Projects wanted as CQU Digital Media delivers for community
Across Queensland, community organisations have received a creative boost – thanks to another year of partnerships with talented CQUniversity students.
CQU’s Digital Media team is preparing to provide fresh support for not-for-profit projects in 2025, through its award-winning pro bono design and production consultancy program.
This year, 30 students shared their skills to deliver eight diverse and eye-catching projects across web, social media, online gaming, print and video.
Students worked on their projects over two terms (24 weeks), and in 2024 the grateful clients were:
- Regional Development Authority (RDA) Tropical North (digital video),
- Queensland Country Women’s Association Emu Park (digital video and graphic design),
- Bundaberg Street Law (website development),
- Pioneer Valley Sporting Association (social media assets),
- BrainBoost Australia (branding, social media and campaign),
- CQUniversity’s Ally Program (web-based training game),
- Four Seasons Magazine (social media campaign art and design), and
- FND Artworks (website development).
For the past decade, the annual program has assigned students to work directly with community clients.
Applications are now open for organisations to participate in the 2025 pro bono digital media design and production community projects, and close on Monday 2 December.
Emma Gelling is the Office Coordinator at RDA Tropical North and said it was exciting to give local students a chance to develop their skills – and harness their talents for a real-world project.
“We worked with a great team, who dealt really well with scope changes and practical challenges and delivered a brilliant six-minute video that we played at our 15th anniversary event for the region’s business and industry leaders,” Ms Gelling said.
“It was a great opportunity for RDA Tropical North to create something that wouldn’t have happened otherwise, and to see the students grow their skills in communicating with clients, and project delivery.
“I’d absolutely encourage other organisations to join the program – it’s not a big time commitment, and it delivered a great final result.”
Jo Leveritt is the Principal Practising Solicitor at Bundaberg Street Law and said the students’ work to create a website for the homeless persons’ legal aid service was “exceptional”.
“Our need was huge, because we didn’t have a website at all – and we’re lawyers, not website designers!” she said.
“The student team was awesome, because they met our needs to communicate simply to the people we support, and to showcase our service for things like grant applications.
“We actually just got our very first grant for BSL and no doubt the funders would have looked at the website – so it’s already working for us!”
Digital Media Lecturer Regina John Luan, who supervised projects alongside her colleagues Dr Ashley Holmes and Brendan Murphy, said the program delivered big impacts for the local community.
“It's incredibly rewarding to see our students bring their ideas to life in their final projects,” Ms Luan said.
“For Bundy Street Law, the team's professionalism and teamwork, delivering for a real client and to benefit Bundaberg's most marginalised people, it really showed how our students are prepared for the real world.”
For 2025, Ms Luan’s team is asking the community to apply for free support with digital media projects like educational videos, documentaries, promotional materials, public information campaigns, 2D or 3D animations, photography, graphic design and interactive experiences like websites and games.
To register your interest, or for more information about the project, email Regina John Luan via r.johnluan@cqu.edu.au by Monday, 2 December 2024.
