Volunteering at a Bunnings sausage sizzle to fundraise for cockatoo conservation
From Bunnings sausage sizzles and car washes to cockatoo conservation, St Catherine’s College UWA residents have contributed more than 210 volunteer hours and raised $7,200 for conservation efforts in 2026.
Community Resident Assistant Ethan Hancock has helped organise around 12 community and fundraising events throughout the year, encouraging residents to volunteer, meet new people and support causes beyond College.
The College’s conservation work also includes Containers for Change. In partnership with Professor Kingsley Dixon AO FTSE, the initiative has helped fund nesting shelter boxes for cockatoos in Perth’s Bold Park, with contributions from both campuses.
St Catherine’s College UWA residents at PROSH 2026
We asked Ethan about his year as Community RA, the Prosh morning that brought 140 residents out of bed before sunrise and the skills he’ll take into his next role in electrical engineering.
Ethan’s year as Community RA at St Cat’s
What does your role as Community RA involve?
For me, being Community RA is about creating an environment where residents are genuinely excited to show up and get involved.
A big part of the role is creating easy, low-barrier ways for residents to participate, volunteer and take on some leadership.
Whether that’s helping run a sausage sizzle, building the set for our Family Feud night or welcoming families for Mother’s Day lunch, it gives residents a chance to be part of something bigger than the event itself.
Beyond running events, the day-to-day side is about being approachable and accessible: sitting with new people in the Dining Hall, saying hi around College and building people up so everyone feels welcome.
Which community initiative are you most proud of in 2026?
I’m most proud of our collective fundraising and volunteering efforts, raising $7,200 for Carnaby’s cockatoos, with a major part coming directly from our Bunnings sausage sizzles and car washes.
What made it special was seeing residents rally together to contribute more than 210 volunteer hours across those events.
Working side by side on a grill or washing cars gave people a shared purpose outside College and offered an easy, low-pressure way for anyone to get involved.
It broke down social barriers better than a standard social event would, helped residents make new mates and showed the real difference we can make for the wider community.
Was there a moment this year that really captured the community spirit at St Cat’s?
It’s hard to pin it down to just one moment, but PROSH morning definitely stood out.
Waking up at 4 am, blasting Pitbull down the corridors and seeing around 140 residents get up, dress in full Pitbull costumes and march down to UWA together really showed what we had built.
Getting that many uni students out of bed before sunrise and genuinely excited to get involved showed how strong the College spirit was.
It proved that people felt comfortable letting their guard down and buying into the fun, which showed me the real impact of creating an open, connected community.
What have you gained from being Community RA this year?
Being Community RA has really helped develop my leadership skills.
I learnt that good leadership isn’t about trying to do everything yourself, but about backing the people around you and giving them the confidence to get involved and take ownership.
Balancing events with everyday pastoral care taught me how to communicate better with different kinds of people and be someone residents feel comfortable talking to.
Helping other residents find their place has definitely been the best part of the role.
Where to from here?
Next up for me is stepping into an undergraduate electrical engineering role with ASC, which ties into my goal of building a career in the maritime industry.
I’ve been really keen to get into defence and work on submarines, so getting hands-on industry experience while continuing my engineering degree is an exciting next step.
The communication, teamwork and problem-solving skills I developed throughout my year as an RA will definitely carry over into an engineering environment, and I’m really looking forward to getting stuck into the work.
Explore Community Life at St Cat’s
Community involvement extends across both St Catherine’s College campuses. From environmental conservation and fundraising to volunteering with local organisations, residents have opportunities to make a difference beyond College.
Read how residents have supported Ronald McDonald House Charities WA through Up All Night, helped young people build confidence through Volunteering with Ocean Heroes and contributed to environmental and community initiatives in A Year of Community Impact.