Support Services

Our Student Support team can assist you during your studies with academic, administrative, wellbeing and general queries. Our Support advisors offer personalised support services for your academic, personal and general needs. Our inclusive approach ensures that every student receives the assistance they need, from study support and peer mentoring to LGBTQI+ and First Nations support.

You can find our Student Support team at the Waterloo campus (Sydney) and the Wellington Street campus (Melbourne) support window on Level 2, Monday to Friday, as well as at our other Melbourne campuses once a week.

The team is also available to support you online via email, phone and Zoom. Please reach out to support@collarts.edu.au to know more or log into your Student Portal.

Collarts Mental Health Hotline available 24/7 all year round. This service will help you with:

• Finding immediate relief from emotional stress
• Identifying coping strategies for current problem or a crisis
• Exploring pathways or longer-term solutions
• Working out the next steps to take

Call or text us at the below numbers for support.

Phone: 1300 045 853
Text: 0485 874 578

Please note the Collarts Mental Health Hotline does not offer ongoing
counselling nor is able to provide any health practitioner documentation but can link you with community counselling and wellbeing services, and external support.

Understanding your Health and Wellbeing

Headspace is an Australian non-profit organisation set up to support the mental health of young people.

The following links from Headspace will take you directly to information and support relating to mental health, physical health (including sexual health) study, work, alcohol, and other drugs.

• Wellbeing and good mental health allows you to live your life in a positive and meaningful way and cope with life’s changes and challenges. Our wellbeing can be impacted in many ways such as not sleeping and eating well and not feeling connected to others and feeling lonely.

• Anxiety is our body’s way of preparing and managing difficult situations but when feelings and thoughts become excessive and interfere with daily living it may be time to do something about it. What are common types and signs of anxiety disorders and what can you do to manage it?

• ADHD attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, can affect a person’s ability to focus, pay attention, control impulses or restlessness. What are the symptoms, causes and how it may affect other areas in your life and what you can do to manage ADHD

• Depression is more than feeling sadness, what are the changes to the way you think, feel and behave. What are the signs and symptoms and what are some things you can do to manage depression

• Trauma from situations that threaten your life, sense of safety, or that of someone around you may lead you to experiencing feelings of distress, fear, helplessness, and loss of control. There are different types of trauma such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that can develop because of exposure to a traumatic event, complex trauma due to repeated exposure, intergenerational, and vicarious trauma.

• Eating Disorder: What are the factors that may increase the risks of an unhealthy relationship to food and eating habits and what are the symptoms and the warning signs that can lead to serious and life-threatening health issues.

• OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) is a mental health anxiety condition and can lead to feelings of guilt and shame. It is more than worrying or double-checking things. Excessive thoughts (obsessive) to prevent something bad from happening or to reduce upsetting feelings there is a strong urge to repeat (compulsive) a mental or physical behaviour.

• Navigating life and relationships: Information on Family and friendship, Feelings, Bullying, Finance, Relationships and sex, Sexuality and gender, social media and technology Supporting others, world events

• Alcohol and other drugs: How alcohol and drugs can impact on your mental health and physical health and how to look after yourself which includes safe partying tips

• Work and Study:  Tips and information on study support, finding work, mastering job interviews, getting a job without experience and coping with leaving secondary school

Respect at Collarts:

Collarts is committed to creating a positive, safe, respectful and inclusive environment for students, staff and other members of the community, free from all forms of unlawful discrimination. Collarts is here to support you if you feel you have experienced sexual harassment or gender-based violence at the College or in the community. Your safety at Collarts is our priority.

Our Gender-Based Violence and Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Policy explains the process that occurs once a report has been lodged and we encourage you to read this. Policies can be complex, but we are here to help you understand your options.

Gender-based violence is any form of physical or non-physical violence or abuse by a person that is underpinned by gender-based power inequalities, rigid gender norms and gender-based discrimination that results in, or is likely to result in, harm, coercion, control, fear or depravation of liberty and autonomy. Violence can be physical, sexual, emotional, psychological, social, cultural, spiritual, financial, technology-facilitated (including image-based abuse) and stalking. The term gender-based violence includes violence perpetrated against LGBTIQA+ people and may include sexual misconduct. Gendered violence disproportionately impacts women and girls.

Internal support services:

You can access the Collarts Mental Health Hotline for confidential support: Call 1300 045 853 or SMS 0485 874 5787

While you can talk to anyone you feel comfortable with, Collarts also has trained First Responders who are trained to provide safe and knowledgeable contact points for anyone wishing to access information or make a disclosure or report. They play a critical role in the initial handling of gender-based violence incidents within Collarts and are the first point of contact for survivors. 

Disclosure and Report:

If you feel you have experienced sexual harassment or Gender-Based Violence we encourage you to make a report by completing the online gender-based violence incident form . 

Alternatively, students can reach out to the National Students Ombudsman (NSO) at www.nso.gov.au. The NSO is an independent office that mediates and investigates student complaints related to safety, welfare, and issues such as gender-based violence within higher education institutions.

There is no place for gender-based violence at Collarts.

External support services:

The agencies listed below provide free, anonymous and confidential services.

• Lifeline: 13 11 14 - Telephone counselling (Available 24 hours, 7 days)
• Sexual Assault Crisis Line: 1800 806 292 - Counselling, advocacy and referral
• Directline: 1800 888 236 - Drug and Alcohol counselling (Free, anonymous and confidential - 24/7)
• Griefline: 03 5596 7799 - Bereavement support (12pm - 3am)
• Mensline: 1300 789 978 - Counselling and referrals for men

VICTORIA:

• SuicideLine Victoria: 1300 651 251 (Available 24 hours, 7 days)
• WIRE: 1300 134 130 - Support and referral for women, nonbinary and gender-diverse people (Free and confidential)
• Nurse on Call: 1300 606 024 - Expert health advice (24 hours, 7 days a week)
• City of Yarra Child Care: (03) 9205 5555 - Child care centres near Collarts campuses
• ARCVic: 1300 269 438 - OCD and Anxiety line
• Victoria Legal Aid (1300 792 387): Free legal advice
• Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94): Workplace issues

NSW:

• NSW Mental Health Line: 1800 011 511
• Service NSW, for access to essential government services like photo ID
• Redfern Legal Centre , which provides international students with free legal advice funded by Study NSW 
• The International Student Health Hub  which lists available health resources across more than 50 organisations
• NSW Fair Trading, for consumer guidance  like buying a car, and information on renting a home 
• The Fair Work Ombudsman for help in understanding your rights and entitlements in the workplace

Collarts offers support and guidance in a variety of academic areas, such as essay writing, referencing, research techniques, time management, planning, presentations, and critical reflection. 

We also offer support in developing learning habits,  guidance in using online tools for writing feedback, managing references and creating a personalised research compendium. Meetings are available in one-on-one sessions in person, online, or via email. Individual courses also offer subject-specific tutoring.

At Collarts, we believe creativity thrives when every student feels supported. Our Equitable Learning & Accessibility service ensures equity, care, and inclusion are embedded into your study journey.

Led by Cas, our Equitable Learning & Accessibility Coordinator, the service provides tailored access plans, practical tools, and collaboration with teaching staff to make invisible barriers visible and address them with care.

Cas is very neurodivergent and brings lived experience to everything they do. With a background in Art Therapy, allied health, mental health and disability services, and academic teaching, Cas combines professional expertise with empathy to ensure every student’s dignity, agency, and success are at the heart of their learning.

As one student shared: “My access plan helped me feel seen and supported. It gave me the confidence to pursue my studies knowing my needs were respected.”

Equitable Learning at Collarts' is about more than adjustments it’s about belonging, empowerment, and thriving in your creative education.

Learn more here. 

Collarts' dedicated Career Pathways Department assists students and alumni with job and internship applications, resumes, cover letters, professional branding, career advice, interview preparation, and networking.

 
Alongside our industry-connected lecturers and extensive event partnerships, we provide essential opportunities to start your creative career. Access the Career Ready Hub for internships, portfolios, and interview resources. For personalised assistance, contact Student Support at support@collarts.edu.au to book a one-on-one appointment, in-person or online.

Collarts has a vibrant and diverse community of students, staff and supporters. We recognise that those who identify as part of the LGBTQI+ community face unique challenges and we’re committed to providing a welcoming and safe space to foster our diversity.

Below is a list of resources, organisations and spaces that provide LGBTQI+-focused support.

QLife A counselling and referral service for the queer community. Provides nationwide phone and web-based services to people of all ages, with support in relation to bodies, genders, relationships, sexualities and lived experiences.

Minus18 is Australia’s largest youth organisation for LGBTQI+ youth. They create amazing social events, dance parties and engagement events for LGBTQI+ youth, while also providing resources for queer youth and their allies among their family, friends and educators.

Intersex Human Rights Australia is an independent support, education, and policy development organisation run by and for people with intersex variations or traits. Its focus is on human rights, bodily autonomy, self-determination, and evidence-based, patient-directed health care.

Victorian Pride Centre is a purpose-built space for the LGBTQI+ community, hosting events, organisations and advocacy programs. They are a fantastic space with many industry partners (Joy Media, Australian Queer Archives, Hares & Hyenas)

Inner West Pride Centre (Sydney) provides a safe, welcoming, and inclusive space for the LGBTQIA+ community to connect, gather and access support, and offers spaces for community hire.

Collarts is committed to promoting the safety and wellbeing of trans and gender diverse (TGD) students and staff. Gender affirmation is challenging for people, especially whilst navigating transition into higher education or into a new institution. Collarts welcomes TGD community members and wants to improve their experience during their tertiary education time and in their future careers.

1. Updating your details:

At Collarts, you can change the following personal details:

• Title
• Preferred name
• Legal name
• Gender
• Email

To change any of these, you can ask our support team , or contact our IT Helpdesk.

Please note that your teachers may not be aware of your preferred name straight away and may use your legal name instead. Our Canvas and Student Management System will reflect your preferred name; however it will be reflected in a separate column, and teaching staff may not be aware of how to look for this information. If they make a mistake, please trust that it is not out of disrespect. We encourage you to let your teachers know and remind them of your preferred name. Alternatively you can seek support ( see below).

2. Communicating your gender, name or pronouns:

Often TGD people are faced with needing or wanting to communicate their correct name and pronouns to others right at the time when they are least comfortable to do so, because they are at the beginning of navigating the world as a trans person. If you feel as though these kinds of disclosures are causing you distress or anxiety, there are a range of ways that these conversations can happen, and the University has supports in place to assist you. Your Student Support and Counselling team can help.

If you are considering letting someone know about something relating to your gender, name, pronouns or other related information, you may like to use the following questions to help guide how you do this. 

1. Who would you like to know, and what do you want them to understand?- Your teacher, classmate, Collarts staff, etc.
2. How would you like them to find out?- In person, email, phone, etc.
3. Who would you like to communicate with them about this? - Yourself, a support person, a friend etc.
4. Would you like to be present or absent during this conversation/correspondence? - Present, cc’d into an email thread, absent at first followed up by a meeting, etc.
5. When would you like this to happen - Unsure, ASAP, during the break, etc.

3. Your rights:

 - Misgendering and deadnaming:

Some people prefer different approaches to misgendering and deadnaming based on the situation, such as whether they’re present or if others are involved. For instance, you may want misgendering corrected in front of a group but prefer to address it privately later when it’s just one other person. You might also feel uncomfortable having corrections made in your presence or choose to handle them case-by-case. Your preferences may evolve over time, and it’s okay to ask others to adjust how they respond. If you need help having these conversations, a Student Support Advisor can assist. It’s helpful to think about how you’d like any incorrect name or pronoun use addressed when sharing your personal details with others. Consider discussing your preferences with your teacher or peers early on.

1. How would you like misgendering/deadnaming to be responded to?- Pronoun/name cuing (saying the correct pronoun in a sentence as a demonstration), gentle reminder, question about whether the person has understood the information about your pronouns/name, sending an email with a resource, saying the correct pronoun/name immediately afterwards, etc…
2. When?-Afterwards, immediately, only if it happens more than once, etc.
3. Who would you like to respond to these instances? -Myself, my teacher, my friend, support services etc.

- Discrimination and Transphobia

It can be hard to know what your options are if you are a victim of transphobia. It’s a good idea to understand your rights and responsibilities so that you may feel more confident to disclose and/or report instances of misconduct. You will always have a range of options for how to respond. Some of the options available to you will provide you with support to talk through and recover from the experience. We have trained first responder who can help you.

-Relevant policies and guides

Our Student Code of Conduct describes the expected conduct of students at Collarts. The Gender Based Violence and Sexual Misconduct Prevention and Response Policy. If you wish to make a complaint about someone else’s conduct, these two policies can guide you in the relevant procedural principles.

For students wishing to make a complaint or grievance, the Student Complaints and Grievances page provides guidelines on how to do this. 

- Responding to harmful and/or inappropriate behaviour

If you have witnessed or experienced transphobic discrimination, harassment, vilification, or any other harmful behaviour, you can:

• Talk to someone
• Seek advice and support
• Make a complaint 
• If the incident is unlawful, you can make a police report.

Our Respect and Safety Program can provide support and advice if you would like information about your options. If you are unsure about whether you have experienced something inappropriate, or you are simply feeling unsafe for any other reason you are encouraged to speak to our trained first responders about your situation.

4.External support

• Rainbow Door– LGBTQI helpline and referrals
• Switchboard – Phone counselling and referrals
• Queerspace – Counselling, case work, and other services (Carlton)
• Thorn Harbour Health – Counselling, case work and other services (Abbotsford)
• Equinox – TGD Health Service (Abbotsford)
• Trans Hub – Information and resources (NSW based)
• Zoe Belle Gender Collective – Advocacy
• Transgender Victoria – Advocacy
• Transfemme– Resources supporting healthy relationships between transwomen and men
• The Shed – Support group for transmasculine people
• Minus 18 - Australia's charity improving the lives of LGBTQIA+ young people.

Collarts is committed to providing a safe and inclusive space for all of our students. We understand that there is inequality in education opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and are working to better ourselves and our industry to create an equitable education sector.

Reach out to admissions@collarts.edu.au for information on First Nations scholarships on offer. 

From the day you start your creative studies, you’ll have the opportunity to connect with peer mentors who will guide and support you through your first trimester at Collarts.

You’ll kick off university in a fun and supportive environment, building connections with your mentors, peers and the wider Collarts community. Mentors are students in their third trimester or above, and they guide new students through their first trimester, sharing their knowledge and insights into the Collarts systems and experience.

Collarts provides access to a range of physical and online library resources, services, and facilities across two sites and off-campus.

With libraries at our Wellington Street and George Street campuses (Melbourne), including Apple Mac desktops and a dedicated Materials Library, Collarts provides students with ongoing opportunities to access, create and share knowledge.

Online services have also been curated in response to student needs.

Melbourne and Sydney have a wealth of accommodation options for students. We know navigating them can be slightly overwhelming so we’ve put together a list of recommendations to give you a helping hand.

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS:

• switchliving.com.au/melbourne-victoria-markets
• JournalStudentLiving.com.au
• UniLodge.com.au
• iglu.com.au
• Flatmates.com.au
• FlatmateFinders.com.au
• Fairy Floss Real Estate
• Queer Housing Melbourne
• Queer Housing Sydney
• GayShare.com.au
• Domain.com.au
• realestate.com.au
• www.airbnb.com.au
• www.gumtree.com.au

MELBOURNE SUBURBS

If you’re looking to move and don’t have access to a car, we recommend looking at suburbs well-connected to our campuses via public transport. A few suburb options include Melbourne CBD, Northcote, Abbotsford, Clifton Hill, Thornbury, Preston, Carlton, Collingwood, Fitzroy and Brunswick.

SYDNEY SUBURBS