UniSA communication students created websites and other communication products for nonprofit organisations. The Sustainable Online Community Engagement Project was an award winning joint venture between The University of South Australia and the South Australian Government, through the Office for Volunteers that ran from 2001 to 2021. The project was operational from late 2001 as Community Webs an
d provided community organisations, which may have neither the skills nor resources, with a web presence by matching them with students who have the necessary skills and access to resources. Students communicated with community group members primarily online to create a web site for the group, which was then given to the group or hosted on www.communitywebs.org
Organisations received hands-on training and printed guides for managing their websites. In 2006 this expanded to become Sustainable Online Community Engagement and included a wider range of activities and products, such as television production and other communication products and services. An important aim was that community groups developed the skills to maintain and update their new product. The SOCE project was honoured with the Premier’s Public Sector Award for Building Communities in 2009. In 2016 it won the UniSA Chancellor's Award for Community in the category of enhancing the job-readiness of graduates. The program continued until December 2020 serving over 600 not-for-profit organisations in its lifetime, and creating work integrated learning opportunities for thousands of students. In 2020, due to circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic and bushfires, funding was redirected to other projects. In its place, a Teaching and Learning grant helped establish the Communication Clinic, which connects not-for-profit organisations with Communication students and provides social media and communication plans, campaigns, sponsorship proposal packages and other materials to organisations. For more information about being involved please contact us by email at [email protected]
