Leveraging local volunteering to enrich the international student experience.

LIVE in NSW

Communiteer is partnering with Study NSW to co-design and deliver volunteering programs, and provide support services to create a holistic experience for international students across NSW.

The LIVE in NSW Initiative has the following objectives:


Learning
Provide opportunities for international students to gain skills, experience & accreditation.

Social License
Enrich student pathways that also strengthen relationships with the local community and industry.

Global Citizenship
Align learning outcomes to real-world challenges and drive social impact for local communities.

Promoting NSW
Create a positive first impression through community engagement and student co-design.

Proudly funded by

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For Students

Our Ecosystem

This initiative will involve and directly impact stakeholders across community, industry, education and government sectors.

University Institutions
Established, scalable programs.
Cost-effective co-contribution model.
Arriving & Settled International Students
Personalised support and experience.
Practical and purposeful use of time.
Local Business & Social Services
Work-relevant skills for employment.
Making a positive impact on social issues.
State & Local Governments
Capacity building in local communities.
Strengthen the international education system.

The International Student Journey

In consultation with ecosystem stakeholders, we’ve broken down the international student journey into 3 key phases to design support and community engagement activities:

Arrive

Belonging & Inspiration

Navigating new environments, establishing social networks and adapting to the university system.

Thrive

Getting Involved

Seeking experiences to broaden their horizons and evolve their studies into engaged scholarship.

Succeed

Preparing for Work

Refining their transferable skills and increasing employability through work-relevant experience.

LIVE in NSW Programs

The initiative is anchored by three key programs that are designed to support outcomes aligned to the student journey:

Airport Welcome Desk
International students welcome and support at arriving students at NSW International Airports, while building confidence and communication skills.
Buddy Program
Newly arrived international students are matched with experienced international students who study or live nearby to be a guide to settling into local life.
Local Community Service
A variety of fun and social volunteering events suitable for international students are regularly promoted on behalf of our community partners.

For Educators

To learn more about our international student programs and the wider initiative, reach out to our team:

International Student Stories

My volunteering experience with Communiteer and Study NSW was crucial in getting my first job. The skills and references I gained enabled me to ace the interview, which turned out to be a wonderful experience in itself.

Viswesh Narayan

Masters in Actuarial Studies

Volunteering has helped my mental health a lot, as I was lonely in the first months. Being a Study NSW Volunteer also helped me realise my self-worth and learn how I can build success and dreams from small steps.

Thao My Nguyen

International Business

Connections and experiences are priceless, and that is what this volunteering journey has truly exemplified for me. And I believe, there’s more for me to learn and share, the more I’m at the desk.

Mohandeep Singh

Masters of Business Admin

Volunteering with the Michael Hughes Foundation, you get to meet so many wonderful people working in an amazing team. It’s been such a lovely journey. It feels really nice to give back to the community.

Thien Truong

Bachelor of Commerce

I’m able to help out my local community and develop transferable skills for my future career. I recommend Communiteer because you can connect with a lot of different community organisations.

Sabrina Young

International Studies

Transform Journal: Leveraging Volunteering for Student Experience

Over the last few years, we’ve had the incredible opportunity to explore how volunteering can significantly enrich the student experience while fostering deep community engagement. We're excited to share Communiteer's case study featured in the 8th issue of the...

Career Readiness Through Student Volunteering, with Joyanne Coca

"I value both my academic and volunteer experiences to achieve an overall balance in my well-being and improve my career readiness. It gives me a sense of fulfillment to be able to reach academic excellence and make a positive contribution to the community for a greater...

Student Volunteer Work for Work Experience, with Anmol Panjwani

"By volunteering at Sydney Airport, I witnessed the long-awaited reunion of families and friends and shared the emotions experienced by them. It’s fascinating how volunteering opens up doors for more opportunities and learnings for me."

Student Volunteering While Studying in NSW, with Kang Liu

"By participating in student volunteering activities, I can not only practice communication, problem-solving, planning, and other skills from a personal perspective but also, more importantly, gain a sense of satisfaction after successfully helping others."