The Big Lift - student road trip for positive change

QUT students from left, Kassandra Buckle, Truc Nguyen and Michael Attard promote The Big Lift road trip during Orientation Week in March this year.

A group of Queensland University Technology (QUT) students are planning to hit the road to give a helping hand or as they like to say - a big lift- to Queensland communities in need.

Big Lift coordinator Michael Attard talks about how he plans to get approximately 40 like-minded students into one bus for one week to make a difference around Queensland.

"To me the Big Lift is a chance to check out this fine state and harness the strength of people power, while delivering positive changes to communities in need. The great thing about the Big Lift is that for each person it means something different. We will capitalise on this individualism as we all have different strengths and goals.

Earlier this year, I was fortunate enough to learn of the Big Lift from University of Technology Sydney (UTS) students. They spoke so enthusiastically of their experiences, and yes certainly challenges, during their journey through communities between Sydney and Brisbane. The first trip ran over eight days, during mid-year break. Forty UTS students travelled by bus, stopping in six towns to help under-resourced community organisations. Working along side locals, the group engaged in projects such as land restoration, construction and gardening. Sleeping in halls, cooking together and making plenty of friends along the way, the group worked to make a significant impact on regional communities. At the same time, the communities had a significant impact on the group.

Big Lift is not just any trip, it is a bus ride that seeks to deliver community change and networking opportunities. Each day would mean a new town, new people, and new-found motivation to make rewarding change.

The Big Lift could be the best volunteering project anyone could possibly get involved with. It is about a social experience that delivers personal, social and community rewards. Volunteering doesn't have to be only about helping others and getting nothing out of it for yourself, right?

While we are in our embryonic stages, we can really see this idea coming together in July this year. We hope to focus on Indigenous communities and make it a big road-trip visiting as many Queensland towns as we can fit in roughly one week."

To follow the QUT Big Lift progress on twitter at @QUTBigLift and Facebook QUT Big Lift or check out the original Big Lifters.