feeling – proud of their elders and proud of their culture.”
Held during NAIDOC week, the event involved Indigenous facilitators sharing their
knowledge with more than 350 year seven students and their teachers.
“So the main aim of the festival was for the University to act as a conduit between local schools and the Indigenous community, because USQ is seen as a centre for higher knowledge.
“We wanted to hold the festival here and give power to the Indigenous community –
watching 18 indigenoUS high School chaPeroneS lead a farewell dance in front of 350 PeoPle waS the highlight of the
“BirrBam BUrUnga gamBay feStiVal” for Sharon loUth.
12 USQ fulfilling lives
“To make it successful, Sharon valued the community spirit and embedded the best practice by having effective plans, endorsements and respect the building of community involvement through their different expertise made this event not only a pleasure to be part of, but unified community perspective where each individual is valued for their spirit.”.
teStimonial: Joyce Bonner, commUnity lingUiSt from the korrawinga aBoriginal corPoration
showcase their knowledge and value it as a University.”
Showcasing the local Butchulla language was also a key motivator.
“Local Community Linguist, Joyce Bonner has done a huge amount of work restoring and reviving the Butchulla language through her training in linguistics and phonetics,” said Sharon.
“It’s one of the few Australian Indigenous languages to have survived. It’s something so special and it’s right here.”
Activities on the day included language and literacy stations, where students could partake in yarning and storytelling.
“We also had an art station run by two local Indigenous artists, who taught students about symbols and how to get paint from the earth and we played traditional Indigenous
games which were played here many of thousands of years ago.”
3.1 percent of students on the Fraser Coast identify as Indigenous, which is above national averages.
“With aboriginal people it’s all about relationships and if they can’t see they can form relationships with people here they won’t come here to study. This is an opportunity to get them on-campus,” said Sharon.
“The festival is one thing I really enjoy spending my time on – it’s very rewarding and uplifting. Even if it makes one kid feel important, even if we get one kid who feels comfortable enough to come to uni, than it has been worth the effort.”
“We want to get those Indigenous kids who miss out
all the time and make them understand they are not isolated and alone, and they can come here and be a part of the community.”
March 2012 13
Promoting UnderstandingeVery friday, after the SUn PaSSeS itS higheSt, more than 300 PeoPle of iSlamic faith gather in a demoUntaBle BUilding near the cliVe Berghofer recreation centre and Pray.
The ceiling of the building is not lined with 20,000 tiles like the ‘Blue Mosque’ in Istanbul, but its presence is a welcoming sight to Muslim students from around the world.
“When I arrived here in 1994 we had no facilities,” said founding President of the Islamic Society of Toowoomba and Professor in Statistics, Shahjahan Khan.
“We shared a prayer room with the Christians, so after prayers we would move our mat into the
corner and then move the furniture back in place before we left.
“But my main concern was the students. I thought ‘how can we bring students here and not cater for their cultural needs?’”
Based on this motivation, Prof Khan established the Muslim Prayer Room in 1995 and the USQ Islamic Centre in 2000.
With assistance from the community, Prof Khan also provides a daily breakfast and dinner for 150 to 200 fasting students during the month of Ramadam.
“I am still in contact with students who lived here years ago and many say they had the best time of their life in Toowoomba. There is no politics, no groups, just people who respect each other - it’s a good community.”
Despite this, Prof Khan has played a leading role in promoting a better understanding of the Islamic faith within the community, particularly since September 11.
“My understanding of the world is that we are not all going to follow the same religion. But we need to learn how to live in a diverse society with respect for each other so we can live in peace.”
In achieving this objective, Prof Khan has organised a series of highly successful USQ Islamic Centre Open Day since 2003. He also proposed and helped organise the pre and post Parliament Sessions of the Parliament of the World’s Religions in 2009 and 2010 and was a founding member of the USQ Multicultural Staff Network.
Prof ShahJahan khan eStaBliShed the mUSlim Prayer room in 1995 and the USQ iSlamic centre in 2000. ▲
14 USQ fulfilling lives
“Professor Khan is a true man of reconciliation. He has spent much time in dialogue with people from other faiths and takes the time to gain an understanding of the underpinning principles involved. His work in the community is based on the principle that peace can only come through justice. I have been humbled by Professor Khan’s hospitality to people from a wide range of backgrounds. He has been recognised at a national and international level for his community work, and in the field of statistics.”
teStimonial: execUtiVe officer of the Social JUStice commiSSion for the catholic dioceSe of toowoomBa, dr mark coPeland
Assisting the vulnerable and fighting for what is fair and reasonable is what motivates David Smith to get up in the morning. A retired Commissioned Officer of the Australian Army, David is a lifelong learner currently completing a Bachelor of Science Honours in Psychology at USQ.
“Towards the end of my career in the army, I sat down and thought ‘where amongst all of this do I get the most satisfaction?’” said David, who has since represented and/or supported migrant workers, carers, veteran’s families, flood victims and Indigenous groups through difficult times.
“Socially or morally unjust situations get my back up every time,” said David, “It comes from a grassroots understanding of knowing that bureaucracy doesn’t always get it right and, quite often, it is the people who are most vulnerable that are affected. Dignity is destroyed and hope lost.”
Some of David’s acts of kindness include providing court support, representing a student in a dispute with Centrelink and organising housing and support for a sole parent-of-three who was a victim of domestic violence.
“The more educated people become the more socially responsible and courageous they need to be about putting that knowledge back into the community and, eventually through that process gain wisdom.”
Fighting For What is Fair
daVid Smith with donna moodie from the centre for aUStralian indigenoUS knowledgeS ▼
(caik) at USQ.
March 2012 15
Going The Distance
marie kaVanagh with kaelee hineS, whoSe hoUSe waS inUndated with rain dUring the JanUary 2011 floodS. ▲
Like other individuals across the state, Marie stepped up into a voluntary leadership role following the devastating Queensland floods in January 2011. What makes Marie remarkable is her on-going commitment to those affected.
“I remember saying to the committee at a training day in the sixth week after the floods that we are going to be here for 12 to 18 months and we’re still here,” said Marie, who has a long history of community involvement.
“After the flood waters receded I walked the whole estate. There were 233 houses and I thought to myself ‘I can’t keep doing this’, so we established the Karalee Community Association (KCA) and we commenced meetings.”
The group helped with evacuations, provided shelter, fed neighbours, and cleaned up in the
early weeks, as well as establishing a website and a newsletter to disseminate information.
“During week three we also started a system of ‘street buddies’ who were assigned to monitor, assist, and communicate with residents in particular streets. We also formed a partnership with the Ipswich North Rotary Club, who raised funding from Rotary Clubs around Australia and lobbied government and support bodies for assistance where required.”
The group also organised Resilience Program Sessions with personnel from the Department of Communities, Red Cross, Lifeline and Disaster Management in week six and distributed ‘Comfort Packs’ of food, medicine and toiletries via the buddy system. “The emotional response to the packs was amazing - people were pretty devastated at the time.”
The KCA’s key project was establishing a partnership between Betta Board Australia and local builders to provide free gyprock and materials to rebuild homes.
Marie said it’s still tough for a lot of people on an emotional level.
“It was really evident at Christmas because some people didn’t have any Christmas decorations and one lady didn’t have a baking dish, so I went and bought her one – that sort of thing has kept people going. It’s the little things that really matter and bring you to tears.
“But if there was an occasion when someone was really down then we would watch them closely and get a counsellor in when we could.”
Marie’s substantial efforts were acknowledged by Premier Anna Bligh and Flood Appeal Chairman, David Hamill.
there are 19 homeS in fawkner creScent, karalee. marie kaVanagh knowS BecaUSe She haS ViSited them all.
the deVaStating QUeenSland floodS in JanUary 2011 ▲
16 USQ fulfilling lives
March 2012 17
Assisting The Elderlyothers needing support through assisted technologies.
“I am so impressed with the generosity of the world through services like Wikipedia. For example, I play basketball regularly with my daughter so I looked up how to improve my shooting and, sure enough, there were detailed lessons on YouTube.
“There were parasites in my vegetable garden, so I looked up ‘How do I treat parasites in my tomato patch?’ and, sure enough, there was a rich source of information.
“But there is a community around the world missing out on this, the elderly. They are missing out on that enrichment and social
Jeffrey Soar SPeakS QUickly and haS lotS of ideaS. one of them iS to track dementia and alzheimer’S PatientS USing gPS naVigated ShoeS Via google maPS or Smart Phone.
“The technology is currently been used by athletes, so we need to work out how to make that technology work for people with cognitive loss, so their loved ones can track them if they wander.”
A Professor in Information Systems, Jeffrey has spent more than a decade trying to improve the quality of life for the elderly, people with disabilities, carers, families and
connectivity available online and they are a community most in need.”
He thinks it is frustrating and “very tragic” that there are technologies not yet utilised by people who could benefit. Given this, Jeffrey formed USQ’s Queensland Smart Home Initiative in 2006 with industry partners. Their second demonstrator home is located at LifeTec in Newmarket and showcases innovations and technologies to support independent living and home care.
“The home attracts thousands of visitors per year including consumers, family carers, professional bodies, student groups and visitors from overseas,” said Jeffrey.
aSS Prof Jeffrey Soar with manager of lUtheran commUnity care in toowoomBa, terry arthUr. ▲
18 USQ fulfilling lives
15 PSychology StUdentS SPent fiVe weekS laSt year Partaking in a lifeline telePhone coUrSe aS Part of the Smart State UniVerSity internShiP Program.
Coordinated by Carolyn Alchin at Springfield and Murray Wright in Toowoomba, the program aimed to help students gain industry experience relevant to their area of study.
“The program was funded equally between the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation and USQ and aimed to assist students in engineering, surveying and sciences find industry placements,” said Murray.
“We also supported students with their resumes, organised career development workshops and organised internships and cadetships, which are a requirement of graduating from some degrees including engineering.”
Carolyn said they contacted 70 companies during the program and are now working with a number of them to provide opportunities for students.
“We now have numerous students who are working that weren’t working and numerous students who are more confident about entering the workforce,” said Carolyn.
Entering Into The Workforce
“For example, some of the students who completed the Lifeline telephone training course have now picked up work and some of them are now volunteering, which is great experience.”
Course participate, Peter Diplock, is now working three hours a week as a telephone counsellor for Lifeline as a result of the in-depth training.
“The Lifeline model is extremely good and the training is great for honing your communication skills and looking at life from a different perspective.
“It teaches you to use a collaborative style of communication and how to be supportive and empathetic and not judgemental.”
The Smart State University Team included Murray Wright, Carolyn Alchin, Tanya Morgan, Hayley Bannah and Courtney Irish.
memBerS of the Smart State UniVerSity internShiP Program, carolyn alchin (front), hayley Bannah (middle) and ▲
coUrtney iriSh (Back). aBSent – mUrray wright and tanya morgan.
“Lifeline now receives over a million contacts a year from people needing care and support either by telephone, the web or face-to-face. The purpose of Lifeline’s telephone counselling service is to provide accessible help to people at a time of crisis in their lives. Lifeline seeks to achieve these aims by supportively engaging with callers in an empathetic, collaborative and empowering process through national service programs. The partnership with USQ considerably assists Lifeline to reach these goals in the community.”
teStimonial: karen PreStidge, telePhone coUnSelling trainer, Uniting care commUnity iPSwich
March 2012 19
We work alongside you, stretching you to achieve
your goal while respecting
your individuality, connecting you to your chosen
future and aiding in your
quest for fulfilment.That’s our promise.
All enquires: Anna Stephenson, USQ Manager Government & Community. Email [email protected] or call 0439 449 708.
