By Brittany Drysdale
LAST year, significant flooding left local businesses, homes, people, and areas devastated. Over 8 months later, the impact of the floods is still surmountable in the community. Selfless volunteers have worked around the clock to restore communities, including the altruistic volunteers from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), known as The Big Lift.
The Big Lift was launched by the university in 2010 and was founded on the philosophy of ‘paying it forward’. By organising unique volunteering-based events, the organisation aims to demonstrate the joy and fulfilment that comes from giving back to others.
Every July, The Big Lift runs a week-long volunteering road trip across regional NSW and VIC, consisting of 80 students, 10 towns, 9 days, and 2 buses that allow participants to visit under-resourced regional communities and engage in service projects that make a meaningful impact. This trip not only benefits the towns and communities being served but also provides a transformative experience for the students involved.
After hearing lots of people raving about the group back in 2019, UTS student Josh Thompson decided to see what it was like and join The Big Lift. Four years later, Josh is taking part in his final volunteer effort with the university, having graduated last year.
“It was a very eye-opening experience to see the impact of the towns you help. The thing I got out of it was the end appreciation with all the towns. That’s the kind of things that stays with me,” said Josh.
As part of their 2023 trip, students from UTS stopped by Shepparton and Mooroopna to aid in the flood recovery efforts, doing their part to help local towns in need. With 80 people, 160 hands, and 280 combined hours, The Big Lift certainly left a lasting impact on our community.
