Australia – Think HQ and its multicultural division, CultureVerse, have launched a two-year nationwide community engagement program with the Australian Government aimed at increasing participation in bowel cancer screening through local partnerships and community-led activations.
Running throughout 2026 and 2027, the initiative will deliver more than 50 events across Australia, beginning with its first activation in Adelaide.
Rather than adopting a traditional roadshow model, the program is designed to create sustained community engagement by working alongside trusted local organisations, community leaders, and bilingual advocates.
The campaign addresses a key public health challenge: although around six million free bowel cancer screening kits are mailed to eligible Australians each year, approximately two million remain unused.
To encourage greater participation, Think HQ has developed three community engagement formats.
The “Loo Post”flagship activations guide visitors through the bowel screening process to help demystify the at-home test, while “Catch it Early” cafés provide informal spaces for conversations about bowel cancer over coffee.
Meanwhile, Community Conversations bring discussions into cultural festivals and existing community gatherings, with local leaders helping address stigma and cultural barriers surrounding screening.
The initiative also includes a partnership with First Nations specialist agency Winangali, which will co-design culturally safe engagement activities tailored for First Nations communities across Australia.
Jen Sharpe, Founder and Managing Director at Think HQ, said the program was designed to create lasting behaviour change by embedding activities within communities instead of relying on one-off activations.
“Our approach centres on working with local champions and organisations that communities already trust, helping ensure these conversations continue well beyond individual events,” she said.
Jess Billimoria, Chief Audiences Officer at CultureVerse, added that community-based discussions can play a key role in reaching multicultural audiences.
“By taking these conversations directly into trusted community settings and working with bilingual community figures, we can help break down the taboos and cultural barriers that have historically kept screening rates low in some multicultural communities,” she said.
The initiative complements the Australian Government and Cancer Council Australia’s national “Bowel Cancer Waits for No One” campaign, with CultureVerse leading multicultural campaign delivery.
