AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY

THE BIG GREEN COOKOUT

The Big Green Cookout (BGC) travels with a team of young volunteers to rural and remote Australian communities to host a social barbecue for high school students. Many students in these communities feel isolated and deal with mental health issues, sometimes turning to drugs and alcohol. The gathering encourages students to come together, make connections, and look up to the volunteers as positive role models, making them realize that there is always someone willing to listen. The social mission of BGC is to change the negative mindsets of the students and help them feel less alone in the world, especially as they come to an age where they must start making their own decisions in life.