IEAA Excellence Award for Innovation in International Education

Confidence Hackers are delighted to announce that we have been named by the International Education Association of Australia as the 2021 recipient of the IEAA Excellence Award for Innovation in International Education for the Confidence Crew program for Study Melbourne!

Announced at the IEAA’s national conference on 5 October, the award recognises the innovative preventative and proactive non-clinical approach that Confidence Hackers takes to the serious challenges of student mental wellbeing, empowerment and confidence. 

 Overall, approximately 5,000 students have been positively impacted through the Study Melbourne Confidence Crew programs, which all either overtly or covertly include elements of inclusion, emotional and mental wellbeing and support, confidence and self-worth building, creativity, networking, encouragement of help-seeking behaviour and team work, which resulted in employment outcomes, friendships and upgraded life and functional skills for international students.

The Confidence Crew program for Study Melbourne incorporated a range of innovative mostly on-line events and activities that positively supported the mental wellbeing of international students, both on-and off-shore during the extended lockdowns in Melbourne.

Programs incorporated into ConfidenceCrew include:

• ConfidenceCrew – an 8-week Global Confidence Incubator supporting students with challenges like anxiety, isolation and loneliness, designed to proactively address and manage the harmful stress effects of Covid-19 and create powerful prevention strategies for all attendees
• ConfidenceCrew: Challenge Quest – an 8-part weekly challenge program mirroring the Hero’s Journey of self-empowerment, including life, employment and functional skills
• ConfidenceCrew: South Asia – specifically targeting South Asian students at the height of the pandemic, including inspirational Everyday Heroes events which showcased current and former international students
• Transformational meditation sessions timed to support additional stress of exams
• access to online Covid wellbeing courses providing short, engaging and relevant content that’s useful now and in the future
• Quadcasting – group podcasting connecting on- and off-shore students to create content around connection
• The Summer Feelz Fest – 7 Ambassador-led events that incorporated volunteering, leadership and connection, partnering with student accommodation providers as Covid-safe venues
• Access to Preparise, Confidence Hackers exclusive Facebook-esque online connection and learning management platform
• EmpowerFest – 4 strengths-based events during Mental Health Month including themes of play, movement, love and failure
• Swag Studio – grass roots student-led events connecting students through cooking demonstrations and more
• Students Got Talent – online and in-person student talent shows with student emcees
• Ambassador Exclusive – conversational interview format event for Study Melbourne Ambassadors, with former and current international students sharing their deeply personal and engaging mental wellbeing struggles, together with practical advice on how they overcame them
• Event Ninjas – active leadership positions including recording and sharing a 30-60 second invitational video, playing DJ for the day by choosing the music to welcome students in to the Zoom room, and leading the 90 second dance break mid-way through the sessions, and event set up and pack up for in-person events