Combining study with casual jobs is no bed of roses

The four-poster bed was part of an Anti-Poverty Week display at QUT's Kelvin Grove campus (October 15), and will also be displayed at Gardens Point campus this Thursday (October 18) during a similar exhibition.

It was designed to symbolise the time poverty and sleep deprivation that affects many students who combine study with holding down jobs to make ends meet.

The School of Design students also created a "hunger tree" made of cardboard and jars, a "maze of malnutrition" made of cardboard, a couch made of books, a lounge built from boxes, and an air hockey table made up of "international student" players.

Their creations attracted plenty of attention from campus visitors, staff and students.

They will also form part of the students' assessment for a unit called Collaborative Design, which is offered to design students studying areas including architecture, interior design, industrial design, and landscape design.

The Anti-Poverty Week fair will move to Gardens Point campus on Thursday (October 18) from 11am to 2pm on the Kidney Lawn in front of Old Government House.

In addition to the student installations, visitors can also check out stalls including www.givit.org.au, the Welfare Rights Centre, the Tenants Union of Queensland and QUT Student Support Services.

A smaller version of the fair will be held at Caboolture campus on Wednesday from 9.30am to 12noon and will include a free breakfast.

Source: Queensland University of Technology