John Curtin Weekend (JCW) is an annual program where students embark on volunteering journeys into Western Australia’s beautiful remote and regional communities.
Thanks to the generosity of the Faculty of Business & Law, Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Faculty of Science & Engineering, students can participate in a JCW opportunity for free this year! To reduce barriers to participation and increase equity, each Faculty will sponsor students to participate in their JCW regional trip in 2025*.
Daniel is a psychology student who was funded by the Faculty of Health Sciences to attend a JCW trip in 2023 to the Gingin Discovery Centre.
Daniel had been interested in getting involved in a Curtin Volunteers! program since the start of 2023, so when he saw the opportunity to do a John Curtin Weekend pop up on OASIS, he thought it was worth checking out – especially since the spot was funded.
“The Gingin Discovery Centre is essentially in the middle of the bush, because they’re trying to get away from as much light pollution as possible.”
“We did cleaning, moved around exhibits and helped with some chores outside, and it was with a bunch of people I had never met before, who were all nice and enthusiastic.”
“We were met with so much kindness and warmth. We only stayed there for a weekend, but then there was a heartfelt goodbye at the end. We were shown so much hospitality.”
“The funding made it a lot easier to get involved. The advantage the funding provided me with was the idea that I’d have nothing to lose if I didn’t enjoy the experience.”
For students who want to go on a JCW trip in the future, Daniel highly recommends it: “Just go for it. You really have nothing to lose. Give it a shot, and if you don’t like it, you would have still learned something about yourself.”
Applications are now open to attend a JCW program in September or October. But spots are limited, so sign-up now! To learn more about the John Curtin Weekend program visit our website.
*Please note that students need to cover the initial $75.00 cost of the regional trip. Once a student has secured a sponsored position, the full amount will be reimbursed to them after they have attended the trip. If you are unable to attend the trip, refunds will only be provided if there are extenuating circumstances and will be processed 1-2 weeks after attending the trip. For more information, contact cv@curtin.edu.au
