Vision
QUT Initiate aims to harness the diverse talents and resources of university students to empower individuals and communities to create their futures.
Mission
QUT Initiate is an organisation that engages with business, government, community and educational institutions through projects that employ collaborative, real world problem solving.
Rationale
Our motto, ‘Putting the uni into community’, reflects our view that universities are a part of the community and should therefore be adding value to that community.
Ambitions
QUT Initiate strives for excellence in:
- Teaching and learning: developing students as lifelong learners who make a positive contribution to society;
- Research and development: thoroughly investigating issues and opportunities to develop creative, local solutions to universal problems;
- Resource utilisation: harnessing resources across all sectors of society;
- information dissemination: being a hub of collective information and a meeting point for diverse project stakeholders;
5 Year Goal
In five years time we aim to be a fully student-managed, multi-disciplinary, professional entity under the auspices of QUT, recognised by the community as a leader in social innovation.
Philosophies
QUT Initiate will employ these common approaches to all projects and interactions:
- Experiential learning: by applying theory in real world situations, students’ learning is optimised;
- Capacity building: by leveraging existing individual and community strengths, we create sustainable outcomes;
- Collaboration: with individuals and organisations working in a spirit of cooperation, we attain the highest quality outcomes;
- Fostering economic independence: by improving economic independence, we empower others to create their futures;
- Enterprising approach: at all times, our approach will be strategic, demonstrating innovation and creativity, professionalism and accountability.
Values
The following values reflect the way we do business:
| Value | Evidenced by |
| Initiative (Our ability to make change) |
|
| Moral Courage (Our ability to stand firm to our values) |
|
| Leadership (Our ability to inspire others) |
|
| Sustainability (Our ability to make a lasting impact) |
|
Projects
We have a variety of entrepreneurial and educational projects in progress. These are outlined below.
BRIS-Net
The QUT First Year Experience (FYE) Program Issues Paper 3 notes, “‘belonging’ is about increasing the experiences of integration, involvement, engagement and connectedness with the university and reducing the experiences of fragmentation, estrangement and separation”. This project aims to address these issues and involves a combined pre-entry (outreach) and post-entry (follow-up support) program for rural and isolated students attending QUT. The outreach program focuses on linking QUT to rural and isolated areas through student mentors. The support program involves the implementation of a network for current and commencing rural students comprising mentoring, networking events, targeted orientation and a website as an information hub.
Business Icon
Business Icon is a business competition aimed at young Australians which will assess contestants’ creativity and entrepreneurial thinking, business intelligence, leadership and employability skills.
Money Works
This project aims to help young people around the world avoid financial strife by providing tools and knowledge to manage their money wisely, thereby breaking the cycle of debt and the ‘living for the next pay cheque’ trap which many young people find themselves in. Primarily aimed at young adults in the vulnerable 16-24 year old demographic this project will tackle the issues of budgeting and saving, managing debt and expenses, understanding and mitigating financial risks, and setting financial goals. This will be delivered through a personal finance management software solution called ‘Money Works’, provided on a CD at no cost to the user thanks to the support of the Bank of Queensland.
Selling: a Big Issue
In partnership with the producers and coordinators of the Big Issue (a magazine sold by homeless people), QUT Initiate will be running educational workshops with street vendors. The aim is to improve their personal selling techniques, help them to develop their ‘own style’ and teach them other important life skills such as budgeting.
Student-to-Business (S2B) Consultancy
Students and small businesses or community organisations have complimentary needs; students need the opportunity to utilize the concepts and practices they are learning in class, while small businesses or organisations need affordable expertise in areas such as business planning, IT, event management and marketing. Through this project, we aim to facilitate a direct ‘match’ between these two parties, thus improving collaboration and cooperation within society. In the future we hope to also offer this service to QUT staff members.
QUT Initiate Business Advantage Module (BAM) Workshops
QUT Initiate workshops are revised and condensed Business Advantage Modules that are taught by QUT students to high school students. For example, a Module may be entrepreneurship with a corporate responsibility emphasis. As an extra curricular supplement to normal study, this program seeks to provide skills not learnt in the classroom using innovative teaching methods.
How can you become involved?
There are two ways you can become involved in QUT Initiate: as a student member or an Advisory Board member.
What are the benefits of being a student member?
QUT Initiate provides the key elements that differentiate you within globally competitive job market. Our projects offer an interactive, innovative learning environment in which you can implement theoretical knowledge in an entrepreneurial and community-minded way. By crossing the boundary between theory and practice, we provide you with the opportunity to critically analyse what you are being taught in class. Do the theories really work? You decide.
Initiate is continually creating strategic partnerships with corporate, government and community leaders, providing you with diverse networking opportunities. You will develop your transferable skills in the areas of entrepreneurial thinking, team building, project management, strategic planning and change management. You will also discover personal strengths and leadership styles, form lasting friendships and develop a greater community and social awareness. Perhaps the most immediate benefit is the opportunity to explore if the degree you are doing really does suit you.
What are the benefits of being an Advisory Board member?
As a student driven organisation, we realise the need to seek advice upon undertaking what are usually highly ambitious projects. In order to gain the highest quality advice, we look to an Advisory Board comprised of leaders within business, government, non-profit and educational sectors.
As an Advisory Board member, you will have the opportunity to pass on the knowledge and skills you have acquired over the course of your career. This is a highly rewarding experience in itself. You will also be exposed to dynamic thinking and a diverse network of change agents across a variety of sectors. Most importantly, you will be making an essential contribution to the social progress of your community.
You can contribute in any of the following ways:
- Provide valuable ‘been there, done that’ advice in the form of one-one-one mentorship
- Donate your skills, expertise, time or other in-kind support
- Provide project funding
- Connect us with others who can contribute to QUT Initiate
Who do I contact?
Rachael Truscott
QUT Initiate Managing Director
e: r.truscott@student.qut.edu.au
QUT Initiate Executive Director
(QUT Business Advantage Coordinator)
w: +61 7 3138 2489
e: j.venturato@qut.edu.au