Real stories and practical tips to help you through uni life ❤️
Before we look at the section of the wellbeing plan that asks you about your professional support networks, let’s explore a few of them. A big part of helping us to feel safe, supported and validated is by knowing there is always support available to us, beyond just our friends and family.
‘Formal’ support services are professional services designed to help people navigate life’s challenges, including mental health, physical health, and wellbeing concerns. These supports can look like social workers, counsellors, psychologists, general practitioners (GPs), or psychiatrists.
At SUT, you have access to a range of free or low-cost formal support services both on campus and in the broader community.
However, it’s important to acknowledge that accessing formal support can look and feel different depending on your situation. For instance, international students may encounter different processes, costs, or visa requirements, while students living regionally or interstate might face location-based barriers. It’s completely normal to feel frustrated or uncertain about where to start.
While we can’t change every systemic barrier overnight, we can empower ourselves with knowledge about the options available and how to access them. Being aware of your choices can make a big difference when you or someone you care about needs support
Click on the buttons in each headings to find some examples of the support available through SUT!
Swinburne University offers free and confidential counselling for all enrolled students. You can see a counsellor for support with:
Swinburne University provides a dedicated student wellbeing support line for immediate, confidential assistance with personal, academic, or mental health concerns. This support connects students to qualified professionals for guidance and crisis support. You can use the support line for:
If you are a student living with a disability, medical or mental health condition, or you have primary carer responsibilities, Swinburne’s AccessAbility Services team is here to help you get the most out of your studies.
This may include:
This is just a very small list of some of the other professional support services out there and available to you.
24/7 crisis support
13 11 14
Mental health support
1300 22 4636
For those under 25
1800 55 1800
For Indigenous Australians
13 92 76
LGBTQIA+ support
1800 184 527
Youth mental health
headspace.org.au
Online and phone support
Vocational support
As we said earlier, every community will have different levels of access to different services - which is why it can be very worthwhile for you to create a resource of your own that is specific to your community! These services can act as a starting point for your personalised list.
There are other organisations that have valuable mental health resources. You could check outReachOut,Black Dog Institute, and Orygen.
You can call these services, and most of them have online chat rooms or SMS hotlines as well.
Let’s dive back into our wellbeing plan! The section titled ‘My Professional and Crisis Supports' is where you can note down professional support you trust or might want to try in the future.
Crisis support contacts, like Lifeline (13 11 14) and 13Yarn (13 92 76)
Names and contact details for professionals you can access if you need (like a GP, psychologist, counsellor from uni, or online services like eheadspace)
Having these written down means you won’t have to go searching for them in a stressful moment.They’ll already be there if you need them.
