An Orygen program designed to address the unique and critical mental health needs of international students has received overwhelming support in an evaluation report, with 94 per cent of respondents agreeing the program helped them and 98 per cent saying they would recommend the program to others.
The International Student Mental Health Peer Work Program employed international students with lived experience of mental-ill health, trained by Orygen and embedded in education provider settings, to offer support to other international students in the midst of mental health challenges.
The program was delivered to more than 630 international students across RMIT University and Melbourne Polytechnic from July 2023 to March 2024.
A survey completed by 47 students found:
Rafi Armanto, Orygen’s Head of Lived Experience, said the program was designed to address concerning negative attitudes and stigma towards help-seeking among international students and support them to navigate the mental health system in Australia.
“We know that only 17 per cent of international students access a mental health service, compared to 55 per cent of domestic students,” he said.
“Common barriers to help-seeking in international students include poor recognition of their experiences of distress, thinking their problem is not severe enough, and not being aware of the available services to support them.
“The service was designed to be less daunting than traditional mental health supports, by providing a relatable, culturally responsive, and accessible means of exploring students’ experiences with mental ill-health and wellbeing – and its success shows how important peer support programs are."
Orygen’s peer work training for international students focuses on culturally sensitive peer support that recognises how a person’s culture may influence their understanding of mental health. The support is a mix of one-on-one and group sessions, which explores wellbeing, service navigation, and inclusion within the community.
Report author and Orygen Suicide Prevention research fellow Samuel McKay said when it comes to mental health, international students face more stressors than their domestic peers.
“International students often have less knowledge or willingness to use mental health supports; concerns about language barriers, misunderstanding, and potential embarrassment can lead to their mental health becoming neglected,” he said.
“A recent systematic review found that between 5-18 per cent of international students had suicidal thoughts, and around two per cent attempted suicide in the past year, so the need to address the gap in accessible mental health care is crucial.”
- Read the full report HERE
Gina Chinnery, Director of Employment and Education Partnerships at Orygen, said partnering with Melbourne Polytechnic and RMIT to deliver the mental health peer work program to international students was critical to its success.
Funding for the program has lapsed, but Chinnery hopes the latest evaluation would encourage universities, governments or philanthropists to invest in the mental health of international students.
“We’re very grateful for the support of Study Melbourne and our two program partners, Melbourne Polytechnic and RMIT, in bringing this project together,” she said.
“The program is ready to go, and this evaluation shows that it works. With financial backing, Orygen is ready to take it out of the box and redeploy it for international students across Australia.”
Quotes from international student participants include:
“…I really felt comfortable… They were very concerned about my queries, and they were very much ready to help. They were repeatedly asking … if there is anything that we really need. So I told them whatever I had in my mind, and I really felt good after that.”
- Student 1
“I'm sure with that [the peer worker] was a student before. So I think that's also a great connection 'cause [they] know where we are coming from and knows the struggle.”
- Student 2