Trish Taggart1, Renee de Simone1
1University of Queensland Student Services, St Lucia, QLD,
International students under 18, without a parent or guardian support, can find themselves lost in the twilight zone of being newly-independent and attempting to be an adult. This journey requires a collaborative approach which balances the social, academic and transition needs of this vulnerable cohort. We have created a program of support which monitors students’ academic progress alongside building the student’s capacity to successfully transition to independent living. Working collaboratively with accommodation providers who see the students outside the protection of university hours, the University of Queensland’s International Student Supervision Program provides the skills to enable the students to transition to “adult” in a supported way.
The aim of this session is share our journey and the highs and lows of keeping up with the U18 cohort as they learn to be (successfully) independent. It will detail the complimentary support offered by the university and our two approved, purpose- built student accommodation providers. 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 accommodation providers complement the experience by providing classes in the “adult” skills, of cooking, cleaning, shopping, socialising, and being successful housemates.
Biography:
Trish has been working at the University of Queensland since 2008 as a Student Adviser in Transition, Learning and International Welfare Support. She is the Coordinator of the Under 18 International Student Supervision Program. She has also had an extensive career in high school education.
Renee is the Student Wellbeing and Support Manager at The University of Queensland which includes management of the International Student Supervision Program and the international student support and welfare team. She has enjoyed working in the field of international student support for over ten years starting at Monash University in 2006. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science and Master of Social Work from Queensland University of Technology.