Rural Health in the Northern Outback (Club RHINO) is the student rural health club of North Queensland, encompassing all health students from James Cook and Central Queensland Universities across campuses in Cairns, Townsville, Mackay, Emerald and Rockhampton. It is our primary aim to promote rural health issues and opportunities within the disciplines of medicine, dentistry, nursing, paramedicine, pharmacy, physiotherapy, speech pathology, biomedicine, psychology, exercise science, social work and veterinary science as per the objectives of the NRHSN.

The aims of Club RHINO are to:

Promote an understanding of rural, remote, Indigenous and tropical health issues
Encourage student participation in above areas through social and educational events
Provide support for future health professionals to practice in these areas.

Club RHINO provides an abundance of rewarding activities and opportunities for its members such as: rural experience weekends; rural high school visits; guest speaker events; clinical skills nights; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural events; scholarships and conference bursaries; social events and an unparalleled degree of personalised assistance with all things rural!

2 History

Club RHINO was founded by a group of North Queensland health students during the year 2000, amidst the first intake of medical students at James Cook University. Professor Tarun Sen Gupta was pivotal in the Club’s establishment and was assisted by the inaugurating President, Aileen Traves.

Various names were put forth by health students looking forward to starting their very own North Queensland rural health club. Some of the more popular suggestions included: DOCTORS (Doctors of Cook Towards Outback Rural Services) and MULGA BILL (Medical Undergraduates Looking to Get Away from Brisbane In search of a Leisurely Lifestyle).

After consideration by founding members, the name Club RHINO (Rural Health in the Northern Outback) was chosen, perfectly depicting the geographical location as well as its multidisciplinary focus. Club RHINO was officially founded in August, 2000.

Today, you can see the Akubra-clad, tropical shirt wearing, wooden RHINO (constructed by medical students Sarah Farlow and Heather Russell ~circa 2009, as well as nursing student Shanda Clark) featured at various rural health events across North Queensland.

3 Constitution

RHINO Constitution James Cook University Student Association Constitution for the Rural Health In Northern Outback (RHINO) Club

Name:

The official name of this club is: Rural Health In Northern Outback (RHINO)

Aims and Objectives

The objectives of the club shall be:

To promote rural health and future careers in rural and remote Australia across all health related disciplines
To provide opportunities and information to its members in a manner that encourages them to pursue a health career in rural and remote Australia
To increase understanding of issues relevant to all disciplines surrounding rural and remote health
To develop a multidisciplinary relationship between the students studying health related disciplines.
To achieve National Rural Health Student Network (NRHSN)
To assist its members in their endeavor to achieve the Club’s objectives.
To support the objectives of the James Cook University Student Association

Membership

Students who are studying a health-related discipline in North Queensland, as well as, such other persons as the Committee may from time to time determine shall be eligible for membership of the Club.

Management

Management of the Club shall be vested in an Executive Committee which shall be elected annually by the membership at the Annual General Meeting
The Executive Committee shall be comprised of:

The President who shall be the spokesperson for the Club and shall represent the Club whenever necessary
The Co-chairs who shall assist the President in the discharge of presidential responsibilities and shall perform the duties of the President in his/her zone of influence. They shall also perform any other duties as may be directed.
The Honorary Secretary, who shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings of the Club and the Committee, attend to Club correspondence and keep such other records as are required by the Club or by Association Council from time to time.
The Honorary Treasurer who shall keep a record of all monies received and payments made by the Club and will present an audit of the Club’s accounts at the Annual General Meeting, and shall present regular financial statements and accounts to the Executive Committee. All monies received by the Club shall be paid in full into a Club account set up for the purpose and disbursements shall be paid by non-negotiable cheque drawn on the Club’s account OR via account transfer, except those amounts which may be made by the Honorary Treasurer in the case of petty cash disbursements. The Honorary Treasure shall set up an interest account for petty cash disbursement with an upper limit to be determined from time to time by the Executive Committee
Such other members with other responsibilities as the Club may require from time to time may be appointed at a general meeting
Casual vacancies on the Committee may be filled by appointment by the remaining members of the Committee from the Club membership

Finance

The Club shall open a Bank, Building Society or Credit Union account, to be operated upon by the signatures of any two of the President, the Co-chairs, Honorary Secretary or the Treasurer.
The Club is a non-profit organisation, therefore, distribution of profits or gains to individual members is prohibited, as determined by the Australian Taxation Office.
The Committee shall prepare an annual budget for the proper ordering of the financial affairs of the Club and for presentation to the JCU Student Association in support of each annual application for an Association grant.
The Committee shall ensure that the Association regulations regarding the Club and Society finances and reporting are satisfied.
The financial year of the Club shall end 31 December each year.

Meetings

Annual General Meeting (AGM): The Annual General Meeting of the Club shall be held in the second semester of each year. The date and time of the meeting will be determined at the discretion of the Committee. Fourteen (14) days notice of the AGM shall be given to the membership.

At the AGM the Honorary Secretary shall deliver a report of the Club’s activities for the preceding year.

The Honorary Treasurer shall present audited financial statements and accounts for the preceding year.

A quorum at the AGM shall involve over 50% of the RHINO Committee Members.

. In the event of a quorum not being present within thirty (30) minutes of the scheduled time for the meeting, the meeting shall be adjourned to the same place and time in the following week at which those members present shall constitute a quorum

Committee Meetings

The Executive Committee shall meet at least once each month.

Quorum at Committee meetings shall be half plus one of the Committee memberships for the time being. Notice of all Committee meetings shall be given to each. Committee meetings may be called by the Honorary Secretary alone or on the request of half the membership of the Committee.

Attendance It is a mandatory requirement for Executive Committee members to attend most meetings.

A maximum limit of 3 absences per academic year is permitted, provided there is a valid reason and the apology has been conveyed to the Secretary.

Absences at meetings may also be granted on grounds of discipline based placement, serious ill health or other pressing circumstances (e.g. bereavement).

Property

All property of the club shall be held in the trust for Club purposes. In the event of dissolution of the Club the property of the Club shall be entrusted to the James Cook University Students Association.

Powers of the Committee The Committee shall be empowered to do all things conducive and incidental to the attainment of the objects of the Club consistent with this Constitution and the Constitution of the James Cook University Association and the Regulations made thereunder.

Liability

Each member of the club shall:

Be solely liable for and indemnify the Association, the Club, the Executive Committee, the Officers of the Club and/or other Club Members for all liability whatsoever to third party, arising out to the actions or omissions of that member (whether by negligence or otherwise) resulting in injury or loss to a third party, whether or not that third party is a Club Member, and
Indemnify and save harmless the Association, the Club, the Executive Committee, the Officers of the Club and/or other Club members for all liability whatsoever to that member in the course of Club Activities, whether arising by way of negligence or otherwise.

“Club Activities” include activities engaged in predominantly for the advancement of Club Objectives enumerated on Clause 2, including activities on the nature of or incidental to: meetings training sessions competitions

General

In any matters not specified in this Constitution or in Regulations enacted by the Committee under this Constitution the provisions of the Constitutions and Regulations of James Cook University Student Association shall apply.

Amendments to constitution

The Constitution may be amended at a general meeting of the Club by a two-thirds majority vote of members present provided that fourteen days’ notice be given of the proposed amendment by email or paper, and further, that the amendment is approved by the Executive Committee.

Dissolution

The Club shall be dissolved should it fail to hold its Annual General Meetings, or on the decision of a two-thirds majority of members present and voting at a general meeting for which due notice has been given

4 Funding and Accounts

Club RHINO receives funding from three primary sources:

Federal Department of Health
Sponsorship
Membership
Grants

The Federal Department of Health (DoH) funds all Australian Rural Health Club’s with $12,000 per annum. This funding is distributed by the university with which the RHC is most closely affiliated and is continued providing two criteria are met:

Each RHC must complete :

2x Rural High School Visits per year
1x Cultural Event per year – for Club RHINO, this consists of facilitating student participation at the biennial Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival (LADF). In years when this is not occurring, Cultural Representatives must organise a cultural event for that year.

Club RHINO’s DoH funding is distributed through James Cook University’s College of Medicine and Dentistry.

Sponsorship is sought for individual events and on annual and longer-term agreements (see Section 2.8). Club RHINO membership is offered on a basis of $30 lifetime membership. Grants for community and university specific events are available on an annual basis and applied for by the Club RHINO Treasurer.

5 Membership Information

RHINO membership can be purchased as lifetime ($30) subscriptions. Membership entitles students to reduced costs for trips, events and conferences. Students may also require membership for their rural health scholarships.

The main membership drive is in Feb/March – through O-week and Members Launch Party events. A membership can be purchased via the Club RHINO website.

Occasionally, students will request ‘Proof of Membership’ for their scholarships. Please see appendix for the template which can be altered for each student. It is best to save the letter as PDF to prevent students from using the same letter time and time again without actually updating their membership. Usually the membership officer, president or secretary is responsible for the proof of membership letters.

Members can make payment in the following ways:

Cash or card payment during Membership Drives

Reference: Please provide your last name and first initial with length of subscription

6 Website and Social Media

Club RHINO uses the following accounts for websites and publications. Our Publications Officer manages all of these profiles. We encourage that all platforms are utilised to reach all our members.

Website

https://www.nrhsn.org.au/rhino/home/
President, Secretary, Treasurer, Publication Officer and Membership Officer have access

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/RhinoRHC/
Executive Committee and Publications Officer have access

Instagram

@club.rhino
President and Publications Officer have access

7 Emails and Communication

The following email accounts are linked for Club RHINO

The Secretary has all of the passwords for these email addresses

Google Drive/Handover

There is a google drive that contains all of Club RHINO’s documents, so things can be passed on from year to year.

At the beginning of each year all Committee members are given access to the drive. It is up to the individuals to upload relevant documents to their specific folder on the drive.

Handover takes place following the AGM. Each member of the committee must handover to the incoming candidate. Each event leader must send through an event summary outlining their event to the secretary within 1 week post event.

Handover forms must also be completed by the outgoing committee member and emailed to the Secretary by October 1st of the year they were on the committee

8 Store Room/Office (Townsville)

RHINO and JCUMSA share an office/storage space below the Padua Theatre.

RHINO has access to one key which is usually kept at SEPU. They are usually able to lend you the master key for a short period in order to open the room. Traditionally, the room has accumulated a lot of rubbish throughout the year. Therefore, it is ideal to organise a working bee at the beginning of each year to sort out the room. This is best done with a group of JCUMSA students. Contact their President early in the year to organise.

A number of rules for the room have been suggested and are as follows:

No food to be stored in the room.
Limited storage of drinks.
Each club to keep their areas tidy The main space should be kept as clean and free of things as possible.
Please don't put things on the desks unless it is your desk.
All equipment stored in the room should be thoroughly cleaned and dried prior to being stored.
All equipment should be packed away safely within 24 hours of it's return to the room.
Any equipment that is borrowed from another club should be approved by the appropriate committee member and returned in the condition in which it was found.

9 Teleconferencing/Video Conferencing

The Secretary may be required to arrange a teleconference meeting between RHINO committee members and other parties.

Please email clinicalsciences@jcu.edu.au to arrange for a room to be booked and the teleconference equipment to be set up for us.

In the email you must include:

Your name
The Club Name
Your location and the location of the other party
The Time
The Date
The number of expected attendees and if requesting a zoom link

Videoconferencing: Can be organised by contacting videoconferencing@jcu.edu.au is needs to be done at least 14 days in advance of the date of the booking to allow for necessary rostering etc

10 Events

All RHINO executive and committee members have a responsibility to be involved in the organisation and participation of as many activities as possible throughout the year. This is facilitated mainly though working parties that take on the responsibility of a particular event in the year. You can be involved in at least one up to many different working parties throughout the year depending on your preference. RHINO members are equally encouraged to be involved in the working parties.

Club RHINO must organise 2 Rural High School Visits and 1 Cultural Event/ Year

An Event Summary Template can be found in the Appendix

11 Stakeholders

National Rural Health Student Network (NRHSN)

The NRHSN is the student-run, network organisation linking Australia’s 28 student Rural Health Clubs (RHCs). They are the uniting body for RHCs in Australia and serve to represent them at the national level to ensure the continuation of funding from the Federal Government, as well negotiating the required objectives for RHCs to meet to continue being funded. Membership databases and websites are also maintained on behalf of all RHCs by the NRHSN, this is how RHCs track their members. All students who become member of a RHC in Australia are automatically made a member of the NRHSN, thus providing them with a voice in all rural health matters at the national level. The NRHSN’s two aims therefore are to:

Provide a voice for students who are interested in improving health outcomes for rural and remote Australians.
Promote rural health careers to students and encourage students who are interested in practicing in rural health.

The collective Presidents of all RHCs in Australia form the NRHSN Council. Biannual face-to-face meetings are held for the NRHSN Council to discuss policies, position statements, opportunities and issues in rural health. Here, presidents represent their respective RHCs in a national forum. In addition to the national face-to-face meetings, regular, regionally-based teleconferences are held between RHC Presidents and an NRHSN representative.

The NRHSN Council forms one of the three tiers in the NRHSN management structure: 1) the Executive, 2) the Executive Committee and 3) The Council. The Executive and Executive Committee are voted upon by the collective members of the NRHSN, that is, all students who are a member of a Rural Health Club in Australia. If you’re a member of Club RHINO, you’re also one of over 9,000 members of the NRHSN.

Health Workforce Queensland (HWQ)

Health Workforce Queensland (HWQ) is a state-based government workforce agency whose primary objective is to ensure that the supply and demand of human resources is balanced appropriately in the state of Queensland. They are funded directly by the Federal Department of Health (DoH). In promoting rural health careers in Queensland, HWQ work closely with Club RHINO to:

Facilitate the attendance of Club RHINO medical students at the Annual Rural Doctors Association of Queensland Conference.
Facilitate the annual Joint Rural Health Club Weekend (JRHCW) in which student members from RHCs across the state (see Section 2.7) come together to enjoy a weekend of academic and social events in a rural Queensland town.

HWQ are great supporters of RHCs in Queensland and have often sponsored Club RHINO in years gone by. They work closest with Club RHINO’s HWQ/RDAQ Liaison Officer. If you’re new to the Club RHINO Committee, pick up the phone and give them a call. Their friendly staff would love to learn more about how they can help you and your RHC.

Rural Doctors Association of Queensland (RDAQ)

The Rural Doctors Association of Queensland was formed in 1989 to support rural doctors and their families, and the communities in which they work. With an exclusively rural and remote focus, RDAQ work with the student Rural Health Clubs (RHCs) of Queensland to support and promote rural health careers in medicine.

Their annual conference falls around the first weekend of June and is held in a different Queensland location every year. HWQ works closely with Queensland RHCs to facilitate subsidised places for medical students at the Annual RDAQ Conference. At Club RHINO, most communications with RDAQ occur via the HWQ/RDAQ Liaison Officer.

Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM)

The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) was founded in 1997 to establish Rural and Remote Medicine as medical specialty in Australia. Prior to HWQ, ACRRM coordinated the John Flynn Placement Program (JFPP) and continue to remain heavily involved with RHCs across the country through social and academic networking events for medical students interested in rural and remote practice.

Primary Health Network (PHN)

Primary Health Networks (PHNs) are regionally based organisations funded by the Australian Federal Government’s Department of Health (DoH). They have been established with the key objectives of increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of medical services for patients, (particularly those at risk of poor health outcomes) and improving coordination of care to ensure patients receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

There are 31 PHNs across Australia, 7 of which are based in Queensland. Club RHINO liaises with Northern Queensland and Western Queensland PHNs. These organisations offer student networking events with the aim of improving stakeholder engagement, they also support students with other professional development and scholarship opportunities.

Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway (QRGP)

The Queensland Rural Generalist Pathway (QRGP) is a division of Queensland Health that supports doctors in preparing for a career in rural and remote medicine. The pathway facilitates a streamlined process for obtaining the skills and knowledge required for the challenging yet exciting career as a Rural Generalist.

Other Rural Health Clubs (RHCs)

Club RHINO is one of 28 Rural Health Club (RHCs) in Australia and one of 4 RHCs in Queensland, the other 3 being:

Towards Rural and Outback Health Professionals in Queensland (TROHPIQ):

Universities:

University of Queensland (UQ)
University of Technology (QUT)
Australian Catholic University (ACU)
Central Queensland University (CQU) – campuses south of the Tropic of Capricorn
University of Southern Queensland (USQ

Hope4Health (H4H):

University: Griffith University (GU)

Hope4Health is the only student RHC in Australia that has been incorporated as a not-for-profit organisation.

H4H fulfills both rural health and global health club functions for Griffith University.

Bond University Society of Health for Indigenous and Rural Experience (BUSHFIRE):

University: Bond University (BU)

12 Sponsors

Club RHINO seeks sponsorship from a range of different organisations. Sponsorship packages are arranged by the Sponsorship and Merchandise Officer and released in a document to potential sponsors for consideration and negotiation. Sponsors may choose to support an individual event or item of merchandise. Alternatively, they may choose to sponsor the Club for 1-year’s duration or on a longer term agreement.

13 Annual General Meeting Special General Meeting

An Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held every year in the second semester. Fourteen days notice must be given to RHINO members. Please see the constitution in the appendix for further information. Management committee positions to be voted upon must be advertised appropriately. A brief document outlining each position is available in the appendix. In addition, the Secretary must give an annual report at the AGM and the Treasurer is to report on the finances.

14 Appendix

RHINO Committee Positions

Executive Committee

President

The President is the leader and front for Club RHINO in all internal and external interactions, across all Club RHINO sites. It is their role is to oversee and ensure the successful completion of events at all sites through the coordination of the Club’s executive committee of which they chair.

The President holds the final say on all decisions within Club RHINO, providing each decision been formulated in consultation with the club’s executive committee. In this role, they must be comfortable with public speaking, prepared and able to take leave from normal university commitments and be prepared to travel to represent the Club RHINO at regional, state and national forums.

Time Commitment: 5-7 hours/week

Eligibility: candidates must be a financial life member of Club RHINO and have had a minimum of 1 year experience on the general committee PLUS 1 year experience on the executive committee (special consideration must be given by the preceding executive committee to candidates running unopposed who do not satisfy eligibility criteria). Candidates must apply being prepared to dedicate a significant amount of time to their role, as well as being prepared to take leave and travel as required in the interests of the Club.

Facebook Page Administration Access: Yes

NRHSN Administration Access: Yes

Task Requirements:

Represent the interests and concerns of Club RHINO to all external stakeholders.
Represent the interests and concerns of Club RHINO to the NRHSN Council on which the President sits.
Communicate with, meet in person and support committee members who may be struggling in their role.
Formulate an annual budget in consultation with the Treasurer.
Communicate the outcomes of all meetings and interactions with external parties, back to the Club RHINO executive and general committee.
Liaise with leaders of the other health clubs of James Cook and Central Queensland Universities to ensure transparency of the proposed timing and content of events.
Assist Co-Chairs in the day to day management of their individual sites.
Call for executive committee meeting as required and facilitate monthly general committee meetings in consultation with the Secretary.
Represent Club RHINO at conferences of national significance and be prepared to present on behalf of the Club in front of large audiences.

Vice President - NEW!

The Vice President is a co-leader for the president. Similarly the Vice President is a front for Club RHINO in all internal and external interactions, across all Club RHINO sites. Their role is to assist the president to oversee and ensure the successful completion of events at all sites through the coordination of the Club’s executive committee of which they chair.

In this role, they must be comfortable with public speaking, prepared and able to take leave from normal university commitments and be prepared to travel to represent the Club RHINO at regional, state and national forums.

Time Commitment: 5-7 hours/week

Facebook Page Administration Access: Yes

NRHSN Administration Access: Yes

Task Requirements:

Represent the interests and concerns of Club RHINO to all external stakeholders.
Represent the interests and concerns of Club RHINO to the NRHSN Council. .
Communicate with, meet in person and support committee members who may be struggling in their role.
Formulate an annual budget in consultation with the Treasurer.
Communicate the outcomes of all meetings and interactions with external parties, back to the Club RHINO executive and general committee.
Liaise with leaders of the other health clubs of James Cook and Central Queensland Universities to ensure transparency of the proposed timing and content of events.
Assist Co-Chairs in the day to day management of their individual sites.
Call for executive committee meeting as required and facilitate monthly general committee meetings in consultation with the Secretary.
Represent Club RHINO at conferences of national significance and be prepared to present on behalf of the Club in front of large audiences.

Secretary

The Secretary is the leader of effective communication across Club RHINO’s multiple sites. Given the multi-site, multidisciplinary nature of the Club, the Secretary’s primary role is to ensure that that information regarding key decisions, requirements for actioning and general feedback is internally communicated to all committee members of the Club.

This is an important position requiring good communication skills and meticulous organisation. Within Club RHINO’s organisational structure, the Secretary acts like the vice-president and must be prepared to step up into the role of President if that person is unable to fulfil normal duties.

Time Commitment: 3-5 hours/week

Eligibility: candidates must be a financial life member of Club RHINO and have had a minimum of 1 year experience on the general committee (unless running unopposed). Candidates must apply being prepared to dedicate an increased level of input over what is required of a general committee member.

Facebook Page Administration Access: Yes

NRHSN Administration Access: Yes

Task Requirements:

Liaise with site Co-Chairs to oversee and ensure the correct facilitation of monthly general committee meetings.
Prepare meeting agendas for executive and general committee meetings with all efforts made to distribute to those involved more than 24-hours before the scheduled meeting opening time.
Record minutes for all executive and general committee meetings.
Record attendances, apologies and unexplained attendances for all Club RHINO meetings.
Distribute finalised meeting minutes to all participants who were involved in that meeting.
Ensure actioning of tasks generated by meetings.
To communicate the outcomes of all internal meetings and interactions with committee members who were/are unable to be involved.
Ensure all internal and external email communications pertaining to Club RHINO business have the secretary cc’d to enable transparency of information and tracking of Club activity.
Communicate with, meet in person and support committee members who may be struggling in their role.
Assist Co-Chairs in the day to day management of their individual sites.
Represent Club RHINO at conferences of national significance and be prepared to present on behalf of the Club in front of large audiences when the President is unable to do so.

Treasurer

The Treasurer is the financial leader of Club RHINO and therefore holds the most responsibility of any member on the committee. It is their role to formulate an annual budget and monitor expenditure to ensure funds are used effectively to meet the Club’s objectives.

Time Commitment: 3-5 hours/week

Facebook Page Administration Access: Not required

NRHSN Administration Access: Yes

Task Requirements:

Represent the financial interests and concerns of Club RHINO to both internal and external parties.
Provide feedback to the executive and general committee regarding the financial position of the Club and autonomous financial decisions that have been made.
Liaise regularly with site Co-Chairs to ensure that all events, as outlined by the executive committee and the NRHSN, are carried out within the allocated budget for that event.
Complete grant applications and acquittal documents as requested by the executive committee.
Ensure reimbursements are returned in a timely fashion to all Club RHINO members who use their own finances to fund Club events.
Liaise with and meet as required with JCU’s Accounts Manager, who is responsible for overseeing the distribution of DoH funding.
Make decisions regarding day-to-day tasks relative to Club RHINO’s finances without the need for executive input. The treasurer has the power to act autonomously as his/her own discretion, and escalate site-specific matters to the executive committee only when deemed necessary.

TSV Co-Chair

The TSV Co-Chair is the leader for Club RHINO at JCU’s Townsville Campus. Their primary role is to oversee, coordinate and ensure the successful completion of events at that site. Due to Townsville being the home site for most health disciplines of James Cook University, and hence most other student health clubs, the TSV Co-Chair will often be expected to represent Club RHINO in liaising with other JCU-based student health clubs. Involvement in cross-club events and meetings (i.e. The Maggie Grant Leadership Forum) is essential.

As an executive member, the TSV Co-Chair represent all Club RHINO members at JCU’s Townsville Campus and should bring forth questions, concerns and general feedback about how their site is operating, as well as how student members are engaging. As an executive member, they are expected to make autonomous decisions regarding the management of Club RHINO’s activities in Townsville.

It is most important that the TSV Co-Chair be present at as many events as possible at their site throughout the duration of the year. In doing so they will become the face for Club RHINO in Townsville and will gain an in-depth understanding of the Club’s activities, achievements and areas for improvement. Co-Chairs enjoy increased responsibility, with the opportunity to lead and make decisions according to what is most suitable for their site.

Time Commitment: 3-5 hours/week

Facebook Page Administration Access: Yes

NRHSN Administration Access: Yes

Task Requirements:

Represent the interests and concerns of Club RHINO members at JCU to the executive and general committees.
Voice concerns to the executive committee about general committee members who are struggling in their role.
To see that all events, as outlined by the executive committee and the NRHSN, are carried out to the best of that site committee’s ability.
Liaise with treasurer to maintain comprehensive understand of financial allocations for each event occurring within Townsville to ensure budget targets are met.
To communicate the outcomes of executive committee meetings and decisions with the general committee members of that site.
Update site-specific events on each of three independent Google calendars, to ensure transparency of information between clubs:

Rural Health Clubs Calendar
Club RHINO Calendar
Joint Health Clubs Calendar

Liaise with Website and Publications Officer to ensure all TSV Club RHINO events have been updated on the NRHSN website.
Make room bookings with videoconference capabilities to facilitate and encourage their site’s involvement in monthly general committee meetings.
Make decisions regarding day-to-day tasks relative to their respective site without the need for executive input. The Co-Chair has the power to act autonomously as his/her own discretion, and escalate site-specific matters to the executive committee only when deemed necessary.

CNS Co-Chair

The CNS Co-Chair is the leader for Club RHINO in Cairns. Their primary role is to oversee, coordinate and ensure the successful completion of events at that site.

As an executive member, the CNS Co-Chair represent all Club RHINO members in Cairns and should bring forth questions, concerns and general feedback about how their site is operating, as well as how student members are engaging. As an executive member, they are expected to make autonomous decisions regarding the management of Club RHINO’s happenings in Cairns.

It is most important that the CNS Co-Chair be present at as many events as possible at their site throughout the duration of the year. In doing so they will become the face for Club RHINO in Cairns and will gain an in-depth understanding of the Club’s activities, achievements and areas for improvement. Co-Chairs enjoy increased responsibility, with the opportunity to lead and make decisions according to what is most suitable for their site.

Time Commitment: 3-5 hours/week

Facebook Page Administration Access: Yes

NRHSN Administration Access: Yes

Task Requirements:

Represent the interests and concerns of Club RHINO members at JCU to the executive and general committees.
Voice concerns to the executive committee about general committee members who are struggling in their role.
To see that all events, as outlined by the executive committee and the NRHSN, are carried out to the best of that site committee’s ability.
Liaise with treasurer to maintain comprehensive understand of financial allocations for each event occurring within Cairns to ensure budget targets are met.
To communicate the outcomes of executive committee meetings and decisions with the general committee members of that site.
Update site-specific events on each of three independent Google calendars, to ensure transparency of information between clubs:

Rural Health Clubs Calendar
Club RHINO Calendar
Joint Health Clubs Calendar

Make room bookings with video conference capabilities to facilitate and encourage their site’s involvement in monthly general committee meetings.
Liaise with Website and Publications Officer to ensure all Cairns Club RHINO events have been updated on the NRHSN website.
Make decisions regarding day-to-day tasks relative to their respective site without the need for executive input. The Co-Chair has the power to act autonomously as his/her own discretion, and escalate site-specific matters to the executive committee only when deemed necessary.

MKY Co-Chair

The MKY Co-Chair is the leader for Club RHINO in Mackay. Their primary role is to oversee, coordinate and ensure the successful completion of events at that site.

As an executive member, the MKY Co-Chair represent all Club RHINO members in Mackay and should bring forth questions, concerns and general feedback about how their site is operating, as well as how student members are engaging. As an executive member, they are expected to make autonomous decisions regarding the management of Club RHINO’s happenings in Mackay.

It is most important that the MKY Co-Chair be present at as many events as possible at their site throughout the duration of the year. In doing so they will become the face for Club RHINO in Mackay and will gain an in-depth understanding of the Club’s activities, achievements and areas for improvement. Co-Chairs enjoy increased responsibility, with the opportunity to lead and make decisions according to what is most suitable for their site.

Time Commitment: 3-5 hours/week

Facebook Page Administration Access: Yes

NRHSN Administration Access: Yes

Task Requirements:

Represent the interests and concerns of Club RHINO members at JCU to the executive and general committees.
Voice concerns to the executive committee about general committee members who are struggling in their role.
To see that all events, as outlined by the executive committee and the NRHSN, are carried out to the best of that site committee’s ability.
Liaise with treasurer to maintain comprehensive understand of financial allocations for each event occurring within Mackay to ensure budget targets are met.
To communicate the outcomes of executive committee meetings and decisions with the general committee members of that site.
Update site-specific events on each of three independent Google calendars, to ensure transparency of information between clubs

Rural Health Clubs Calendar
Club RHINO Calendar
Joint Health Clubs Calendar

Make room bookings with video conference capabilities to facilitate and encourage their site’s involvement in monthly general committee meetings.
Liaise with Website and Publications Officer to ensure all Mackay Club RHINO events have been updated on the NRHSN website.
Make decisions regarding day-to-day tasks relative to their respective site without the need for executive input. The Co-Chair has the power to act autonomously as his/her own discretion, and escalate site-specific matters to the executive committee only when deemed necessary.

General Committee Positions

Website and Publications Officer

The Website and Publications Officer is the curator of all social media and internet-based platforms on which Club RHINO operates. Contrary to the Secretary who deals with internal communications, the Website and Publications Officer is responsible for the external communication of Club RHINO activity. They are also responsible for ensuring open communication channels between the Club RHINO committee and its stakeholders, particularly via their role in maintaining the NRHSN Website. They’re solely responsible for Club RHINO’s image on the NRHSN website, Facebook page and Twitter, and as a result will post to an audience of between 5,000 – 10,000 people.

There is a degree of overlap between the roles of Website and Publications Officer and Membership and Communications Officer. While they both manage external communications, the Website and Publications Officer will do so via the Club RHINO Website, Facebook Page and Twitter Feed, whereas the Membership and Communications Officer will do so via NRHSN emailing facilities. In addition, the Website and Publications Officer will field all external inquiries via the Club RHINO Facebook Page, while the Membership and Communications Officer fields inquiries via the NRHSN ‘Centric Minds Emailing Form’ and ‘jcurhino’ Gmail account. The two position holders should work closely in their roles.

Time Commitment: 1 hour/week

Eligibility: Candidates must be a financial life member of Club RHINO, currently enrolled full-time in a health degree at James Cook University or CQU. Candidates must have active Facebook and Twitter accounts and be competent in Facebook administrative tasks.

Facebook Page Administration Access: Yes

NRHSN Administration Access: Yes

Task Requirements:

Maintain the Club RHINO NRHSN Website in accordance with committee requests.
Liaise with site Co-Chairs to ensure site-specific events are regularly updated on the Club RHINO NRHSN upcoming events page.
Assist event leads and discipline reps in the promotion of social and academic events.
Create Facebook posts that reflect the Club’s recent successful activities i.e. a medical student member wins a camel tagging event whilst on rural placement, a nursing student receives a new scholarship to assist their rural placement, a committee member speaks at an international rural health conference.
Reply to and redirect inbox messages sent to the Club RHINO Facebook Page.
Avoid social media and webpage posts that display irresponsible drinking.
Avoid social media and webpage posts that express personal political views, incongruent with the views of the Club.
Avoid social media and webpage posts that are unrelated to rural health.
Liaise with the Sponsorship and Merchandise Officer to ensure sponsorship requirements are being met from a social media perspective.

Membership and Communications Officer

The Membership and Communications Officer oversees the processing of new memberships as well as utilising the NRHSN’s emailing database for distributing information to all Club RHINO members. Contrary to the Secretary who deals with internal communications, the Membership and Communications Officer is responsible for the external communication of Club RHINO activities via email.

There is a degree of overlap between the roles of Website and Publications Officer and Membership and Communications Officer. While they both manage external communications, the Website and Publications Officer does so via the Club RHINO Website, Facebook Page and Twitter Feed, whereas the Membership and Communications Officer does so via NRHSN emailing facilities. The Membership and Communications Officer should endeavour to field all inquiries received via the NRHSN ‘Centric Minds Emailing Form’ and ‘jcurhino’ Gmail account. The two position holders work closely in their roles.

Time Commitment: 1 hour/week

Facebook Page Administration Access: Yes

NRHSN Administration Access: Yes

Task Requirements:

Register all new membership applications to the NRHSN Club RHINO Database and liaise with the Treasurer to ensure memberships have been paid in full.
Maintain an approximate understanding of current and alumni membership levels.
Have an approximate understanding of the month-by-month breakdown of new membership applications being lodged and how membership varies across site and discipline.
Liaise with site Co-Chairs to collect site-specific information on a regularly basis so that a “Monthly Update” email may be distributed to all Club RHINO members at the beginning of each new month (prior to the upcoming general committee meeting of that month).
Assist event leads and discipline reps in the promotion of social and academic events via NRHSN emailing facilities.
Reply to and redirect messages sent to Club RHINO via the Centric Minds Form and Gmail Account.

Sponsorship and Merchandise Officer

The Sponsorship and Merchandise Officer is responsible for formulating a sponsorship package proposal document for distribution to potential sponsors. Sponsorship packages may consist of an organisation sponsoring a single event, multiple events of a set theme i.e. all guest speaker nights or an item of merchandise i.e. stubby coolers with an organisation’s logo stamped on them. Every year, Club RHINO seeks sponsorship from at least one major sponsor who is willing to enter into an agreement for the full duration of that year, or in some cases, multiple years. Once the sponsorship has been confirmed and money has been received by the Treasurer, it is the Sponsorship and Merchandise Officer’s responsibility to ensure that all agreements made by Club RHINO are delivered upon.

Merchandise is an important part of Club RHINO branding. Within the confines of the budget, as set by the Treasurer, the Sponsorship and Merchandise Officer should endeavour to design and arrange production of new merchandise for the year in which they’re involved. All efforts should be made to provide committee members with free merchandise in exchange for their volunteer services to the Club.

Time Commitment: 1 hour/week

Eligibility: Candidates must be a financial life member of Club RHINO, currently enrolled full-time in a health degree at James Cook University or CQU.

Facebook Page Administration Access: Yes

NRHSN Administration Access: No

Task Requirements:

Production of sponsorship package proposal document for distribution to identified potential sponsors.
Ensuring fulfilment of what Club RHINO has agreed upon as part of being sponsored by the given organisation.
Facilitate the design and ordering of new merchandise as per requests of the general committee or as part of a sponsorship agreement.
Provide a voice for sponsors within Club RHINO.

Rural High School Visit (RHSV) Coordinator

Some say this is the most enjoyable position on the Club RHINO Committee! The Club RHINO RHSV Coordinator is required to facilitate a minimum of 2x rural high school visits during their year in the role.

They assume the position of event lead in this process and must coordinate a multidisciplinary team in arranging: 1) transport to and from a given location, 2) hands on teaching stations for students to be involved in, 3) JCU or CQU health discipline course guides and other promotional materials providing information on health careers, 4) Club RHINO props i.e. banners, 5) Club RHINO merchandise for distribution to students, 6) consent for photography, 7) a report on each visit.

Time Commitment: 0.5 hour/week

Eligibility: Candidates must be a financial life member of Club RHINO, currently enrolled full-time in a health degree at James Cook University or CQU. Must hold valid Queensland Blue Card.

Facebook Page Administration Access: Yes

NRHSN Administration Access: No

Task Requirements:

To facilitate a minimum of 2x rural high school visits during their term as RHSV Coordinator.
Provide event report as per DoH funding requirements
Liaise with the Treasurer to ensure all students involved are reimbursed for out-of-pocket costs relevant to the Club’s RHSV.

Health Workforce Queensland (HWQ)/Rural Doctors Association of Queensland (RDAQ) Liaison Officer

The HWQ/RDAQ Liaison Officer is the voice for Club RHINO in all dealings with HWQ and RDAQ. Likewise, they provide updates from these two organisations to the Club RHINO Committee and its members.

This role consists mostly of attending HWQ teleconferences that run every 2-3 weeks in the lead up to each of the RDAQ Conference and Joint Rural Health Club Weekend. Each meeting runs for approximately 15-30 minutes to provide updates for RHCs and invite feedback for upcoming events. For each of these meetings the HWQ/RDAQ Liaison Officer will often be joined by the Club RHINO President.

For each of the RDAQ Conference and JRHCW, the HWQ/RDAQ Liaison Officer collects and de-identifies applications from Club RHINO applicants before joining the Executive Committee in forming a selection panel. They work closely with key stakeholders in the Queensland rural health industry.

Time Commitment: 1 hour/week

Eligibility: Candidates must be a financial life member of Club RHINO, currently enrolled full-time in a health degree at James Cook University.

Facebook Page Administration Access: Yes

NRHSN Administration Access: No

Task Requirements:

Endeavour to attend as many scheduled HWQ and RDAQ teleconference meetings as possible, providing input on behalf of Club RHINO and distributing meeting outcomes back to the Club RHINO committee.
Facilitate the selection process for Club RHINO applicants to each of the RDAQ Conference and Joint Rural Health Club Weekend.
Provide a voice for HWQ and RDAQ within Club RHINO.

Cultural Representatives

There are three Cultural Representatives on the Club RHINO Committee (one for each of Townsville, Cairns and Mackay). The Cultural Representatives are the promoters for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health issues and opportunities specific to rural and remote areas.

Cultural Representatives should endeavour to be present at university events relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and facilitate Club RHINO’s involvement in annual Close the Gap Events and NAIDOC Week Celebrations. The largest yet most rewarding undertaking completed by Cultural Representatives is the organisation of Club RHINO’s participation at the at the Biennial Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival (LADF), held every second year on the uneven year.

Time Commitment: 0.5 hour/week

Eligibility: Candidates must be a financial life member of Club RHINO, currently enrolled full-time in a health degree at James Cook University or CQU.

Facebook Page Administration Access: Not required

NRHSN Administration Access: No

Task Requirements:

Each Cultural Representative must facilitate Club RHINO’s involvement in a minimum of 1x Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander health event during the year at their site.
For every year in which it is held, Cultural Representatives must work together to facilitate Club RHINO’s involvement in running a stall at the Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival. This usually consists of hiring a bus to enable attendance by Club RHINO members at a subsidised cost.
To provide event reports as per DoH funding requirements.

Discipline Representatives

There are 15 Discipline Representative positions with Club RHINO. This symbolises our multidisciplinary approach to rural and remote health! Each Discipline Representative is expected to be the voice of their degree within the Club RHINO committee, as well as being a friendly, approachable face for potential and existing members to ask questions about their rural health club.

TSV' Medicine Representative
CNS' Medicine Representative
MKY' Medicine Representative
TSV’ Nursing Representative
CNS’ Nursing Representative
Junior Dentistry Representative
Senior Dentistry Representative
Physiotherapy Representative
Speech Pathology Representative
Occupational Therapy Representative
Biomedicine/Medical Laboratory Representative
Pharmacy Representative
Psychology Representative
Exercise Science/Physiology Representative
Social Work Representative
Psychology
Paramedicine
Diagnostic Imaging
Veterinary science

The TSV Medicine Representative student is also best positioned to be the event lead for the Multidisciplinary Skills Night (MDSN) if they choose to accept the role.

Discipline Representatives play a key role in their discipline’s involvement in Club RHINO and they should endeavour to maintain a high level of visibility. That is, they should attempt to be present at as many Club RHINO events as possible, relative to their discipline, throughout the duration of the year. In doing so, they will become the face of Club RHINO for their discipline.

If you’re part of a health discipline that’s not include in Club RHINO current organisational structure, please contact secretary.clubrhino@gmail.com to get involved. You could be the inaugurating representative for your discipline!

Time Commitment: 0.5 hour/week

Eligibility: Candidates must be a financial life member of Club RHINO, currently enrolled full-time in a health degree at James Cook University or CQU. Candidates must have Facebook access and be proficient and comfortable in sharing Club RHINO posts to their discipline page.

Facebook Page Administration Access: No

NRHSN Administration Access: No

Task Requirements:

Pair up with other Club RHINO Discipline Representatives to promote upcoming Club RHINO events and opportunities (lecture bashing)
Share Club RHINO Facebook posts for upcoming events and opportunities among your disciple Facebook page(s)
Assist in the organisation of the Club RHINO Multidisciplinary Skills Night (MDSN).
Present ideas, queries or concerns raised by Club RHINO members from your discipline to the committee.

How to Apply

Nominate: email your nomination to secretary.clubrhino@gmail.com outlining why you would be suitable in joining the Club RHINO Team. Be sure to include:

Your full name
Degree + year level in the year for which you’re applying i.e. not your current year level
Position for which you’re applying (*you can apply for more than one!)
50-100 word paragraph outlining why you’re the best person for the job.
A photo of yourself!!

Present: after your application has been received, you’ll be invited to give a 1 minute presentation at the upcoming Club RHINO Annual General Meeting on why you’re best suited to the position that you’re applying for. If applying for multiple positions, you will asked only to present once.

Vote: following the AGM, all Club RHINO members are invited by email to vote via the online portal.

Committee announced: 1-2 days after voting has closed, the committee for the following year is announced and handover takes place.

*Although you can apply for as many Club RHINO positions as you like, you can only occupy one. Those applying for more than one position will be granted the highest position that they’re successful in being voted into, as listed in this document. I.e. if you’re nomination is successful for positions both TSV Cultural Representative AND TSV Medicine Representative, you will automatically be awarded TSV Cultural Representative and the runner up of TSV Medicine Representative will be awarded that position.

If you have any further questions on how to apply, don’t hesitate to contact us!

Template For Publication

CLUB RHINO

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Edited by the Executive Committee 2024