Student Support Policy : Canberra Institute of Technology

Student Support Policy

1. Purpose

This policy establishes the principles and responsibilities for ensuring that:

students have equal access to the learning and assessment environment
learning environments are culturally appropriate and inclusive
students have access to support services
Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) meets its obligations as a registered training organisation (RTO) and the requirements of other relevant legislation (state and federal).

This policy and the associated procedure are to be read in conjunction with the external legislation and internal policies and procedures listed below. In the event of any conflict, external regulations take precedence over this policy and the associated procedure.

2. Scope

Where this policy refers to CIT, it includes 涩里番Solutions.

This policy applies to:

all applicants seeking to enrol in courses at CIT
all 涩里番staff
all on and off campus education activities
涩里番activities including:
- culturally supportive and inclusive learning experiences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- careers advice
- counselling
- disability support
- international student support
- financial assistance
- job seeker support
- migrant support
- youth support
- LGBTIQ+ support
- general academic support
- student equity support
- study skills support
- language, literacy, numeracy and digital (LLND) support
courses funded through specific initiatives of external agencies, sponsors and organisations.

This policy does not apply to higher education students (refer: Higher Education - Student Support Policy).

Student learning and wellbeing support are individual and may be complex. A student requiring support may be identified through a variety of sources, including:

student initiated queries via the 涩里番website, email or phone
direct referrals from student facing client services staff and teaching areas
direct referrals from external agencies
涩里番Student Association (CITSA).

3. Principles

涩里番is committed to:

quality teaching and assessment
promoting the principles of equity, child safety, gender equality and mutual respect
providing a culturally safe, supportive, equitable and inclusive learning environment for all students
complying with disability discrimination legislation and education standards for students with disabilities
providing educational opportunities for Australian Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people through 涩里番Yurauna
maximising student success and recognising the importance of providing education and wellbeing services to assist students to achieve in their chosen field of study
adopting a coordinated approach to identifying and providing support services and including client services, educators, education managers and service specialists in the support process.

涩里番will demonstrate these principles by:

providing prospective students with equitable access to careers advice and disability advice
providing enrolled students with equitable access to all support services over the course of their enrolment at CIT
informing staff of policies and procedures to support student access and equity
informing prospective and enrolled students of available support services through:
- personal enquiries
- the 涩里番website
- on enrolment
- course induction
offering support services in line with best practice guidelines and consistent with ACT Government guidelines
providing designated places in publicly funded courses for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people who have:
- advised 涩里番Yurauna of their enrolment intention prior to the relevant enrolment cut-off date
- been assessed by 涩里番Yurauna and the relevant College as having sufficient academic background and support to achieve the objectives of the chosen course
managing disclosures of significant risk to an individual in line with appropriate legislation
working cooperatively and in consultation with external agencies to offer specialist services if required
ensuring interactions occur in accordance with the 涩里番Privacy Policy
publishing information on the Student Services webpage

3.1 涩里番Student Support

涩里番Student Support is responsible for providing reasonable additional support for students to access their chosen fields of study. 涩里番Student Support adopts a case management approach. Students are responsible for their own course progression and meeting inherent requirements to participate in their chosen course.

Support will only be provided to students who take up the offer of assistance.

涩里番Student Support will collaborate and coordinate with teaching areas to ensure optimal provision of support.

涩里番Student Support is not responsible for:

ensuring student engagement in courses
progression discussions with students
managing student behavioural issues
student withdrawals or decisions to not progress with enrolment.

Students are welcome to invite a parent or support person to be involved in discussions regarding support services.

Requests for support services deemed unreasonable, or those that undermine the integrity of the course or qualification will not be considered.

Detailed records will be maintained regarding the provision of student support.

涩里番Student Support is focused on continuous quality improvement and accepts student feedback on its approach, systems, and processes.

3.2 Responsibilities

3.2.1 Senior Manager 涩里番Student Support

The Senior Manager 涩里番Student Support is responsible for liaising with and leading College Directors and Heads of Department in the provision of:

general support services
relevant learning and academic support services
disability support services
counselling services
careers advice
referrals to external support services.

The Senior Manager 涩里番Student Support will ensure maintenance of secure records and detailed, accurate and current information on services.

3.2.2 Head of Department Foundation Skills

The Head of Department Foundation Skills is responsible for:

leading the provision of LLND support for all 涩里番students
scheduling of LLND support sessions across 涩里番campuses
developing LLND support plans for students where required
LLND coaching for 涩里番educators
assessment of students' LLND against the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF)
maintaining ACSF assessment tools and providing reports to Heads of Departments.

3.2.3 Educators, College Support Staff and Student Services Staff

Educators, College Support Staff and Student Services Staff are responsible for providing information to applicants for student support and referring enquiries for support in a timely manner.

4. Documentation

4.1 Related Legislation/Regulation

(Commonwealth)
(Commonwealth)
(Commonwealth)
(Commonwealth)
(Commonwealth)
Health Records (Privacy and Access) Act 1997
Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 (Commonwealth)
Children and Young People Act 2008 (ACT) Republication date 30 September 2023

4.2 Related Policy and Procedures

4.3 Related Documents

5. Definitions

All terminology used in this policy is consistent with definitions in the 涩里番Policy Glossary. The following definitions are provided in the context of this policy.

Disability	Defined by the Disability Discrimination ACT 1992 'in relation to a person means: total or partial loss of the person's bodily or mental functions; or total or partial loss of part of the body; or the presence in the body or organisms causing disease or illness; or the presence in the body or organisms capable of causing disease or illness; or the malfunction, malformation, or disfigurement of a part of the person's body; or a disorder or malfunction that results in the person learning differently from a person without the disorder or malfunction; or a disorder, illness or disease that affects a person's thought processes, perception of reality, emotions, or judgement or that results in disturbed behaviour; And includes a disability that: presently exists; or previously existed but no longer exists; or may exist in the future; or is 'imputed to a person.'
Reasonable Adjustment	The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) requires institutions to take reasonable steps to enable a student with a disability to participate in education on the same basis as a student without a disability. An adjustment is reasonable if it balances the interests of all parties affected. In assessing whether a particular adjustment is reasonable, 涩里番will consider the: student's disability and his/her views; effect of the adjustment on the student, including the effect on his/her ability to achieve learning outcomes, participate in courses and achieve independence effect of the proposed adjustment on anyone else affected, including the education provider, staff, and other students costs and benefits of making the adjustment. Reasonable adjustments include but are not limited to: making training and assessment materials and methods accessible adapting the physical environment and equipment.
Student Support	Refers to the range of services including support to students identifying as: Australian Aboriginals and/or Torres Strait Islander people having a disability or disabilities having specific learning needs needing wellbeing support.
Wellbeing Services	Wellbeing services scope includes early intervention, clinical counselling, advocacy, health promotion, supportive coaching, and referral. Wellbeing services do not offer clinical or outside of business hours support.
Yurauna	Yurauna is CIT's dedicated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Educational Centre of Excellence providing tailored student support, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander courses, study support and cultural advice.

6. Policy Contact Officer

Executive Director, Education Futures and Students.

Contact 涩里番Student Services on (02) 6207 3188 or email infoline@cit.edu.au for further information.

7. Procedures

This policy is implemented through the associated procedures. Authority to make changes to the procedures rests with the policy owner.

POLICY INFORMATION

Policy No: CIT2024/622
Approved: April 2024
Next Review: April 2026
Category: Student Policies, Training Policies
Policy Owner: Executive Director, Education Futures and Students

PROCEDURES/DOWNLOADS

Student Support Procedure
(PDF File 278.7 KB)