ACAP launches student-led well-being group to support international students
ACAP University College launched the International Student Wellbeing Group, an ACAP Clinic student-led initiative, to support its international students. The group is designed to provide a safe, inclusive, and culturally sensitive space for international students to share their lived experiences, explore common challenges, and build a supportive community. It aims to foster emotional well-being, encourage open dialogue, and reduce isolation among students navigating life far from home.
Facilitators from the ACAP clinic create a welcoming environment where students can reflect on their transition into Australian life, develop coping strategies, and build meaningful relationships. The group focuses on peer support, empathy, and empowering one another through storytelling and shared wisdom.
The uniqueness of this student well-being group is that participants are invited to suggest themes they would like to explore in future sessions. This ensures that the topics are relevant and responsive to international students’ real and evolving needs.
The group covers a wide range of practical, emotionally supportive, and culturally inclusive topics. Some of the key themes explored include:
- Self-care and mental wellbeing
- Coping with culture shock and homesickness
- Navigating the Australian education system
- Budgeting, financial literacy, and employment challenges
- Time management, academic stress, and setting routines
- Celebrating cultural identity and sharing traditions
- Building friendships, communication skills, and support networks
The group also promotes peer empowerment by encouraging students to co-create topics for future sessions. While participation has varied, the facilitators remained committed to creating a safe and supportive environment where even one meaningful conversation could make a difference.
Prakash’s experience as an international student and a facilitator
Prakash Shrestha is a Master of Social Work student at ACAP Sydney. He came to Australia from Nepal with a dream of developing his career in a country known for its multicultural values and commitment to social justice.
Arriving in Australia as an international student has been a transformative and humbling journey for him. He experienced culture shock, homesickness, and the pressure of adjusting to a new academic environment without a support network. There were moments of doubt and loneliness, especially during the early months. As time passed, Prakash found strength in his vulnerabilities and learned how to ask for support.
Facilitating the International Student Wellbeing Group has been one of the most rewarding experiences of Prakash’s social work journey. It allowed him to support students at the beginning of their transition, just like he was before. Being a facilitator allowed Prakash to share stories that resonated with others and help them feel less lonely.
Prakash enjoyed creating sessions that sparked deep conversations and gave participants the tools to cope with daily stressors. Being able to share mental health resources, community services, and simple self-care practices made him feel like he was contributing to fundamental changes, even if it was just by making someone smile or feel heard for the first time in a long time.
Through the well-being group, Prakash was also able to integrate the AASW Practice Standards into his work, especially in relation to human rights, cultural safety, and professional identity. He believes that building rapport, respecting confidentiality, and understanding the power of lived experience are essential skills in social work. The student well-being group at ACAP offered him the opportunity to apply those skills in a meaningful way.
ACAP International Student Wellbeing Group is more than just a group. It’s a community, a support system, and a safe space for growth. It has helped ACAP students like Prakash refine their practice, build confidence, and reinforce the value of lived experience in social work.