Vital videos build our community

At the start of the bushfire alert season, a timely visual reminder has gone out to attract and support new CFS volunteers.

The Country Fire Service (CFS) Volunteers Association in South Australia has been given the valuable free gift of a striking new video to aid the induction of all new CFS volunteers.

Produced by Flinders University’s Community Voices Program, the video provides a service the organisation would not otherwise be able to afford.

In the eleventh year of the Community Voices Program, Flinders University Screen and Media students produced short documentaries and online video ads for community organisations.

The program’s video output aims to recognise volunteers’ selfless generosity, to increase volunteer participation, and to promote the work of worthy organisations.

Students from Flinders’ 2017 Screen and Media course have also completed and dispatched short documentaries made during Semester 2 for CanDo, Grandparents For Grandchildren SA, SA Genealogy and Heraldry Society, and Technology for Ageing and Disability.

They will feature on the organisations’ websites, social media and mobile devices.

Flinders students have made a Community Voices promo video for Moving Paws Inc, a not-for-profit small breed dog rescue group in Adelaide

“It’s fantastic that we can provide something that will greatly benefit an organisation to promote, celebrate and recruit volunteers,” says Flinders lecturer in screen production and Community Voices Program coordinator Dr Tom Young.

“I receive extremely positive feedback from the volunteer organisations that praise the students for their commitment, professionalism and exceptional work.”

The video messages continue to resonate powerfully in the community – particularly a short documentary made in 2016 for Catherine House, a project helping women experiencing homelessness.

Deirdre Flynn, Director of Client Services at Catherine House, says the Community Voices DVD has been of immeasurable value to the organisation.

“It tells a real and difficult story, positively and sensitively. It is hopeful and shines the light on a range of important issues,” says Ms Flynn.

“All the Catherine House volunteers that participated in its production were in awe of how well the student film crew captured the heart of what we do, and why it is such crucial work to support and develop more meaningful lives for women.”

Flinders students are involved in research, writing, producing, directing, cinematography, editing, sound recording and sound design, with each project taking up to 250 hours of student time.

This includes the series of Online Video Ads made during Semester 1 in 2017 for Minda Inc, CareWorks, Eye Play Sport, Motor Neurone Disease Association of SA, and Moving Paws.

Flinders students have made a Community Voices promo video for Moving Paws Inc, a not-for-profit small breed dog rescue group in Adelaide

The highly successful Community Voices Program developed at Flinders University has become a model for work integrated learning.

It has now produced 110 videos for community organisations, thanks to the input of more than 200 third-year students.

The SA Government Department for Communities and Social Inclusion (DCSI) has funded production and air-time exposure for the videos by contributing more than $500,000 over the past 11 years.

Applications from community organisations have closed for the 2018 Community Voices Program, and recipients will be announced in January 2018.

For an overview of the program, view this online video here

 

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