The
Minister for Education, the Hon Dan Tehan MP, has released a national report investigating international
students’ mental health and physical safety needs.
The
report, titled International Students and their Mental Health and Physical
Safety, draws on national surveys and interviews with international
students and education providers across metropolitan and regional Australia.
It
acknowledges the good practice and ongoing commitment from higher education,
vocational education and training and English language providers across the
international education sector to support the welfare of international students
in Australia.
The
report describes seven areas of good practice for the sector to draw on to
better support international students, including:
·
Whole of provider commitment through policy and leadership: Including
developing mental wellbeing strategies, policies, plans and guidelines
- Enhancing
connections and belonging: Through
initiatives like speed friending events, sporting and social activities,
student ambassador and peer mentorship programs
- Building
mental health and physical safety literacy and awareness:
For example, with wellbeing days, mental health awareness posters, and
orientation events
- Prevention
and early identification of risk or emerging issues:
Including welfare checks from staff, and training staff to recognise red
flags for poor mental health
- Promoting
and facilitating access to supports on campus or in the community:
For example, online platforms for counselling, and systems to refer
students to professionals
- Designing
and delivering culturally appropriate responses: Language
learning programs, student support staff, regular student surveys,
workshops for adjusting to Australian life
- Critical
incident management: Pocket guides for
responding to critical incidents, risk management plans, crisis management
frameworks, escalation guidelines.
The release of this report is an opportunity to
increase sector capacity and collaboration through increased peer support and
mentoring; increasing
accessibility of information on supports and services; building social connection; and developing platforms
for networking and communities of practice.