RMIT Staff Line for Urgent Student Support

There will be times when you engage with a student who doesn’t seem to be travelling well – they might be really distressed, or acting in ways that concern you, or have stuff going on in their life that leaves you concerned about their welfare.

In these situations, it can be hard to know how best to respond – or even who to contact in the moment to get some support.

That’s why we’ve developed the Staff Line for urgent student support.

Instead of you needing to search around to find help when time is critical – the Staff Line is a streamlined, single entry point to the RMIT Support Services for students.

When you call, a trained RMIT Support Service staff member will assess the situation, make any immediate referrals to support services that are necessary, and provide further practical advice and support to you.

But it’s important to remember that not every concern you hold about a student should be directed to the Staff Line. 

So when should you call the Staff Line, and when shouldn’t you?

The Staff Line is not an emergency service. If anyone’s safety is at immediate risk, you should call emergency services on 000 and RMIT Urgent Security on 9925 3333.

Also, there’s a lot that goes on in the life of our students that’s important – but doesn’t require an urgent response. When time is not critical, it’s still best to use the normal pathways to support for a student. The student can access the full range of Support Services themselves through RMIT Connect, or you can assist them to do so.

So if it’s not an emergency, but time is critical you should contact the Staff Line.

For example,

• You have a student who is very distressed and unable to calm down over time
• Something terrible has just happened to a student and they would benefit from talking to a professional about it
• A student has shared thoughts of self-harm or suicide
• A student is acting in unusual or concerning ways in class.

In these situations, you should contact the Staff Line for advice and support.

The Staff Line number is 9925 1111 – it’s open from 9am to 5pm weekdays, and will direct you to existing after-hours supports at other times.

We look forward to working with you to provide our students with timely support when they need it.