University Student Volunteers | Public Health, Economics, Psychology, Data Science & More

Fully remote | Flexible hours | Summer 2026–27 | Unpaid volunteer project

Are you a university student interested in applying what you're learning to real-world challenges?

Get Around Caboolture is looking for students from a range of disciplines to contribute to a collaborative research and policy project over the summer break.

This is an unpaid volunteer opportunity open to university students based in Australia.

We're exploring how relatively small, affordable improvements to streets, public spaces and transport infrastructure could make everyday life easier, safer and more accessible for people in Australian outer suburbs.

Our existing student team includes people studying engineering, planning, architecture, law, marketing and community development.

We're particularly keen to bring in students from disciplines that can offer different perspectives.

Who we're looking for

Public health and epidemiology

How could we measure the health benefits of making neighbourhoods more walkable? What are the relationships between transport access, physical activity, social isolation and health outcomes?

Economics and public finance

What is the economic value of enabling more people to make everyday journeys without a car? How might small infrastructure investments reduce longer-term costs for households, governments and communities?

Behavioural science and psychology

Why do people make particular transport choices? What makes a street feel secure or unsafe? How can communities be meaningfully involved in changes to their neighbourhoods?

Occupational therapy

What makes an everyday journey genuinely accessible to someone using a wheelchair, walker or mobility scooter? How could we evaluate the accessibility of an entire journey from home to destination?

Data science, statistics and research methods

Can existing data help identify where small infrastructure improvements would have the greatest benefit? How could we develop practical methods for evaluating changes before and after implementation?

Infrastructure asset management and operations research

How could councils incorporate accessibility improvements into routine maintenance and infrastructure renewal? Could small changes made during scheduled works deliver better outcomes at lower cost?

Public administration, public policy and implementation science

How do good ideas become everyday practice in local government? What processes, policies and organisational arrangements could help councils trial,



evaluate and progressively introduce improvements?

Social work and disability studies

How can community engagement better include people who are frequently overlooked in transport decisions? What approaches could help children, older people, people with disabilities and low-income households participate in shaping their neighbourhoods?

Human geography and GIS

How can we identify neighbourhoods where people have limited transport choices? What can spatial analysis tell us about missing connections, accessibility and the distribution of infrastructure?

Industrial design, interaction design and human factors

How could everyday infrastructure such as bus stops, seating, wayfinding and public spaces be designed to work better for people with different needs?

Education and child development

How does neighbourhood design affect children's independence? What would make it easier for children and teenagers to travel safely to school, sport, friends and other activities?

Students from related disciplines are also welcome.

What you'll be working on

You'll be contributing to MOSAIC (Mobility, Opportunity, Safety, Accessibility, Inclusion and Choice), a proposed 10-year program being developed by Get Around Caboolture.

The project explores how communities and local governments could progressively improve everyday transport choices through practical, affordable interventions.

Depending on your interests, you might:

- Investigate a research question related to your discipline.
- Review Australian and international research and examples.
- Analyse data or develop practical evaluation methods.
- Develop policy proposals or implementation frameworks.
- Explore approaches to community engagement.
- Collaborate with students from other disciplines to develop solutions.
- Contribute to research and recommendations that could be shared with local government.

We encourage students to bring their own questions and ideas. You may have an opportunity to pursue a topic relevant to your studies or future career.

What you'll gain

This is an opportunity to apply your university knowledge to a complex challenge involving people, communities, infrastructure,



economics, health and public policy.

You'll have opportunities to:

- Develop practical research and analytical skills.
- Gain experience working in an interdisciplinary team.
- Explore how your discipline contributes to public policy and community outcomes.
- Develop work that may be suitable for a professional portfolio.
- Build confidence communicating research and recommendations.
- Contribute to a project intended to improve people's everyday lives.

You don't need previous experience in transport or urban planning. We're interested in the expertise and perspectives you bring from your own discipline.

How the project works

- Location: Fully remote. Applicants must be based in Australia.
- Dates: December 2026 to February 2027.
- Hours: Flexible, depending on your availability.
- Meetings: Online team meetings approximately fortnightly.
- Eligibility: Undergraduate university students.
- Position: Unpaid volunteer project.

Students will have opportunities to work independently and collaborate with others.

About Get Around Caboolture

Get Around Caboolture is a community-based not-for-profit organisation working to improve transport choice, safety and accessibility in the outer suburbs of Moreton Bay, Qld.

Our work focuses particularly on involuntary nondrivers, including children, older people, people with disabilities and others who cannot drive or do not have access to a car.

We work across research, community engagement, advocacy and policy development to explore how local environments can better support people's independence and participation in community life.

How to apply

When applying, you must include a written comment explaining why you're interested in the project.

Please tell us:

- Your university, degree and year of study.
- Why you're interested in contributing to this project.
- What skills, interests or perspectives you could bring.
- Your approximate availability over the summer break.

Important application information

- This is an unpaid volunteer project.
- Applications are welcome from undergraduate students.
- Only applicants currently based in Australia will receive a response.
- Applications without a written comment explaining your interest in the project will be deleted without further consideration.

Please take a few minutes to tell us why this opportunity interests you. We're interested in your motivation and ideas, and you don't need previous experience in transport to contribute.

Work Location: Remote

📌 University Student Volunteers | Public Health, Economics, Psychology, Data Science & More (Australia)
🏢 Get Around Caboolture
📍 Australia