Engaging with the community delivers benefits, and rewards

Involving older Australians in the learning experiences of health students, understanding how young people with disability living in regional areas of Australia experience belonging and connection, and engaging landholders in the collection of scientific data to enlighten the coal seam gas debate are some of the projects recognised at Southern Cross University’s Excellence in Community Engagement Awards on Friday night (November 29).

The awards, now in their third year, celebrate the value of collaboration between the University’s academic and professional staff with external partners to create teaching and research projects of relevance and significance for our communities.

Ben Roche, head of Community Engagement, said award recipients epitomised the values of Southern Cross University and demonstrated that community engagement was at the core of research and teaching at a regional university.

“It is through engagement with our communities that we create inspiring student learning experiences, innovative and relevant research, and, ultimately, stronger and more vibrant community regions.

“While some metropolitan universities see engagement as a lower priority, engaging with communities is part of our DNA at Southern Cross University. We see it as a central part of our mission, and a way of being scholars and professionals at SCU.”

The award recipients, selected from a shortlist of nominations, were presented by the Chancellor The Hon John Dowd AO QC and the Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Lee.

Dr Louise Horstmanshof and Associate Professor and Deputy Head of the School of Health and Human Sciences Wendy Gilleard were awarded the Community Engaged Learning Award for their work in actively involving older adults from Crowley Care Services independent living residences (in Ballina and Sawtell) in the learning experiences of students.

Dr Sally Robinson and Professor Anne Graham from the Centre for Children and Young People received the Community Engaged Research Award for their work in developing ‘Space, Place and Relationships’, a project exploring how young people with disability living in regional areas of Australia, particularly Lismore (NSW), Gladstone (Qld) and Gippsland (Vic), view and experience belonging and connection. The project comprises photography exhibitions and a national online survey.

Associate Professor Isaac Santos, Research Fellow Dr Damien Maher and PhD students Douglas Tait and Marnie Atkins from the Centre for Coastal Biogeochemistry Research in the School of Environment, Science and Engineering were recipients of the Community Impact Award. The team has been gaining access to the bores of landholders across the Northern Rivers region to develop baseline scientific evidence to enlighten the coal seam gas debate.

Mrs Marlene Assim, manager of the SCU Health Clinic, received a Commendation in the Community Impact category for the Northern United Football Team Wellness Program. The Lismore-based Northern United rugby league team’s senior and junior players received health checks from the University’s exercise physiology, osteopathy and nursing students, and Meridian Health’s nurses and doctors.

Professor Iain Graham and Associate Professor Wendy Gilleard and their team from the School of Health and Human Sciences were awarded the Leadership Award for a range of regional engagement activities with Medicare Local organisations in NSW and Queensland, providing health community building and ensuring network and collaboration development.

The work of the AIME (Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience) Outreach Program at Southern Cross University, led by Mr Thomas Wensley, with Ms Cindy Castella, Ms Ellen Radridge, Mr Walter Towney, Ms Scout Symons, Mr Robbie Miller and Mr Karl Black, was recognised with the Partnership Award. The AIME program, which started at SCU’s Coffs Harbour campus in 2009, sees University students act as mentors and tutors for Indigenous high school students in the Lismore, Gold Coast and Coffs Harbour regions and aims to give Indigenous students the skills, opportunities, belief and confidence to finish school at the same rate as their peers.

Photo: Dr Louise Horstmanshof from the School Health and Human Sciences (third from left) received the Community Engaged Learning Award, along with (left to right) project partner Whenoa Oner, Director of Nursing at Crowley Care Services, Chancellor The John Dowd AO QC, Associate Professor Wendy Gilleard from the School of Health and Human Sciences, Michael Penhey, CEO of Crowley Care Services, Kelli Potts, Executive Manager Operations and Finance at Crowley Care Services, and the Vice Chancellor Professor Peter Lee. (Credit: The New Camera House)