Residential Assistants Training:
Building a Relationship between Counselling
Services and Student Residences
Leeanne Purdom
Sean Murray
Jim Elliott
History
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1991: First (1) RA was appointed
1992: 2 RA appointed male & female
1993: 5 RA appointed
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1 Senior RA
RA training introduced
1993/94 Dr Joe Massingham was brought
over from UNE
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1 RA for every 30 students
History
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1994-1998 Combined with ECU & Murdoch
1999-2003 Keith Cook developed the current
structure
2001
 UCS contributed 2 levels:
 Counselling support
 Orientation to service
 Critical incident support
 Suicide risk
 Chaplaincy, Disability
History
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2004 Michael Tunnecliffe took over the
training (4 days)
2005 Continued partial involvement
2006 Shared development of training
2007 Developed and co-ordinated RA
training
Development of 2007 program
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Collaboration with returning RAs in program
development
Consultation with Housing Managers
Counselling team member allocated to each
residence
Involvement of returning RAs in program
delivery
Program Aims
Aim: To provide an opportunity for Residential
Assistants to develop skills, knowledge and
values that will assist them to perform their role
effectively.
Outcome Objectives:
At the end of the course the RAs will
 be familiar with the requirements of their roles as RAs
and the expectations from `management’ regarding
performing those roles
 have practised facilitation skills useful for running flat
meetings and solving minor disputes
Outcome Objectives cont’d…
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have discussed how to respond to common issues for
residents and the limits of their involvement
be able to recognise when they are required to involve
management or other agencies/people to deal with
residential issues
know how to obtain assistance from appropriate resources
regarding residential issues
have had an opportunity to work with other RAs in team
activities that foster communication and connectivity
have discussed the importance of self care as a student in
the role of a Residential Assistant.
Residential Assistants’ Leadership Program 2007
Time
Monday 12th Feb
09.30 – 10.30
RAs meet with their House
Resident Manager for
Orientation to the Role of RAs
and Introduction to the
Procedures Manual
Drug and Alcohol Education
Relationships and Sexuality
To 11.45
Security – Grant Quartermaine
To 10.15
10.30 – 10.45
Morning Refreshment Break
Morning Refreshment Break
Morning Refreshment Break
Morning Refreshment Break
10.45 – 12.00
Continue orientation with
Managers and UCS
Counsellors
Event Organisation and
Planning
Start 11.00
At Risk Psychological
Indicators and the Role of
Counselling
10.30 Dealing with difficult
behaviour - Anger
- Threats
- Criticism
- Intoxication
Michael Tunnecliffe
12.00 – 13.00
Lunch
Tuesday 13th Feb
Lunch
Wednesday 14th Feb
Lunch
Thursday 15th Feb
Lunch
13.00 – 14.00
Introductions
Teamwork Activity
Personal Safety Program
Teamwork Activity
14.00 – 15.00
Outline of Program
Team Building Activity
Running a Flat Meeting and
Dealing with Complaints
Personal Safety Program contd.
Michael Tunnecliffe
Self Care for RAs
15.00 – 15.15
Afternoon Refreshment
15.15 – 16.45
Curtin University Resources
and Support
16.45 – 17.00
Closure
Afternoon Refreshment
Cultural Diversity
Closure
Q & A with a Manager
Afternoon Refreshment
Critical Incident Management
-Types of Incidents
-Incident response
-Emotional First Aid
End 4.30
Michael Tunnecliffe
Closure
Q & A with a Manager
Afternoon Refreshment
Review and Evaluation
Presentation of Certificates
Closure
Evaluation
The overall program was …
1.(Poor) 2. 5%
3. 9%
4. 72%
5. 14% (Excellent)
The activities in the program were …
1. 2. 5%
3. 14%
4. 62%
5. 19%
The overall presentation in the program was …
1. 2. 3%
3. 16%
4. 58%
5. 23%
The venue used was …
1. 2. 3. 2%
4. 30%
5. 68%
The catering (food and drink) was …
1. 2. 3. 16%
4. 35%
5. 49%
How confident you feel about being in the role of a Residential Assistant
1. 2. 3. 7%
4. 67%
5. 26%
2008 Program consultation
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Look at how to deal with group dynamic in teams, and understand what
might be going on for people
How to deal with inter-house activities when they lose momentum and
there seems a lack of commitment
Have space within program for senior RAs to explain policy changes with
RAs, invite managers to second part of discussion.
Look at marketing and promotion issues for events, issues like surveys of
resident interest, new ideas for activities etc
Focus on community building activities, for houses but also within
training
Would like something different in training for returning RAs
Increase time for security and include Edusafe, maybe to do evacuation
training
2008 Program consultation cont’d…
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Do issues around personal safety with aggressive and drunk people but
don’t spend as much time on the physical safety component.
Discuss cultural issues specifically around communal living
Look at responding to issues where residents are affected by alcohol,
medication or are psychotic
How to encourage new residents to be interactive and participative
After care for RAs who have had to deal with difficult situations
What to do when policy has been contravened, particularly by other RAs
Responding to problematic issues like previous point and when there are
previous residents returning to the premises
Problem solving when there are slack RAs in the team
Benefits of the collaboration
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Include:
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Cost benefits
Building relationships with housing services
Improved RA skills
Modelling collaborative activities between
support services
Cost savings
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In-house training has saved Housing Services
a substantial external consultant’s fee
Consultative process in delivery of
training program
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In the past, the training program was constructed
after discussions between housing management and
the external consultant. RAs were not consulted in
any active sense.
Seeking RA input into the program means:
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The content meets their expressed needs
They have a greater sense of ownership – they are not just
recipients of the program
The RAs are better skilled to begin their role
On-going relationship with RAs
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Participating counsellors have maintained contact
with the RAs in their designated residence
This has facilitated
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Better and more appropriate referral of clients to UCS
Occasional consultation meetings with the senior RA and
other RAs
A better awareness in UCS of Housing operations
A better awareness in Housing of UCS practices
On-going relationship with Housing
staff
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The program has built a stronger working
relationship with
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The director of Housing services
Managers of each residence
Other staff in the residences
Clarity of referral processes
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There is more timely referral of clients to
UCS
The program has also raised RA awareness of
other support services – leading to more
appropriate and timely referral to these
services
Facilitating other problem-solving
tasks
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For example – RA’s expressed concerns about
their relationship with Security Services
Building collaborative relationships
within support services more widely
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Placing all support services within the
University Life portfolio was intended to
enable the various services to work
collaboratively where possible
Working together on RA training has led to
other collaborative activities – e.g.
restructuring the University Life web page at
http://unilife.curtin.edu.au/ ; coordinated
delivery of O Week etc.
Question time