Parents and peer workshops
Peer to peer workshop
‘Peer to Peer’ workshops are developed by experienced students to help you settle into university life and your studies.
The workshop is a great way to find out what key university terms mean, what is expected of you at UWS, get hints on time management, peer support, textbooks and even learn about the social aspects of university life.
Peer to peer video
The video below has an audio commentary and also has captions, which can be turned on using the small note image on the video toolbar 
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Parents, peers and partners workshop
Parents, Peers and Partners workshops are held in conjunction with My Course Planning sessions each Autumn Session. You can hear from the experts how you can support your commencing student.
Tips for parents, peers and partners from current students
The following are some great tips to help family members of students attending university:
- Certain times of the year will be busier than others
- Negotiate some time for the whole family to be together without distractions
- Discuss changes in family roles before or as they develop to avoid confusion and tension as attending university can impact on the routines of the student and you
- Attend university events such as My Course Planning (MCP) sessions or Orientation to get an idea of what university is like. Read through some of the material and pick up a copy of 'Cradle to campus - a parent's guide to university'. There are also parents, peers and partner information sessions that run at the beginning of the year
- The university experience will be new to both of you, so ask them to involve you in aspects of university life where possible
- Encourage the student to take some bridging programs or workshops to help smooth the transition into university level reading and writing
- Encourage the student to expand their support network by developing rapport with their academics, university counsellors and support staff. The more people lending a hand, the better
- Try not to project your own desires onto the student. Encourage the student to enrol in the units they want to study rather than the ones they think they are expected to
- If the student is living at home give them some space. Consider setting some boundaries and clear rules for them to let you know their whereabouts to avoid stress and worry
- Try not to give too much advice as this is the time for the student to take responsibility for their own learning. Encourage them and trust that they can do it
- Help the student remain positive and maintain their focus and perseverance. Remind them of their achievements leading up to university and since they have started
- Celebrate successes and do not linger on failures
