Fostering a Safe Environment

Wellness

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Wellness

At GCA, student well-being is a priority, with a strong focus on promoting a healthy balance between academic, personal, and social life. We are committed to creating a supportive and inclusive environment where every student can thrive. Our aim is to foster a supportive environment where students can achieve success both personally and academically.

GCA has a dedicated wellness committee the details are here.

Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment

What is Sexual assault and Sexual harassment?

Sexual misconduct includes incidences of sexual harassment and sexual assault.

Sexual harassment. While the definition of sexual harassment varies across Australian (and other) jurisdictions, it generally involves an unwelcome sexual advance, unwelcome request for sexual favours or other unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature which, in the circumstances, a reasonable person, aware of those circumstances, would anticipate the possibility that the person would feel offended, humiliated, or intimidated.

Examples of sexual harassment include:

staring, leering or unwelcome touching
suggestive comments or jokes
unwanted invitations to go out on dates or requests for sex
intrusive questions about a person’s private life or body
unnecessary familiarity, such as deliberately brushing up against a person
emailing pornography or rude jokes
displaying images of a sexual nature around the workplace
communicating content of a sexual nature through social media or text messages.

Sexual assault. includes a range of behaviours, all of which are unacceptable and constitute a crime. Sexual assault occurs when a person is forced, coerced or tricked into sexual acts against their will or without their consent, including when they have given their consent. Sexual assault is often called other names such as: Sexual abuse, rape, indecent behaviour, indecent assault, sexual molestation, incest, child sexual abuse, child sexual assault, touching, ‘feeling up’, sexual harassment.

Consent. Whilst definitions for consent to sexual activities also vary between jurisdictions, consent is essentially an agreement between people to engage in a sexual activity. Other important elements of consent are that it is mutual, freely given, informed, certain and clear, enthusiastic, reversible, specific and required throughout the activity. Learn more about Consent.

Emergency Contacts

If immediate assistance is required, please use these emergency contacts:

ON campus emergency (24/7)
Ph. 1300 422 422

OFF campus emergency (24/7)
Ph. Triple Zero (000) for police, fire and ambulance.

EXTERNAL Counselling support and advice (24/7)
Ph. 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 737) for the National Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence Help Line.
Ph. 1800 424 017 for the NSW Rape Crisis Centre.
Ph. 1300 833 793 Shine SA Sexual Healthline
Ph. 1800 806 292 for the Victoria Health Sexual Assault Services

Critical Incidents

GCA has an obligation to ensure that its staff, students, contractors, visitors and other persons are, as far as reasonably practicable, not exposed to risks to their health and safety arising out of business activities.

GCA will ensure that the health and wellbeing of all staff is valued, enhanced and protected through all work practices, the work environment and workplace culture. To this end, GCA fosters a safe and positive learning and work culture by:

promoting a learning and work environment that encourages mutual respect and cultural sensitivity;
supporting people in the UBSS community who are experiencing mental ill-health;
providing an environment that encourages staff and students to seek support early if they have declining mental health, and, as appropriate, provide support and adjustments suitable to their work or study needs;
providing secure access to physical and virtual environments;
protecting personal information unless there is a legal requirement to disclose it;
communicating its commitment to student wellbeing and safety;
maintaining zero tolerance of negative behaviours, such as bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct;
applying the principles of procedural fairness to the investigation of complaints, grievances, appeals and alleged misconduct;
monitoring and evaluating health, safety and wellbeing activities and performance to ensure these are effective and continually improved.

The Critical Incident Team is responsible for managing the GCA response to any critical incident which is considered to have a severe or significant level of risk or, in some cases a moderate level of risk.

This team is convened by the most senior member of staff available at the time of the incident and will convene as soon as possible to plan an immediate response. Once the team is convened, the most senior staff member available (e.g. Chief Executive Officer, Chief Academic Officer, or Academic Programs Director) becomes the Head of the Critical Incident Team, or assigns a suitable alternative to head the team.

The team, wherever possible, will include the following members of staff:

Chief Academic Officer (or delegate)
Academic Programs Directors (where staff are impacted); and
other members of staff as deemed appropriate by the Head of the Critical Incident Team (e.g. IT or Finance)

Work Health Safety

GCA has a dedicated WHS Committee and performs regular checks on all sites.

For more information, see Workplace Health and Safety Committee Membership and Wellbeing and Safety Management.

Terms and Definitions

Critical incident: A critical incident is a sudden or developing event which causes disruption to an organisation, creates significant danger or risk and which creates a situation where staff and/or students feel unsafe, vulnerable and/or under stress. Critical incidents require immediate attention and decisive action to prevent or minimise any negative impact.

Designated Officer: Any GCA staff member who is either a witness to, or first to be informed about, an actual or potential critical incident.

Hazard: A source or a situation with a potential for harm in terms of human injury or ill-health, damage to property, damage to environment, or a combination of these.

Procedural fairness means that the investigation of complaints will:

be based on evidence,
provide a person who may be adversely affected by a decision an opportunity to present his or her case;
require a decision-maker not to have an interest in the matter to be decided and not to appear to bring a prejudiced mind to the matter.

Safety is defined as the control of recognised hazards to achieve an acceptable level of risk.

Wellbeing is characterised by physical and mental health, positive, constructive and engaging relationships, work satisfaction and work-life balance.

Support Services

Visit the following sites for more information:

Study NSW
Study Melbourne
Study Adelaide
Study Australia