student welfare co-ordinators - invitation to a roundtable discussion - the couch: international student centre

“The Couch” International Student Centre commenced in July 2009 as a joint pilot project between The Salvation Army Melbourne, AFIS and The City of Melbourne.

The aim was to provide a safe, free space for international students studying in Melbourne to socialise, relax, rest, study, and seek information and assistance. Free meals were provided along with computer and internet access. Since The Couch commenced it has attracted a significant number of students from different colleges who have enjoyed the facilities and participated in the activities.

In 2010 the Victorian Multicultural Commission provided funding for the Salvation Army to employ a co-ordinator to run the activities at The Couch where we had previously been reliant on volunteers.

To ensure appropriate care and assistance to the students at The Couch is continued, the organisers are inviting colleges, as the key stakeholders, to contribute ideas, strategies and feedback to enhance the international students experience and how they can assist colleges to meet those needs.

The Couch is open Sunday to Thursday, 5pm-9pm.

Your participation would be appreciated on Thursday 29 April 2010. Click here to download an invitation.

Please RSVP by 27 April 2010 to peter [dot] hichaaba [at] aus [dot] salvationarmy [dot] org (Peter Hichaaba), Salvation Army. For further information, please contact: Peter Hichaaba on 0451 374 507 or Eric Lee 0422 265 578.