At Join Us, our mission is to foster connections between Australians and meaningful research opportunities, including young people. Our dedicated Community Liaison team has actively participated in the University of New South Wales Sydney and Western Sydney University O-Week events in both 2023 and 2024. These events provided us with a unique opportunity to connect with the 18-30 age group, and understand their attitudes and perceptions regarding participation in health research.

With an impressive 19.5% of Join Us participants falling within the 18-30 age bracket, finding new ways to connect with this demographic is crucial to increasing Australian research participation. The Join Us team leverages the dynamic platform of university open weeks, allowing us to connect with thousands of inquisitive minds in a condensed time frame.

Among these students are aspiring researchers and healthcare professionals who generously shared their firsthand experiences, offering valuable insights into the obstacles they face when seeking suitable study participants in the field of health and medical research. However, a significant number of students hailed from non-science backgrounds, displaying a keen interest participating in medical research. They were enthusiastic about exploring how their involvement could contribute to saving lives and enhancing health outcomes.

The Join Us team shared insights from recent studies facilitated by the  Join Us Register and forged connections with the eager students and faculty members.

Navigating community engagement efforts can indeed pose challenges; however, following yet another series of successful events, the Join Us team takes pride in the dedicated efforts invested in university O-Weeks. We eagerly anticipate exploring fresh avenues to connect with young Australians, fostering meaningful interactions and furthering our commitment to community involvement.