Health and wellbeing

Inclusive. It's one of our core values. At Charles Sturt, we live this value by welcoming and supporting students and staff from all backgrounds. We promote a safe environment that's respectful of everyone and is supportive of sexual and gender diversity. Our Ally program specifically supports all students and staff who identify as LGBTIQA+.

What our Ally program does

• Promotes a safe, inclusive and affirming environment for students and staff who identify as LGBTIQA+.
• Builds a culture of affirmation and inclusion by raising awareness of the experiences of students and staff who identify as LGBTIQA+.
• Provides a visible support and advocacy network of identified Allies to the LGBTIQA+ community.

What's an Ally?

An Ally is a trained volunteer who knows about and understands the experiences of the LGBTIQA+ community. Our Allies are committed to building a safe and inclusive place to work and study. Allies are a point of contact on campus for LGBTIQA+ students and staff, or anyone with concerns around sexual, sex and gender diversity. Allies are staff and students representative of the whole Charles Sturt community who may or may not identify as LGBTIQA+.

What our Allies do

• Provide a comfortable and confidential environment for you to discuss matters related to sexual diversity, sex and gender identity.
• Work on expanding their understanding of LGBTIQA+ communities, and the nature and impact of discrimination experienced by LGBTIQA+ people.
• Show leadership by being publicly supportive of sexual, sex and gender diversity.
• Role model non-discriminatory practices and language.
• Promote a greater understanding of the LGBTIQA+ community.
• Challenge, wherever possible, heterosexism on campus.
• Provide information. While our Allies aren't experts or counsellors, they can refer you to appropriate services.

If you're a current student or staff, find out more about our Ally program.

Our Disability Service is here to ensure our students with a disability can successfully complete their studies. Our Student Liaison Officer (Disability) can help with support strategies, connecting you with relevant services, campus access information and general advice and assistance.

Contact us

If you'd like some extra support, please call us on 1800 275 278 or email the Charles Sturt Disability Service. We'll organise a chat with a Student Liaison Officer (Disability) or your Course Director.

Accommodation

We have accessible accommodation on several of our campuses. If you're registered with our Disability Service, we'll give you special consideration for our on-campus accommodation.

Legislation, policy and guidelines

• Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA)
• Disability Standards for Education 2005
• Australian Human Rights Commission
• Students with Disabilities: Code of Practice for Australian Tertiary Institutions
• Charles Sturt Policy Library - student policies, guidelines and procedures

Some of us need a little extra help getting into uni and succeeding at our studies. Those of us that are:

• Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander
• with a disability
• from humanitarian or refugee backgrounds
• from lower socio-economic backgrounds
• from non-English speaking backgrounds
• from rural and isolated areas
• women studying in traditionally male-dominated areas.

Student Equity Office

Charles Sturt's Student Equity Office is here to ensure all students get the same opportunities. Our Student Liaison Officers are on campus, ready to help out with access to things like:

• equity scholarships and grants
• access schemes
• student support programs.

Our Student Liaison Officers can also refer you to various services and programs at Charles Sturt and in your local community.

Getting into uni

Sometimes life gets in the way of our plans for uni. That's why we offer special consideration for admission.

Special consideration takes into account anything that might have impacted your preparation for uni. You can apply for UAC's Educational Access Schemes, VTAC's Special Entry Access Scheme, or our own Special Consideration for Admission if you're applying directly to Charles Sturt.

If you're from a regional area, you may also be eligible for a location adjustment, which adjusts your selection rank by five points.

If you're an elite athlete or performer representing at national level, and your training or commitments have significantly affected your preparations for uni, you can apply for our Elite Athlete / Performer Program Special Consideration for Admission.

Get in contact

Ready to have a chat about how we can help you? Get in contact with us at Student Central.

Your health and welfare are important to us. That's why we've got a range of services to help you stay in top physical, mental and emotional shape.

Health promotion

Come to one of our regular health information sessions on campus. We chat about all kinds of things, including drug and alcohol awareness as well as sexual and mental health.

Counselling

There's something special about chatting to someone who understands. Our counsellors can give you confidential advice on personal matters, general health, and refer you to local community health services. They're experienced, professional staff, who can help with:

• personal concerns
• academic and administrative issues
• referrals to community groups
• stress, assertiveness and exam anxiety
• workshops on a variety of topics
• depression, loss and grief, abuse issues, family conflicts and relationships.

If you're a current student, you can find out more about our support services, or make an appointment.

Find out more about counselling

We have on-campus religious support available and can connect you with local community resources and services. We also have visiting spiritual advisers, who provide support to our campus communities at the following locations:

• Albury-Wodonga
• Bathurst
• Orange
• Port Macquarie
• Wagga Wagga

Student clubs

We also have student clubs that support students of Christian and Islamic faiths.

More on clubs and societies

We take your mental health and wellbeing seriously. And we'll be there for you whenever you need support. If you experience a crisis or need mental health support while studying with us, all you have to do is reach out. You can call or text one of our students through our after-hours crisis support line and mental health and wellbeing support line. We're here to help, 24/7.

After-hours crisis support line

Our after-hours crisis support line is available from 5pm to 9am weeknights and 24 hours on weekends.

Mental health and wellbeing support line

Our mental health and wellbeing support line is available from 9am to 5pm on weekdays.