ACU values your involvement in our community.
What are we looking for?
We need you to show us your voluntary community activities where you've given a significant amount of time to assist others on a regular basis or over an extended period of time. You might have undertaken:
- Social justice, community service activities
- School leadership and/or service roles
- Parish or church community support roles
- Sporting, cultural, or performing arts community involvement.
In your application, tell us where you volunteered, what your tasks and responsibilities were, when and how often you participated - we call this a Community Experience Statement.
You can write one statement or two, depending on how many activity groups you've been involved with in your community.
If you've been involved in lots of volunteering activities, focus on the activities where you gave a significant amount of time to assist others. You can include a few activities in the same statement if they're all the same type of activity or with the same organisation.
Who can support your application?
You'll also need to provide us with the contact details of a referee who can verify your community involvement. Someone you would feel comfortable asking to speak for you and who would feel comfortable telling us about you. This should be someone who is part of the organisation you volunteered with.
If your work was directly aligned with your school, you could ask a Coordinator or another senior member of the Administration to be your referee.
We'll contact your referee about your statement so it is really important that you:
- Make sure the contact details you give for them are accurate
- Tell them about your application so they can make time to discuss your work with us.
Ready to write?
The best way to approach your statement is to relax and focus on all the great experiences and achievements you've had while volunteering. Perhaps start by making a list of important experiences you would like us to know about. Then find a quiet spot to start your writing.
Please note that the maximum word limit of 200 words (1500 characters) per statement.
Here are a few tips for writing a successful Community Experience Statement:
- Open a Word document and start writing your statement in it. You can edit the document as much as you like in Word and then simply copy and paste it into the application form when you're ready.
- Write a concise, factual description of what you did, like the successful examples below. Remember you only have a 200 word limit so make every word count.
- Accurately describe your time commitment for each experience.
- Make sure you describe your role and responsibilities. We need to understand what you did during your time with the organisation.
- Only tell us about voluntary activities, not work experience, paid work or compulsory school activities. They aren't relevant here and they will take up space you could use telling us about other great work you have done.
Need a hint on how to get started?
Below you will find some good examples, taken from successful applications. You will also find some examples that didn't give us enough detail to contribute to a successful application. Notice the details included in the good examples and the difference between those and the examples beside them. Use these as a guide to help you start writing.
| Good Examples | Poor Examples |
|---|
In year 10, I completed work experience in a nursing home and I enjoyed the experience so much that I volunteered to return again this year.
I have visited the local nursing home, reading to two aged persons (once/week for 10 weeks), and participated in a concert, playing the piano and singing in a small choir.
(13 hours involvement). | I have provided care and company to the aged community by visiting a nursing home on a weekly basis. I like talking to the elderly people in the nursing home and I have been invited back next year. |
I undertook the following as a member of my school Faith in Action Committee.
I led the organisation of an awareness raising week highlighting the plight of refugees in our country. Ran five organising meetings and attended daily lunchtime forums during the awareness week. I also set up a popup shop each morning and was available to talk with students about the relevant issues. My Principal met with me and acknowledged the success of the project.
(15 hours in total) | I have been a member of the Faith in Action committee participating in charitable events such as raising awareness of the plight of refugees to our country. We ran a week of information giving to our school. With this experience, I was able to gain an insight into the struggles some people in our community
face and this opened up and enhanced my desire to help others. |
I took part in my schools immersion trip to Vietnam in March 2015. After applying and being chosen to participate in July 2014, my team of eight students was required to raise $3000 in funds to be used on our project of building a new classroom. We attended seven preparatory meetings prior to departure. The week in Vietnam included eight hour days of physical work and classroom support for the students in the village. Since returning I have continued to fund raise for this community and I maintain communication with the teachers in the school which we supported.
(At least 60 hours) | I went to Vietnam for a week in March this year. My team raised funds and worked every day for 5 days building a school. I would like to continue to perform community service when I leave school and that is why I want to enroll at ACU. |
How to apply AskACU
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