Student Rights and Responsibilities

The mission of the Western Sydney Recovery College is to educate and inspire the broader community about mental health, to facilitate recovery, and to empower students to learn and grow in a safe and respectful environment.

This document outlines the rights and responsibilities of any student who gets involved in the Western Sydney Recovery College, what you can expect when you come to a workshop, and what we ask of you in return.

Your rights as a Student of the Western Sydney Recovery College:

• You will be respected by the recovery college staff and valued for your diversity, your input, your experience, and your hard work
• You will be treated as a person – not as a “client” or “patient” or “worker” but as a unique individual that has something excellent to bring to the table
• Your opinion matters and will be heard and respected by the staff and other students
• Our doors are open to everyone who wants to get involved and learn from each other in a safe environment
• Your life experiences, including any mental health concerns that you have experienced in the past or present, will underpin the learning of the workshop and will be valued by staff and fellow students
• You can step outside of your comfort zone, but only if you wish to. We want to hear from you if there is any boundary which you do not want to cross
• Your information and story will remain confidential within each workshop and within the recovery college
• You have the right to know information about services in the area, about where and how you can get help, and you understand that sharing about your past experience may assist other students to get the help they need
• You have the right to ask questions and to be given honest answers
• You have the right to speak up if there is anything that you feel should change or that you want to learn further about

Your Responsibilities as a Student of the Western Sydney Recovery College:

• We ask you to share your strengths where appropriate, and only if you are comfortable, in order to facilitate learning and growth within each workshop
• We ask that you provide correct enrolment information
• When you enrol, you consent to your information being collected to ensure Western Sydney Recovery College educators can meet your learning needs and for the purpose of evaluating the Recovery College program. You consent to your de-identified information to be used for statistical purposes for the Western Sydney Primary Health Network and Department of Health. One Door Mental Health may use my personal information to train and educate professional staff and students for health research (this information will be de-identified). As a service of One Door Mental Health, Western Sydney Recovery College complies with privacy legislation when collecting and storing personal and health information. One Door Mental Health is subject to privacy laws including but not limited to the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 which may affect the operation of this form.
• We ask that you arrive at each workshop that you have enrolled into punctually, and to notify the college staff if you are running late. This includes online workshops.
• We ask that you advise the recovery college staff as soon as possible if you are no longer able to attend a workshop
• We ask that you respect your fellow students and the recovery college staff
• We ask that you respect the housekeeping rules of each workshop venue or online space and ensure that workplace health and safety guidelines are adhered to
• We ask that you complete an evaluation form for each workshop as this provides us with valuable information about what we can improve upon and develop further
• We ask that you be an active participant in each workshop by sharing any past experiences or skills that you believe are relevant, but only if you are comfortable to do so
• We ask that you respect the confidentiality of all people involved in the college
• We ask you to provide up to date emergency contact information, and this information will only be used where appropriate and only with your consent

You can expect the Western Sydney Recovery College staff to:

• Treat you with respect and dignity at all times
• Respond to your queries, emails, and phone calls in a timely manner
• Deliver workshops and provide support with a friendly and professional manner
• Make every effort to provide correct information about the workshops and to notify you as soon as possible if there has been a change
• Provide any guidance and support that you may require on areas of individual learning, growth, and development
• Offer support with any learning or other difficulties that may make it harder to attend and learn at the college
• Provide a safe and respectful learning environment that values diversity, life experience, sharing, and promotes recovery
• Keep your information confidential within the recovery college and make every effort to ensure that your fellow students do the same
• Encourage your questions, feedback, views, and ideas
• Be committed to keeping the recovery college a fresh, innovative, and positive place in which members of Western Sydney can come to learn and grow