Counselling now available to offshore students

No matter where Massey students are around the world, they will soon have access to online counselling in a new pilot project, led by the university’s wellbeing team. 

Leanne Radovanovich, associate director of Student Wellbeing said the pilot will “help support a wider range of students with professional counselling at no cost”. 

The pilot is part of a new initiative by TalkCampus, a global platform providing 24/7 peer support for students, and funded by the Massey student services fee.  

Because counsellors can only work within the country they are registered, offshore students were previously prevented from accessing counselling services. But with a global network of 33,000 registered therapists across 63 languages, the new pilot promises to lift the bar on offshore accessibility.  

Radovanovich said offshore students had frequently requested counselling. 

Massey has over 4,000 offshore students, spanning 130 countries worldwide. Together, they comprise 16% of the total enrolment, highlighting the urgent need to enhance accessibility to online services.  

Offshore students also pay higher tuition fees, three to nine times as much as internal students, and are required to pay student service fees. 

Radovanovich said Massey has their own team of TalkCampus peer supporters, “Currently, there are about 100 Massey students trained as buddies, and we are continuing to recruit.”  

Offshore students wanting to make an appointment with a TalkCampus counsellor can request an appointment via the counselling services page on the Massey website. The Wellbeing team will then refer the student to a TalkCampus counsellor suited to their demographic, location, and specific needs. 

If successful, the pilot will be extended so offshore students can take control of their well-being for years to come.