What is the Outreach Program?
The Outreach Program is a service run through the Student Services Unit. Current students from each faculty are employed and trained to make phone calls to all new commencing first-year students twice a session during Autumn and Spring session.
The first round of calling focuses on student wellbeing, asking how they are feeling about their first few weeks at UTS. During this phone call, the Outreach Caller talks about the upcoming Census Date and tells the student about the support services available to them. The student can be referred to a specific support service during the phone call if needed.
The second round of calling focuses on offering students support in the lead up to the assessment and exam period. The Outreach Callers let students know about the exam anxiety workshops that available and ensure they know about the special consideration process and the eligibility requirements for this.
After the phone call students receive a follow-up email to their UTS student account with a questionnaire where all the information from the phone call is written and students can request a referral to a support service. All students receive this email regardless if they talk on the phone or miss the call.
When can students expect a phone call?
The dates for Outreach Calling in 2023 are:
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Autumn: Census calling: 27th February – 10th March
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Autumn: Exam Anxiety calling: 17th April – 2nd May
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Spring: Census calling: 7th - 25th August
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Spring Exam Anxiety calling: 2nd - 20th October
Calling usually occurs in weeks 2 - 4 and again in weeks 8 -10 of each session, with dates subject to change (calling always occurs twice per session, for two weeks each round).
What is the Census Date?
The census date is the last day that you can withdraw from a subject without academic or financial penalty. Find out more here.
Who is the Outreach Caller?
You will be called by a casual staff member, usually a current student who is studying within the same faculty as you. The Outreach Callers are friendly people with a lot of experience as a student at UTS.
They remember and understand how hard the first weeks of university can be. They know how challenging assessment and exams are, and they have a wealth of knowledge on where you can find support.
Do I have to do anything?
No – we are simply calling to remind you of the census date and support services available. We will be sending out a survey alongside our calling for students to let us know how they’re going with Uni and to request appointments with the relevant service they are looking for help with.
What support services are available to me?
The Census calling primarily focuses on the following Student services:
We also refer students to the below services after the calling has concluded:
Information for UTS Support Staff and Faculty
If you would like to collaborate with the Outreach Program to support a specific cohort of students, please email orientation@uts.edu.au
