Launched on 27 January, the Engage Newcastle Community Blog is a new initiative by the University of Newcastle Community Engagement office.

Purpose-built to target local issues and empower our communities to connect and collaborate with the University, the blog will be a platform for community voice. It is also a place for our community to celebrate its people and our region.

With monthly themes which focus on our region’s most pressing or topical issues and concerns, the blog will feature social commentary and opinion from multiple guest bloggers drawn from both the University and the community.

The Engage Newcastle Community Blog’s opening theme is: Is Alcohol in Newcastle’s DNA?  - a timely topic with the launch of the  State Government’s 'Know When to Say When'  campaign over the Australia Day weekend. Our first community guest blogger, Ellen Moore, asks ‘Does Newy Do Alcohol Wrong?’

Connected to the blog themes will be short polls designed to gather information that can be used collaboratively by the University and the community to address community concerns, needs and challenges.

In addition to the monthly theme, the blog also features a Resources section which contains ‘toolkits’ in one easy-to-access location. These toolkits capture information required to participate in engagement activities in collaboration with the University including volunteering, scholarships, partnerships, internships and work placements.

The site will also include inspirational and informative resources such as journal articles, white papers, infographics and multi-media pieces - making the blog a ‘go-to’ place for anyone interested in community engagement, social innovation and civic responsibility.

The Engage Newcastle blog is designed to help our local and global communities to engage, connect, share and work with us.

Come and tell us how you see Newcastle.