City North Wellbeing Hub

The Practice at a Glance

The City North Wellbeing Hub Pilot

Intake Counsellor and Wellbeing Advisor - from June 2026

Equitable Learning Services - DTSO and Accessibility Lead - from July 2026

The RMIT University City North Wellbeing Hub has been developed to strengthen student and staff wellbeing through an integrated, end-to-end wellbeing and inclusion model. This model prioritises prevention, early intervention and coordinated responses to student wellbeing concerns which have been increasing in complexity. The hub also seeks to improve student experience and participation by providing access to holistic, ‘just in time’ support services, and support our student facing staff through clearly defined processes, information and referral pathways for students requiring support.  

Problem Identification and Drivers

Why was it needed?

The pilot was needed because our educators told us they were spending significant time supporting students with equitable learning plans (ELPs), wellbeing-related challenges, and mental health concerns. While teachers are often the first point of contact, they can end up taking on informal case-management roles, impacting negatively on both teaching and student support outcomes. Based on this feedback, we saw an opportunity to connect our students with specialist support earlier to address wellbeing concerns on campus, but outside the classroom, allowing our teachers to focus on teaching delivery.

 We know that our Creative Industries and Social Care and Health students in City North have higher levels of engagement with ELPs and other support services, so we created a local hub where they can easily connect with specialist staff such as a Disability Transition Support Officer (DTSO), Welfare Advisor and Counselling Intake Counsellor. The aim is to make support more visible, accessible, and timely, so students can get help when they need it, where they already are.

While the Hub is available for students of all ages, the DTSO service will work exclusively with students under 20 years transitioning into Vocational Education (VE). This operates as a wraparound support model for these students and requires a physical base located near the cohort it supports. This service is currently provided by appointment, but with a view to transitioning to a drop-in support model on designated days in the longer term.

Design and implementation

How was it implemented and who was involved?

The pilot is guided by a steering committee which provides strategic oversight and a working group responsible for the Hub’s implementation. The working group includes representatives from RMIT’s teaching, student wellbeing, counselling, disability and accessibility, equity, student services, and student lifecycle teams.

By bringing together senior leaders and frontline staff, we can ensure we're designing solutions that are strategically aligned, practical to deliver, and most importantly responsive to student needs. We weren't creating a new service; we were adapting an existing student wellbeing model for a new location.

The biggest challenge was finding the right space: somewhere accessible, low-sensory, and appropriate for students seeking support. Our student wellbeing, counselling, accessibility and support teams worked together to identify a suitable location and tailor the service to the City North context.

Once the space was established, we introduced practical enhancements such as Qtrac for managing drop-ins and are now exploring a concierge-style role to help welcome and triage students. This allowed us to build on what was already working while responding to the specific needs of our City North student community.

Inclusive Practice and Access

How does the practice apply accessibility principles?

Accessibility is a key design principle for the hub. We've focused on making the space easy to find through improved signage and wayfinding, while also creating a low-sensory environment through softer lighting, noise reduction measures, plants, and sensory supports.

Importantly, we're taking a test-and-learn approach, observing how students use the space and making ongoing adjustments based on their feedback and behaviour to ensure the hub remains welcoming, inclusive and fit for purpose.

Impact and evidence

What evidence do you use to show this practice is effective?

What feedback have you received from learners with disability?

As the hub only began operating in early June, we haven't yet had an opportunity to gather formal feedback from our students with disabilities.

As we’re beginning with a deliberate pilot phase, we've built evaluation into the design from the outset. We will soon be launching an anonymous student feedback survey via QR code in the hub, and we'll also be conducting structured check-ins with our City North teaching community at regular intervals over the coming months. We're particularly interested in understanding students' awareness of the hub, their experience with accessing support, and what improvements they would like to see. Their feedback will directly inform how the Hub evolves.

Transferability and Sector Value

Could this practice be adapted for other VET providers?

While the specifics would need to be tailored to each training provider to suit their learners and their unique needs, the underlying model is highly transferable.

One of the biggest lessons for us has been the importance of listening to our staff. They are managing student wellbeing and pastoral care issues, often on a day-to-day basis, and have a deep understanding of what support is needed. Equally, students need to be involved in shaping the solution to ensure the service is tailored to their needs. Any VET provider could adopt the core principles RMIT has used to develop the Hub: bringing support to where students are physically located while on campus, leveraging existing services, and using a test-and-learn approach which is informed by staff and student feedback.

Reflections and Lessons Learned

What challenges did you face and how did you address them?

What would you do differently if starting again?

One of the key challenges has been bringing together multiple services, stakeholders and perspectives to create a shared vision for the Hub. As a pilot, we are also learning and adapting as we progress.

On the positive side, the working group has been a real strength of the project. We brought together teachers, Program Managers, Program Coordinators and student support specialists who work directly with students and understand their needs firsthand. The diversity of perspectives has been invaluable in shaping the Hub, and it's something we will replicate in the design and delivery of future initiatives.

Sustainability and Future Direction

What are the next steps or future plans for this practice?

The pilot will continue through to the end of 2026, with the intention of evaluating its impact and exploring opportunities for ongoing delivery or expansion. Our immediate focus is increasing awareness and engagement. We are currently building staff awareness of the Hub and its services, with a broader communications campaign planned for students at the commencement of Semester 2.

As the Hub becomes more established, a key priority is developing a shared understanding among our staff and student community of its purpose, how to access support, and the referral pathways available. We want to ensure students are connected with the most appropriate support at the right time, while building confidence in the services available.

Another important focus is strengthening support for staff who are often the first to respond when students are experiencing challenges. This includes developing clear debriefing and support processes, as well as building staff capability and confidence in responding to student wellbeing concerns.

Alongside this, we will continue to refine the model based on feedback and evaluation, expand student wellbeing activities and workshops, and further develop the wraparound supports that complement the physical Hub space. While establishing the Hub has been an important milestone, our long-term focus is on creating a connected, accessible and sustainable wellbeing ecosystem for students and staff.

Mapping: National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (Outcome Standards for Registered Training Organisations) Instrument 2025