2021 Annual Report by Student Guild

2021 ANNUAL REPORT

Your student life experts The Student Guild provides students with positive, relevant, and valued services that support them to achieve success in all aspects of their student life.

Contents

Student Guild Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Sport and Fitness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

The Guild Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Volunteering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

President’s Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Clubs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

General Manager’s Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Gold Coast Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Uni Life and Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Academic Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Wellbeing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Careers and Employability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Community and Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

of Postgraduates (GCAP) Marketing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Commercial Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Financial Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Guild Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Acknowledgment of Country The Griffith University Gold Coast Student Guild acknowledges the people who are the traditional custodians of the land, pays respect to the Elders, past and present, and extends that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

2021 Student Guild Board

Kaitlin Bell

Sarah McDonald

Max Dumbrell

President (Jan - Sept)

President (Sept to Dec)

Max Dumbrell

Executive Committee (Chair)

Vice President (Jan to Sept)

Vice President (Sept to Dec)

Executive Committee (Chair)

Executive Committee

Sport and Cultural Committee (Chair)

Renee Skennar

Faaizah Taiyab

Bianca Thatcher

Executive Committee

Sport and Cultural Committee

2021 Sport and Cultural Committee

Victoria Allan

Julius Cesar Bolinas

Joshua Jarvie

Sport Club Representative

Cultural Club Representative

Aneez Anver

Jasper Oberg

Llewyn Randall

Executive Committee

Heath Thomas

Yuri Capper

Executive Committee

Sport and Cultural Committee

Tania Voser

Deepali Naik

Sport Club Representative

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

STUDENT SERVICES

Matt Hoskins

Andrew Hayes

Disa Hill

Kathia Bardati-Faranda

Head of Student Services

Student Support & Advocacy Manager

Wellbeing Coordinator

Academic Support Coordinator/

Michael Brown

April Albertini

Ashleigh Cooksley

Brianna Townes

Sport & Fitness Coordinator

Events & Recreation Coordinator

Sports Officer

Community & Culture Coordinator

Victoria Edwards

Madeleine Storey

Shane Taas

Christina Hickman

Careers & Employability Coordinator

Programs Officer

Volunteer Coordinator

Clubs Coordinator

Mishka Boath Clubs Coordinator

Advocacy Officer

BUSINESS SERVICES

Jessica Brown

Mila Nowak

Victoria Mancini

Cameron Sherwood

General Manager

Senior Manager - Finance

Senior Manager - Marketing

Senior Manager - Events

Linda Gillespie

Brigitte Oschadlin

Lucy Ramsay

Jan Pimping

Executive Assistant

Finance Officer

Marketing Officer

Graphic Designer

COMMERCIAL SERVICES

Alexander Kolatchew

Sarah Magne

Kerri Trail

Chris Thompson

Blake Mink

Manager - Uni Fitness & Commercial Projects

Team Leader, Uni Fitness

Function Centre Manager

Manager, Uni Bar

Food & Beverage Supervisor, Uni Bar

Deborah Hague

Stacey Davies

Kylee Edie

Sanjay Maharaj

Manager, The Uni Store

Assistant Manager, The Uni Store

Retail Assistant, The Uni Store

Manager, Australia Post

President’s Report

We knew our job was to be the solid foundation of student life, to ‘meet every student where they are’, and to provide a sense of belonging and connection during a time where it was needed more than ever. The Guild embraced this time of change and challenge, and used it as an opportunity to work with students to find out exactly what they wanted and needed from their Guild. We decided to redefine what the Student Guild is, and began to implement changes to bring everyone into a new era of student life. Following the Student Life Survey results from 2020, the Guild went through a complete internal restructure as we continued to re-evaluate which services were important to students and how we deliver them. Through this, we saw the development of six new service portfolios along with the introduction of new team members and initiatives. The new portfolios focused on: staying active; living well; studying smart; getting employed; being social; and navigating university life. With this, we implemented several new initiatives including free 30-minute Wellbeing Check-in’s, social sport injury interventions, enhanced advocacy support, and Mates in Minutes (speed friending). The Guild places great emphasis on its responsibility to act as a

Kaitlin Bell President

representative body and voice for Gold Coast campus students, and advocated for several reviews and initiatives in 2021. This included a student survey and review of the class delivery structure, focusing on the number of and structure of assessments; the quality

3…2…1… Happy New Year! 2021 started off with a bang as we welcomed 4,300 students to our flagship Trimester 1 O-Week Festival. This year’s O-Week events were extra exciting as students celebrated a return to campus, with the perception that we might be able to see some light at the end of the COVID-19 tunnel. In April, we kept the excitement going with almost 700 students attending the annual Guild Ball, this year themed 'Candyland’. And just as the world was beginning to forget all about COVID-19, 2021 had other ideas and threw some more obstacles in the way, including snap lockdowns and increased public health measures. Despite this, the Student Guild’s commitment to student life continued to shine through.

and structure of content delivery (particularly in the new online format); and timetabling considerations such as appropriate timings for student vacation weeks. Finally, the Guild consulted with Griffith regarding the ProctorU online assessment invigilation tool, to consider more deeply student privacy aspects. This led to strengthened protocols to ensure the highest privacy safeguards were put in place to protect student information. The Guild is grateful to have been afforded the opportunity to meet with Professor Liz Burd, Provost, and Phillip Stork, Vice President (Marketing and Communication), through regular briefings and discussions about these important student issues. Student Guild Board representatives and other student leaders were also invited to meet with Professor Carolyn Evans, Vice Chancellor and President of Griffith University, at a student leader lunch. This ensured the Gold Coast campus student voice was being heard at the executive level.

I would like to thank every student who has given their time

Everything the Guild has implemented in the past year, has placed

to volunteer, manage a club, participate in a survey, and contribute

us in a strong position heading into 2022. This is just the beginning

to student life over the past year. Thank you for your commitment

of a vibrant return and more connected student experience at

and dedication to cultivating student life at Griffith University

Griffith Gold Coast, and a new chapter in the Student Guild

Gold Coast.

journey.

I would like to thank Student Guild Vice-President, Sarah McDonald, fellow Board Members, and student representatives of the Sport and Cultural Committee for their passion for student life and for being the voice of the students. This is not an easy task. I would also like to thank all of the Student Guild staff. Without them, all events, activities and initiatives would not be possible.

Kaitlin Bell President

We thank you for your constant support and guidance, and your passion and enthusiasm for fostering change in the student life experience - it is so greatly appreciated.

General Manager’s Report

We were fortunate to maintain a level of continuity with the Guild's on campus service provision over the course of the year, the details of which I encourage you to explore in the following portfolio reports. Our commercial services perhaps faced the most disruptions due to ongoing Queensland Government public health requirements, including entry and capacity controls which limited venue operations, particularly for the Uni Bar. Despite this, sales growth across all Guild outlets in 2021 was promising and we hope to see a return to pre-pandemic numbers in 2022. The Guild also launched some new commercial initiatives including a new Uni Bar food menu in partnership with The Commons, and approval to launch Uni Fitness as a 24/7 facility, of which you can read more about on page 46.

General Manager’s Report

I must acknowledge the Guild’s commercial tenants who remained committed to servicing students and the wider campus community in 2021. This includes Campus Computers, Coffee Major, The Commons, Flavour Asia, Guzman y Gomez, and The Junction café. I am confident next year will bring a more tenable environment for our commercial operators to once again thrive in, as we see more students return to campus, hopefully including the much-anticipated return of our international students. In 2021, I am most proud of the launch of the Guild’s new Student

Jessica Brown General Manager

Services Framework, following extensive consultation with Gold Coast campus students in 2020. Feedback received from 4,600+ students directly influenced and informed a restructure of our services and operational model, which led to the establishment

Unsurprisingly, the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic into 2021 continued to present challenges and disruptions to Student Guild services, albeit less severe than the previous year. O-Week felt like a triumphant return to student life with 4,357 Gold Coast students attending the Guild’s O-Week Festival on campus, and total attendance of 7,446 across the week of activities. I have never quite experienced the level of ‘buzz' that enveloped the campus during the Trimester 1 O-Week. Perhaps it was my own sentimentalism, but it certainly felt as though a profound sense of joy was shared by students, staff, and visitors at the event, simply for being on campus, in-person, speaking with other humans again.

of six new service portfolios: Academic Support, Careers and Employability, Community and Culture, Sport and Fitness, Uni Life and Navigation, and Wellbeing. I am excited for the team to share their achievements with you in the following reports, noting that 2021 has been a transitional year and we expect to see the full effects of these portfolios in future years. I look forward to sharing further updates with you as our portfolios and the services within them grow and mature. In my 2020 report I anticipated that strong collaboration with the University would continue in 2021, and that was certainly the case. The Guild Board takes its role as a voice for Gold Coast students seriously, and I commend the Board on their work with key University stakeholders across several important student issues, as Kaitlin has outlined in the President’s report on page 8. I echo

Kaitlin’s thanks to the University for their continued support and

2021 marks a turning point for the Student Guild and we head

partnership in addressing student concerns, and facilitating the

into 2022 as a changed organisation. We have established a

Guild’s service delivery on campus. More recently, the Guild

foundation and framework that I am confident will position the

and University have played a proactive role in referring students

Guild to deliver high value and high impact services that respond

to each other’s relevant and complementary services to reach a

directly to identified student needs, made possible by the talented

best outcome for students, particularly in relation to Wellbeing

and committed Guild team. Here is to a year of stability, strength

support services.

in continued collaboration within and outside of the Guild, and a thriving student experience at Griffith University Gold Coast in

Of course, the scale and scope of Guild activities would not be

2022 (and beyond).

possible without student volunteers. My sincere gratitude and acknowledgment go to all student volunteers, who are integral to our successful programs outlined in the Volunteering report on page 32. This extends to the Guild’s Gold Coast Association of Postgraduates, Sport and Cultural Committee student representatives, and club executives who volunteer across 77 student clubs of more than 8,500 student members.

Jessica Brown General Manager

Uni Life and Navigation

Student Guild Reception had another quiet year, with limited students on campus due to the ongoing pandemic. In 2021, Reception received a total of 7,167 enquires (in person and online) which was a 22% increase from 2020. Accommodation advertising was down 61% from 2020, reflecting the lack of housing available on the Gold Coast and an increase in use of online accommodation share sites. Locker hire and go card numbers were similar to 2020, with an increase in go card top ups by 40%. This year saw a relaunch of the intercampus bus service in partnership with Griffith University. Reworked as the Free Shuttle, the new service facilitated 2,407 passenger trips through a return loop between Nathan campus and Altandi heavy rail station

Linda Gillespie Executive Assistant

(linking to the Gold Coast campus light rail station). By helping students utilise public transport more easily, rather than having to travel to one campus via another, the service increased the frequency of trips and reduced wait times. As a result of confirming this new partnership, Griffith University subsidised the majority of costs and

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.

the initiative was Highly Commended in the category of Excellence in Enhancing the Student Experience in the Vice Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence. O-Week in Trimester 1 saw 4,357 Gold Coast students attend the Guild’s O-Week Festival on campus, and total attendance of 7,446 across the week of activities. Due to the size and scope of the event, the Guild secured special approval from Queensland Government Local Health Unit to run the event which was a credit to the planning team. This would not have been made possible, however, if not for our dedicated student volunteers who went above and beyond to help facilitate this event safely and efficiently for all students in a challenging time.

ACCOMMODATION

2021

2020

TOTAL

LISTINGS

Accommodation advertisements decreased by 61% in 2021

169

121

COMMUNITY SOURCED

STUDENT SOURCED

COMMUNITY SOURCED

STUDENT SOURCED

267

go cards

sold KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

13,278

1,367

top ups

SEPARATE STUDENT ENGAGEMENTS ACROSS ORIENTATION ACTIVITIES IN TRIMESTERS 1, 2 AND 3 32 orientation activities delivered | 92% in-person 4,918 students collected an O-Week bag over the year

7,167

STUDENT ENQUIRIES SUPPORTED BY GUILD RECEPTION

⇧ 22%*

*Increase on 2020

2,407

PASSENGER TRIPS FROM FREE SHUTTLE BUS Highly Commended for Excellence in Enhancing the Student Experience in the Vice Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence 13

TRIMESTER 1 O-WEEK

Event

Delivery method Attendance

O-Week Festival

In-person

4,357

O-Week bags given out

In-person

4,302

Campus Tours

In-person

333

Guide to Thrive Info Session

Virtual

120

Guide to Thrive Info Session

In-person

Sport and Fitness Info Session

Virtual

130

Sport and Fitness Info Session

In-person

The Uni Bucket List Info Session

Virtual

260

The Uni Bucket List Info Session

In-person

Trivia Night

Virtual

180

Rooftop Roller Disco

In-person

687

Dive-In Movie Night

In-person

160

Uni Bar Kick Off Party

In-person

350

Float Fest

In-person

120

Beach Party

In-person

448

Come and Try Social Sport

In-person

161

Total attendance

7,446

(excludes O-Week bags)

TRIMESTER 2 O-WEEK

Event

Delivery method Attendance

O-Week Festival

In-person

333

O-Week bags given out

In-person

508

Campus Tours

In-person

The Uni Bucket List Info Session

Virtual

Guide to Thrive Info Session

Virtual

Sport and Fitness Info Session

Virtual

Mates in Minutes

In-person

Trivia Night

Virtual

124

Come and Try Social Sport

In-person

State of Origin in the Uni Bar

In-person

Total attendance (excludes O-Week bags) 14

827

TRIMESTER 3 O-WEEK

Event

Delivery method Attendance

O-Week bags given out

In-person

108

Guide to Thrive Info Session

Virtual

Sport and Fitness Info Session

Virtual

The Uni Bucket List Info Session

Virtual

Mates in Minutes

In-person

Trivia Night

Virtual

Total attendance

(excludes O-Week bags)

FREE SHUTTLE BUS

33%

Nathan campus

DOMESTIC UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

to Altandi Station

11%

2,267

DOMESTIC POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS

Single campus destination trips

14% INTERNATIONAL UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

2,407

140 Trips facilitating multi campus days

13%

TOTAL TRIPS

INTERNATIONAL POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS

852

29% GRIFFITH STAFF MEMBERS

Gold Coast students

PURPOSE OF BUS TRIPS

43%

933

1,098

UNSTRUCTURED STUDY, GROUP WORK OR MEETINGS

8% SOCIAL OR EXTRACURRICULAR CAMPUS ACTIVITY

56% STRUCTURED CLASSES, TUTORIALS OR LEARNING ACTIVITIES

376

2021 ONLY

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

NUMBER OF TRIPS

Academic Support

In 2021 the Student Guild’s Academic Support portfolio continued to adapt to the changing circumstances arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. While 2020 was focused on virtual delivery, in 2021, the portfolio began offering in-person services again in the areas of academic support and advocacy consultations. This included workshops in partnership with Griffith University Village on academic skills, study hacks, productivity, and stress management in order to re-engage students living on campus. These began to foster a sense of connection to campus and were followed by less formal Coffee Chats which were open air group circle discussion on topics like exam preparation and study tips over a free coffee. Other services such as Assignment Help continued to be offered online via Zoom with an increase in uptake of 100 students in comparison to the previous year. A point of

Kathia Bardati-Faranda

interest in the Assignment Help service was recognising it was servicing two unique

Academic Support Coordinator

needs and splitting those online to track user engagement. One group who were predominately looking for basic English spelling, grammar and sentence structure and another group looking for help in assignment structure, research techniques and

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.

planning. The data collected on these user groups will inform service developments in 2022 and ensure both instances are functioning as well as possible. Another important accomplishment was the merger of Nathan and Gold Coast campus versions of the subject specific peer tutoring platform originally developed by the Student Guild. This merger saved over 30% of platform expenses and allowed all Griffith students with greater access to tutors and those seeking tutoring. This, along with new on campus promotions, was hugely successful and nearly tripled the total number of users from 1,030 in 2020 to 2,909 users by the end of 2021.

I am in deep gratitude for your assistance from the very start, I sincerely appreciate it. (Student advocacy service feedback) While academic support services were tailored to meet the changing nature of blended learning, the advocacy arm of the Academic Support portfolio set key objectives intended to help students better understand their rights and responsibilities, relevant policies and procedures, and the support services available to them. To this end, the advocacy team provided one-on-one consultations in the areas of policies and procedures, grievances and complaints, mediation, special consideration, assessment and grades, and referrals to Wellbeing Check-ins throughout the year. The service also instigated a new booking system at the end of February which managed 194 cases between March and December 2021. These were facilitated through a combination of in-person, phone, Microsoft Teams and email-based consultations. As a final highlight for the year, 2021 also saw the successful trial of a new Student Advocacy Case Assistant role which will be officially launched in 2022. This role provides Griffith students with law, casework or social work skills with an opportunity to gain real work experience supporting the growth of the advocacy service.

I had given up, as I couldn’t see a solution. But with your encouragement we found a way. (Student advocacy service feedback)

ASSIGNMENT HELP HIGHLIGHTS

2021

⇧ 9%*

1,209

2020

1,109

2019

1,099

300

600

900

1200

1500

*Increase of student uptake by 100 sessions from 2020 to 2021

PEER TUTORING (VYGO) HIGHLIGHTS

TOTAL NUMBER OF SESSIONS

1,030

Total users

(2021)

Total Gold Coast students

1,443 533

Total tutors

5,237

Total user logins *Increase in student uptake due to

a Nathan and Gold Coast campus

1000

Vygo merger in 2021

2000

3000

4000

2021 STUDENT UPTAKE

ADVOCACY CONSULTATION BOOKINGS

MARCH - DECEMBER 2021

DOMESTIC

UNDERGRADUATE

24 INTERNATIONAL

20 POSTGRADUATE

⇧ 182%*

2,909

112

TOTAL BOOKINGS

5000

6000

ADVOCACY CASES (2021)

40 35 30

Thank you so much for

your help and guidance!

I literally couldn’t have

TOTAL CASES

done this without you. 5

(Student advocacy service feedback) 0 NOV

OCT

SEP

AUG

JUL

JUN

MAY

APR

MAR

Advocacy support breakdown Academic/behaviour misconduct (17%) Exclusion (4%)

Placement complaints (8%)

Formal complaints (17%)

Bullying/harassment (4%)

Marks & grades (10%) Special consideration (14%)

Withdrawal due to special circumstances (12%) Other (14%)

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

�

Successfully merged subject specific

Assignment Help saw an

A Student Advocacy Case Assistant

peer tutoring services across

increase of 100 student users

was recruited to assist advocacy

Nathan and Gold Coast campuses

compared to previous year .

support services with the position

􀝋􀝋

􀯧􀯧

to the one platform, which saw

providing work experience for

1,800 new students use the service .

Griffith Law graduate students .

Wellbeing

In 2021 the Wellbeing portfolio welcomed the opportunity to be back on campus with students, with a particular focus on nurturing resilience development, self-care, and mindset focus to help students adapt to blended learning, snap lockdowns and lifestyle challenges. In Trimester 1, Wellbeing provided a range of wellbeing initiatives, ranging from Wellbeing Coffee Chats, where small-group wellbeing discussions were facilitated (with over 28 students benefiting), to Mindset Matters workshops which inspired 34 students to stretch their way of thinking and to take their wellbeing into their own hands. Across Stress Less Weeks in both Trimester 1 and Trimester 2; 400 students engaged in mindfulness activities, 102 students dived into yoga, meditation or Zumba classes as a self-care option, and over 2,000 students were provided with fresh fruit, vegetables, and delicious treats to support their overall health and wellbeing.

Disa Hill Wellbeing Coordinator

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.

This year the Guild’s Wellbeing portfolio collaborated with the Griffith Health and Wellbeing department and the University’s Uni Mental Health and Wellbeing Week to deliver an R U OK? Day event with the support of a student project team. Over 500 students attended and 350 picked up a conversation starter pack to stimulate peer connections, and students were connected to services such as Headspace, GUGC Student Services, and Gumurrii. From there, the Guild kept the conversation going with the ‘KM’s for Connection’ weekly walks in September and October. This was a new initiative, led by the Wellness Warriors, that provided a space to stay connected, and 36 students united, walked, and chatted building a peer support community. The Wellbeing portfolio also continued to strengthen the peer support community. To this end, programs focused on increasing the visual presence of the Wellness Warriors on campus to help reduce stigma around mental health, and raise awareness of the importance of wellbeing through student life. Acts of kindness, led by Wellness Warrior volunteers, included delivering over 400 sunflowers to students on campus, shouting 158 coffees and handwriting over 100 messages of hope. The volunteers reported that feedback from recipients was overwhelmingly positive, with many intending to find a way to ‘pay it forward’ to others on campus. In 2021, the Student Guild introduced a new wellbeing service - Wellbeing Check-ins. The check-ins aimed to provide a ‘soft place to land’ for students offering an informal, non-clinical, coaching based conversation with the Guild’s Wellbeing Team. Students were invited to discuss the wellbeing imbalance they were experiencing, and then guided to the most appropriate support resources or services (either within Griffith University or the local community) they needed to keep moving forward positively. Over 110 Wellbeing Check-ins were conducted (via Teams, phone, or face to face consult), supporting 87 students (with over 20 students returning for further support). Of these students, 23% were international students, and 69% of students booking a Wellbeing Check-in sought further mental health and wellbeing support from Griffith Student Services. In 2021, the Student Guild also provided crisis care accommodation for 14 students and assisted them to find long term sustainable accommodation. Crisis care packs, providing fresh food, hygiene products and baby goods, were also provided to 25 students in need who were experiencing financial hardship.

WELLBEING CHECK-INS

􀉪􀉪 87

students

􀈊􀈊 110

NEW SERVICE

check-ins

Provided 350 students with conversation packs to promote the importance of peer led connections

STRESS LESS WEEK

400

102

2,000+

students engaged in

students attended a yoga,

students were provided with fresh

mindfulness activities

meditation or Zumba class

fruit and vegetables to support their overall health & wellbeing 21

Careers & Employability

Victoria Edwards Careers & Employability Coordinator

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.

2021 marked the initial formalisation of Careers and Employability as a Student Guild service portfolio and the introduction of a dedicated Careers and Employability Coordinator. These steps were taken after a significant student consultation the previous year revealed that support building capacity to get a job ranked third most important to student’s success at University, and second as a service area the Guild should focus on. Much of the year was spent in researching and developing content for new services scheduled for launch in 2022 however there were still several successful initiatives delivered. The largest single event was the Careers Fair held in November with 216 students attending. Restrictions and scheduling challenges contributed to the lower student attendance from the previous year however industry interest and participation remained strong. The 31 industry stalls, two LinkedIn advice booths and six resume review stalls continued to be a popular standout. Other activities on the night included drop-in mentoring, industry showcases, expert presentations, professional club stalls, catered networking and drop-in sessions with Career Development Consultants from the Griffith Careers and Employment Service team. Other partnerships occurred with the Griffith Careers and Employment Service team in 2022 including over 80 participants in a Mentoring on the Move event. This connected small groups of students with an industry mentor for an informal ‘walk and talk’ around campus over coffee before coming together for a group breakfast. Another successful partnership occurred with long term partner, Pulsestart Training Solutions, which provided significantly discounted CPR and first aid courses to Gold Coast students. In total 274 students achieved a CPR refresher and 515 students achieved a first aid qualification which enhanced their general employability and enabled many of our Griffith Health students to undertake practical placements related to their studies.

CAREERS FAIR

216

student attendees

industry speakers & mentors

industry stalls

LinkedIn advice booths

6 resume review stalls

FIRST AID COURSES Provide First Aid (includes CPR)

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Refresher

400

250

350 200 300

200

150

Attendees

250

401 (T1)

150

208 (T1) 100

100 (T2)

61 (T2)

100 50

14 (T3)

5 (T3) 0

􀉪􀉪515 TOTAL

􀉪􀉪274 TOTAL

Community & Culture

Brianna Townes Community & Culture Coordinator

The Community and Culture portfolio help 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 university-based support network for when student life becomes challenging.

In 2021, the Guild’s Community and Culture portfolio key objectives included building and maintaining social connection; ensuring a safe and inclusive culture; and developing a sense of belonging with peers, university, and the wider community. This was increasingly important after a challenging 2020 when students faced lack of connection, social isolation, and reduced capacity to create important friendships and social support networks. This sense of community and belonging was developed through the provision of a range of events and activities across three main service areas of social connection, campus culture, and diversity and inclusion. Social opportunities offered during the 2021 academic calendar ranged from small group coffee catch ups to major events, and everything in between such as creative workshops, movie nights, recreation trips and virtual trivia. Providing mixed modes of delivery and diverse activities was crucial to engaging, supporting, and connecting as many students as possible. 2021 saw the return of two major events, Guild Ball in Trimester 1 and Race Day in Trimester 2, which attracted over 2,150 students between them. Mates in Minutes was a new initiative that launched in Trimester 2; a fun twist on speed friending, creating opportunities for students to create new connections and practise social skills. The event was a success with 88% attendees reporting that they made new connections and 96% feeling an increase in their social confidence after the session. Campus culture initiatives cultivated a fun atmosphere, positive vibe and inclusive culture on campus and among students. Market Days continued to be the cornerstone of campus culture initiatives, providing a fun, relaxed and connected environment for students to enjoy an inexpensive lunch, live music, and market stalls. Market Days

attracted over 12,500 people in 2021. The student experience at

EQUALITY Club to launch a Queer Space Trial to better support

Market Day was expanded with the introduction of new dining

the LGBTQIA+ community on campus. This provided the space for

options and stall holders, including a regular clubs and societies

students to hang out, seek support, build friendships and a sense

stall to spotlight different clubs and promote engagement. The

of community. The trial recorded over 1,800 hours of student visits.

Guild also welcomed Nine Lives as a stall holder, a student lead project that raises awareness around fast fashion and provides

The Student Guild’s first Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award

students with affordable and sustainable clothing options. Other

was introduced to acknowledge the most outstanding contribution

highlights from campus culture initiatives include Sustainability

to supporting and fostering inclusion, and championing diversity,

Week activities attracting 500 students; the Holiday Donation

made by a club, initiative, or student. The award received thirteen

Drive which received over 250 donations; Gigs On Campus, a

nominations, with three shortlisted finalists invited to Guild Awards

campaign promoting paid performance opportunities to students

for the presentation. The winner, Surgical Interest Association,

(which recruited three new musicians); and the Community

developed several events that fostered an inclusive and supportive

Outreach volunteer program which connected students to passion

environment including their ‘Suture the Gap: Diversity in Surgery’

projects within the local community.

symposium which provided a platform where doctors, representing Indigenous communities, women and LGBTQIA+, panelled a

Diversity and inclusion was targeted as a growth area for

discussion regarding current progress on improving disparity, and

the Community and Culture portfolio, and 2021 involved

provided strategies and advice for medical students.

the introduction of small initiatives to build the foundation for growth in 2022. Key achievements include Multicultural Festival, the Queer Space Trial, and the Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award. The Multicultural Festival hosted a day of cultural sharing involving food, activities, performances, and learning. This event showcased the cultural clubs on campus, Griffith Mates, Gumurrii and community organisations. The Student Guild collaborated with and supported the Griffith 25

SOCIAL CONNECTION EVENT ATTENDANCE Race Day

1,500

Guild Ball

689

Virtual Trivia

586

Creative Workshops

425

Toga Party

400

Recreation Trips

178

Movie Nights

130

Mates In Minutes

Coffee Chats

300

600

900

1200

1500

NUMBER OF ATTENDEES

CAMPUS CULTURE EVENT ATTENDANCE

500

1,000

12,528

Sustainability Week

Multicultural Festival

Market Days

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

NEW AWARD

19,604

Excellence in Diversity

at over 44 events

13 nominations, 3 shortlisted finalists and 1 winner

attendees

& Inclusion Award

QUEER SPACE TRIAL

895

197

Total recorded hours

Completed check-in/ check-out pairs

4.32

209

Average hours per visit

Incomplete check-in/ check-outs

949

1,845

Estimated unrecorded hours

Estimated total hours

Reasons for visit To seek wellbeing support

To escape unhealthy environments / to build friendships & sense of community

To hang out with friends / social support

N T

Trimester 2

88%

attendees Trimester 3

Before

attendees

44%

Mates In Minutes

96%

of attendees made new connections

After

100

96% rated their social conﬁdence high after the session 27

Sport & Fitness

In 2021, the Sport and Fitness portfolio’s key objectives included increasing participation across the Social Sport, Intervarsity, and club platforms. To do this, the department took on feedback from the 2020 Student Consultation Report which indicated that the focus should shift from competitive sport to take a more holistic look at physical health. With this knowledge, the Sport and Fitness department partnered with the Griffith Health Clinic to create a Return from Injury program to provide physiotherapy sessions to injured Social Sport participants to get them back in sport sooner. The program launched in October 2021 and was open to Social Sport players, with plans to expand the service to gym and club members come 2022. Another new initiative developed in 2021 was the Cook and Shop program that aimed to give students healthy and affordable cooking tips and tricks. Not only did students get to learn

Michael Brown

about the importance of healthy eating, they were also provided groceries to cook

Sport & Fitness Coordinator

a meal and take home prepped portions. The program will launch for all students in Trimester 1 2022 after the pilot successfully ran in October 2021 where 15 students trialled the new initiative and loved it.

The Sport and Fitness 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’.

Social Sport participation grew as the competition expanded to four seasons a year compared to just two in previous years. Social Sport attendance in 2020 was 821 students, attendance in 2021 increased by 54% to reach a total of 1,270 participants. Social Sport Season 3 in 2021 had the biggest attendance ever, with 656 registered players. Come and Try Social Sport events were introduced in 2020 and aimed to give students an opportunity to experience the Social Sport environment before the competition begins. The Come and Try program was offered again in 2021, and saw over 250 students participate in these events - a 34% increase from 2020. 2021 UniSport Nationals was cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, however, a Queensland Nationals event took place in September. Griffith placed 5th overall in this event. Seventy Gold Coast students participated, making up over 60% of Griffith’s overall team. Of the seven sports on offer at this event, Griffith placed in four events. The Griffith men’s beach volleyball team placed 2nd; the mixed beach volleyball team placed 3rd overall; the women’s futsal team placed 2nd; women’s volleyball also placed 2nd, and both the mixed and women’s team placed 3rd overall. The Griffith Intervarsity Sport Bowl was held in May and included seven universities competing in eight different sports. Griffith University Gold Coast campus took a team of over 80 students who placed 2nd overall. This result was an improvement from 2020 where the team placed 4th overall. The Guild Awards took place in November and saw the GU Regency Hip Hop team take out Sports Star of the Year, as the team was awarded first place in both the hip hop and contemporary routines at the Eutopia competition early in 2021, and won the Grand Championship for their contemporary routine.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

1,270

2nd Place

unique Social Sport players

Grifﬁth Sport Bowl

⇧ 54%

from 2020

from 4th place in 2020

The introduction of the Return from Injury program facilitated by the Griffith Health Clinic, aided students to get back into sport faster after injury.

RETURN FROM INJURY APPOINTMENT CARD

NAME

CLINIC SIGNATURE 1

Guild Awards

Sports Awards

Grifﬁth Cricket Club Most Inspiring Performance

Beach Volleyball Club Sport and Recreation Club of the Year

Cheer and Dance Club GU Regency Hip Hop Team Sports Star of the Year

Volunteering

In 2021, the Student Guild volunteer program returned with a dedicated and passionate group of students eager to return to campus and lead student experiences. At the start of the year, Orientation Week provided the platform for eight Volunteer Leaders to manage a vast array of activities across the Gold Coast campus. The leaders developed strong leadership skills while mentoring and supporting new volunteers to provide support to the Guild throughout the busiest time of the year. The addition of an O-Week Volunteer Hub offered a space to provide event updates, breaks, and social catch-ups with fellow volunteers. Initiatives to support the volunteer team helped boost morale and recognition, with a team of 38 students contributing over 300 volunteer hours during O-Week, many of whom continued to volunteer beyond O-Week.

Shane Taas Volunteers Coordinator

The O-Week hours combined with those accrued across the Guild’s three main volunteer programs (Guild Crew, Wellness Warriors, and Community Outreach) meant that student volunteers collectively completed 339 shifts and over 1,200

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.

volunteer hours for the year. The Guild Crew volunteers created a fun and engaging environment at student events and helped activate many of the new service area activities and programs. The Wellness Warriors program continued to build on its wellbeing initiatives to provide peer support on the Gold Coast campus. The introduction of a training workshop provided volunteers experiential learning opportunities to practise the skills necessary to be an effective, competent, and empathetic Wellness Warrior support person. Community Outreach continued to build social conscience and community awareness throughout the year. The program partnered with a range of organisations including Havafeed Community Relief Gold Coast, Naturally GC, Volunteering Gold Coast and the Mudgeeraba Special School. The introduction of the Better Impact Volunteer Software facilitated online engagement with student volunteers and offered the ability to better track volunteer hours, manage new and existing volunteer applicants, and conduct formal training. After several cancellations last year due to COVID-19 restrictions, volunteers were offered social opportunities including events such as karaoke nights, coffee catch-ups, and surf lessons. Additionally, a select number of active student volunteers who helped contribute to the Student Guild and the Volunteer Program were invited to attend a Volunteer Camp on Moreton Island.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

Domestic students (77%) International students (23%)

active volunteers* *Based on students completing a minimum of 10 hours per trimester . Overall numbers dropped from previous years due to border

volunteer hours

339 shifts

closures and lockdowns .

NEW COMMUNITY

1,200+

Naturally GC Tree Planting Day 12 volunteers

OUTREACH INITIATIVES

Mudgeeraba Special School Visit 5 volunteers

Havafeed Food Donation Drive 5 volunteers

Better Impact Volunteer System was introduced to assist with volunteer administration.

Guild Awards

Volunteer Awards

Kaylen Haua

Jordan Cooper

Volunteer of the Year

Volunteer Diamond Award

Sarah McDonald

Tyson Holmes

Volunteers Choice Award

Guild Crew Award

Lily Pearson

Caleb Breuer

Wellness Warrior Award

Community Outreach Award

Clubs

In 2021, the Student Guild supported 77 clubs in servicing a total of over 8,500 members. The Clubs portfolio focused on enhancing the overall training and development of club management committee members and at the start of the year, 56 club executives attended the 7th Annual Clubs Conference in person. This conference provided club leaders with essential information and valuable resources, advice, and tips and tricks. Furthermore, to ensure clubs were well positioned for success in 2022, a training survey was sent to all club members (specifically targeting management committee members). This survey encouraged students to give feedback on training topics they felt would assist them to manage their clubs best and at what time of year the information would be most beneficial. From the collated data, the Guild introduced a new online training session in September which covered topics such as Annual General Meetings, succession planning, and handovers.

Mishka Boath

Despite the new affiliation funding model and Special Project Grants only being

Clubs Coordinator

introduced in 2020, many clubs were able to capitalise on this funding for various events and projects in 2021. Four formal grant rounds were conducted, with 25 successful submissions and $99,000 in grant funding approved. Unfortunately, due

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.

to COVID-19 disruptions, clubs were only able to utilise $39,000 of the approved funding however the unused funds were able to be redistributed into other student projects. Clubs were provided with an opportunity to recruit new members at Sign On Days during Orientation Week, and at the start of Trimester 1 and 2. In O-Week, 48 clubs participated in the Sign On Day event, with 52 clubs and 48 clubs, taking part in Trimester 1 and 2 respectively. This year, the Guild also provided clubs the opportunity to host fundraising BBQs or bake sales on the Library Lawn. This enabled them to not only raise money for projects or events but also recruit more members. Clubs were also able to leverage many Guild events in 2021 by hosting smaller stalls, workshops or activities within them to take advantage of the logistics support and access to students. Guild events where this occurred included Market Day, Sustainability Week, Multicultural Festival, Griffith Takes Over Top Golf, Scrunchie Making Workshop, Trivia Nights, Stress Less Week and R U OK? Day. The annual Guild Awards were held at the Uni Bar and Function Centre in November, with 123 student leaders in attendance. This year, the Awards’ criteria focused on awarding clubs that displayed excellence in driving overall student participation and growth relative to the size of the club. These adjusted criteria meant more clubs could be eligible for category specific awards. The evening was a great opportunity to recognise and reward the achievements, dedication, and commitment of club executives and highlight the positive impact clubs have on the university experience.

Club highlights 1. Surgical Interest Association hosted the Queensland Surgical Interest Conference with over 100 delegates having the opportunity to learn surgical skills. 2. GUGC Cricket Club made it to the finals of their 1st grade tournament RJR Winter Cup. 3. Griffith University Medicine Society delivered their annual Med Revue, Bonded: Casino Rurale. This entailed six months of rehearsing with a cast of 100 students and culminated in $14,123 in sales and four fantastic performances.

77 CLUBS

􀫔􀫔􀫔31

⚽ 24

􀵲􀵲􀵲5

􀝋􀝋􀝋3

Professional & Academic

Cultural

􀝦􀝦􀝦14

Sport & Recreation

Special Interest

Community Service

8,500+

650+

>$39,500

Club members

Club events

provided in Special Project Grants

(31 March 2021 – 15 December 2021)

NEW CLUBS 2021

+⃝● Women and Men Rugby League +⃝● Griffith Artificial Intelligence

+⃝● Community Development Innovations

+⃝● Griffith University Engineers Australia Student Society +⃝● Griffith Boardriders Club +⃝● Food First

+⃝● Hong Kong Association of Griffith University Gold Coast +⃝● Student Opportunities for Impact

+⃝● Griffith University Gold Coast Plant Based Club +⃝● Griffith University Marine Society +⃝● Women in STEM and Education +⃝● Griffith Yacht Club

+⃝● Griffith Gold Coast Gorillas

+⃝● Griffith University Advanced Robotics Development +⃝● Engineers Without Borders – Griffith Chapter +⃝● Griffith Grocery Grabbers

+⃝● Griffith University Taiwanese Student Association +⃝● Griffith University Gold Coast Japan Club +⃝● Power Boxing Club 38

Guild Awards

Club Awards Grifﬁth University Medicine Society Club of the Year

Shantel Chang Club Administrator of the Year

Grifﬁth University Gold Coast Beach Volleyball Club Sport and Recreation Club of the Year

Grifﬁth Yoga and Meditation Special Interest Club of the Year

Glen Heriot Club Administrator of the Year

Surgical Interest Association New Club of the Year

Grifﬁth Grocery Grabbers Community Service Club of the Year

Grifﬁth Go Global Club Gold Coast Cultural Club of the Year

Grifﬁth University Medicine Society

Professional & Academic Club of the Year

Single Best Club Initiative

Gold Coast Association of Postgraduates (GCAP)

Kai Robertson GCAP President

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 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.

In 2021, the Gold Coast Association of Postgraduates (GCAP) employed a multifaceted approach to improve postgraduate student life on campus comprised of social, wellbeing, and employability initiatives. GCAP continued to provide valuable opportunities for social engagement for the postgraduate student community. In the first trimester, GCAP held its annual cocktail party at Q1 in Surfers Paradise, which took on a masquerade theme. This masquerade event was very successful, and sold out, with 278 attendees. In Trimester 2, GCAP presented an incredible event on an enormous yacht, the YOT. The yacht hosted 246 postgraduate students who sailed the Broadwater, and enjoyed delicious canapes while they danced the night away. Both the Q1 cocktail and YOT event offered a welcome change of scenery from study rooms, and served as an opportunity for postgraduate students to mingle, not just with their own friend groups but also with students from different academic groups. While GCAP’s large events continued to be very popular, GCAP also provided students with more regular free events so that they could remain connected on campus. Friday Socials were a key focus and a fantastic opportunity for postgraduate students to unwind on a Friday evening in the Student Guild Function Centre with some food and drink. Typically, most events saw over 60 students attend, and the inclusion of a trivia competition added to the events’ appeal. Coffee Catch Ups provided a free fortnightly breakfast and coffee at the Junction Café which offered a relaxed start to the day with friends. On many occasions the GCAP team saw new relationships formed and tables being joined together while they circulated and chatted to postgraduate students about upcoming events and ideas. As COVID-19 continued to challenge postgraduate students lives this year, the importance of wellbeing could not be overstated. To this end, GCAP hosted its first wellbeing only focused event to support students’ physical and mental health. Over 600 students attended the ‘Take a Break with GCAP’ event which provided a variety of wellbeing-oriented activities to suit a broad range of people. This included arts and crafts activities (candle making, alcohol-ink painting), table games (table tennis, foosball) and Bike n Blend to help de-stress students and promote healthy eating. Further, GCAP encouraged physical wellbeing by hosting a ‘Fit for Charity’ stall in collaboration with Uni Fitness, where students participated to burn calories which was then equally matched to provide a $1,500 charitable donation to Beyond Blue on behalf of the GCAP postgraduate community. Prior to 2021, postgraduate students indicated that they would like assistance from GCAP to better their chances of employment. GCAP listened to this feedback and provided all postgraduate students an opportunity to participate in a mock interview event. Postgraduate students arrived well dressed for the appointment with a CV in hand and a job offer they would hope to receive. A professional photographer was also provided to take a professional portrait for their LinkedIn profile. GCAP secured interviewers from Study Gold Coast and the Industry Mentor Program (IMP) at Griffith University. The skills and experience these interviewers brought to the table provided an amazing interaction with postgraduate students, many of whom returned to do multiple interviews throughout the day to refine their skills and take on feedback from their previous mock interview. It was fantastic to see the value derived for students in real-time

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

Q1 COCKTAIL PARTY

YOT PARTY

TAKE A BREAK WITH GCAP

278

246

600+

attendees

postgraduates

students

Marketing

Marketing was focused on maintaining online engagement and refining its existing digital strategies for the majority of 2021 in preparation for Student Service’s planned launch of its new service frameworks in O-Week 2022. Marketing focused on three primary objectives which were; to grow the Guild’s presence on Griffith owned pages, refresh the look of the organisation’s e-mail marketing, and grow the Guild’s Instagram following. The Student Guild’s website experienced a 27% increase in referral traffic compared to 2020, with Griffith University’s website accounting for 57.8% of all referrals. This resulted in a greater awareness of what services, events and facilities were accessible to students on Griffith’s Gold Coast campus. The Guild Marketing team met with key Griffith stakeholders on a weekly basis with the aim to create a more unified student experience across digital platforms. This has resulted in more frequent

Victoria Mancini

collaboration between the Guild and Griffith’s social pages and a greater digital

Marketing Manager

presence for both parties. The Guild’s e-mail marketing was still showing strong open rates and click through

Student Guild Marketing is responsible for developing and delivering the marketing strategies and publications for all Student Guild portfolios. Marketing communications remain focused on positioning the Student Guild as student life experts, providing a range of services to support Gold Coast campus students to succeed in all aspects of their student life. Marketing’s integrated approach utilises a number of print and digital channels to successfully push messaging out to students.

rates after its 2020 strategy overhaul. To maintain student interest going into 2021, a decision was made to give e-mails a visual face lift. The key changes made included a larger focus on visual design elements, condensed text to entice users to click call to actions and a more youthful tone and appearance. These changes were successful in maintaining the momentum gained in 2020 with click through rates, open rates and unsubscribe levels remaining comparable to the previous year. With many students now favouring more dynamic social platforms, Marketing made the decision early in the year to focus on growing its Instagram channels. A stronger focus was placed on educating students about the Guild’s Instagram at O-Week compared to previous years, and a marketing plan was built out to ensure the Guild was posting daily engaging content that differed from Facebook and e-mails. Student influencers were invited to ‘take over’ key events like Stress Less Week and O-Week to give Instagram content a clear point of difference from other channels. The end result was a 28.4% growth in followers - the highest annual growth the Guild has ever experienced on the platform. To conclude the year, the Marketing team nominated its 2020 ‘The World Got Weird’ campaign for two award categories at the 2021 CampusLink Awards hosted by Tertiary Access Group. The Marketing team was successful in both categories and took home the ‘Most Successful Digital Initiative’ award, recognising the Guild as an industry leader in digital marketing and as a sector benchmark for effectively engaging students in a digital environment. and the ‘Best Marketing Campaign’ award. The ‘Most Successful Digital Initiative’ award recognised a successful digital initiative that boasted strong student engagement and support, creativity, adaptability, user functionality, and kept campus communities connected during COVID-19. The ‘Best Marketing Campaign’ award recognised innovation and adaptation in marketing and communications strategies during 2020.

WEBSITE VIEWS

MOST VIEWED WEBPAGES 1. Homepage 2. Uni Fitness 3. Shuttle Bus

243,491

(Nathan to Altandi Station)

81% NEW USERS

4. Clubs

19%

5. Uni Fitness memberships

RETURN USERS

TOP REFERRAL TRAFFIC SOURCES 1. grifﬁth.edu.au – 57.8%

⇧ 13.7%*

2. app.secure.grifﬁth.edu.au – 4.8%

4. ﬁtnesspassport.com.au – 3% 5. GUGCsport.spawtz.com – 3%

3. my.Grifﬁth.edu.au – 4.6%

WEBSITE ACQUISITION

43.6%

5.3%

SEARCH ENGINE (organic)

SOCIAL MEDIA

⇧ 17.5%*

30.1%

21%

DIRECT URL

REFERRAL

23.6%* 44

23.1%*

⇧ 27.3%*

SOCIAL MEDIA

14,876 ⇧ 3.5%*

15000

3,835 14,365

13,404

12000

4000

⇧ 28.4%*

3500

2,985

3000

2,539

2500

9000

2000 6000

1500 1000

3000

500 0

2021

2020

2021

2019

2020

2019

INSTAGRAM

FACEBOOK LIKES

WEBSITE USAGE BY DEVICE

50%

54%

DESKTOP

49% MOBILE

2021

45% MOBILE

TABLET

2020

Commercial Services

Alex Kolatchew Manager - Uni Fitness & Commercial Projects

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 COVID-19 pandemic persisted into 2021 and brought with it many challenges to Guild commercial services and business operators on campus. University courses continued to be delivered predominantly online, reducing student foot traffic and on-campus activity which for many businesses meant a necessary reduction in trading hours and in some instances, temporary closures. The Guild continued to offer support to business operators with rent relief and deferred rent payments to help alleviate the financial pressure caused by the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the year. Unfortunately, the pressure on businesses that came with lockdowns, capacity restrictions and government-imposed quarantine and isolation measures forced the permanent closure of Burger Urge and the Hair@Uni salon. With the Village Café also ceasing trading in 2020, the Guild provided a pop-up food and drink offering at Griffith University Village over the busier periods of 2021. The Guild looks forward to welcoming new commercial partners into these spaces in 2022, who align closely with commercial service needs of the Griffith Gold Coast community. In 2021, Guild-run commercial outlets including The Uni Store, Australia Post, Uni Fitness, and Uni Bar navigated the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic well, maintaining key objectives of providing essential products and services to the Griffith community. The new parcel lockers installed at Australia Post in G07 provided a convenient collection point for parcel pick-up which, in addition to the PO Boxes, helped keep the store compliant with maximum capacity restrictions. The closure of banks and discontinuation of many ATM’s in the area contributed to an increased uptake of banking and Western Union services at Australia Post and gift cards continued to be the top selling retail item in 2021. The Uni Store continued to operate through university closures and Local Government Area (LGA) lockdowns providing essential products to the local community. One of the challenges in the retail environment was the mask and QR code mandate, which deterred some customers from entering the store throughout the year. Despite this, The Uni Store sales grew by 55% on 2020, which was to be expected given the rise in student numbers on campus and increased activity in the Health and Knowledge precinct in 2021. There was also increased online activity in 2021, despite the return of many students to campus. Visits to The Uni Store website continued to grow as did the sales, including those made by international students residing in USA, Canada and China. Griffith logo merchandise continues to be one of the top selling products, thanks to the expertise of The Uni Store team, who continually update the range to keep in line with current seasons and trends. After a few years off the shelves, lab coats were made available to students again in 2021 and as one of the best-selling items, will continue to be stocked among other essential student items in 2022. The continuing COVID-19 restrictions on licensed venues impacted the first quarter of trading for the Uni Bar, with maximum occupancy limited to 25% capacity. Unfortunately, this capacity restriction was in effect during O-Week, during which the popular Uni Bar Kick Off and annual Beach Party is held. With only 380 students able to attend these parties, the annual Toga Party was brought forward to Week 3 to cater for those students who missed out, however with restrictions still in place this party was also limited to only 380 students. Like many of the commercial outlets on campus, the Uni Bar was impacted by the reduction in foot traffic that came with the shift to online learning. Despite this, the free trivia and karaoke nights hosted by

⇧ 55%

57,870

New Uni Bar food menu

The Uni Store sales

Total facility

launched in partnership

grew by 55% on 2020

check ins

􀉪􀉪􀉪1,050 Number of members

with The Commons

the Uni Bar throughout the year were enjoyed by students, each hitting the 100-person capacity limit imposed on the venue. Over $3,400 in prizes was given away during these events, including an ultimate Byron Bay weekend experience. Trimester 2 began with the cancellation of the Back-to-School Party and the proposed Retro Party due to further COVID-19 restrictions and a Gold Coast-wide lockdown between 31 July and 8 August. However, with restrictions easing towards the end of the trimester, the Uni Bar was finally able to run a party at close to full capacity, with over 800 people attending the annual Halloween Party. One of the highlights for the Uni Bar in 2021 was the new food menu launched in partnership with The Commons. While only operating for a short period before the end of the year, the menu received great reviews from Griffith students and staff and began attracting new customers from the Health and Knowledge precinct. The fitness industry in QLD was not as severely impacted in 2021, with capacity restrictions eased and only minimum closures compared to 2020 which was great for Uni Fitness and its members. One of the key focuses for Uni Fitness in 2021 was increasing member usage of the sports and fitness facilities on campus. Usage can be measured by total number of facilities visits per member or total number of attendees in programs. In 2021, total check ins across all facilities were recorded as 57,870, with member numbers peaking at 1,050. In 2019 (the last full year of trading), total check-ins across all facilities were recorded as 63,890, with member numbers peaking at 1,452. The data highlights that

despite there being fewer total members and two less weeks of trading due to the lockdowns, the facilities were utilised by these members more frequently in 2021. This can be attributed to both the quality of facilities and equipment as well as the high standard of physical exercise program delivery the Uni Fitness team prides itself on. Uni Fitness aims to build on this and create more free engaging activities for members and non-members in 2022 to ensure all students have access to physical activity programs while they study at Griffith. Through consultation with members, Uni Fitness re-structured its membership model at the beginning of 2021 to provide more flexibility and better value for money. Members now had the option of choosing a basic gym membership and paying less or choosing an all-inclusive membership that included all facilities on campus for a slightly higher price. The changes were received well with most positive feedback centred on affordability and having the option to pay only for facilities used. The new membership structure also included a no-contract direct debit option, which allows members to commit to a shorter term without having to pay upfront for their membership. Finally, a key achievement for Uni Fitness in 2021 was obtaining approval for 24-hour operations. This has been frequently requested by students who have highlighted the opening hours as a barrier to participation in physical activity, particularly during exam time when their study load increases. Preparation commenced in Trimester 3 and the new 24-hour access is anticipated to be launched in March 2022.

Financial Report

Board’s Report Auditor’s Independence Declaration Statement of Profit or Loss Statement of Financial Position

FOR THE YEAR ENDED

Statement of Changes in Members’ Funds

31 DECEMBER 2021

Statement of Cash Flows

ABN 54 543 741 436

Notes to the Financial Statements Declaration by Members of the Board Independent Auditor’s Report