Help the Phil’ team reach their 2024 donation target

The student team are fundraising for Child Life & Music Therapy as part of Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation.

Phil’ is Australia’s largest student-led philanthropy initiative with the aim of uniting the UNSW community behind one purposeful cause that makes a positive impact. They combine volunteering opportunities and fundraising activities so that our University students can have fun and help raise money for those in need. Since starting in 2016, Phil’ has donated over $500,000 and hopes to reach their goal to raise $110,000 in 2024.  

The money raised is donated to the Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick to support the Child Life & Music Therapy team. The therapists use music and play to help hospitalised children understand their medical procedures and make sure they don’t miss out on having a fun childhood.

This year’s Phil’ Fun-A-Thon a huge success

Proudly presented by Arc, the annual Phil’ Fun-A-Thon was held over 24 hours on 17-18 October. The fundraising marathon invites teams of students to spend 24 hours on campus doing challenges. 

Over 160 students across 18 different teams took part in hourly activities. The teams participated in a midnight dance party, sunrise walk, slime time and much more. The top individual fundraiser was Vivian Salcedo (Masters of Applied Linguistics) who raised a whopping $1600.

UNSW’s Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Attila Brungs loves this annual event.

“The Phil’ Fun-A-Thon epitomises the vibrancy of student life at UNSW. Hundreds of students and staff rallying around a great cause, working together and having fun along the way. It’s fabulous highlighting the generosity of many of our students who want to make concrete and positive contributions to important causes. It is a huge credit to the Arc team who facilitate the program,” he said.

The Phil’ Fun-A-Thon represents the culmination of a full year’s worth of fundraising efforts that included the TKC Jam-in-a-Jar gig night, Arc Sport staff member Craig Davies incredible 24-hour walk, City2Surf with Deputy Vice Chancellor Sarah Maddison and a huge Open Day Barbecue supported by Future Students. 

Throughout the year, Phil’ is coordinated by Alex Nguyen, a 5th year Biomedical Engineering and Material Sciences student. 

Alex said at the end of the event “The Fun-A-Thon wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible Phil’ volunteers who planned, lead and brought the vibes every hour of the event. It’s a credit to the whole UNSW community, and we are very grateful for every donation.”

Head to the Arc Phil’ page for more information and to make a donation.