Ms Trish Taggart1, Ms Renee de Simone1
1University Of Queensland Student Services
Supporting international students under the age of 18 without a guardian in Australia comes with many risks and responsibilities. In 2017 The University of Queensland established the International Student Supervision Program to support these students and developed a collaborative approach balancing the social, academic and transition needs of this vulnerable cohort. By working closely with our accommodation providers and maintaining a student centred approach we have created a program of support which monitors students’ academic progress alongside building the student’s capacity to successfully transition to independent living. The university support is provided by way of a weekly workshop program which correlates with the students’ academic and transition needs and includes topics around academic requirements, social transitioning, and networking with older peers that encourages volunteering and engagement with university life.
Our two approved, purpose- built student accommodation providers complement the experience by providing an environment that responds to the needs of the cohort in a proactive and student-focussed manner. They offer classes in cooking, cleaning, shopping, and social activities so the students both learn important life skills and engage peer to peer enabling strong social connections. Group sessions on healthy study habits and communication skills further support students’ capacity to transition to independent living and help to achieve a harmonious living environment. Accommodation staff monitor, enforce and report on curfews to ensure student safety and restricted floor allocations provide a safe and cohesive community for these students. Working with this cohort comes with its challenges but working collaboratively to proactively support students helps to mitigate risk and ensure our responsibilities are met.
Biography: To come