2022 Annual Report by Student Guild

Our purpose

To support students and enhance student life.

Our vision

To create a thriving community where all students feel supported and empowered for their future.

The Griffith University Gold Coast Student Guild acknowledges the people who are the traditional custodians of the land and pays respect to Elders, past and present, and extends that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The Gold Coast campus is situated on the land of the Yugambeh/Kombumerri peoples.

2022 Student Guild Board

Office Bearers and Committee

Members

BOARD

2022 Sport and Cultural Committee

Victoria Allan Sport Club Representative

Tyson Holmes Vice President (Sep to Dec) Executive Committee Sport & Cultural Committee (Chair)

Britney Osborne Sport Club Representative

Deepali Naik Sport Club Representative

Bryce Rangeley Sport Club Representative

Renee Skennar Executive Committee Sport and Cultural Committee

Julius Cesar Bolinas Cultural Club Representative

Chloe Simons Cultural Club Representative

Emma O’Donnell Cultural Club Representative

Caleb Breuer Board Member

Liam Browne Board Member

Lily Pearson Board Member

Luigin Teofilo Board Member

Taylor Carlson Board Member

Kaylah Crompton Board Member Fatima Amir Executive Committee

Jordan Cooper Executive Committee

Heath Thomas Executive Committee Sport and Cultural Committee

The Guild Team

This is a permanent staff listing only and does not include the wider Student Guild team and valued casual employees.

BUSINESS SERVICES

STUDENT SERVICES

Jessica Brown General Manager

Mila Nowak Senior Manager Finance

Victoria Mancini Senior Manager Marketing

Linda Gillespie Executive Assistant

Matt Hoskins Head of Student Services

Kaitlin Bell Clubs Coordinator

Lucy Ramsay Marketing Officer

Kathia Bardati-Faranda Advocacy Officer

Cameron Sherwood Senior Manager Events

Miki Mercer Finance Officer

Celeste Janina Academic Support Coordinator

Jan Pimping Graphic Designer

Monique Pountney Careers & Employability Coordinator

Lisa Hayes-Graham Careers & Employability Coordinator

Glen Heriot Events Officer

COMMERCIAL SERVICES

Alexander Kolatchew Acting Head of Commercial Services

Sarah Magne Acting Manager, Uni Fitness

Emma Crestani Functions & Catering Coordinator

Brianna Townes Community & Culture Coordinator

Ashleigh Cooksley Sport & Health Coordinator

Antonia Beckett Sport Officer

Shane Taas Volunteer Coordinator

Disa Hill Wellbeing Coordinator

Nell Golden Wellbeing Coordinator

Ana Maria Blarr-Williams Wellbeing Support Officer

Jackson O’Neil Bar Supervisor, Uni Bar

Sanjay Maharaj Manager, Australia Post

Stacey Davies Assistant Manager, The Uni Store

Chris Thompson Manager, Uni Bar

Deborah Hague Manager, The Uni Store

Kylee Edie Store Supervisor, The Uni Store

President’s Report

The anticipation for O-Week 2022 was at an all-time high. After kicking off the year with torrential rain and flooding alongside a difficult few years of COVID limitations and the absence of international students, the Gold Coast campus was ready to welcome students with a spectacular celebration.

The Student Guild hosted a record number of events throughout O-Week, ranging from online information sessions to socials and specialised buddy finder events, as well as unique and innovative experiences. The Guild’s O-Week program placed a strong emphasis on supporting students to connect with one another. This included various speed friending events (Mates in Minutes) as well as a Mature Age Student Morning Tea focused on connecting mature age students with one another.

Sarah McDonald President

The Guild’s 2022 O-Week also offered a low sensory space to make the event more accessible and to cater to students who may prefer a low sensory experience. The room was located away from the music and the hustle and bustle of the festival grounds, giving students a place to unwind if they were feeling overstimulated. In addition, there was a limited sensory time allotted to attend the festival, with no music or loud activities.

Throughout the craziness of O-week our amazing volunteers racked up 677 hours to help provide a memorable experience for all 9,602 students that attended various events across the week. Beyond O-Week, 2022 saw a massive change in direction when it came to one of most renowned events. After years of feedback regarding our annual Race Day event and the evolving values within our student community, the decision to introduce a new event was made. The launch of BIG AMP went off with a bang, a dedicated week to showcase various Arts, Music, and Performances, with the week wrapping up with an all-in music festival at the Broadwater Parklands.

Another major project for the Guild was a collaborative team effort to refine our purpose and vision statements to ensure all services and events are aligned with why we exist, and where we want the organisation (and students!) to be in the future. You can view our newly adopted purpose and vision statements on the inside cover of this report.

The Guild’s O-Week program placed a strong emphasis on supporting students to connect with one another. This included various speed friending events (Mates in Minutes) as well as a Mature Age Student Morning Tea focused on connecting mature age students with one another.

The Guild continued to strengthen its relationship with Griffith University through regular meetings with the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Education), allowing the Guild the opportunity to share and discuss current student issues. It was through this avenue that accessibility to the Library was upgraded to 24/7 with a focus on enhancing student safety.

I would like to thank every student who has given their time to volunteer, manage a club, participate in a survey, and contribute to student life over the past year. Thank you for your commitment and dedication to cultivating student life at Griffith University Gold Coast.

I would like to thank outgoing Student Guild Vice-President, Max Dumbrell, fellow Board Members, and student representatives of the Sport and Cultural Committee for their constant passion for being the voice of students and enhancing student life.

I would also like to thank all Student Guild staff. Without them all events, activities, and initiatives would not be possible. We thank you for your constant support and guidance, and your passion and enthusiasm

General Manager’s Report

While the early stages of 2022 saw continued campus impacts through recurring COVID restrictions and extreme weather events, the Guild was pleased to settle into a degree of familiarity in O-Week and beyond.

The Guild ran a record number of O-Week events in Trimester 1 and across each trimester, with overall student attendance at more than 12,000. This set the stage for strong engagement across the remainder of the year, of which you can read about in the following service portfolio reports.

Within Student Services, we continued to build on the service portfolios and frameworks established in 2020/21, following extensive consultation with Gold Coast campus students about their student life needs. This included the enhancement and expansion of existing services such as advocacy, club funding and support, and social and cultural events, while shaping and refining newly established service portfolios and their services. A highlight of these newer aspects included a range of diversity and inclusion events, with the Guild hosting its first ever Respect Week.

Jessica Brown General Manager

The Student Guild was grateful to partner with Griffith University on a key research project to help inform the Guild’s work in this space, which focused on understanding the needs of diverse student groups to support their sense of belonging and connection to campus. This partnership and other successes detailed throughout the Guild’s 2022 Annual Report demonstrate the collaborative and enduring relationship the Guild shares with Griffith University, underpinned by our shared commitment to providing the best possible student experience at Griffith.

Of course, the student voice is an integral part of the Guild’s operations. As we move into 2023, we remain eager to live our ‘Students First’ value through continual service and facility improvements to respond to changing student needs.

Within the organisation, the Guild team contributed to and participated in a range of business development projects designed to enhance and support our culture. In 2022, we collectively reviewed the Guild’s purpose and vision, workplace environment, leadership, and decision-making frameworks, and developed organisational values and behaviours. We also commenced work on our communications manifesto, significant policy and procedure development, and other aspects due for completion mid-2023.

I am grateful to all Guild team members for their sustained commitment to enhancing the student experience and ensuring we are the primary contributor to a vibrant Gold Coast campus. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the Guild Board, who are talented, passionate, and dedicated to supporting their peers. I am grateful to hear their experiences first-hand and to work alongside them in making student life at Griffith awesome. I extend this same gratitude and acknowledgement to the Board’s sub-committee members, GCAP Board, and Guild volunteers including club executives.

Despite the challenges we have faced within the sector, campus, and our organisation over the past few years, we approach 2023 with optimism and with an unwavering commitment to deliver on our vision, to create a thriving community where all Griffith Gold Coast students feel supported and empowered for their future.

Jessica Brown General Manager

As we move into 2023, we remain eager to live our ‘Students First’ value through continual service and facility improvements to respond to changing student needs.

Uni Life & Navigation

The Uni Life and Navigation Portfolio helps students navigate the University, troubleshoot common issues and adjust to a unique stage of life, with a key focus on reducing overwhelm and helping students to optimise their experience at Griffith.

In 2022, Student Guild Reception saw a 23% spike in total student enquiries compared to 2021, as campus restrictions due to COVID-19 and weather events eased throughout the year. The top areas for support included general enquiries (directions, student ID, orientation, and wayfinding), transport including go card purchases and top ups, facilities and locker/swipe card enquiries, and accommodation. Accommodation advertising continued to trend down with a 23% decrease in the number of listings advertised through the Guild compared to 2021, reflecting the lack of housing available on the Gold Coast. Conversely, services that saw growth included go card sales (up 22% on 2021) and locker hire (up 69%).

The Guild continued its partnership with Griffith University to provide a free shuttle between the Altandi heavy rail station and Nathan campus, which was a service that experienced particular growth in 2022 following an initial trial in 2021. This service facilitated 5,264 passenger trips, a 119% increase on 2021 passenger trips, helping students utilise public transport and travel between campuses more easily.

Linda Gillespie Executive Assistant

27,115+ Total student engagements STUDENT ENQUIRIES

Another area of increased engagement was the Guild’s O-Week program, delivered each trimester. A total of 6,529 students collected an O-Week bag across the year, a 33% increase on the number of bags collected across each O-Week in 2021, which indicates campus activation and student attendance had a strong return in 2022 following years of impacts largely due to COVID-19. The Guild delivered three O-Week programs comprising 38 events for Gold Coast campus students (74% in person) with attendance totalling 12,283, contributing to a vibrant campus experience and complementing the University’s core orientation activities. The Guild plans to build on this strong O-Week offering and attendance in 2023, and will also focus on services to address the cost of living challenges and accommodation shortages students continue to face.

TOP 5 ENQUIRY TYPES

⇧ 23%*

8,794 TOTAL

*percentage growth compared to 2021

1. Miscellaneous – Directions, First Aid courses, Student IDs, O-Week

2. go cards

3. Facilities/lockers/swipe card access

4. Accommodation

5. Sport and clubs

3 O-Week programs

5,264

Academic Support

2,119+ Total student engagements

The Academic Support portfolio provides students with a range of services designed to contribute to a successful student journey, with a focus on minimising stress and maximising academic results.

Two thousand and twenty-three was a year of development with background content being researched and collated for the soft launch of the Learning Hub. This content included general academic skills that were used universally by students throughout their degrees such as note taking, productivity, scheduling, group work approaches, referencing, and study techniques. The first three components to roll out with students occurred in Trimester 3 with two workshops and a trial of the new Schedule Assist service. This included interactive timetable templates guided by peer mentors to help students incorporate well organised research, and draft and review phases into their planning alongside a range of other academic support opportunities.

One such support program was Assignment Help which remained in steady demand throughout 2022 with 918 appointments attended. The average service rating was high at 4.73 out of 5 stars and is a testament to the long-term knowledge and experience of the staff facilitating the service. In less fortunate news, the Guild’s previously successful and long-term peer-to-peer tutoring service was forced to close due to changes in the technical capabilities of the digital platform service provider, Vygo. This has been a major setback with students unable to receive subject specific tutoring at affordable rates, however the portfolio will endeavour to source an alternative option in 2023.

With less focus on tutoring, a lot of thought and planning was successfully implemented in raising the profile of the Student Advocacy service. A total of 272 appointments were made in 2022 constituting a 143% increase on the previous year. This was achieved by innovative marketing and promotional strategies including gamified pop-up stalls which helped students understand the scope and potential of Student Advocacy. In addition to the individual consultations, two new aspects of Student Advocacy were also introduced with the help of a newly expanded team structure. Online self-help and explanation resources were expanded receiving 858 visits to the website. The team also trialled a new Student Advocacy approach through facilitating a case review of inter-club conflicts, with 11 consultations and 32 hours of advocacy support provided to Guild affiliated clubs. This service will be expanded in future to continue the Guild’s support for the safe and sustainable operation of student clubs.

Celeste Janina Academic Support Coordinator

The advocacy team is very supportive and gives the most engaging and heartfelt assistance. They are definitely any students go to for the range of services they offer. I would highly recommend it to other students. (Student advocacy service feedback)

It was a wonderful experience, they made me feel stress-free with their guidance. (Student advocacy service feedback)

ASSIGNMENT HELP

918 Appointments

with Assignment Advisor team

It is great to have support like this because it is very helpful for us international students.

CORE STUDY SKILLS

Average service rating

The experience of receiving helpful support was wonderful, and I am wondering why I did not come across it earlier.

4.50/5

Average service rating

Soft T3 trial of 8 one-on-one Schedule Assist appointments

All students reported they ‘felt improvement in their academic work preparation for the trimester’

7 Domestic students

1 International student

4.65/5

Average service rating

61students accessed Schedule Assist resources through the Learning Hub at gugcstudentguild.com.au

Wellbeing

3,422+ Total student engagements

The Wellbeing portfolio provides students with individual and community support to manage their overall wellbeing in a manner that supports academic performance. Wellbeing services support students in developing a proactive mindset to achieve optimal wellbeing, and generating targeted network support to facilitate and nurture peer support connections. With focused support, Guild Wellbeing empowers students to share lived experiences and offer others care and empathy, nurturing a student community of lifelong learners.

The portfolio was further expanded in 2022 with newly developed mental health projects, which focused on enhancing proactive and preventative wellbeing. REACH was introduced as a fourpart weekly workshop series that included self-coaching, mindset awareness, strengths, values, confidence, and commitment content. Feedback for this program across the trials was positive with some students reporting it was transformational in its ability to re-engage them in university life and reverse negative downward spirals. Ultimately, the four-week format proved difficult for many students to accommodate alongside their existing life and university commitments. This however resulted in a repackaging of the content into smaller single workshops that could be completed through a modular approach to be more accessible to students as an evolution of the trial to be continued through 2023.

Another new program launched was the Re-centre Series. This offered students practical introductions into new ways to enhance their everyday wellbeing such as yoga, mindfulness, and journaling. The trial of these new initiatives attracted 184 attendees and were supported by a range of online videos through the new ‘Zen Zone’ section of the Guild website. Many of the sessions were also attended and supported by the Wellness Warrior volunteers, who continue to act as a highly visible force of peer-to-peer engagement across campus. In addition to being trained to respond to challenging conversations, the Wellness Warriors also managed to engage thousands of students with positive wellbeing and anti-stigma messaging through a range of activities and initiatives.

Other existing services that saw a rise in demand throughout 2022 were Wellbeing Check-Ins (53% annual increase), Crisis Care Packs (100% annual increase) and Emergency Accommodation (121% annual increase). These services all peaked due to internal referrals from previously mentioned programs, as well as an unprecedented accommodation shortage impacting all areas of the Gold Coast. Low housing availability and inflated prices were caused by an influx of people moving to the Gold Cost post COVID-19, as well as a high number of second year international students arriving to the Gold Coast for the first time in addition to new intakes. This strained Wellbeing’s personalised support services, particularly accommodation, as the number of requests was also compounded by the increased length of support required to re-connect with longer term financial and accommodation support options. These services will be closely monitored in 2023 as the portfolio continues to broaden out our wider mental health and wellbeing support services.

Disa Hill Wellbeing Coordinator

Feedback for this program across the trials was positive with some students reporting it was transformational in its ability to re-engage them in university life.

Careers & Employability

4,193+ Total student engagements

The Careers and Employability portfolio helps students learn and develop the skills and knowledge required for lifelong career management. The focus of the portfolio is to support students in building their capacity to attain relevant and meaningful careers upon graduation and includes career planning, gaining hands on work experience, and developing employability skills in preparation for the transition into the professional working world.

A focus of 2022 in the Careers and Employability portfolio remained to continually research and develop new ways to engage students with knowledge and experiences that supported their longterm goals. This included enhancing our volunteering programs and linking students to opportunities to gain professional experience. The largest of these were the Job Skills services which bounced back strongly after years of disruptions. New Responsible Service of Alcohol, Responsible Service of Gaming, and Food Handling courses were trialled as well as the expanded provision of First Aid and CPR courses. Together these services constituted a 581% annual increase in certifications gained, which has been an encouraging result to both students and Griffith University academic partners relying on these courses to undertake casual work and academic placements as part of their degrees.

The most impressive bounce back from a COVID-19 impacted event was the Careers and Employability Week which reached maturity in its third consecutive year to achieve a 581% increase of 1,471 attendees. A significant change was expanding the one day ‘Careers Fair’ into a week concept that included a main fair style one day event, supported by four days of academic group and school based satellite events. This allowed students to spend more time at the interdisciplinary stall event for resume reviews, LinkedIn advice, industry stall holders, professional networking, careers masterclasses and professional photo shoots, while also having time to engage with panel discussions and group mentoring events in industry specific contexts elsewhere in the week. This will be a concept that will be built upon with a growing list of academic partners across Griffith University in years to come.

As a new initiative, the Careers and Employability portfolio also offered careers specific event planning and resource support to academic and professional clubs. This helped raise the frequency and standard of careers-based events run by clubs, who have always been significant stakeholders in student to industry collaborations through speaking events, firm crawls, and professional networking opportunities. With these club categories holding many of the larger clubs, and averages of 40 to 100 students attending these careers based events, this will help to establish a strong base of career support in the near future.

Lisa Hayes-Graham Careers and Employability Coordinator

Together, these services constituted a 581% annual increase in certifications gained, which has been an encouraging result to both students and Griffith University academic partners relying on these courses to undertake casual work and academic placements as part of their degrees.

INDUSTRY CONNECTION

Careers Fair

1,471 attendees

41 employer stalls (Industry Zone)

• 68.3% of employers were recruiting international graduates/students with eligibility to work in Australia.

• 85.4% of employers were recruiting all-abilities students.

• 66% of employers were recruiting Higher Degree by Research students and/or PhD candidates.

39 external organisation stalls (Employability & Experience Zone)

98% of student attendees surveyed would recommend the event to a peer

515 students attended satellite events focused on specific study areas in partnership with Griffith Academic Groups

Get Job Ready (T3)

Approx 120 students attended

67 students registered for assistance with resume review/mock interviews

43 students confirmed they obtained paid casual or part-time employment as a result of attending this event

100% of student attendees surveyed would recommend the event to a peer

96% of student attendees surveyed stated their confidence had improved (job interview and resume skills)

Clubs Engagement (Careers)

Approx 400 students engaged through the planning and co-facilitation of 7 Academic and Professional Club initiatives with average attendance of 40-100 at each event

Community & Culture

6,637+*

Total student engagements

*excluding Market Days

The Community and Culture portfolio helps students to build and maintain positive social relations by creating a safe and inclusive environment and culture that develops a sense of belonging to peers, the University, and the community. This sense of belonging provides the foundation for sustained student success by providing a universitybased support network for when student life becomes challenging.

Coming out of COVID-19 lock downs in the earlier part of the year, there were student concerns around isolation and the need to re-connect with peers and student life more broadly. This was evidenced through large attendances at several social connection and ‘friend making’ events which started the year strong and laid a solid foundation for campus re-activation. Of the thousands of event attendances, the most impressive for the year was the annual Guild Ball, which achieved a 24% increase to host 852 students at a single social event. This replaces the Guild Race Day as the largest event following a Guild decision to withdraw this event after 22 years, in response to changing student values.

In lieu of Race Day, the team trialled a new event designed to enhance both social connection and campus culture through ‘AMP Week’ which stands for Arts, Music, and Performances. This included showcases of student art exhibitions, a short film screening, comedy night, live music pop ups, a live mural art demonstration, and ‘Big AMP’ as the showpiece event of the week. Three hundred and sixty students attended ‘Big AMP’ which was a Griffith University student exclusive music festival hosted at Southport Broadwater Parklands. The event featured nationally recognised music artists, picnic/chill out zones, food trucks, pop up bars, and a carnival ride to produce a truly unique and engaging atmosphere. These activities contributed to the Gold Coast campus’s reputation as the most active and engaged campus at Griffith University and helped meet University objectives in re-activating campus.

To further achieve this goal, a major research and consultation project was undertaken in enhancing the Guild’s understanding and development of unique student diversity segments. These included a research collaboration piece with the University, and had 181 participating students identifying as; LGBTQIA+, mature age, culturally and linguistic diverse, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, experiencing a disability, having carer responsibilities, experiencing mental health challenges, and/or having rural and remote backgrounds. The goal of the study was to establish how to make the campus more vibrant, create a stronger sense of community, meet the needs of the diverse student population, and ensure everyone feels a sense of belonging at Griffith Gold Coast. The results were a comprehensive list of opportunities and recommendations which were activated through a partnership with Griffith to achieve the launch of new student clubs, development of new cultural events, a Pronoun Pro workshop, a low sensory space, specialised orientation support for mature age students, and an innovative Student Hub concept trial, providing an informal study/social space to hang out in between classes.

In addition to launching new diversity based clubs, it was also terrific to see existing clubs launch their own diversity and inclusion initiatives. In only its second year, the 2022 Guild Award for Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion was presented to the Griffith University Women in Engineering Club as one of 24 nominations. This result is evidence that the strength and support of diversity and inclusion initiatives is expanding beyond the Student Guild’s direct programs and into peer led environments.

Brianna Townes Community & Culture Coordinator

SOCIAL EVENT ATTENDANCE

12 Market Days

15,032 meals sold

Lunch in the Sun

Arts, Music & Performances Week

2,205 total attendance

55 attendees

5 days / 16 events Student Art Exhibition Open Night

Provided bean bags and shade on the Library Lawn on sunny days to encourage students to take a break outside and enjoy the campus atmosphere

DIVERSITY

INCLUSION

Respect Festival

NEW

700 attendees (approx.)

Twilight Cricket

30 attendees

IDAHOBIT Pride March

60 attendees (approx.) Drag Bingo

Coffee Catch Up for Students with a Disability

14 total attendance

6 Mature Age Student Morning Teas

220 total attendance

Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion Award

24 nominations

3 finalists

Awarded to Griffith University

Women in Engineering

Sport & Health

18,785+ Total student engagements

The Sport and Health portfolio provides students with sport, physical activity, and health education opportunities, with a focus on enjoyment, accessibility, and participation. It aims to break down barriers and promote the mindset of ‘anyone can improve on their physical health’ and ‘the best kind of physical activity is the one that you enjoy’.

Sport began with a difficult start to 2022 with COVID-19 lock downs, heavy rain and flooding all impacting the start for many clubs, events, and competitions. Despite this, when students were able to play, they came in droves to return to the arenas of their choice and were highly grateful to do so. Social Sport competition numbers recovered quickly to remain steady with 1,125 unique individuals competing for the year. With many playing multiple sports, seasons, and rounds this equated to 2,256 registrations and an impressive estimate of 15,792 times a player took to a court, field, or pool over the average 7 weeks of competitions. Come and Try events also grew after their inaugural year to grow attendance by 56%, which represented 390 students coming to try a new sport and meet new friends, as a pathway to gaining confidence to join a team for the full season.

One of the major highlights of the year in sport was the return to UniSport Nationals after the event had been cancelled due to COVID-19 the year prior. This was not without difficulty as the host venue had already been committed to being Perth, contributing to higher than usual costs and great uncertainty as Western Australia faced prolonged COVID-19 lock downs and restrictions. Despite this, the Student Guild coordinated 55 Griffith Gold Coast students who represented Griffith. Along with Unisport Nationals, Griffith Gold Coast Students also took part in five standalone Nationals events including athletics, Indigenous Nationals, League of Legends, surfing, and snow competitions. Across all events, Griffith students reached the podium 16 times including 4 gold medals which has provided great momentum set to continue into 2023.

Beyond sport, the portfolio continued to develop wider health and active lifestyle services and a highlight was building out nutritional services to distribute 1,551 healthy produce food packs. Online how to cook resources were also developed in partnership with Griffith nutrition students, to provide easy, cost effective, and healthy eating options. Further work was completed throughout the year to plan for broadening active lifestyle opportunities and launching a new volunteer program to encourage students to be more active at all levels.

Ashleigh Cooksley

Sport & Health Coordinator

24-30 SEPTEMBER | PERTH, WA

Come & Try

390 attendees

2,256 total registrations

7 games (per person average)

1,225 players

15,792 times a player took to a field/court

390 end of season presentations

55 Gold Coast students represented Griffith

Mens Beach Volleyball Pairs

3rd place

Kane Bailey & Arron Robinson

27th place overall

Womens Beach Volleyball Pairs

3rd place

Sarah Grove & Kayla Scott

STANDALONE NATIONALS EVENTS

5 events

25 Gold Coast students represented Griffith

Athletics

19-21 April | Gold Coast Performance Centre, QLD

2nd (overall)

Mens 8th (overall)

Womens Sport

Indigenous Nationals

26 – 30 June | Brisbane, QLD

Netball, Touch, Basketball & Volleyball

4th (overall)

League of Legends

July | Online

6th (overall)

Surfing Nationals

13-14 July | Coolum Beach, QLD

7th (overall)

Medal Winners

Mens Bodyboard 2nd Kyle Maslen

Mens Shortboard 2nd Brock Cooper

Teams challenge 2nd -

Snow Nationals

5-8 September | Mt Buller, VIC

7th

(overall)

Medal Winner

Snowboard Giant Slalom, Snowboard Super G, & Boardercross

3rd Georgia Brose

Guild Awards Sport Awards

Jared De Vries

Water Polo

Griffith University

Advanced Robotics Club

Most Inspiring Performance

VEX Robotics Nationals Competition

Volunteering

Volunteer programs multiply the Student Guild's ability to engage and support students through a variety of projects thanks to the generosity of student volunteers. In return, volunteering provides those volunteers with practical and valuable experience and professional skills such as leadership, communication, critical thinking, and responsibility.

Shane Taas Volunteers Coordinator

The year started strongly through recruiting an impressive 53 volunteer students to welcome back several new cohorts of students in Trimester 1 Orientation Week. Following COVID-19, many students had studied remotely making this year’s orientation feel bigger than ever with many students physically attending campus for the first time, and eager to engage in campus life. The volunteers provided critical O-Week support in guiding students on campus tours, providing much needed social networking opportunities, and engaging with a variety of information stalls. This could not have been achieved without dedicated students and it proved to be a taste of things to come further in the year.

The Student Guild’s traditional volunteer programs of Guild Crew, Wellness Warriors, and Community Outreach all returned to full strength supporting students and student activity alike. In total, 2022 was supported by 103 active student volunteers who contributed 1,617 hours of volunteer time. That represents a volunteer number growth on the previous year of 115%, with those volunteers contributing 35% more hours than 2021 which is an encouraging result. The Australian Bureau of Statistics places volunteer time as being worth $46.62 per hour meaning in 2022, Griffith Gold Coast students volunteered the equivalent value of $75,385 in voluntary time to the student community through Guild activity.

Several reward and recognition activities were organised to celebrate and acknowledge these contributions. This included low key social events, professional development, and networking opportunities. Two longstanding volunteer favourites were the Leadership Camp and Guild Awards. Camp was held on Stradbroke Island for the first time ever and hosted 18 students for team building, development, and fun activities. In November, 43 student volunteers were recognised at the Guild Awards which was an event with upscaled scale and scope compared to previous years. This allowed more students to be recognised generally as well as specifically highlighting six well deserving award winners on the night.

Clubs

100,000+ Total student engagements

Student clubs are the beating heart of campus life acting as the foundation for lifelong friendships, personal/professional development, and an enhanced university experience. Clubs allow opportunities for student led groups to be based on organic student interests and needs with the support and guidance of the Student Guild.

During periods of heavy disruption, maintaining the engagement of clubs presented a significant two-fold challenge. Early in the year, restrictions on events and activities continued due to COVID-19 and significant weather events. One of the less obvious side effects of prolonged campus impacts however, was weakened club succession as traditional club activities were paused for up to two years, with club executive knowledge lost as those students graduated. Restoring strong club leadership was a critical focus of 2022 and raised the importance of the Guild’s club induction, training, and recognition initiatives. The pedagogical approach to club training was redefined based on surveying what hot topic issues were for club leaders and how they could be rebuilt through modular ‘just in time’ delivery throughout the year. The foundation of this remained the Clubs Conference held in February which inducted 101 students resulting in an 80% increase in attendance from the previous year. At the other end of the year, the Guild Awards remained the peak opportunity to celebrate and recognise club leadership. This was expanded to include more club leaders than ever before with 176 recognised equating to a 43% increase on last year.

Another successful aspect of club support in 2023 was the maturing of the club funding model that was redeveloped and trialled in the years prior. A total of $200,000 was allocated as direct club funding above and separate to the support clubs received through the Clubs Coordinator and wider Student Guild systems. Of this, $100,000 was earmarked as Affiliation Funding which was streamlined through more autonomous processes to empower all clubs with baseline funding to support their core operations. A further $100,000 was then made available for all clubs to apply for through a grants system based on special club projects designed to enhance club member participation and growth. Thanks in large part to campus re-activations as restrictions were lifted, 2022 stress tested the grants model by having the Sport and Cultural Committee identify the highest potential 35 out of 57 projects to divert funding where it created the most impact for students.

Reinforcing these areas had a clear effect on supporting and re-establishing clubs throughout the year. In 2022, approximately 25,800 memberships were sold across 95 affiliated clubs which was a 22% growth of the number of clubs from the previous year. That number included the introduction of 25 new clubs which was a strong indicator that new students were re-engaged and willing to contribute. Together these clubs contributed to running approximately 402 sanctioned club events and activities which was a positive result considering many began the year under campus impacts, flooding, and difficult conditions. Considering a baseline that each club hosts four member engagements each year on average, that creates an estimated number of student interactions higher than 100,000. As an estimate this is a significant number that demonstrates how integral student clubs are to the vibrancy and experience of students at Griffith. In the new year, the team is aiming to further develop its analytics capabilities to track the exact number of unique students, demographics, and activity patterns to continue the support and growth of this space.

Kaitlin Bell Clubs Coordinator

Guild Awards Club Awards

Griffith Pirates

Water Polo

Club of the Year

Griffith University

Sri Lankan Association

Nationality, Culture and Diversity Club of the Year

Griffith Pirates

Water Polo

Sport Club of the Year

Griffith Yoga and Meditation

Arts, Hobbies and Recreation Club of the Year

Griffith Paramedic Society

Professional & Academic Club of the Year

Charlotte Jackson

Club Administrator of the Year

Gold Coast Ultimate Frisbee

Griffith University

Sri Lankan Association

New Club of the Year

Griffith Society for Mature Students

Community Services and Causes Club of the Year

Griffith Racing Team

Single Best Club Initiative

Griffith University's first student designed electric vehicle

Gold Coast Association of Postgraduates (GCAP)

2,100+ Total student engagements

The Gold Coast Association of Postgraduates (GCAP) aims to create a positive experience for Gold Coast students through the provision of wellbeing support, opportunities for increased social engagement, and assistance with transferring postgraduate qualifications to the workforce. GCAP are a led by a student Board who guide the strategic planning and operations of postgraduate services with the support and guidance of the Student Guild. GCAP has its own brand identity which it uses to connect the postgraduate community, as well as advocate for their interests among Student Guild and Griffith University stakeholders.

GCAP experienced several challenges in 2022, however the Board fulfilled GCAP’s core objectives as an association that seeks to enhance the academic, culture, and social experiences for postgraduate students at Griffith University. The Board introduced new event protocols and practices to create efficiencies and make better use of budget, such as new menu selections and ensuring members had sufficient time to socialise and foster networking opportunities through updated event timings and running order. GCAP events continued to be well attended, with Tuesday Coffee Socials achieving a consistent turn-out averaging 40 students in attendance. Friday Socials achieved up to 100 students at its peak and received positive feedback from GCAP members. These events complemented GCAP’s regional tours and biannual major socials, to provide students with much needed connection and relief from the isolation that many can experience through their postgraduate studies.

Jack Mai GCAP President

Many members shared feedback they were facing a tough time in making “ends-meet” financially as the Gold Coast faced record high levels in inflation for food, rent, and other basic needs. This often impacted members’ ability to maintain a healthy lifestyle so GCAP introduced the Fruit & Vegetable Box Empowerment Program. At many of the Friday Night Socials, 50 registered members received boxes of fresh produce to supplement their shopping. Additionally, members appreciated the ‘Get Fit With GCAP’ program in partnership with Uni Fitness, which allowed members free access to select classes. These initiatives as well as pop up mental health and wellbeing activities helped GCAP foster a healthier postgraduate community and this is something the Board expect to continue expanding in the new year.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

24 social events

Get Fit With GCAP (gym classes)

Fruit & Vegetable Box Empowerment Program

1,500

400

200 total attendances total attendances food packs distributed

Gold Coast Association of Postgraduates (GCAP)

Marketing at a glance

WEBSITE VIEWS

289,404 81% NEW USERS

19% RETURN USERS

TOP REFERRAL TRAFFIC SOURCES

57.8%

WEBSITE ACQUISITION

MOST VIEWED WEBPAGES

1. Homepage

2. Uni Fitness

3. Shuttle Bus (Nathan to Altandi Station)

4. Clubs

5. Accommodation

6%

36% SEARCH ENGINE (organic)

6% SOCIAL MEDIA

37% DIRECT URL

21% REFERRAL

1. griffith.edu.au –

2. Facebook (NEW) – 12%

3. Linktree (NEW) – 8%

4. Instagram (NEW) –

5. app.secure.griffith.edu.au – 3%

SOCIAL MEDIA

USAGE BY DEVICE

Commercial Services

Commercial services are designed to support the sustainability of the Guild and includes Guild-run outlets such as the Uni Bar, Uni Fitness and The Uni Store, as well as the provision of approximately 75% of food and retail tenancies on the Gold Coast campus.

The lingering impacts of COVID-19, inflation, and supply chain pressures posed challenges to commercial operations in 2022. Businesses on campus did however, welcome a noticeable increase in foot traffic and campus activity, with daily trade and event/program participation increasing to levels seen prior to COVID-19.

A key focus in 2022 within the Guild’s commercial operations was the implementation of the 24hour operating model at Uni Fitness, which aimed to increase the availability of fitness services to students on campus. Since launching this model, Uni Fitness has experienced significant uptake in memberships, with total members reaching 1,260, up 22% compared to 2021. Facility usage also increased over this period, with 62,445 total visits to the G07 centre, up 53% on 2021 and bringing the average visits per member from 39 in 2021 to 50 in 2022. The successful implementation of the 24-hour operating model has seen a reduction in operating costs allowing funds to be redirected towards the delivery of educational and group fitness programs, aimed at increasing member engagement in health and fitness on campus.

The Uni Store and Australia Post felt the impacts of global supply chain pressures that affected both cost and availability of goods and services. This brought about necessary price increases for Australia Post services, however, both retail stores aimed to keep down prices for most products where possible to minimise the impact to students. Following extensive delays in shipping, The Uni Store launched its new range of Griffith Gold Coast merchandise and clothing which was received well by students, with sales of these items exceeding 2021 sales by 21%. The Uni Store continued to evaluate its product lines throughout 2022, with the goal of bringing new, relevant, and affordable grocery, merchandise, and giftware options to Griffith staff and students. Overall, 2022 was a positive year for retail on campus, driven by the return to campus of more staff and students.

The Uni Bar and Function Centre also benefited greatly from the increase in campus population in 2022. After being one of the businesses on campus most impacted by COVID-19 restrictions in prior years, Uni Bar food and beverage sales as well as events attendance throughout the year reached numbers attained in the years prior to COVID-19. The popular Uni Bar parties were well attended with the Uni Bar Kick-Off, Halloween, and Beach parties reaching capacity, and general daily trade over the year up 18% on 2021. The Uni Bar continued its partnership with Hallmark Group, which allows students to access great value on food and beverage in other venues outside of the Griffith community.

One of the greatest challenges of 2022 for Guild commercial operations was attracting new businesses to occupy the empty food and retail spaces on campus. There has been hesitance by potential operators to commit to establishing themselves on campus, given the impact to campus population due to COVID-19 and the uncertainty over the future of online versus face-to-face learning. The growth in campus population over 2022 brought on an influx of expressions of interest for various properties on campus and there is a strong indication that these tenancies will be filled in early 2023, to re-establish and create a thriving food and retail precinct that students can enjoy well into the future.

Alexander Kolatchew Head of Commercial Services (Acting)

Financial Report

Board’s Report

Auditor’s Independence Declaration

Statement of Profit or Loss

Statement of Fincancial Positon

Statement of Changes in Members’ Funds

Statement of Cash Flows

Notes to the Financial Statements

Declaration by Members of the board

Independent Auditor’s Report

GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY GOLD COAST STUDENT GUILD  ABN 54 543 741 436

AUDITOR’S INDEPENDENCE DECLARATION   TO THE MEMBERS OF  GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY GOLD COAST STUDENT GUILD

I declare that to the best of my knowledge and belief, during the year ended 31 December 2022 there have been:

‐ no contraventions of the auditor independence requirements of the Australian Charities and Not‐for‐Profits  Commission Act 2012; and

‐ no contraventions of any applicable code of professional conduct in relation to the audit.

Connect National Audit Pty Ltd

Authorised Audit Company No. 521888

LEE‐ANN DIPPENAAR BCom CA RCA

AUDIT PRINCIPAL

Dated this 24th day of March, 2023.

Connect National Audit Pty Ltd is an Authorised Audit Company

Head Office: Level 8, 350 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000  ABN 43 605 713 040  Gold Coast Office:  Level 9, Wyndham Corporate Centre,  1 Corporate Court, Bundall  QLD 4217  Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation  w: www.connectauditqueensland.com.au

GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY GOLD COAST STUDENT GUILD  ABN 54 543 741 436  INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF  GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY GOLD COAST STUDENT GUILD  (Page 1 of 3)

Report on the Audit of the Financial Report

Opinion

We have audited the financial report of Griffith University Gold Coast Student Guild  (the Association), which comprises  the statement of financial position as at 31 December 2022, the statement of profit or loss, the statement of changes in  members’ funds, the statement of cash flows for the year then ended, and notes to the financial statements, including  a summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory information, and the declaration by Members of the  Board.

In our opinion, the accompanying financial report of Griffith University Gold Coast Student Guild has been prepared in  accordance with the requirements of the Associations Incorporation Act 1981 (QLD) and Division 60 of the Australian  Charities and Not‐for‐profits Commission Act 2012 including:

(a) giving a true and fair view of the Association’s financial position as at 31 December 2022 and of its financial  performance for the year then ended; and

(b) complying with Australian Accounting Standards ‐ Reduced Disclosure Requirements and Division 60 of the  Australian Charities and Not‐for‐profits Commission Act 2012.

Basis for Opinion

We conducted our audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. Our responsibilities under those standards  are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Report section of our report. We are  independent of the Association in accordance with the ethical r equirements of the Accounting Professional and Ethical  Standards Board’s APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (the Code) that are relevant to our audit of the  financial report in Australia.  We have also fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with the Code.

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.

Emphasis of Matter – Economic Dependence and Subsequent Events

Without modifying our opinion we draw attention to Notes 17 and 19 to the financial statements, which describes that  the operations of the Association are mainly dependent on the continuing operations of, and affiliations with, Griffith  University.  Additionally, the University and Association are currently negotiating a new lease of premises at the  University. The Members of the Board of the Association have no reason to believe the University and the  Association will not be able to continue operations and provide student services at the University.

Head Office: Level 8, 350 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000  ABN 43 605 713 040  Gold Coast Office:  Level 9, Wyndham Corporate Centre,  1 Corporate Court, Bundall  QLD 4217  Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation  w: www.connectauditqueensland.com.au

Connect National Audit Pty Ltd is an Authorised Audit Company

GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY GOLD COAST STUDENT GUILD  ABN 54 543 741 436

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF  GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY GOLD COAST STUDENT GUILD  (Page 2 of 3)

Information Other Than the Financial Report and Auditor’s Report Thereon

The Members of the Board are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information  included in the Association’s annual report for the year ended  31 December 2022 but does not include the financial  report and our auditor’s report thereon.  Our opinion on the financial report does not cover the other information and  accordingly we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.  In connection with our audit of the financial  report, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is  materially inconsistent with the financial report or our knowledge obtained in the audit or otherwise appears to be  materially misstated.  If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of  this other information, we are required to report that fact.  We have nothing to report in this regard.

Matters Relating to the Electronic Presentation of the Audited Financial Report

This auditor’s report relates to the financial report of Griffith University Gold Coast Student Guild for the year ended 31  December 2022, which may become available on its or other websites.  The Association's Members of the Board are  responsible for the integrity of  the Association's website. We  have not been engaged to report on the integrity of the  Association's website.  The auditor’s report refers only to the statements named above. It does not provide an opinion  on any other information which may have been hyperlinked to/from these statements.  If users of this report are  concerned with the inherent risks arising from electronic data  communications, they are advised to refer to the hard  copy of the audited financial report to confirm the information included in the audited financial report presented on any  website.

Responsibilities of the Members of the Board for the Financial Report

The Members of the Board are responsible for the preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair view in  accordance with the Australian Accounting Standards – Reduced Disclosure Requirements, Australian Charities and Not‐for‐profits Commission Act 2012 and the Associations Incorporation Act 1981 (QLD) and for such internal control as the  Members of the Board determine is necessary to enable the preparation and fair presentation of the financial report  that gives a true and fair view and is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.

In preparing the financial report, the Members of the Board are responsible for assessing the Association’s ability to  continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis  of accounting unless the Members of the Board either intend to liquidate the Association or to cease operations, or have  no realistic alternative but to do so.

Auditor's Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Report

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial report as a whole is free from material  misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable  assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee  that an audit conducted in accordance with Australian  Auditing Standards will always d etect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or  error and are considered material if, omitting, misstating or obscuring them, could reasonably be expected to influence  the decisions of primary users taken on the basis of this financial report.

.../3

GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY GOLD COAST STUDENT GUILD  ABN 54 543 741 436

INDEPENDENT AUDITOR'S REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF  GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY GOLD COAST STUDENT GUILD  (Page 3 of 3)

As part of an audit in accordance with the Australian Auditing  Standards, we exercise professional judgement and  maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:

 Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial report, whether due to fraud or error,  design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and  appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from  fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions,  misrepresentations, or the override of internal controls.

 Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are  appropriate in the circumstance, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the  Association’s internal control.

 Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and  related disclosures made by the Members of the Board.

 Conclude on the appropriateness of the Members of the Board’s use of the going concern basis of accounting  and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material u ncertainty exists related to events or  conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Association’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we  conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the  related disclosure in the financial report or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our  conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the  date of our auditor’s report. However, future  events or conditions may cause the Association to cease to continue as a going concern.

 Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial report, including the disclosures, and  whether the financial report represents the underlying transaction and events in a manner that achieves fair  presentation.

We communicate with the Members of the Board regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the  audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our  audit.

Connect National Audit Pty Ltd

Authorised Audit Company No. 521888

LEE‐ANN DIPPENAAR BCom CA RCA

AUDIT PRINCIPAL

Dated this 24th day of March, 2023.

Guild Partners

The Student Guild acknowledges and extends its thanks to the following valued 2022 corporate partners, for their support and contribution to the student experience.