With Trans Awareness Week starting on Friday 13 November and Intersex Awareness Day on 26 October, it’s a good time to talk about being an Ally! In this PeerPod episode, our host Tom spoke to Samantha Farrell, the University Library's LBTQIA+ Liaison Officer; and Daniele Gianotti, Deputy Co-Chair of the Pride Network, about the importance of personal pronouns and how best to be an Ally. Links to resources discussed are below, we’ll be reading them all:

sydney.edu.au/students/lgbtiq-pride-network.html

twenty10.org.au

minus18.org.au

transhub.org.au

pridetraining.org.au

Outfornow Canvas page: https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/24347

Pronoun badges - https://www.pridetraining.org.au/products/pronoun-button-badge-set

Peer Pod Episode 17 brings to you Susanna Scarparo Pro Vice Chancellor Student Life, updating us on all that the university is designing and redesigning to cater to the mental wellbeing of our student family here at the University of Sydney, Susanna is passionate about catering to student needs from the very moment they step into university life, and so Susanna along with her team are working to create a single entry point that would provide students with a program to cater to their mental wellbeing without hesitation. What more could we ask for at this time when the pandemic has increased mental health issues within the student community? Support from the University to smash the stigma and work together as a family looking after each other is the agenda we are headed towards. Our second speaker for this episode is Lachlan, who is one of us- a Usyd student! He is part of the Batyr program, a mental health program designed to help students smash the stigma and spread awareness about mental health. Lachlan is inspiring in his devotion to help other students work together and break the barriers around mental health and address their needs, especially now.

We are hopeful that this episode will help us all begin the much needed conversation to smash the stigma surrounding mental health!

A number of resources are mentioned in this episode;

The University of Sydney Health, Wellbeing and Support Services: https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/browse.html?category=support-and-services&topic=health-wellbeing-and-support-services

Mental Health Month at The University of Sydney: https://library.sydney.edu.au/help/mentalhealthmonth.html

Instagram: @usy_student_wellbeing, @batyrusyd

Facebook: Batyr@Usyd

Batyr Australia: https://www.batyr.com.au/

From using the wrong citation style to hiring someone to write your essay, Lucy and Colette give us a tour of the academic integrity rainbow; how students find themselves in hot water, what happens once you are, and how to avoid it all together – especially in the current climate. We’re also reminded that if you do find yourself in trouble, the academic integrity team are primarily here to help and make sure we understand how to give credit to the authors who’s work we rely on for our own.

A number of resources are mentioned in this episode;

Citation guides

https://libguides.library.usyd.edu.au/citation

PLA events including: Plan your semester and Focus and Study (Pomodoro)

https://usyd.libcal.com/calendar/library/?cid=3560&t=d&d=0000-00-00&cal=3560&ct=32967&inc=0

Learning Centre

https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/learning-centre.html

Writing support

https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/writing/help-support.html

The University of Sydney Write Site

Can be accessed through Canvas

2020 has served up a bunch of extra hurdles, as part of Disability Inclusion week, we speak with Jack and Max about Disability Support Services; what they can do to assist with invisible disabilities and the positive impacts reaching out can have on your studies.

To alleviate some of the stress and anxiety COVID has introduced into your life – get involved in Disability Inclusion week. The team will be posting tech tips on university socials and hosting academic / staff / student discussions on the perks and pitfalls of online learning.

Disability Support Services: https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/disability-support.html

2020 saw the introduction of the Student Charter at the University of Sydney – bringing about the beginning of a new relationship between students and the University.

PeerPod newbie Tom, gets the run down on the document from two figures instrumental in its establishment; Associate Professor Peter McCallum and former student representative Clare Birch.

We talk; community, maintaining Sydney’s larrikin culture, the shifting needs in our communal spaces and cheeky examples of where students have already called on the charter to defuse sticky situations. We also cover the need to knows: what is the document and where am I going to find it.

Student Charter: https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/student-responsibilities.html

While lockdown sure ain’t no mountain yoga retreat – here at PeerPod we are still attempting to rediscover ourselves in lockdown. Join your host Life Coach Leyla, and guests Insightful Iyat and Meaningful Melly on a journey into the mind, body, spirit? No? okay, just join us for our introspective and at times existential discussion about how lockdown has shaped us and our tips on how to overcome the many mental challenges.

- PeerConnect (library.sydney.edu.au/help/pla.html)

- Peer Learning Advisors (library.sydney.edu.au/help/pla.html)

- Counselling and mental health support (www.sydney.edu.au/students/counsel…lth-support.html)

Student life has taken on a science fiction feel to it lately with our university experience confined to the tech world in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode, your host Life Coach Leyla is joined by Gameboy Juan and Forecaster Jesse for a round table discussion about our student experience coping with WFH and whether we feel that student life as we know it will be changed forever! Did somebody say robots?(ooOOo ominous).

- PeerConnect (https://library.sydney.edu.au/help/pla.html)

- Coffee in the Cloud (https://usyd.libcal.com/calendar/library)

- Ready Study Go! (https://usyd.libcal.com/calendar/library)

- Peer Learning Advisors (https://library.sydney.edu.au/help/pla.html)

- Counselling and mental health support (https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/counselling-and-mental-health-support.html)

"Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are" - Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1826)

"The man is what she/he eats" - Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach (1836)

"Eat healthily, even when you are hangry" - Anika and Alisar (2020)

Did you know that you can eat healthily even if you are a student on a budget? And it does not even take too long to prepare a healthy meal. Two birds with a stone. Well guys, this means there are no more excuses for none of us! PhD candidate at Sydney University and dietitian Anika Rouf (Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anika-rouf-251726119; Twitter - @anika_rouf) and Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) Alisar Kanjrawi are our PeerPod guests in this brilliant episode devoted to food and nutrition. Their conversation is all about the importance of healthy eating and how easy(and tasty!) it is.

Useful links:

The Staples Bag - https://www.thestaplesbag.ssi.org.au/

SuperNature - http://supernaturefoods.com.au/

Need help?? – Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. In today’s episode your host Leyla is joined in the studio by student guests: David, Jordyn, and Arkady, discussing the subtle art of asking for help at University, and the most helpful resources available to you to assist your studies and give you that academic edge! So tune in, we think you’ll find it very helpful!

• Library 'Chat Now': https://sydney.edu.au/library/ask-us

• Academic Liaison Librarian: https://library.sydney.edu.au/contacts/subjectcontacts.html

• Peer Learning Advisors: https://library.sydney.edu.au/help/pla.html

• Student Representative Council (SRC): http://srcusyd.net.au/

• Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association (SUPRA): http://supra.net.au/

• Disability Support: https://sydney.edu.au/study/why-choose-sydney/student-support/disability-support.html

• Academic Progress: https://sydney.edu.au/students/academic-progress.html

• Counselling and mental health support: https://sydney.edu.au/students/counselling-and-mental-health-support.html

• Learning Centre: https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/learning-centre.html

• Academic Advice: https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/course-planning/academic-advice.html

Disclaimer! This episode is about consensual sex. If you have been victim of rape and family violence, please refer to Rape and Domestic Violence Australia - https://www.rape-dvservices.org.au/ or call NSW Rape Crisis at 1800424017

If you feel threatened, dial 000 to seek help.

Roses are red

Violets are blue

You should ask for consent

And I should too.

Well guys, it might not be the most exciting poem you've ever read, but here it is: yes means yes, no means no. And let's break a taboo: asking for consent does not kill the mood. Find a way to ask it, and make sure you do it all the time. And if you don't want to give your consent, don't give it. If you gave your consent before, but now you changed your mind, it's ok and you don't owe anything to anyone. It is your right to chose whether you want to be involved in a sexual relationship or less. This episode is all about mutual respect in sex and relationships, where by relationship we intend a consolidated one or a one-night stand. It's important that all parts involved in a relationship understand the importance of consent. You would not want someone to be forced into having sex with you, as much as you wouldn't force them into having tea (if it's still unclear, please refer to this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZwvrxVavnQ.

Links for enrolled and perspective students:

Sexual health and consent - https://sydney.edu.au/students/sexual-health-consent.html

Student Liaison Officers (Available Mon-Fri 8.30am-5.30pm)

Email : [email protected]

Phone: 8627 6808

1800 SYD HLP (To report incidences of sexual assault/harassment) Option 2 then 1.

1800 793 457

1800Respect –National Sexual assault, domestic family violence counselling service (Available 24/7)

1800 737 732

www.1800respect.org.au

NSW Rape crisis service (Available 24/7)

1800 424 017

www.rape-dvservices.org.au

Royal Prince Alfred (RPA) Sexual assault service (Available 24/7)

9515 9040

In cases of emergency or urgent medical attention is required, please attend to your local hospital’s emergency department or call emergency services on 000 immediately.

University sexual assault page:

www.sydney.edu.au/students/sexual-assault

Student sexual misconduct policy 2018

http://sydney.edu.au/policies/showdoc.aspx?recnum=PDOC2018/470&RendNum=0