Student Success Coach
The Student Success Coach program is a free service available to Swinburne vocational education students, including VCAL and VCE students, and apprentices.
About Student Success Coaches
Balancing life and study can be challenging sometimes, but Student Success Coaches are here to listen and help.
Student Success Coaches support vocational education students to better succeed in their studies. We work with you to assess your individual needs. Our goal is to design strategies to help you overcome challenges and to access the right support, including Swinburne student services.
How we support students
We can assist you with a plan if you experience difficulties that impact your study. This may include:
- issues with your study program or finances
- anxiety or stress
- other issues that may need specialist support.
There are currently 11 Student Success Coaches across Swinburne's Hawthorn, Croydon and Wantirna campuses. We are available to talk face-to-face, by phone or online. You can also chat to us when we visit your class.
Meet your Student Success Coach
Select your study area to meet the coaches with expertise in helping students in your course.
If you're studying with the Richmond Institute, contact Ann Marie Hughes on +61 407 823 074 at anniehughes@swinburne.edu.au.
Ann Marie Hughes
Ann Marie can assist students studying:
- Accounting and Bookkeeping
- Business
- Event Management
- Financial Services
- Justice and Legal
- Library and Information Services
- Marketing
- Project Management
Ann Marie is available Monday to Thursday.
0407 823 074
anniehughes@swinburne.edu.au
Helen Acquilina
Helen can assist students studying:
- Arts
- Design
- Screen and Media
Helen is available Tuesday to Friday.
0409 012 060
hpillay@swinburne.edu.au
Ann Marie Hughes
Ann Marie can assist students studying:
- Teaching and Assessment
Ann Marie is available Monday to Thursday.
0407 823 074
anniehughes@swinburne.edu.au
Kerry Morris
Kerry can assist students studying:
- Early Childhood Education and Care
- Education Support
- Teacher Education Preparation
Kerry is available Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.
0477 316 221
kmorris@swinburne.edu.au
James Thangman
James can assist students studying:
- General Education – Croydon campus
- Migrant English
James is available Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
0400 850 762
jthangman@swinburne.edu.au
Sherry Jiang
Sherry can assist students studying:
- General Education – Hawthorn and Wantirna campuses
- Migrant English
Sherry is available Monday to Wednesday.
0408 303 326
sherryjiang@swinburne.edu.au
Silvina Pechiar
Silvina can assist students studying:
- Community Services
- Disability
- Youth Work
Silvina is available Monday to Friday.
0409 075 731
spechiar@swinburne.edu.au
Tracy Hall
Tracy can assist students studying:
- Allied Health
- Health Services Assistance
- Individual Support
- Mental Health
- Non-Emergency Patient Transport
- Nursing
- Paramedical Services
Tracy is available Monday to Thursday.
0400 722 476
thall@swinburne.edu.au
Helen Acquilina
Helen can assist students studying:
- Cyber Security
- Games and Development
- Information Technology
- Networking
- Screen and Media
Helen is available Tuesday to Friday.
0409 012 060
hpillay@swinburne.edu.au
James Thangman
James can assist students studying:
- Laboratory Technology
- Science
James is available Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.
0400 850 762
jthangman@swinburne.edu.au
Bassel Saab
Bassel can assist students studying:
- Electrical
- Engineering
- Horticulture
Bassel is available Monday to Thursday.
0437 788 540
bsaab@swinburne.edu.au
David Clark
David can assist students studying:
- Bricklaying
- Building
- Carpentry
- Electrical
- Engineering
- Horticulture
- Plumbing
David is available Monday to Friday.
0437 741 486
davidclark@swinburne.edu.au
Alison Abraham
Alison can assist students studying:
- VCAL – Wantirna campus
Alison is available Mondays and Thursdays.
0473 823 375
aabraham@swinburne.edu.au
Honey Smith
Honey can assist students studying:
- VCAL – Croydon campus
- VCE
- Young Mums Program
Honey is available Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.
0407 117 604
honeysmith@swinburne.edu.au
Resources for students
Online resources
There are some great free online resources to support good time management habits. Here are some we recommend.
- Trello allows you to make lists in a visually pleasing way so that you can see what's going on. It's easy to use, colourful, and you can add users for group work.
- Plan projects with calendars, charts and more with Asana. Another easy-to-use, colourful online tool that can be called on for group work.
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Health and wellbeing at Swinburne
It's important to maintain your mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. Swinburne has a range of on-campus health and wellbeing services available to students: from doctors and nurses to counselling and physiotherapy.
Browse health and wellbeing services or phone (03) 9214 8483.
Online resources
You can also explore external resources. Here are some that we recommend.
- Headspace is a national organisation providing information and support for young people aged 16 to 25. Has an online support service where you can talk one-on-one with an eheadspace clinician via an online chat, email or over the phone.
We also recommend the Headspace meditation and mindfulness app. - Beyond Blue is a national organisation that provides information and support for all ages. Also has an online chat service (3pm to midnight), phone and email support lines.
- Black Dog Institute offers information, support and 'self tests' for a range of mental health conditions including depression and bipolar disorder.
We also recommend the Black Dog Institute's self-care planning and wellbeing resources. Plus check out Bite Back, their mental health and wellbeing site for youth. - The Calm app offers tools for sleep, meditation and relaxation; their mission is to make the world a happier place.
We also recommend their mindfulness resources if you're looking for more ways to be mindful.
Online resources
Still looking for motivation? Here are some free resources to help you navigate towards productivity.
- Headspace work and study help provides 15- to 25-year-olds free support about work and study. You can access online resources, get one-on-one support or join a group chat.
- The EnVision app allows you to creat vision boards. These can act as a daily reminder of your future vision and dreams, and help motivate you and establish a positive outlook.
- Smart goal planner is a handy app that gives you the tools to set specific, measurable, realistic time-based goals.
Other student support services
As a Swinburne student you have access to some terrific services to support during your time here – all free of charge.
And, of course, your Student Success Coach!
If you’re not sure where to start, get in touch with your Student Success Coach to learn more about the support and resources available to you.
Browse student services
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Learning and Academic Skills
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Careers and employability
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AccessAbility services
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Health and wellbeing
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Swinburne Skills and Jobs Centre
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Student systems, hardware and software
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Library
Need more information?
Library and studentHQ is your one-stop shop on every campus and can help you access student support services for all your course enquiries.