Discover the 11 most under-the-radar student services that could boost your wellbeing, academic success, and personal development—get informed and make the most of your university experience!
I’ve got some data from a relatively recent Student Services Awareness Survey in front of me.
The results of that survey are evidence of something I have suspected for a while – many of the services and supports available to students aren’t well known. And if you don’t know about a service, how can you get value from it?
So this post is simple.
I have taken the 11 least well-known services/supports and linked to them, with brief descriptions of what they are and how they might be helpful to you (or a peer).
Equal Opportunity Advisors ⚖️
At Health, Counselling and Disability Services, we have a dedicated Student Equal Opportunity Advisor who can provide information on the support and options to students affected by bullying, discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, sexual assault and victimisation. Learn more here.
Flinders Legal Centre 🧑🏼⚖️
Flinders Legal Centre (FLC) offers free, independent, and confidential legal advice and information. It is operated by Flinders University. Their services are available to anyone in the community, not only Flinders University students, and are accessible online, or in-person by arrangement. Learn more here.
Chaplaincy services 💒
The Oasis chaplaincy service is an additional support resource available for all students to enhance your study and wellbeing. The chaplaincy team does not provide counselling. However, we are here to listen and journey with you. Each chaplain brings unique skills and abilities and has a faith background that underpins their values and beliefs. Chaplains can be contacted by phone and email. Or you can visit us face to face at the Oasis Student Wellbeing Centre. More information and our contact details can be found here.
Good Vibes Experiment 🧠
The Good Vibes Experiment is a mental health campaign led by students at Flinders University. The campaign encourages us all to experiment with adding wellbeing-focused activities to our everyday lives. It isn’t about pretending to be happy. It’s about developing the knowledge and skills necessary to improve, sustain, repair or strengthen mental health. Learn more (and get an activity book) here.
Horizon Awards 🏆
The Flinders Horizon Award program sits alongside of your academic studies; it is an innovative program that provides further opportunities to develop your professional skills and gain new experiences and insights that will benefit you now and in your future career. Learn more and sign-up here.
Flinders Housing Support 🏠
We appreciate that moving away from home to study at university can be a daunting experience. It’s not a journey that you need to navigate alone. The University’s Student Housing Service Officer, Kate Evans, is here to help you.
Talk to Kate about:
- What style of accommodation from all the available options would best suit your needs.
- Advice and support to locate accommodation in the private rental market.
- Advice and support around any tenancy issues you may be experiencing.
- Making arrangements to set up an online accommodation consultation or group briefing session.
FUSA Academic Advocacy Services 👩🏼🎓
Academic Advocates are available to all currently enrolled students of Flinders University and is free, independent and confidential. Their aim is to help you understand University policies and systems to ensure you are aware of the options available to you. Their service includes advocacy, support, assistance, information and referrals on any issues that may affect the academic lives of students. Whether you’re dissatisfied with a grade, struggling to make financial ends meet or are trying to wrap your head around University policy, FUSA’s Academic Advocates are there to help. Learn more here.
FUSA Be a Better Human 🌍
Be A Better Human is a student-led campaign focused around consent, sexual harassment and sexual assault, bystander education, respectful relationships and reporting and support options for University students. This award-winning initiative was created with a group of Flinders students from the ground up, to reflect our campus culture and what we think everyone needs to appreciate – consent, respect and empathy. The campaign is called Be a Better Human, because we don’t just want it to be about what we shouldn’t do; we want it to be about self-improvement for everyone. And when we say ‘everyone’, we really do mean everyone. We’re encouraging everyone who is part of our campus community to take a moment and consider how we can ‘better’ our behaviour. Let’s figure out how we can all be better humans. Learn more here.
Yungkurrinthi 🪃
Welcome to Flinders University, and to the Yungkurrinthi community network. As part of their network, you will join over 400 current Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and those who have graduated from Flinders since their first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander alumni graduated in the early 1970s. Yungkurrinthi Student Engagement sits within the Office of Indigenous Strategy and Engagement. They are committed to increasing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student access, participation, retention and success. They provide a range of services and supports for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and their team of highly qualified staff is dedicated to supporting you throughout your student journey. Learn more here.
Course or Topic Reps 🎤
Many topics and courses have student representatives. I couldn’t find a central list of them, so ask your topic or course coordinator.
Here are a few reasons why it could be beneficial to find your student representative and have a chat with them:
🔘 Voice Your Concerns: If there’s something bothering you about your courses or university experience, your student rep is there to listen and bring those concerns to staff, helping to find solutions.
🔘 Gain Insight: Ever wonder why certain decisions are made in your course? Chatting with your rep can give you a behind-the-scenes look at the teaching process and how changes happen—plus, you’ll have a chance to influence future improvements.
🔘 Make a Difference: By sharing your thoughts and ideas with your rep, you can directly contribute to making positive changes that improve the learning experience for everyone.
🔘 Build Connections: Your rep is well-connected with staff and students across the university. Talking with them can help you build valuable relationships and expand your network.
🔘 Learn About Resources: Reps often know about useful resources and support services that you might not be aware of. A quick chat could give you access to helpful tips and advice.
🔘 Get Involved: If you’re looking to get more involved in university life, your rep can point you toward exciting opportunities, whether in student representation or other initiatives.
🔘 Feel Heard: Your voice matters. Speaking with your student rep ensures that your opinions and needs are heard, and you can be part of shaping a better experience for yourself and your peers.
FUSA Financial Counselling 💵
Many university students find their financial situation a daily struggle. The Financial Counsellor is available on campus to provide information and assistance on all things financial and can help you find ways to improve your financial situation, including:
- See if you are eligible for government assistance (e.g. Centrelink or concessions)
- Negotiate repayment arrangements with your creditors
- Explain your options and their consequences, including debt recovery procedures, bankruptcy and other alternatives
- Help you apply for a hardship variation on any loans
- Help you organise your finances and make a budget
- Refer you to other services (e.g. a gambling helpline, family support, personal counselling or community legal aid)
The Financial Counsellor can also help with the following:
- Debts that you are struggling to pay
- Threatening letters or harassment by debt collectors
- Debt recovery through the courts
- House eviction, disconnection of gas, electricity, phone, etc
- Uninsured car accidents, taxation debts and unpaid fines
Financial Counsellors provide the following services to students:
- Emergency Financial Assistance – supermarket vouchers, food parcels and metro cards
- Interest Free Loans of up to $500
Learn more and make an appointment here.
Remember, even if these services aren’t necessarily of value to you now, they might be in the future or they might be relevant to a fellow student. The more you know about available supports, the better you’ll be able to assist others.
To see the full Student Support and Services Directory, visit here.
