Some of you would be aware that I completed some post-graduate studies a few years ago. I absolutely loved it…apart from the group work. While we extol the value of developing contemporary soft skills in the students that attend our schools to enable them to thrive in a modern world and workplace, for some of us ‘more experienced’ campaigners, working cooperatively, collaboratively and/or in teams can be challenging.
At QUT, I know that it was probably made more difficult by intentionally placing the new students in groups of very diverse individuals where like-mindedness only extended as far as a commitment to learn and grow. But not with these people if you don’t mind. They frustrated the living daylights out of me.
While it was hard, it supported the development of tolerance, patience, and respect for those with a complementary skill set to me. The end results from some of those group assignments and business proposals were some of my proudest academic achievements over the two years.
Working together as a church is also difficult and frustrating at times. Maybe even too much of the time. As individual members of congregations and/or employees and volunteers within the ministry arms of the Church, we share a significant degree of like-mindedness. We share a common faith, a common desire for community through relationship with God and each other, and a common passion for serving others. And yet, even around those commonalities, it can be hard to intentionally come together to attempt to leverage those unique and complementary skill sets to create outcomes that individually we could never hope to achieve.
So, when the desire and commitment come together to create shared responsibility, it should be celebrated and supported. One such example is now seeking that support.
Redeemer Lutheran College has partnered with Lutheran Services Qld to apply for and receive a national NHMRC grant for a 5-year project relating to intergenerational living and learning called Grandschools. The lead universities for this research project are QUT, ACU and Deakin universities.
The website for this project is https://grandschoolsproject.wordpress.com/
Tanya has reached out to you because there is now an exciting and funded opportunity for someone to take up a doctoral scholarship. There might be a staff member in one of your schools or services who would love to apply for this exciting mission work.
Link to ACU Research Scholarship site https://www.acu.edu.au/research/become-a-research-candidate/research-scholarships
Here you will find the two PhD Scholarship opportunities advertised for the ACU led projects:
- Models of Intergenerational Learning and Living – Youth Social Enterprise Employment Project
- Models of Intergenerational Learning and Living – Cooperative Spaces Project
There are 4 doctoral scholarships in all with the two remaining scholarships through QUT and these are still to be advertised. The project team is keen to cast a wide net for these doctoral candidates. There will be projects for research in Qld, NSW, and Victoria. In Queensland a number of schools may feature in these projects with Immanuel, Buderim and St Andrews, Tallebudgera potential candidates for phase 1 research and Redeemer a possible candidate for Phase 2 research though their proposed Innovation Hub project and of course, may be a potential site for the fully designed project in phase 3 with the possible building of a community village in joint partnership with Lutheran Services.
If this is of interest to you all, please advertise widely as this is an opportunity for someone to be part of world leading research that can make a genuine difference in the lives of community, young, old and with disability in urban, regional and remote settings.
Peace
Dennis
