UWS Engagement
Contact us: engagement@uws.edu.au Phone: 9685 9126
Our Mission/Vision:
UWS Engagement Strategic Objectives:
1. Market UWS Engagement rationale through various
activities.
2. Initiate student engagement programs.
3. Forge stronger links with all levels of government.
4. Active involvement with community networks to promote
student and academic participation locally.
5. Maintain and develop stronger relationships with Colleges
and Schools.
Four Themes of Engagement at UWS:
Social Capacity, Cultural Vitality,
Environmental Responsibility, Economic Vitality.
The typical Sustainability model consisting
of three pillars; social, environmental and
economic has been adjusted to better
represent the needs of Greater Western
Sydney to include Cultural Vitality.
“..cultural framework, operating in parallel
with social, environmental and
economic frameworks, is essential for the
achievement of a sustainable
and healthy society.” Jon Hawkes, Victorian
Cultural Development Network.
CULTURAL
VITALITY
ENGAGEMENT
FACILITATOR
Beatriz Cardona
Cultural Vitality Goals:
1. Integrate and focus UWS engagement with the community from a cultural
perspective that is responsive to issues such as multiculturalism, ethnic and faith
diversity, performance, creativity, well being, cultural expression, and language.
2. Assist UWS to maintain recognition and high community profile, facilitate
partnerships, enhance community relations and identify opportunities for local joint
activities and projects.
3. Provide opportunities for students and young people to get involved in cultural
activities in their local communities.
4. Link with local Councils and local community organisations in Penrith,
Liverpool, Fairfield, Holroyd and Blue Mountains to build strategic relationships
and support the development of local cultural projects
Harmony Day
Coordinating drumming workshop for local Culturally and
Linguistically Diverse residents in the Blue Mountains.
‘The Migrant Story: Through Their Eyes’
Primary school students interviewed residents and prepared
stories. UWS students created a documentary of migrants
stories.
F.R.E.S.H
Food Recreation Environmental Sustainability Heritage trail
The project will map sites of significance and contextualise their importance
linking to the Farm Gate Trail and the Hawkesbury Harvest websites. The
Parramatta City Council project is currently mapping historically significant sites
to GPS software and mobile phone technology to provide hand held guided
tours and historic content. There has also been an interesting application of this
technology for the Sydney Sculpture Walk.
The FRESH Projects seeks to gather information on five themes, Food,
Recreation, Environment, Sustainability, Heritage, in view of their application as
a software guide for local and international visitors to Western Sydney. It will
develop a typology for interpretation similar to the Australian National Botanic
Garden’s Typology for Interpretative Art.
UWS student at work in the community!
Andres Rios filming for the Migrant Story project
ENVIRONMENTAL
RESPONSIBILITY
ENGAGEMENT FACILITATOR
Lisa Kollaras
Environmental Responsibility Goals:
1. Develop relationships between UWS and the community on topical and
emerging issues such as food security, biodiversity, climate change, water
conservation and energy conservation.
2. Assist UWS and partners to maintain recognition and high community profile to
enhance community relations which lead to future opportunities for local joint
activities and projects.
3. Provide opportunities for students, community groups, and organisations to
work together on local environmental actions.
4. Link with local Councils and local community organisations in Hawkesbury,
Baulkham Hills, Auburn, Canterbury and Blacktown LGAs to build strategic
relationships and support the development of local environmental projects
EARTH HOUR
Supporting volunteer
students to participate
in Earth Hour
activities.
Supporting
academics to
undertake behaviour
research as official
RESEARCH
PARTNER for Earth
Hour 2010.
Community Forums
Coordinate two annual community forums on topical
environmental issues.
Student and Community Action
Enhance joint local community and UWS student
led activities.
SOCIAL
CAPACITY
ENGAGEMENT
FACILITATOR
Yvonne Gatt
Social Capacity Goals:
1. Develop and maintain close links with the community on social issues relating to
education & health awareness, youth development, indigenous support, social
justice and equity.
2. Assist UWS in maintaining a prominent community profile to compliment and
enhance community relations which focus on regional social issues facing Greater
Western Sydney.
3. Provide opportunities for academics, students and young people to get involved
in social capacity building activities on a local, regional, and international level.
4. Link with local Councils and local community organisations in Campbelltown,
Bankstown, Camden, Wollondilly to build strategic relationships and support the
development of local social issues.
Midnight Basketball
Midnight Basketball is a national
social inclusion programme to
help youth identify and embrace
positive opportunities by parttaking in life-skills workshops
and tournament basketball
games.
The first Campbelltown Midnight Basketball program
was initiated and administered by Campbelltown City
Council in February 2009, with the support of UWS.
The 3rd program is currently underway and it is
intended to run twice a year, in every 1st and 4th
quarter.
Tulane University, USA
Students from Tulane University, New
Orleans, will be visiting UWS for the
second time in June 2010.
UWS has collaborated with Tulane
University in developing a service learning
alliance.
As part of their studies, students from
Tulane University participate in
community engagement activities in an
Australian setting. Leading up to the visit,
and during their time in Sydney, Tulane
students are partnered with a UWS
student for support and mentoring.
Japanese Delegation Visit to UWS
In February this year Campbelltown City
Council received an honorary visit from
delegates of Koshigaya City, which is the
sister city to Campbelltown.
As part of their visit the Japanese
delegation were invited on a tour of the
UWS Medical School and were addressed
by a Japanese international student
studying at UWS, who spoke to them
about her experiences in Australia and at
UWS.
Community Services Expo – SydWest Multicultural
Services
In late 2009 UWS supported the Community
Services Expo, organised by SydWest MS.
UWS provided a student to fill the role of
Expo Coordinator, which proved to be a
valuable engagement opportunity for both
the community partner and the student.
Future Initiatives
• Forging stronger links with both internal and external
stakeholders through consultation and participation on
various Committees/Steering Groups.
• Collaboration with the UWS Medical School on a range
of engagement projects.
• Assisting Wollondilly Shire Council in developing a
branding strategy.
Contact us:
Kevin Moloney, Manager UWS Engagement.
Ph: 9685 9051, e: k.moloney@uws.edu.au
Dr Beatriz Cardona, Engagement Facilitator – Cultural Vitality
Ph: 9685 9084, e: b.cardona@uws.edu.au
Lisa Kollaras, Engagement Facilitator – Environmental Responsibility
Ph: 9685 9117, e: l.kollaras@uws.edu.au
Yvonne Gatt, Engagement Facilitator – Social Capacity
Ph: 9685 9119, e: y.gatt@uws.edu.au