Statewide University O-Week Recruitment Campaign a Huge Success

The Society received over 1,000 expressions of interest and has since welcomed about 120 new Young Adult Conference Members thanks to a successful university recruitment campaign.

For new university students, Orientation Week (or O-Week) is all about making the most of their time at university – connecting with peers, engaging in club life and discovering groups of people with shared interests.

The Society had a visible presence on every major university campus across NSW during February and March, with the aim of engaging students in Conference life, and the good works of the Society.

Youth members and employees attended 17 different O-Week events across 12 universities and had conversations with students about who we are, what we do, and how they can get involved.

As a result, we are establishing new Young Adult Conferences at the Australian Catholic University, Macquarie University and Western Sydney University. Several others are in the pipeline.

Maddie Sirris, Vice President for Youth, was excited about the level of student engagement across the campaign and said, ‘this is the biggest O-Week campaign we have ever run and the biggest influx of youth members we’ve ever experienced. It’s so exciting. Well done to everyone involved.’

The Rule states that, ‘young people keep the Society young. They see with new eyes and often look far ahead.’ Our founder, Blessed Frederic Ozanam, was a university student when he started the first Conference in Paris with his friends, and it was from this youthful energy, the Society was formed. It is for this reason young people are welcomed as a valuable asset to the Society, and we encourage their participation in all aspects of Society life.

The new recruits are excited to serve their communities through programs such as Buddies Days, visitation, Community Sleepouts and other activities. We look forward to making them feel welcome over the coming months and supporting each of them as they start what we hope will be a lifelong journey as a Vincentian.