Think HQ Launches National Campaign to Inspire Young Australians to Volunteer

Award-winning integrated agency Think HQ has created a below-the-line strategy for a national awareness campaign for the Australian Government to motivate more young people to step up and make a positive impact in their communities - and reap the many benefits of volunteering in return.

Following a steady decline in the number of formal volunteers in Australia since 2010, and a sharp drop during the COVID-19 pandemic – particularly among youth – Think HQ’s contribution to the Australian Government’s Hanging Out to Help Out campaign aims to buck this trend. 

By targeting a core age group of 15–18-year-olds, as well as their parents and other key influencers, the campaign shows that volunteering can be fun, rewarding, and a way to build new skills. 

At the heart of Hanging Out to Help Out is the Hangout Hammock series – real stories of five diverse young volunteers whose lives have been transformed through volunteering, captured in a video series written and produced by Think HQ. 

Their authentic tales of giving back present volunteering as an accessible and meaningful outlet, with opportunities to suit a wide range of interests, from sport to the environment and social causes. From improved mental health and increased leadership skills to opening doors to career opportunities – the campaign demonstrates that volunteering leads to just as many personal benefits for the volunteer as those being helped. 

In addition to the video series, Think HQ produced a suite of resources, materials and social media tools to be utilised through a robust community stakeholder outreach program. Think HQ’s PR team will be amplifying the campaign in earned media.

Think HQ’s multicultural engagement arm, CultureVerse, engaged its Multicultural Advisory Panel to inform bespoke strategies to reach multicultural youth and international students as research showed a particularly steep decrease in volunteer numbers among these cohorts. 

Think HQ worked in close collaboration with partner agencies TBWA and 33 Creative to deliver a heart-warming campaign that speaks to the 15–18-year-old target audience with the authenticity they demand. 

Think HQ founder and managing director Jen Sharpe said, “Volunteers are the lifeblood of our communities, enriching the lives of Australians and helping to provide vital services. This campaign aims to inspire a new generation to stand up and make their mark by showing volunteering can be fun, rewarding, and tailored to fit busy schedules and a range of interests.”

Jess Billimoria, head of CultureVerse, added, “This campaign is a great example of Think HQ’s integrated expertise, putting volunteering on the radar of young people. We knew we needed to dispel the misconceptions about what it means to volunteer and highlight all the exciting opportunities that exist. Our craft is storytelling, and we loved working with our incredible ambassadors to help share their very real stories to inspire a new generation of volunteers.”