News | 12 Oct 2018

St John’s College continues to strengthen safety and wellbeing across its community. This semester, the College has launched a student driven initiative to provide an additional pathway for reporting unacceptable behaviour.

The College’s Equality Liaison Group,comprising of staff and students, has worked with the provider of an anti-bullying app to tailor a solution for the College, which has now been launched.

The Anonymous Alerts App enables confidential reporting to the College’s Student Life Team of any matter relating to bullying, discrimination, sexual harassment, vilification or other behaviour or actions.

The App is another tool supporting and strengthening the College’s zero tolerance policy on any behaviour that threatens student safety and/or wellbeing.

Importantly the tool does not replace any existing reporting path for any matter relating to sexual assault, sexual harassment, assault, discrimination, intimidation, hazing, bullying or other reportable conduct.

“This is another strong initiative from our student body which further supports the College’s zero tolerance policy to any behaviour that undermines student safety,” said Rector Adrian Diethelm.

“The work of the Equality Liaison Group has been central to the introduction of this important additional tool for our community and I congratulate Eleanor Schwager, Megan Fitzgerald and Felix Wallis and all involved in this important project,” he said.

“The launch of this new App helps empower students to help themselves and their fellow students if they experience any type of unacceptable behaviour,” said Liaison Group Members Eleanor Schwager, Megan Fitzgerald and Felix Wallis.

“In no way does it replace existing reporting paths for sexual harassment, sexual assault, bullying or physical or other intimidation. However it does provide an immediate and confidential process to seek assistance from College staff.

“The App is just one of the avenues open to students to seek assistance and we encourage anyone to have confidential chat with anyone in the College community they feel comfortable talking to if they need to raise or discuss an issue of concern.

“We recognise that the needs and rights of individuals and the community are paramount, and as such all reports will be dealt with sensitivity, confidentially and respectfully,” said Ms Schwager, Ms Fitzgerald and Mr Wallis.