International students' - community engagement program
Aim - The Program is directly targeted at international students as this cohort struggles to obtain viable opportunities (both in a paid and voluntary capacity) to support their study as well to build networks for future employment opportunities. The aim of the project is to provide a preparatory experience to international students aimed at building confidence, and skills to enter the Australian workforce through a community and voluntary setting. The program provides students with a supported volunteer role within a voluntary setting, aimed at building their skills, knowledge and understand of the Australia workplace context.
The student experience has been enhanced as a result of this program. The students who participated were students who may otherwise have struggled to both locate and secure experience in an Australian workplace culture. The program also exposed the students to experience in the voluntary sector, therefore addressing community engagement objectives for the University.
Student Feedback was indicative of this:
“It’s a really valuable experience, wouldn’t regret joining. And what you can learn is not just about work, but also builds on your personal development, and team work. Good chance to get real world experience. You will feel supported by this program and feel fairly treated”
Strong working relationships with Volunteering Queensland (VQ) have been a positive result of this program. The strong working relationship has led to further discussions about the program and the long term sustainability of the program. The program is easily transferable to any other institution country wide and relationships built with VQ can be used to access similar parties in other states. It has also led to discussions with VQ for our volunteering career fair (held in August 2012) and longer term relationships with the organisation around a ‘national volunteering week’ that all NAGCAS members can become involved with. Tentative dates are set for 2013 in August (VQ has been in contact with the institutional reps).
This project has assisted Volunteering Qld to develop resources that promote collaboration across sectors and build capacity in the non-profit sector. With a webpage hosting a range of information and information kits for international students, non-profit organisations and education providers have been developed and released. Included in these information kits and featured on the web page are case studies from the QUT initiative of the stories of international student volunteers and the organisations which they worked with. Also included are best practice case studies of how to engage and work with international students as volunteers have also been developed and are being shared thanks to the QUT international student volunteer initiative.
The ‘International Students – Community Engagement’ program is a collaboration between QUT, “Careers and Employment” (C&E) and Volunteering Queensland (VQ) and has involved 10 not for profit organisations. The Program targets international students as they struggle to obtain viable opportunities and generated interest from over 200 students. The aim is to provide a preparatory experience to international students centred around building confidence and skills to enter the Australian workforce. 80 students have now successfully experienced a supported volunteer role within a voluntary setting, and built their skills, knowledge and understand of the Australia workplace context. Student feedback from the program has been positive with the learning having been identified by students as real world experience.
The student experience has been enhanced as a result of this program. The students who participated were students who may otherwise have struggled to both locate and secure experience in an Australian workplace culture. The program also exposed the students to experience in the voluntary sector, therefore addressing community engagement objectives for the University.
Student Feedback was indicative of this:
“It’s a really valuable experience, wouldn’t regret joining. And what you can learn is not just about work, but also builds on your personal development, and team work. Good chance to get real world experience. You will feel supported by this program and feel fairly treated”
Strong working relationships with Volunteering Queensland (VQ) have been a positive result of this program. The strong working relationship has led to further discussions about the program and the long term sustainability of the program. The program is easily transferable to any other institution country wide and relationships built with VQ can be used to access similar parties in other states. It has also led to discussions with VQ for our volunteering career fair (held in August 2012) and longer term relationships with the organisation around a ‘national volunteering week’ that all NAGCAS members can become involved with. Tentative dates are set for 2013 in August (VQ has been in contact with the institutional reps).
This project has assisted Volunteering Qld to develop resources that promote collaboration across sectors and build capacity in the non-profit sector. With a webpage hosting a range of information and information kits for international students, non-profit organisations and education providers have been developed and released. Included in these information kits and featured on the web page are case studies from the QUT initiative of the stories of international student volunteers and the organisations which they worked with. Also included are best practice case studies of how to engage and work with international students as volunteers have also been developed and are being shared thanks to the QUT international student volunteer initiative.
The ‘International Students – Community Engagement’ program is a collaboration between QUT, “Careers and Employment” (C&E) and Volunteering Queensland (VQ) and has involved 10 not for profit organisations. The Program targets international students as they struggle to obtain viable opportunities and generated interest from over 200 students. The aim is to provide a preparatory experience to international students centred around building confidence and skills to enter the Australian workforce. 80 students have now successfully experienced a supported volunteer role within a voluntary setting, and built their skills, knowledge and understand of the Australia workplace context. Student feedback from the program has been positive with the learning having been identified by students as real world experience.