Advancing Victoria’s student experience initiatives in response to COVID-19 to support students on and offshore
James Borman
International students were among the first in Victoria to be impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through Australia’s strictest lockdown, international students have experienced financial hardship, social isolation, employment, accommodation, and food insecurity.
Working in a high-pressured and changeable environment, Study Melbourne’s response was swift and targeted, critically designing a comprehensive suite of programs to demonstrate the Victorian Government’s commitment to support international students as well as their importance to our community.
Study Melbourne connected with students across Victoria, enhancing existing programs and creating new initiatives to deliver unprecedented support, including;
• The International Student Emergency Relief Fund
• Online delivery of Study Melbourne Student Centre welfare services
• Increased access to free legal advice
• Innovative social connection, employability, leadership and entrepreneurship programs
• Food aid, including Victoria’s first International Student Pop-Up Supermarket
• An online hub with improved access to emergency relief information
• Communications to enhance awareness and engagement in public health measures
• Grants for community projects that respond to the immediate needs of students
This session will examine the design and implementation of student experience initiatives, including the virtual transformation of Study Melbourne programming that is now tailored to engage with students across the state and the globe. We will explore Study Melbourne’s approach to positively address the hardship students faced, while implementing innovative solutions targeting sector recovery. Insights will focus on the power of cross sector collaboration, and the ongoing program refinement required when navigating a complex policy environment.
Biography:
James Borman is the Manager of the Student Initiatives team at the Victorian Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions.
Managing the team for the past year, James is responsible for overseeing a range of programs and services that support the experience of Victoria’s international student community.
With a further ten years experience developing and managing grant programs for the Victorian Government, James has also worked across a diverse range of industries, including Small Business, Retail and Automotive Manufacturing.
Originally from Canberra, James holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications, and was a board member for Helping Hoops, a local charity running free basketball programs for underprivileged children in inner Melbourne.
Most weekends you’ll find James in the garden or cheering on Geelong Football Club.