Calling for process improvement ideas
News 27 MarchWe all encounter university processes firsthand every day and sometimes these processes require improvements. Tell us what to fix.
07 June 2023
Share
Equity is about just and fair inclusion and creating an environment in which everyone can participate on the same basis and reach their full academic potential.
The Access and Disability Service is striving to ensure that students with disability, medical/mental health conditions, neurodiversity and significant carer responsibilities can participate fully in the ACU experience.
By working with students, academics and the university, we are empowering students to take on every opportunity through the provision of appropriate reasonable adjustments. It is with these provisions that one of our students, Brielle Riza, was able to engage in the SOCS210 Study Experience in Fiji.
Brielle has kindly shared her amazing experience with us all:
My name is Brielle Riza, I am hard of hearing. I have hearing aids and use Auslan when needed. I have worked with young people in Mackillop Family Services for the last six years, which led me to a passion to study youth work. I was studying for a Bachelor of Youth Work at Australian Catholic University. I decided to go on this study trip related to my youth work course as we would be working with young Fijian people and learning about the cultural differences between Australia and Fiji.
It was my first time overseas but wasn’t my first study trip, as I did a study trip in Western Australia for three weeks working with Aboriginal people in 2014. I had never been to Fiji, and it was my first time staying with a host family.
The highlight in Fiji was the village. I stayed in the Nabalasere village for four days. It was a fantastic experience to share their day-to-day life, kava, experience the cultural differences as they welcomed outsiders into their village, and connect with families in different houses. Staying with the host family was very interesting. We connected straight away and communication wasn’t hard as they can speak English. However, the accent could be challenging because I am hard of hearing. I did sometimes have to communicate without having my interpreters around. The families were terrific and would try their best to communicate with me when I didn’t understand. I managed to overcome it and showed them what I could do.
I received a beautiful message from one of the members of Think Pacific from the women in the village who told them how they felt after meeting me. They said that usually when they see a deaf person, they first see limitations and barriers, but they saw me just “going out and climbing the mountains” and being independent.
I learnt that Fiji is a developing country and more things need to improve for young people. These include breaking the barriers and getting more support for people with disabilities, which I will apply in my studies. The biggest culture shock was the village and how welcoming people were. There were special guests who could only come through one door and were not allowed to sit near the village chief. Drinking kava is part of their culture. Kava is yum!
I came home to Australia with the skills to be more aware of developing countries and make kava from scratch. I already had skills working with young people, but was also aware that there are a lot of things that developing countries need to learn such as mental health, advocacy and gender equality. I would love to work in developing countries, and I am hopefully moving to London so I can travel around developing countries to volunteer to make changes. Fiji really changed my mindset.
I am very grateful for the experience which was made accessible by ACU’s Access and Disability Service providing Auslan interpreters to accompany me to Fiji.
We all encounter university processes firsthand every day and sometimes these processes require improvements. Tell us what to fix.
A message from Vice President Fr Anthony Casamento csma: This week is the most solemn week in the Church’s liturgical year, but what makes it holy?
Discover the learning and career development opportunities that are available online and face-to-face next month, including Difficult Conversations, Lead from Anywhere and Creating Respectful Workplac...
ACU has a new process for submitting cases of academic misconduct. From Monday 8 April, all potential cases must be lodged through the Student Academic Misconduct Management System (SAMMS).
All ACU campuses will be closed between Friday 29 March and Monday 1 April inclusive for the Good Friday and Easter Monday public holidays (except for some library services).
This week we are invited to participate in the greatest story ever told and the most moving drama ever imagined – the Holy Week.
Register to attend the first Aquero lecture for 2024, ‘You are what you eat and how you sleep!’ divulging the lessons learned from 50 years working with elite athletes.
ACU’s eMarketplace catalogue features a wide range of products from a growing list of preferred suppliers. Find out more about the ACU eMarketplace catalogue and how to access it.
St Thomas Aquinas wrote a great deal about love and one of his most famous quotes is “To love is to will the good of the other”. Inherent in these words is a recognition of the authenticity of real lo...
A message from Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) Professor Julie Cogin: As I settle into the role and community, I’ve felt a warmth and culture of deep caring.
Cut off dates for the submission of all timesheets and other supporting documentation for salary payments have been brought forward due to the Easter Holidays observed on 29 March and 1 April 2024
Teaching staff are encouraged to check their units have been correctly linked to their names for the Student Evaluation of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys in upcoming teaching periods.
Enhance support for your students by incorporating the standardised feedback comments, developed by the Academic Skills Unit, for use in Canvas SpeedGrader to save time.
Wondering about the best way to ensure you research is more discoverable? Join the Library in this Research Essentials webinar.
Be part of the ACU Big Sing for a big cause - a collaborative, community-wide project involving multiple campuses.
Include an additional question in the Student Evaluation of Learning and Teaching (SELT) survey for units that are offered in Trimester 1 (202432).
Having problems accessing library resources? Check out these tips to improve your access.
A message from Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Zlatko Skrbis: Over the last three weeks, I had the pleasure of visiting all ACU campuses to introduce staff to Vision 2033, our strategy directi...
It is important that staff are aware of the legislative obligations relating to international students.
Join us on the road to Santiago De Compostela to undertake the Camino walk in Spain. The pilgrimage will take place 1–9 October 2024.
Visit Service Central to access Corporate Services.