Hope collection

What strategies can universities implement to effectively support and enhance Indigenous students' wellbeing?

Practical Advice/Tips for Practitioners

• Enhance cultural support:
  Provide students with access to Indigenous academics and support staff to create culturally responsive environments where Indigenous students feel genuinely welcomed and supported.

• Role model visibility:
  Establish platforms to showcase successful Indigenous student achievements, fostering inspiration and motivation through visible role models in the university community.

• Cultural training:
  Offer access to cultural competency training for all university staff to build cultural understanding.

• Holistic financial support:
  Provide targeted scholarships and financial assistance with clear eligibility criteria to address financial hardship.

• Comprehensive wellbeing policy:
  Develop and enact a research-derived Indigenous student wellbeing policy, informed by Indigenous students' voices and experiences to ensure policy strategic actions meet evolving student wellbeing needs.

Abstract

Indigenous youth comprise over half of the Indigenous Australian population; however, there is a scarcity of research that focuses on improving Indigenous Australians’ wellbeing in higher education. The purpose of this study was to identify Indigenous-devised strategies to support wellbeing of salience to Indigenous Australian higher education students. Using Indigenous methodology, Indigenous youth (N = 7; aged between 18 and 25 years) studying at three higher education institutions in Australia participated in semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis identified strategies and solutions for supporting and enhancing Indigenous youth wellbeing in higher education. Participants suggested that their wellbeing would benefit from increased opportunities for them to gain role models. They also suggested culturally supportive higher education environments were critical and could be achieved by employing more Indigenous academics and Indigenous mentors to implement personalised student support, introducing mandatory cultural competency training for all staff, and employing culturally safe counselling services. Indigenous youth also suggested strategies for enhancing institutional policy such as ensuring Indigenous culture and perspectives were taught across all faculties; developing reconciliation action plans, financial support, and scholarships to require proof of Aboriginality and evidence of hardship; and an institutional wellbeing strategy designed to support Indigenous students’ wellbeing.

Full paper access

Durmush, Georgia Louise, Craven, Rhonda Gai, Yeung, See Shing, Mooney, Janet, Horwood, Marcus S., Cunha Vasconcellos, Diego Itibere, Franklin, Alicia, Duncan, Christopher and Gillane, Renee. (2024). Enabling Indigenous wellbeing in higher education: Indigenous Australian youth-devised strategies and solutions. Higher Education. 87(5), pp. 1357-1374.

Contact the researcher

Professor Rhonda Craven
Rhonda.craven@acu.edu.au

Learn more about Professor Rhonda Craven’s research