Ms Louise Tabrum1, Ms Helen Warren1
1Unsw Sydney, Sydney, Australia
This presentation will describe Student Development International’s (SDI) best practice for providing an effective Under 18s Care Program to under 18 year international students studying at UNSW Sydney.
The monitoring of the Care, Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) of under 18 year students enrolled at UNSW Sydney is carried out by International Student Advisors (ISAs). Managing the ever increasing number of under 18 year students has presented challenges for ISAs over recent years. These challenges have included no shows at scheduled sessions, difficulties in engaging students and complex problems often due to the developmental stage of the cohort. Formal and informal feedback from students also suggests existing models of monitoring have often been ineffective in meeting their needs and not seen as useful to their transition to study and life in Sydney.
ISAs have responded to the challenges of the caseload by developing an innovative Under 18s Care Program. The Program, run in collaboration with other Student Development staff and Cultural Mentors, enhances the students’ experience and provides a model which goes beyond just ‘monitoring’, acknowledging that under 18 year students have different needs based on their capabilities, experience and background.
The Under 18s Care Program has developed in line with UNSW’s integrated services model and emphasises students’ success through engagement, support and development. Engagement begins before arrival and continues throughout a student’s studies, well beyond the life cycle of the CAAW. Support is provided through different mediums including online orientation programs, workshops and one to one sessions. Students are encouraged to access co-curricular programs developing their skills beyond the classroom.
At the end of the presentation participants will be given an opportunity to share their experiences and successes in providing effective programs assisting under 18 year students during their studies in Australia and New Zealand.
Biography:
Louise Tabrum and Helen Warren work as part of a team of International Student Advisors monitoring under 18 year students.