Youngcare the winner in UQ social media success story

16 September 2015

Benevolence has paid off for a group of UQ business and UQ law students who have been recognised for helping national charity Youngcare boost its social media presence.
Their winning project was part of a community engagement program organised by the University of Queensland’s Business, Economics and Law Faculty to give 180 students real-life experience working with non-profit groups.

UQ Business School
Pictured from left: UQ Marketing lecturer Dr Nicole Hartley, CEP Coordinator Cass Vickers, Hui Jia Ong, Youngcare Marketing Communications Coordinator Jake Myers, Edith Cham, Youngcare CEO Samantha Kennerley, Rebecca Bennett, Lewis Guo, Theresa Yu (Photo credit: University of Queensland)

Team leader and Bachelor of Business Management student Edith Cham said the group (Rebecca Bennett, Hui Jia Ong, Theresa Yu, Lewis Jun Ze Guo, Bingjie Liu, Xin Wang, and Hilary Baker) devised a plan to improve Youngcare’s social networking and make its YouTube channel stand out from the crowd.
“We were thrilled to work with Youngcare because, as an energetic, bold, innovative community organisation, it is pioneering, driven and impactful in its work serving the physical needs of young people with high care needs,” Ms Cham said.
Youngcare CEO Samantha Kennerley said the students’ work would make a big difference.
“This is a wonderful initiative run by UQ and we are grateful for the opportunity to participate,” Mrs Kennerley said.
“The students have done an impressive job and I am very excited about the ideas they have come up with.
“The next step for Youngcare is executing the project.
“We’re committed to helping young Aussies with high care needs live life with choice, independence and dignity. I’ve got no doubt this project will be another positive step on this journey.”
UQ Community Engagement Program coordinator Cass Vickers said the 17 projects in the running this semester were of an exceptionally high standard.
“The Youngcare project stood out because the students were passionate about the cause, really listened to their client, and created an integrated solution,” she said.
“The community engagement program is building an appetite among our students for opportunities with a social outcome.”
The award for Most Outstanding Team Leadership went to Liesda Marsdon whose team worked with food charity SecondBite.
Several projects were highly commended for their work with Community Mates, Givit Kids and Gifts4Good.
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Learn more about business and law programs available at the University of Queensland. Contact OzTREKK’s Australian Business Schools Admissions Officer Rachel Brady at rachel@oztrekk.com or Australian Law Schools Admissions Officer Shannon Tilston at shannon@oztrekk.com.

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